Synthesia
Synthesia turns text scripts into avatar videos, with 2026 plans from a free 10 minute tier to Creator at $89/month and a new Copilot script editor.
About Synthesia
What is Synthesia (2026 update)
Synthesia is an AI video generation platform that turns a written script into a video with a talking AI avatar, letting you produce training, marketing, and educational videos without a camera, studio, or actors. You type or paste a script, pick an avatar and voice, and the tool renders a finished video in minutes, which is why it is widely used for corporate training and how-to content rather than cinematic storytelling.
What is new in 2026
Synthesia introduced Roleplay Sessions in July 2026, an interactive coaching feature where learners practice conversations with an AI avatar instead of just watching a video. The company also shipped Copilot, a script writing assistant built into the video editor that drafts scripts, pulls from connected knowledge bases, and suggests visuals, and a Courses feature that combines avatars, video agents, and interactivity to build and measure workplace training. On the technical side, Synthesia’s Express avatars gained more realistic facial micro-expressions, breathing, and eye movement, and the platform integrated Google’s Gemini Omni Flash model so users can generate or edit video from text, images, or audio in the same workspace. Synthesia also added animated infographic creation (timelines, flows, charts) and a Glossary tool that lets you set the pronunciation of a word once and apply it workspace-wide.
Key features
- Text-to-video with AI avatars in 160+ languages and auto-generated captions
- Personal avatar creation from your own recorded footage
- Copilot script assistant connected to internal knowledge bases
- AI dubbing and voice cloning for existing video content
- Interactive video and Courses for training with quizzes and branching
- API access on paid plans for programmatic video generation
Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 10 minutes of video per month, 9 avatars, watermark included, no credit card needed |
| Starter | $29/month ($18/month billed annually) | 12 minutes per month, 125+ stock avatars, logo removed, AI dubbing, 1 editor plus 3 guests |
| Creator | $89/month ($64/month billed annually) | 30 minutes per month, 180+ avatars plus 5 personal avatars, API access, interactive video, 1 editor plus 5 guests |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited video minutes, 240+ avatars, unlimited personal avatars, SSO, dedicated support |
Who should use it
Synthesia fits corporate L&D and training teams, internal comms, and marketing teams that need to publish videos in many languages on a recurring schedule without hiring a production crew. The Creator plan’s API access and personal avatars make it a reasonable fit for product teams that want to generate onboarding or how-to videos programmatically. It is less suited to creators who need cinematic b-roll, complex editing, or fully custom scenes, since the workflow is built around a talking avatar rather than general video production. Solo creators and small businesses making occasional short clips may find the Free or Starter tier enough, while larger teams producing weekly training content will likely need Creator or Enterprise to get past the low minute caps.
Limitations and alternatives
Synthesia’s minute allowances are modest even on paid plans (12 to 30 minutes per month before overage), and unused credits do not roll over between billing periods, so heavier users can hit real cost jumps quickly. Personal avatars and API access both require the higher Creator tier or above. Enterprise pricing is not published and requires a sales call, so check the official site for a current quote. For teams wanting more avatar variety or a different pricing model, alternatives include HeyGen, Colossyan, and Elai.io, each of which also offers avatar-based text-to-video generation with its own credit and pricing structure.
Frequently asked questions
Is Synthesia free to use?
Yes, the Free plan gives you 10 minutes of video per month with 9 stock avatars, but videos carry a Synthesia watermark and cannot be downloaded without upgrading.
How much does Synthesia cost in 2026?
Paid plans start at $29/month for Starter (12 minutes) and go up to $89/month for Creator (30 minutes) when billed monthly, with lower per-month rates on annual billing. Enterprise pricing is custom, check the official site for a quote.
Can I create a personal AI avatar of myself?
Yes, personal avatar creation is available starting on the Creator plan and above, using footage you record yourself.
What is new in Synthesia for 2026?
2026 additions include Roleplay Sessions for interactive coaching, the Copilot script assistant, Courses for structured training, Gemini Omni Flash integration for text/image/audio-to-video, and a Glossary feature for consistent word pronunciation.
Information last verified: September 2026.
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