HeyGen vs Synthesia
HeyGen and Synthesia are often compared, but they solve fundamentally different problems. HeyGen is a ai avatars & video creation platform built for ai avatar videos. 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.
- HeyGen Languages
- 175+
- Synthesia Languages
- 70+ (140+ Enterprise)
- HeyGen Lip Sync
- 76.8 / 100·Goodi
- Synthesia Lip Sync
- 68.3 / 100·Goodi
The Key Difference
Both platforms offer lip sync, but at different levels. HeyGen scores 76.8 / 100 · Good and Synthesia 68.3 / 100 · Good in the independent lip-sync benchmark (1,000 videos, five blind raters per video, September 2026). The gap shows most in close-up shots and dialogue-heavy content; for screen recordings or presentations with a picture-in-picture speaker, it matters less.
Feature Comparison
When comparing features, pay attention to more than just checkboxes. HeyGen supports 175+ 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 | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | AI avatars & video creation | AI avatar video generation (dubbing is a secondary feature) |
| Languages | 175+ | 70+ (140+ Enterprise) |
| Lip Sync | 76.8 / 100·Goodi | 68.3 / 100·Goodi |
| Voice Cloning | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Video Output | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Avatar Creation | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| API Access | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Multi-Speaker | Not disclosed | 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. HeyGen uses a credits + seats model starting at $29/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 | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $29/month | €26/month |
| Pricing Model | Credits + seats | 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, HeyGen in the US (USA), with SOC 2 Type II certification, and states GDPR compliance. For European enterprises or anyone handling sensitive content, this section deserves careful attention.
| Requirement | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Server Location | USA | Ireland (EU) |
| DPA Available | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| No AI Training | ✗ No | ✗ No |
Strengths & Weaknesses
HeyGen
Strengths
- ✓ Widest language coverage here: 175+ target languages
- ✓ Entry price $29/month (Creator), with a free plan to try
- ✓ Avatar IV, script-to-video and faceswap in one platform
- ✓ GDPR documentation: SOC 2 Type II, EU-US Data Privacy Framework, public DPA
Weaknesses
- ✗ Lip sync scores 76.8 / 100 in the independent benchmark — well behind the leader on real footage
- ✗ Per-seat pricing adds up for teams ($20 per extra seat on Business, $149/month)
- ✗ AI training on your content is opt-out rather than excluded by default
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 HeyGen better than Synthesia?
It depends on your use case. Our pick for avatar videos and the widest language coverage: HeyGen. 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 HeyGen cost compared to Synthesia?
HeyGen starts at $29/month (Credits + seats). 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?
HeyGen scores 76.8 / 100 · Good in the independent lip-sync benchmark (September 2026), Synthesia 68.3 / 100 · Good.
Read Full Reviews
Dive deeper into each platform with our individual reviews.
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Sources & Further Reading
- HeyGen Official Website — HeyGen, 2026
- Synthesia Official Website — Synthesia, 2026
- AI Video Translation Market Report — Market.us, October 2025