Synthesia AI review (2026)

Launched in 2017, Synthesia is an AI-driven video generation tool used by tens of thousands of people today, including companies like Zoom, Heineken, Bosch, Merck, SAP, and Mondelez.

It transforms your script into a professional-grade video featuring lifelike AI avatars that can speak over 140 languages. These avatars are customizable and look surprisingly real. You can create anything from corporate or educational videos to videos for a marketing campaign.

Synthesia uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology and works with AI deep learning networks. Continue reading my Synthesia AI review to learn about its key features, pricing, user feedback, pros and cons, and more.

Quick overview of Synthesia AI

This overview table summarizes key information you need to know about Synthesia AI:

Overall rating:	4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Pricing:	Free plan available; paid plans start at $18.00/month (billed annually) and $29.00 /month (billed monthly)
Brief description:	AI-driven video generation tool that uses life-like avatars and supports 140+ languages

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What is Synthesia AI?

At its core, Synthesia AI is a cloud-based platform that attempts to redefine video creation through AI algorithms. It transforms written scripts into videos that contain human-esque avatars supported by voice synthesis technology.

With its avatars able to speak in over 140 languages, Synthesia is a great choice for businesses and creators targeting a global audience. It eliminates the need for expensive cameras, actors, and equipment, and it is scalable.

The potential use cases for Synthesia include corporate training videos, educational content, and marketing campaigns.

Synthesia’s simplicity and automation make it accessible to people with little to no design or editing experience. Design experts will also appreciate its breadth of features and API options.

Key features of Synthesia AI

Let’s examine Synthesia's key features. I’ve divided them into sections, such as AI avatars, multilingual capabilities, editing interface, video template offerings, and text-to-video features.

Note: Before we begin, I should note that Synthesia’s Free and Starter plans lack some of the capabilities of the Creator and Enterprise tiers.

Realistic AI avatars

Synthesia has a library of over 240 AI avatars of various ethnicities, age groups, and professions. You can modify Synthesia’s avatars in the Avatar studio by adjusting clothing and adding logos. You can even create a custom avatar in minutes.

I found that Synthesia’s avatars mimic human mannerisms well most of the time. They’re great for corporate, educational, and marketing videos. I found them to be quite expressive, which enhances viewer engagement.

Multilingual voice synthesis

Synthesia supports over 140 languages and accents, making multilingual voice synthesis a reality. Users say the AI-generated voices are lifelike and can adapt to the tone and context of your script. Furthermore, Synthesia can generate subtitles in over 39+ languages.

This opens up the possibility of using Synthesia for global training, multilingual marketing campaigns, and customer support videos.

Simple editing interface

As far as editing goes, Synthesia provides a video creation interface designed to simplify the production process for non-tech-savvy users. Many users say the interface is easy to use.

You can select avatars, input scripts, and customize elements like fonts, colors, and backgrounds on the editing interface. Much like a slide deck, the interface is accessible to beginners.

Video template and customization

Synthesia offers over 250 pre-designed templates, making it easy to create videos quickly. These templates are customizable. For instance, there are templates for training, onboarding, marketing, and other types of videos. You can adjust colors, logos, and fonts to align with your branding project. Synthesia also gives users access to millions of royalty-free images, soundtracks, and elements.

Text-to-video automation

Synthesia’s key feature is its text-to-video automation. It lets you transform written content into AI videos instantly and effortlessly. You input your text script, select an avatar, and let Synthesia handle the rest, from voice synchronization to video generation.

There are also advanced options like instant translation, AI dubbing, pairing with voice cloning, and customization features.

Testing Synthesia AI video generator: my experience

The account creation process is quick and easy to follow. I was asked to provide basic information, along with company details such as size, industry type, and the goals of the videos that would be created. Once this was done, I created my first video by providing a prompt with a description and specifying the target audience.

Synthesia had everything I needed to create a compelling video, including pre-made backgrounds, images, stock footage, avatars, and music. I could also upload my own assets, but I decided to use only built-in elements for the test. Thanks to the clear and intuitive dashboard, I had no problems adapting the video to my expectations.

The free version allowed me to create a 720p video. I used only the elements available within the app. The video looks professionally scripted and edited. After familiarizing myself with the dashboard while creating the first video, I’m sure I could make a similar one in minutes. That’s how easy the creation process is.

Although I was mostly impressed with Synthesia's capabilities and ease of use, its avatars still require a bit of fine-tuning. Some of the gesticulation doesn’t seem natural, and the voice doesn’t always match the movement of the avatar on screen. There is definitely room for improvement in this aspect.

The free version offers 360 credits per month, allowing you to create a video of up to 3 minutes in length. Unfortunately, the preview doesn’t include avatar animations, so you won’t know the final effect until the video is generated. The generation process took about 10 minutes for the 1-minute 25-second video.

Synthesia AI pricing and plans

Here’s a brief breakdown of Synthesia’s pricing and plans:

Plan	Monthly price (billed yearly)	Monthly price (billed monthly)	Features
Free	$0.00	$0.00	1 editor, 9 AI avatars, 3 minutes of video/month, 140+ languages, 60+ templates
Starter	$18.00	$29.00	1 editor and 3 guests, 125+ AI avatars, 3 personal avatars, 10 minutes of video/month, Avatar Builder, AI Video Assistant, sharing and commenting
Creator	$64.00	$89.00	1 editor and 5 guests, 180+ AI avatars, 5 personal avatars, 30 minutes of video/month, branded templates, custom fonts, branded video page, CTA on the video page
Enterprise	Custom pricing	Custom pricing	Custom number of editors and guests, 230+ AI avatars, unlimited personal avatars, unlimited minutes of video, team collaboration, 1-click translations

Customer support differs for each plan. The Free plan only gets AI chat support, while other tiers get regular support. The Enterprise and Creator options unlock dedicated, priority support.

Synthesia AI: user experience

From what I’ve seen, Synthesia users generally love its ability to streamline video creation. For instance, one reviewer said the platform allowed them to “generate content for my eLearning clients and edit it very quickly when required.”

However, I found mixed feedback regarding its video rendering times. Though many said the general process is efficient, others complained about the “long and frustrating” rendering times.

On a positive note, many users praised Synthesia’s customization options, such as avatar adjustments and voice controls. I saw a review that commended Synthesia avatars for their expressiveness and customization, describing the tool as “unmatched” in the industry.

During my research, I found users complimenting Synthesia’s lip-syncing capabilities and avatar realism. While some described it as “superb” compared to its competitors, a few users on Reddit criticized the tool, saying that it has not yet crossed the “uncanny valley" of believability.

Overall, user reviews show that Synthesia is an efficient solution for video creation. Reviewers across several platforms agree that thoughtful implementation is needed on Synthesia’s part and that certain features, such as voice customization and avatar naturalism, need further refinement.

How to create a video in Synthesia

Here’s a breakdown of how to create a video using Synthesia. I’ve included a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process:

1. Visit Synthesia’s website
2. Click Get started if you're a new user or Log in if you already have an account
3. Click the New video button and select either a blank canvas, AI assistant, PowerPoint import, or pre-designed template
4. Choose an AI avatar from your Synthesia library and customize it
5. Insert, upload, or generate your video script
6. Select the language and accent
7. Choose or upload a background
8. Customize the transitions between scenes
9. Adjust the audio to match the visuals
10. Click Preview to review your video and make any changes if necessary
11. When you’re satisfied with the result, click Generate to create the final version of your video
12. You can download or share your video via email, embed code, or a public link

Conclusion

Synthesia makes video creation easy and accessible for users of all skill levels. Its array of features, like customizable avatars and multilingual voiceovers, makes Synthesia ideal for creating marketing, training, and educational videos.

Video guide

If you would like a visual step-by-step tutorial on how to use Synthesia, check out our video guide:

Synthesia AI alternatives

Synethesia is a groundbreaking AI tool, but there are alternatives you can experiment with. One of the most popular Synthesia alternatives is Murf.ai, which I found to be a solid option if you are looking for tweakable voiceover creation. It is great at text-to-speech conversion and offers a collection of realistic voices.

But Murf’s focus is not on video avatars or visual storytelling. This is why Synthesia really shines for me. If you want an all-in-one solution for creating both the audio and visual elements of a video, Synthesia’s avatars and templates are unique.

I also tried out the popular Eleven Labs tool, which is geared exclusively toward generating accurate, lifelike audio. It can produce voices that sound human, in my opinion. But again, it’s just audio. I prefer having a tool that creates complete videos without switching between platforms, so Synthesia takes it.

There’s also Lovo AI, another formidable Synthesia alternative. It’s similar to Murf but with a broader voice library and language support. While Lovo is impressive, I think Synthesia’s all-in-one functionality is superior once again. Pairing voices with customizable AI characters and scene editing makes Synthesia an attractive option for individuals and businesses creating various content.

At the end of the day, the best AI video generation tool for you depends on your specific needs. The Synthesia alternatives I mentioned above are powerful tools for AI voice generation. But if you’re looking for a tool that combines voice synthesis and realistic human characters, Synthesia is the way to go.

A final word on Synthesia AI

Synthesia has great value as a video creation tool, according to my tests. It has practical applications in almost every industry, from education and e-learning to corporate training and HR, marketing and advertising, content creation, and social media. Even the government and the public sector can benefit from this tool.

From what I’ve seen, users are largely impressed with Synthesia’s capabilities. Certain issues still arise with its AI avatars. Their movements can sometimes appear robotic, and their voice doesn’t always match their lip movements.

Provided it continues to see improvements, particularly concerning realism, Synthesia will undoubtedly be one of the most popular tools in the AI video production sector.

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