Synthesia Pricing: A Detailed Breakdown of All Plans

Navigating the pricing of AI video platforms can be complex, as there are many plans, features, and usage limits to consider.

I wrote this article to give you a clear insight into Synthesia's pricing structure and help you make an informed decision.

I will examine the available options, uncover potential hidden costs and commercial rights, and address concerns regarding subscription commitments so you can pick which plan aligns best with your budget and needs.

Overview of Synthesia pricing structure

Synthesia offers three pricing plans. All of these are paid, and there is no free plan, although you can create a video for free on their website.

1-Starter Plan

• Cost: $29 per month, or $18 per month when billed annually.
• Features:
  • 1 editor and three guests.
  • 125+ AI avatars.
  • 3 personal avatars.
  • Avatar builder.
  • AI video assistant.
  • Personal avatars.
  • 140+ languages & voices.
  • Access to 60+ video templates.
  • Ability to upload your images and videos.
  • Auto-generated closed captions.
  • Access to background music.
  • Voiceover uploads.
  • PowerPoint import.
  • MP4 downloads in Full HD (1920 x 1080).
  • Multilingual video player.
  • Video embeds.
  • Smart updates
  • Regular support.
  • Content moderation
  • AI screen recorder
• Limits:
  • 10 minutes of video per month when billed monthly or 120 minutes of video per year when billed annually.
• Watermarks: No.
• Export Options: MP4 downloads in Full HD (1920 x 1080) are available.
• Support Levels: Regular support is provided.
• Commercial Usage Rights: When using stock avatars, you can share your videos on social media, your website, or any other non-commercial use. When using custom avatars, you can use the video according to the agreements you have made with the person whose avatar you are using.

2-Creator Plan

• Cost: $89 per month, or $64 per month when billed annually.
• Features:
  • Everything in the Starter Plan, plus:
  • 1 editor and 5 guests.
  • 180+ AI avatars.
  • 5 personal avatars.
  • Custom fonts.
  • Branded video page.
  • CTA on video page.
• Limits:
  • 30 minutes of video per month when billed monthly or 360 minutes of video per year when billed annually.
  • Up to 360 minutes of video per year using the Synthesia API.
• Watermarks: No.
• Export Options: MP4 downloads in Full HD (1920 x 1080) are available.
• Support Levels: Regular support is provided.
• Commercial Usage Rights: When using stock avatars, you can share your videos on social media, your website, or any other non-commercial use. When using custom avatars, you can use the video according to the agreements you have made with the person whose avatar you are using.

3-Enterprise Plan

• Cost: Custom pricing, requiring a demo and contact with sales.
• Features:
  • Everything in the Creator plan, plus:
  • Custom number of editors and guests.
  • 230+ AI avatars.
  • Unlimited personal avatars (subject to reasonable consumption).
  • Teams & collaboration features.
  • 1-click translations.
  • Priority support.
  • Branded templates.
  • Priority content moderation
  • A Dedicated Customer Success Manager for onboarding
• Limits:
  • Unlimited minutes of video.
  • Unlimited personal avatars (subject to reasonable consumption)
• Watermarks: No.
• Export Options: MP4 downloads in Full HD (1920 x 1080) are available.
• Support Levels: Priority support and a dedicated Customer Success Manager are provided.
• Commercial Usage Rights: When using stock avatars, you can share your videos on social media, your website, or any other non-commercial use. When using custom avatars, you can use the video according to the agreements you have made with the person whose avatar you are using.

Additional Notes

• AI Dubbing: All plans have access to AI dubbing to translate videos into 29+ languages, keeping the speaker's voice.
• Studio Avatars: Creating a Studio Avatar (A top-quality custom avatar) is a paid add-on ($1000/year) for annual plan users only. These avatars can take up to 10 days to process.
• Voice Cloning: Voice cloning is available with a Personal Avatar.
• Synthesia API: The Synthesia API is available on all paid plans.
• Content Moderation: All Synthesia videos are subject to content moderation.
• Video Minute Consumption: Video minutes are only consumed when a video is generated, not when in draft or being previewed. Only the new seconds are counted if a video is edited and regenerated.
• Unused Minutes: Unused video minutes do not roll over to the next billing period.
• Free Trial: There is no free trial, but you can make a video for free on their website.
• Payment: Payment is recurring monthly or annually for Starter and Creator Plans. Enterprise plans are billed annually.

Synthesia pricing plans comparison

Here's a breakdown of the cost comparisons between Synthesia's pricing plans, including side-by-side tables, cost per video/minute analysis, and feature comparisons:

Synthesia Cost per Video

Providing an exact cost per video is difficult, as video length will vary. However, we can calculate the cost per minute based on plan limits:

• Starter Plan:
  • Monthly: $29 / 10 minutes = $2.90 per minute
  • Annual: $18 / 10 minutes = $1.80 per minute (using the average monthly minutes based on the yearly total)
• Creator Plan:
  • Monthly: $89 / 30 minutes = $2.97 per minute
  • Annual: $64 / 30 minutes = $2.13 per minute (using the average monthly minutes based on the yearly total)
• Enterprise Plan: Since the video minutes are unlimited, the cost per minute depends on actual usage and custom pricing. The value of this plan is the unlimited usage, not the cost per minute.

Plan Value Analysis

• Starter Plan:
  • Value Proposition: This plan is suitable for individuals or small teams that must produce a limited amount of video content each month. It offers the essential features for creating AI videos, including access to a good range of avatars and languages.
  • Cost-Benefit: The annual plan provides a significant discount over the monthly plan, making it a better value for those who know they will consistently use the platform.
• Creator Plan:
  • Value Proposition: The Creator plan is a step up for users who need more video output and some additional branding features. It provides more video minutes, more avatars, and the ability to customize videos with custom fonts and branded video pages.
  • Cost-Benefit: While it is more expensive than the starter plan, the increased video output and branding features might justify the higher cost for those with higher content creation demands. The annual plan offers a significant discount over the monthly plan.
• Enterprise Plan:
  • Value Proposition: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations that need to produce a large volume of videos and collaborate across teams. Key benefits include unlimited video minutes, team collaboration, and priority support.
  • Cost-Benefit: The cost will vary based on the organization's needs, but it provides scalability and advanced features necessary for larger operations, along with a dedicated customer success manager and priority support.

Synthesia main features comparison

Key Differences and Insights

• Video Output: The most significant difference between the plans is the number of video minutes available per month or year. The Enterprise plan offers unlimited minutes, making it ideal for high-volume users.
• Avatar Options: The number of available AI avatars increases with each plan tier. The Enterprise plan also offers unlimited personal avatars, subject to reasonable use.
• Branding: The Creator and Enterprise plans provide more options for branding videos. These plans only allow custom fonts, branded video pages, and call-to-action buttons.
• Support and Onboarding: While all plans offer regular support, the Enterprise plan includes priority support and a dedicated customer success manager for onboarding.
• Collaboration: The Enterprise plan includes Teams & Collaboration features, which are not available in the Starter or Creator plans.
• Translation: The Enterprise plan includes 1-click translations, making creating videos in multiple languages easier.

Additional costs and add-ons

Here's a breakdown of potential hidden costs and add-ons associated with Synthesia

• No Rollover of Unused Minutes: Unused video minutes do not roll over to the next billing period. Those unused minutes are lost if you are under your video credit limit at the end of a billing period.
• Capped Usage After Exceeding Limits: If you exceed your plan's monthly video minute limit, your usage will be capped until the next renewal.
• Upgrading for More Minutes: You can upgrade your plan to get more video minutes immediately after exceeding your limit.
• Video Minute Calculation: Video minutes are only consumed when a video is generated. Credits will not be consumed if a video is in draft or you use the play functionality. Only new video seconds are counted when editing and regenerating a video. For example, if you edit an existing 1-minute video and change 3 seconds of it, you will only be charged for 3 seconds.
• No Option to Pay Per Video: Synthesia does not offer a pay-per-video option. Instead, it is based on monthly and yearly subscriptions.
• API Usage: The Synthesia API allows for automation of video creation. Up to 360 minutes of video per year can be used with the API, and this usage is deducted from the plan’s usage limits. Additional usage may be available as a paid add-on.

Key Points to Consider

• Plan Limits: Understanding the limits on video minutes for each plan is critical to avoid unexpected costs. The Starter plan includes 10 minutes per month when billed monthly, or 120 minutes per year when billed annually; the Creator plan includes 30 minutes per month when billed monthly, or 360 minutes per year when billed annually. The Enterprise plan offers unlimited minutes.
• Annual Savings: If you are sure you will use the platform consistently, an annual plan offers significant savings over a monthly plan. The Starter plan is $29/month or $216 per year, while the Creator plan is $89/month or $768 per year.
• Video Length: The number of videos you can create depends on the length of each video. For instance, with a Starter plan you could make 10 one-minute videos or one 10-minute video.
• Content Moderation: Synthesia applies content moderation to all videos. Enterprise users get priority content moderation.

Synthesia Payment Methods

Here's a breakdown of payment options:

Starter and Creator plans: Debit cards, credit cards, direct debit, and PayPal.
Enterprise plans: Credit cards and bank/wire transfer.
Currencies
Synthesia only accepts payments in USD Dollars.
Refund Policy
Under Synthesia's Terms of Services, customers agree their purchases are not refundable or cancelable.
Discounts
Annual Plan Discounts: Synthesia offers a significant discount for users billed annually instead of monthly. For instance, the Starter plan is $29 per month, but it's reduced to $18 per month when billed annually. Similarly, the Creator plan is $89 per month, but it's reduced to $64 per month when billed annually.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan has custom pricing, so any discounts or specific payment terms must be negotiated directly with Synthesia's sales team.

Key Points to Consider

• Recurring Payments: Synthesia is not a one-time payment platform. Instead, it uses a recurring payment model for its Starter and Creator plans, which can be billed monthly or annually. Enterprise plans are billed annually.
• Plan Upgrades: You can upgrade your plan at any time and upgrade from a monthly to an annual plan by contacting customer support. To upgrade to an enterprise plan, you must contact the sales team.
• Cancellation: You can cancel your Synthesia subscription anytime through your account settings.