The 7 Best Synthesia Alternatives to Check Out in 2024

Creating engaging video content typically requires significant time, effort, and expense, but advancements in artificial intelligence have made the process much easier and more efficient. If you’ve done any research into the top AI video generation tools, chances are you’ve encountered Synthesia. 

Synthesia boasts an impressive array of avatars and features that helps it stand out among competitors. However, some users have found that Synthesia doesn’t fully meet their needs or specific use cases. 

Whether you're looking for a tool with more proactive customer service or simply exploring AI video generators for the very first time, you’re in the right place. Engaging videos are essential in modern communication, enabling teams in various industries to easily convey ideas in a visual format.

In this blog we’ll walk you through the top Synthesia alternatives to consider, complete with pros, cons, and pricing. 

What is Synthesia?

Synthesia is a popular AI video generation platform that allows users to create high-quality videos from text input. Leveraging advanced technologies such as AI avatars, text-to-speech, and video editing, Synthesia enables the production of professional-looking videos without requiring equipment.

The platform is widely used in many different use cases, including client onboarding, employee training, customer education, and marketing.

Important features to look for in a Synthesia alternative

Every Synthesia alternative has a different array of features to offer, making it difficult to decide between them. Here are three important criteria to keep in mind during the evaluation process. 

Avatar and voice quality

Synthesia has gained popularity as an AI video generation tool with high-quality AI avatars and voice synchronization. As such, you’ll most likely want to be sure to evaluate the AI avatar and voice options for each tool before coming to a decision. 

Some tools offer a better selection of stock avatars, which might be helpful for those who need to create videos featuring a range of professions and ethnicities. Ensuring your tool has realistic avatars and avatar flexibility – such as hand gestures and side views – is also key in getting the most out of your tool. 

Other video generators also offer add-ons like custom avatars, voice cloning, and automatic translations, which are all capabilities worth considering when comparing the different tools on this list. 

Key use cases 

Some Synthesia alternatives are focused on serving the needs of a specific audience – such as Learning and Development teams – whereas others are built around more broad marketing and communications applications. 

When evaluating a new AI video tool, you’ll want to consider how your industry or use case might change the features you require in a video solution. For example, if you plan to use your videos on an eLearning platform, you’ll want a tool with SCORM export capabilities.

User interface and ease of use

AI video generation tools help teams overcome traditional barriers to entry – such as high production costs – typically associated with video content. 

But in order to further simplify the video editing process, you’ll want to opt for a tool with an intuitive interface that’s easy to use. That way, anyone on your team can create videos – regardless of their video editing skills. 

Top 7 Synthesia alternatives in 2024

Without further ado, here’s our list of the top Synthesia alternatives for 2024. 

1. Colossyan

Colossyan is an AI video tool that helps teams turn text into engaging professional videos featuring AI avatars and voice overs. As far as Synthesia alternatives go, Colossyan is at the top of the list for good reason, as the platform allows users to create videos without any prior video editing experience.

With dozens of features – and more being added monthly – Colossyan is constantly listening to customer feedback to continue pushing the envelope with its features and AI avatars. Interactivity, side-view avatars, and SCORM export are just a few examples of features that give Colossyan the edge over Synthesia. 

Here’s how Colossyan works: 

Colossyan was specifically designed to support the creation of workplace learning content, including employee onboarding, customer education, and internal communication – to name a few use cases. 

Key features 

• 150+ avatars: Easily ensure your presenters perfectly match your material. 
• Custom avatars and voice cloning: Enhance the personalization of your videos with custom avatars, created in studio or at home. 
• Multiple avatars per scene: Give your scenario-based training videos a boost with conversational avatars.  
• Interactivity: Add multiple choice questions to your videos to check your audience understanding. 
• Document to video: Simply upload a file and Colossyan will transform any document into a video draft – complete with AI avatars and narration – in under 60 seconds. 
• SCORM export: Utilize your Colossyan videos on an eLearning platform by exporting them as a SCORM file. 

Potential drawbacks 

• Media library: Colossyan has fewer music options compared to some competitors, but we're working on improving this by exploring new providers.
• No photo avatars: Colossyan supports the creation of studio and lite custom avatars, however, photo-to-avatar capabilities aren’t currently available. 

Pricing

• Starter plan: Start creating videos for as low as $19 per month for 10 minutes of video. This plan includes an AI script assistant, no watermarks, and full video rights. 
• Pro plan: With 3 editor seats, the Pro plan starts at $61 for 30 minutes of video per month. Additional features in this plan include avatar conversations, AI image generation, and multiple export options. 
• Enterprise plan: For companies scaling their video creation, the enterprise plan includes 4K video, SCORM export, a dedicated customer success manager, and more. Contact our sales team for pricing. 

Over half a million AI videos have been generated using Colossyan. But don’t just take our word for it – try it risk-free to ensure it meets your team’s needs. 

2. Elai.io

Elai stands out as an AI video generator with many of the standard features that equip corporate teams with tools for video creation. This includes video templates, automatic translations, and extra features like prompt-to-video. 

Just like many other Synthesia alternatives on this list, Elai also offers custom studio avatars for those with the ability to get recorded in studio. However, Elai also takes custom avatars one step further by allowing you to create a custom avatar from just a selfie. 

Key features 

• 80+ stock AI avatars
• Automatic translations
• Voice cloning 
• Prompt-to-video capabilities 
• Interactivity

Limitations 

• Not as many AI avatar options as other competitors 
• No screen recording feature 
• Restrictive video editor interface may limit your content per slide 
• Online G2 reviews say the platform is often unstable and crashes unexpectedly

Pricing 

• Basic plan: Starts at $29 per month for 15 minutes of video
• Advanced plan: Starts at $125 per month for 50 minutes of video
• Enterprise plan: Contact for pricing 

3. HeyGen

HeyGen is yet another tool looking to break into the AI video generation space using AI avatars and automatic translations. HeyGen’s use cases range from product demos, scaled outreach, to learning and development. 

That said, the tool is more focused on the production of AI marketing content than most of the other Synthesia alternatives on this list. Its automatic translation capabilities are also more limited than most competitors. 

Key features 

• Ability to export videos in different formats 
• Animated photo avatars 
• 120+ avatars 
• Face swapping

Limitations 

• Only translates to 40 languages 
• Some users say that HeyGen’s customer support is lacking, including its written support materials 
• Expensive for users creating over 30 minutes of video

Pricing 

• Creator plan: Starts at $29 per month for 15 minutes of video
• Team plan: Starts at $149 per month for 30 minutes of video
• Enterprise plan: Contact for pricing

4. Hour One

Hour One’s goal is to support enterprise growth by helping corporate teams create, manage, and streamline their AI generated video content. The software’s videos also feature AI avatars, which can be used to create sales enablement, training, and ecommerce content. 

The tool uses its GPT-4 integration and document-to-video feature to help users bring their videos to life with minimal inputs. Hour One also prides itself on allowing users to create high quality videos with no editing experience.  

Key features 

• Document to video
• Voice cloning and custom avatars
• Collaboration features like comments, workspaces, and team roles
• API integration

Limitations 

• Some avatars give users an uncanny valley feeling where they don’t seem totally human
• Only one avatar can be used per scene, limiting the potential for scenario-based training
• No screen recorder

Pricing 

• Lite plan: Starts at $30 per month for 10 minutes of video 
• Business plan: Starts at $112 per month for 20 minutes of video
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing 

5. DeepBrain AI

While some Synthesia alternatives are focused on serving the needs of a particular industry, DeepBrain AI claims to serve a range of unique use cases, including customer support, news media, and financial services. 

DeepBrain AI’s basic features are pretty standard, with templates, dozens of avatars, and translation capabilities, but its conversational avatars offer a point of differentiation. 

Key features 

• 80+ digital avatars
• Team collaboration in workspaces
• Video templates
• Conversational avatars

Limitations 

• Fewer AI avatar options compared to many competitors 
• No interactive features like multiple choice questions or branching
• Its text-to-speech feature is limited in detail and highly dependent on the inputs given

Pricing 

• Personal plan: Starts at $29 per month for 15 minutes of video
• Team plan: Starts at $89 per month for 30 minutes of video
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing 

6. Veed

Veed is a robust online video editing tool that has added a selection of AI tools to its feature offerings. These AI features include enhanced eye contact, voice cloning, and audio cleaning. 

All in all, if AI avatars are the main priority for your video content, you’ll probably want to look beyond Veed. But if you’re looking for a video editing software with lightweight AI features, it could be worth exploring. 

Key features 

• Screen and webcam recording capabilities 
• Automatic subtitles and translations 
• Eye contact AI feature that redirects your eyes to the camera 
• Voice dubbing

Limitations 

• Extensive use of Veed’s AI avatars is limited to its most expensive plans 
• Some G2 reviewers say the platform itself feels unintuitive 
• Veed’s primary focus is traditional video editing, not AI video generation

Pricing 

• Basic plan: Starts at $25 per user/month 
• Pro plan: Starts at $38 per user/month
• Business plan: Starts at $70 per user/month
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing 

7. Synthesys.io

Synthesys.io is another notable alternative to Synthesia, offering a range of features designed to enhance your video creation process. With standout features like AI voices, AI humans, custom avatars, and voice cloning, the platform has similar capabilities to many of the other Synthesia alternatives on this list.

Key features

• AI dubbing
• AI voice generator
• Image generator
• Image to video

Limitations

• No custom pronunciation
• Lacks background music capabilities
• No templates

Pricing

• Personal plan: $29 per month for 15 minutes of audio and video
• Creator plan: $99 per month for 40 minutes of audio and video
• Business unlimited plan: $130 per month for unlimited video generations

How to choose the best AI video generator to level up your content

Now that we’ve covered the main players in the AI video generation space, we hope we’ve left you with a better idea of which tool might be right for your team. 

If you’re looking for a tool that will enable you with everything you need to create workplace learning content – including interactivity, SCORM export, and conversation mode for your scenario-based training videos – then Colossyan is the one you’ll want to explore. 

And if you’re still unsure about which tool to move forward with, many Synthesia alternatives offer free trials for you to get your hands on the tool for yourself – including Colossyan. 

Interested in learning more first? Book a demo with our team instead.