Synthesia
AI avatar video from a script: training, onboarding and recruiting videos in 140+ languages with no camera. Free plan, paid from $14/mo billed annually.
From $14/mo Free tier MCP server API
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Bottom line
Synthesia is the best-known AI avatar video platform, used by HR and L&D teams to turn scripts into onboarding, training and recruiting videos in 140+ languages without a camera. The free plan is enough to test, Starter is $14 a month billed annually, and larger teams move to Enterprise for unlimited minutes and SCORM.
Stands out for: Huge avatar and language range, 1-click translation, smart updates so a policy video changes everywhere when you edit it, and both an API and an official MCP server. Personal avatars let a real recruiter or leader appear in every video.
Watch out for: Credits run out quickly on Starter, about 12 extra minutes a month, and full translation, SCORM and SSO sit on Enterprise. Avatar videos suit training and explainers better than authentic employee stories.
Overview
Synthesia creates videos presented by AI avatars from a script, document or prompt. It is aimed at training, onboarding, HR, sales enablement and internal communication.
Stock avatars range from 9 on the free plan to 240+ on Enterprise, and personal avatars let you create a digital twin of a real person with a cloned voice. Two or more avatars can share a scene.
Videos can be translated into 140+ languages in one click, and existing videos can be dubbed into 70+ languages while keeping the original speaker's voice and accent, with lip sync as an option.
Interactive features include quizzes, branching paths and clickable calls to action, and Synthesia Sessions add AI roleplay practice and conversational surveys.
Synthesia offers an API for video creation and dubbing, an official MCP server, PowerPoint import, brand kits and SCORM export on Enterprise. It says it is used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies.
Who it's for
Best for
- Onboarding and policy videos
- Multilingual training for distributed teams
- Explainer videos for job ads and careers pages
- L&D teams that update content often
Not ideal for
- Authentic employee testimonial videos
- One-off personal outreach to candidates
- Teams needing unlimited minutes on a small budget
Key features
AI avatars. 125+ to 240+ stock presenters by plan, plus personal avatars of your own people with voice cloning.
Script, doc and prompt to video. The AI Video Assistant and Syren agent turn a script, document or prompt into a finished video.
Translation and dubbing. 1-click translation into 140+ languages and dubbing that keeps the speaker's voice and accent.
Interactive training. Quizzes, branching and clickable calls to action, plus AI roleplay sessions for training.
Smart updates. Embedded and shared videos update automatically when you edit them.
API and MCP. Create and translate video programmatically, with an official MCP server.
AI features
| What the AI does | Plan |
|---|---|
| Generates avatar-presented video from a script, document or prompt | All plans |
| Syren AI video agent builds a video from a description | All plans |
| AI dubbing with voice and accent preservation and optional lip sync | All plans |
| Personal avatars and voice cloning | Starter and above |
| AI roleplay training sessions | Learner seats Add-on |
Only features named in the vendor's own documentation. Anything sold separately is marked as an add-on.
MCP server
First-party MCP confirmed; vendor has not published a public endpoint URL.
Setup steps and live status MCP Directory Check your stack in the MCP readiness checker
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 10 min of video a month, watermarked |
| Starter | $14/mo | Billed annually ($19 monthly). 1,250 credits a month, no watermark |
| Pro | $59/mo | Billed annually ($89 monthly). 6,000 credits a month, 5 personal avatars |
| Enterprise | Quote | Unlimited minutes, SSO, SCORM, 140+ language translation |
Synthesia's Basic plan is free: 10 minutes of video or dubbing a month, 9 avatars, share links only and a Synthesia watermark. Starter is $14 a month billed annually ($19 monthly) with 1,250 credits a month (about 12 extra minutes), downloads, no watermark and 125+ avatars. Pro is $59 a month billed annually ($89 monthly) with 6,000 credits a month (about 60 extra minutes), 5 personal avatars, interactive videos and 180+ avatars, with higher credit tiers available. Enterprise is custom, with unlimited video minutes, 1-click translation into 140+ languages, SAML SSO and SCORM export. Studio avatars are a $1,000 a year add-on and roleplay learner seats are $25 to $29 each. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Synthesia expensive?
Synthesia starts at $14/mo. We list 9 AI video tools in total. 7 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $23 a month.
- 1 quote-based
- 7 free tier
- 8 public price
Worked out automatically from every AI video listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan to start
- 140+ language translation
- API and official MCP server
Cons
- Credits run out fast on Starter
- SCORM and SSO on Enterprise only
- Avatars, not real employee stories
Integrations
PowerPoint SCORM (LMS) Synthesia API MCP
What's new at Synthesia
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How Synthesia compares
See all Synthesia alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesia (this tool) | ✓ | $14/mo | ✓ | ✓ | |
 HeyGen HeyGen has more stock avatars and strong translation, with a Creator plan from $24 a month billed annually and a Business plan for teams. | ✓ | $24/mo | – | ✓ | Compare |
 Colossyan Colossyan is built for training and courses, with a free plan, SCORM on its $59 Professional plan and interactive branching. | ✓ | $59/mo | – | ✓ | Compare |
 Descript Descript edits real footage by editing a transcript, better when you film actual employees rather than use avatars. | ✓ | $16/mo | ✓ | – | Compare |
HeyGen$24/mo Free tier API
HeyGen has more stock avatars and strong translation, with a Creator plan from $24 a month billed annually and a Business plan for teams.
Colossyan$59/mo Free tier API
Colossyan is built for training and courses, with a free plan, SCORM on its $59 Professional plan and interactive branching.
Descript$16/mo Free tier MCP
Descript edits real footage by editing a transcript, better when you film actual employees rather than use avatars.
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