Synthesia AI review
AI avatar video platform — type a script, pick an avatar, generate a professional video. No camera or studio required. Used by over 50,000 teams including Fortune 100 companies for training, onboarding, and marketing content.
Synthesia generates talking-head videos from text scripts using AI avatars. You write what you want said, select an avatar from their library, and Synthesia renders the video — typically within minutes. The platform is primarily used for corporate training, onboarding, compliance content, and internal communications where consistent, professional video is needed at scale.
Synthesia moved to a credit-based pricing model in 2025, with one credit equal to one minute of generated video. Lower annual pricing was introduced in early 2026 — Starter dropped to $18/month on annual billing. Key documented limitation: content moderation is strict and in some cases opaque; healthcare and medical content has been flagged and blocked even when factual and non-clinical.
AI avatar videos
125–240+ stock avatars across ethnicities and styles. Generate talking-head videos from text scripts in minutes.
Multi-language support
Generate videos in 140+ languages. AI Dubbing available on Starter and above to translate existing videos.
Custom avatar (personal)
Create a digital replica of yourself or a spokesperson. Included with annual Starter and Creator plans; $1,000/year add-on otherwise.
AI Video Assistant
Draft video scripts from prompts. Included on Starter and above.
PowerPoint to video
Convert existing presentations to AI avatar videos retaining original design. Available across paid plans.
Veo 3.1 + Sora 2 assets
Generate B-roll video assets via AI Playground using Google’s Veo 3.1 and OpenAI’s Sora 2. Available on paid plans.
Hidden cost to flag: Studio Express-1 personal avatars are a $1,000/year add-on (annual plans only). SCORM export and 1-click translation are Enterprise-only features — essential for L&D and multilingual teams but gated behind custom pricing.
Basic (Free)
$0/mo
9 avatars, 3-minute max per video, 10 minutes/month. Synthesia logo on videos. Good for testing only.
- 9 AI avatars
- 10 min video/month
- 3 min max per video
- Synthesia logo on exports
- 1 editor only
Starter
$29/mo
125+ avatars, 10 min/month, downloadable videos, no watermark. $18/month on annual billing.
- 125+ AI avatars
- 10 min video/month
- No Synthesia logo
- AI Dubbing included
- AI Video Assistant
- 1 custom avatar (annual plan)
Annual billing: $18/month ($216/year). Save 38% vs monthly.
Creator
$89/mo
30 min/month, 5 guests, custom avatar. $64/month on annual billing. For teams producing regular content.
- 125+ AI avatars
- 30 min video/month
- 1 editor + 5 guests
- 1 custom avatar included
- AI Dubbing included
- Annual: $64/month
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited video minutes, 240+ avatars, live collaboration, SCIM, SSO, dedicated CSM.
- Unlimited video minutes
- 240+ AI avatars
- Live collaboration
- 1-click translation
- SAML SSO + SCIM
- Dedicated CSM
- SOC 2 Type II
Studio Express-1 custom avatar is a $1,000/year add-on on annual plans only.
Synthesia’s primary documented governance concern is content moderation opacity. Multiple users — including healthcare and biotech companies — report having factual, non-clinical content flagged and blocked without clear explanation, with no effective appeal process. The platform’s moderation system appears to pattern-match on topic categories (medical, legal, financial) rather than actual harm risk, producing false positives with real business costs. This is not a minor UX issue — it represents a governance failure in how the platform applies its own Acceptable Use Policy.
A full Ethics Score review is in the Ethical AI Reviews queue.
QUESTIONS
Does Synthesia have a free plan?
Yes. The Basic plan is permanently free with 10 minutes of video per month, 9 AI avatars, and a 3-minute per video limit. Videos include the Synthesia watermark and cannot be downloaded on the free tier.
How does Synthesia pricing work?
Synthesia uses a credit system where 1 credit = 1 minute of generated video. Plans are defined by monthly video minutes: Starter gives 10 min/month ($29/mo or $18/mo annual); Creator gives 30 min/month ($89/mo or $64/mo annual). Enterprise has unlimited minutes.
What is a custom avatar on Synthesia?
A custom avatar (personal avatar) is a digital replica of a real person — typically a company spokesperson or executive. It is included with annual Starter and Creator plans. For monthly billing users, it costs $1,000/year as an add-on. Studio Express-1 avatars (highest quality) are $1,000/year extra, annual plans only.
Is Synthesia safe to use for regulated industry content?
With caveats. Synthesia’s content moderation has been documented flagging healthcare, biotech, and medical content — even when factual and non-clinical — without clear guidelines or appeal paths. Test your specific content type thoroughly on the free tier before purchasing. Enterprise plans may offer better support for edge cases.