ElevenLabs vs Synthesia
ElevenLabs and Synthesia are often compared, but they solve fundamentally different problems. ElevenLabs is a text-to-speech, voice cloning & dubbing platform built for voice cloning projects. Synthesia focuses on ai avatar video generation (dubbing is a secondary feature), making it a better fit for enterprise l&d and training videos. This comparison uses documented facts to show where each one excels and where it falls short.
- ElevenLabs Languages
- 90+
- Synthesia Languages
- 70+ (140+ Enterprise)
- ElevenLabs Lip Sync
- No lip sync
- Synthesia Lip Sync
- 68.3 / 100·Goodi
The Key Difference
Synthesia is an avatar-first platform that added video translation as a secondary feature. ElevenLabs is purpose-built for dubbing real footage. This architectural difference shows up everywhere: ElevenLabs's lip sync is optimized for real human faces and natural speech patterns, while Synthesia's lip sync engine was designed for synthetic avatars and can struggle with occlusions, rapid movement, and complex real-world footage.
Feature Comparison
When comparing features, pay attention to more than just checkboxes. ElevenLabs supports 90+ languages and Synthesia offers 70+ (140+ Enterprise) — but raw language count is less important than quality in your target languages. Look at lip sync ratings, multi-speaker handling, and whether the platform produces finished video or just audio tracks.
| Feature | ElevenLabs | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Text-to-speech, voice cloning & dubbing | AI avatar video generation (dubbing is a secondary feature) |
| Languages | 90+ | 70+ (140+ Enterprise) |
| Lip Sync | No lip sync | 68.3 / 100·Goodi |
| Voice Cloning | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Video Output | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Avatar Creation | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| API Access | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Multi-Speaker | Auto detection (up to 32 speakers) | Auto detection |
| Custom Vocabulary | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Unlimited Revisions | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
Pricing
Pricing in the AI dubbing space is notoriously hard to compare apples-to-apples. ElevenLabs uses a shared credits model starting at $6/month, while Synthesia charges via credits per second (lip sync doubles) starting at €26/month. The real cost depends on your volume, whether you need lip sync (which often costs extra), and how many team members need access.
| Detail | ElevenLabs | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/month | €26/month |
| Pricing Model | Shared credits | Credits per second (lip sync doubles) |
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Enterprise Plans | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Privacy & Compliance
Data privacy is where these two platforms differ most. Synthesia hosts in the EU (Ireland (EU)) including a DPA, ElevenLabs in the US (USA), with SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 certification, and states GDPR compliance. For European enterprises or anyone handling sensitive content, this section deserves careful attention.
| Requirement | ElevenLabs | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Server Location | USA | Ireland (EU) |
| DPA Available | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| No AI Training | ✗ No | ✗ No |
Strengths & Weaknesses
ElevenLabs
Strengths
- ✓ Lowest entry price here: $6/month ($5 billed annually)
- ✓ Permanent free plan: 10,000 credits a month, dubs carry a watermark
- ✓ Professional voice cloning across 90+ dubbing languages
- ✓ Public DPA that attaches to self-serve accounts through the terms; SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001
Weaknesses
- ✗ No lip sync inside Dubbing — lip sync exists only as a separate product on third-party models
- ✗ Pro ($99) covers about 45 dubbed minutes; each extra minute is $2.20
- ✗ Data is transferred to the US; EU residency is Enterprise-only and excludes Dubbing
Synthesia
Strengths
- ✓ Realistic AI avatars (Express-2 engine)
- ✓ Customer data stored in Ireland on every plan
- ✓ Self-serve pre-signed DPA, named DPO, EU GDPR representative; SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001
- ✓ Free Basic plan: 1,200 credits, about 10 dubbed minutes, watermarked
Weaknesses
- ✗ Avatars are the core product; real-footage dubbing is a secondary feature
- ✗ Lip sync doubles credit cost: 240 vs 120 credits per dubbed minute
- ✗ Creator (€79) caps at 30 dubbed minutes a month — everything above is an Enterprise quote
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ElevenLabs better than Synthesia?
It depends on your use case. Our pick for audio-only dubbing: ElevenLabs. Synthesia is not our first pick in any use case, but runner-up for training and e-learning, GDPR and EU data residency and 2 more use cases. This comparison breaks down the differences across lip sync quality, pricing, features, and data privacy.
How much does ElevenLabs cost compared to Synthesia?
ElevenLabs starts at $6/month (Shared credits). Synthesia starts at €26/month (Credits per second (lip sync doubles)). Both offer different pricing models, so the actual cost depends on your usage volume.
Which tool has better lip sync quality?
Synthesia offers lip sync capabilities, while ElevenLabs does not include lip sync.
Read Full Reviews
Dive deeper into each platform with our individual reviews.
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Sources & Further Reading
- ElevenLabs Official Website — ElevenLabs, 2026
- Synthesia Official Website — Synthesia, 2026
- AI Video Translation Market Report — Market.us, October 2025