Synthesia AI review (2025)

Launched in 2017, Synthesia is an AI-driven video generation tool used by tens of thousands of people today, including Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, Tiffany & Co., IHG Hotels & Resorts, and others.

Simply type a script, and Synthesia will transform it into a professional-grade video featuring lifelike AI avatars that can speak over 140 languages. These avatars are customizable and look surprisingly real (complete with lip movements and gestures), lending traditional video production a truly revolutionary boost.

Synthesia has a lot of potential. You can create anything from a corporate training or educational video to videos for a marketing campaign, saving time. It uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology and works with AI deep learning networks to create the magic.

Synthesia is highly rated for its AI video generation capabilities, but is it worth the hype? I sought to find out. I collaborated with members of the Cybernews research team to create this in-depth Synthesia AI review.

My team and I meticulously assessed real-world user feedback, online reviews, and official data from Synthesia. Continue reading to learn all about Synthesia, from its key features to its pricing and plans, 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:

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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.

Pros and cons of Synthesia AI

Synthesia is arguably the AI tool for turning text into professional-grade videos with avatars and voiceovers. While there are many pros of using Synthesia, it also has some cons. I’ll explore Synthesia’s strengths and weaknesses below, drawing from official data and user reviews:

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 230 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. 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 60 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 300 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.

Synthesia AI pricing and plans

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

Customer support differs for each plan. The Free plan only gets AI chat support, while other tiers get “Regular Support.” The Enterprise option unlocks 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:

Step 1: Sign up or log in

Visit Synthesia’s website. Click “Get Started” if you're a new user or “Log In” if you already have an account. Remember, free accounts are limited.

Step 2: Choose a template

Once logged in, click the “New Video” button. Then, select either blank canvas, AI assistant, PowerPoint import, or pre-designed template.

Step 3: Customize your avatar

Choose an AI avatar from your Synthesia library. Then, customize the avatar’s clothing or add branding elements, like logos. You can also upload or use a custom avatar for more personalization.

Insert your video script into the script editor by pasting it. Use paragraph breaks to divide the script into scenes, and make sure this aligns with your scene flow. You can also upload a supported document (.pdf, .docx, etc) or use AI prompts to generate a script.

Step 5: Adjust settings

Configure your video’s settings:

• Voice and language: Select from several languages and accents.
• Background visuals: Use media from the built-in library or upload your own.
• Scene transitions and music. Match transitions and audio to your branding or tone, and use markers to sync animations with spoken words.

Step 6: Preview and edit

Click “Preview” to review your video. Make necessary adjustments, such as changing the speed, adding gestures, or fine-tuning diction.

Step 7: Download and share

When you’re satisfied, click “Generate” to render your final video. A 1-minute video may take 9-15 minutes to process. Then, download the video in MP4 format or share it via email, embed code, or a public link. Remember to export closed captions as a .srt file or burn the captions directly into the video.

Conclusion

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

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 towards 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

I really think Synthesia has great value as a video creation tool. It has practical applications in almost every industry, from education and e-learning to corporate training and HR, marketing and advertising, content creators, and social media influencers. 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. Provided it continues to see improvements, particularly concerning realism, Synthesia will undoubtedly be one of the popular tools in the AI video production sector.

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