D-ID vs Synthesia

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

D-ID

AI avatar platform for talking-head videos and real-time conversational agents.

Paid

Visit D-ID D-ID profile

Synthesia

AI video platform for training and business videos presented by AI avatars in 140+ languages.

Free plan + paid

Visit Synthesia Synthesia profile

The short answer

Synthesia suits training and L&D teams that produce presenter-led videos in many languages and need SCORM export, enterprise compliance and a free plan to start. D-ID suits teams that want talking avatars or real-time conversational agents inside their own apps and websites via an API. The biggest difference is focus: Synthesia is a full video studio for business content, D-ID is an avatar engine developers build on.

D-ID or Synthesia: our take

Synthesia is a browser-based AI video platform aimed at companies. You write or import a script from a document or slide deck, pick a stock avatar or a personal avatar of yourself, and the editor produces a presenter-led video with media and captions. One-click translation covers 140+ languages and voices, videos can be exported as SCORM packages for a learning management system, and it holds SOC 2 and GDPR compliance. Newer features let viewers talk to an avatar in roleplay or survey sessions, and there is an API. A free plan gives $0 access with 500 credits a month and a watermark; Starter costs $19/month, or $14/month billed yearly, and Pro is $89/month, or $59/month billed yearly. Lower plans include only part of the avatar library.

D-ID started out animating still portraits and still does that well: a single photo can become a talking presenter. Its web studio produces lip-synced videos in 120+ languages, but the bigger draw is interactive visual agents, real-time avatars that hold spoken conversations, answer from a knowledge base and can be embedded on a website. Its well-documented API covers both rendered video and streaming avatars, sharing the same minute balance as the studio. Plans are monthly subscriptions measured in video minutes, Trial and Lite plans add a watermark, and unused minutes don't roll over. It has fewer editing and scene tools than Synthesia.

Both run in the browser. In practice, Synthesia is the more complete tool for making polished training and communications videos at scale, especially when localisation and LMS delivery matter. D-ID is the more flexible building block when the avatar needs to live inside your own product, respond live to users, or be generated from a single photo.

Choose Synthesia if you are an L&D, HR or enterprise team producing course and onboarding videos in many languages. Choose D-ID if you are building a customer-facing avatar, a conversational agent on your site, or an app feature that needs avatar video through an API.

Choose D-ID if…

Teams that need talking avatars or real-time video agents built into their own apps and sites
Real-time conversational avatars as well as rendered videos
Well-documented API for developers

Choose Synthesia if…

L&D and enterprise teams producing training videos in many languages
You want a free option (D-ID is paid only)
SCORM export and LMS-friendly features for training teams
Over 140 languages and voices with one-click translation

What is D-ID?

D-ID turns a photo, a stock presenter or a short video of a person into a talking avatar that speaks a script in many languages. Its web studio is used for training videos, marketing clips, sales outreach and support content; you write or paste a script, choose a voice or clone your own, and render a lip-synced video. The company is also known for animating still portraits, which powers features such as MyHeritage's animated family photos. Beyond pre-rendered video, D-ID offers interactive visual agents: real-time avatars that hold spoken conversations, answer from a knowledge base and can be embedded on a website. Developers can use its API for both video and streaming avatars, and there's a self-hosting option for enterprises. Plans are monthly subscriptions measured in video minutes, starting with a free trial; cheaper tiers add a watermark. It's a good fit for teams that want avatars inside their own products rather than just a video editor.

What is Synthesia?

Synthesia is a London-based AI video platform used mostly by companies for training, onboarding, internal communications and sales enablement. You write or import a script, from a document or slide deck, choose a stock AI avatar or a personal avatar of yourself, and the browser editor generates a presenter-led video with on-screen media and captions. Videos can be translated into many languages in one click, played in a multilingual player, and exported as SCORM packages for a learning management system. Newer features include roleplay and survey sessions where viewers talk to an avatar, plus an API for generating videos programmatically. A free Basic plan gives a small monthly allowance with a watermark; Starter and Pro add credits, downloads and more avatars, and Enterprise unlocks unlimited minutes, the full avatar library, SSO and brand kits. It positions itself firmly at businesses rather than social media creators.

Side by side

Attribute	D-ID	Synthesia
Pricing	Paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web	Web
Best for	Teams that need talking avatars or real-time video agents built into their own apps and sites	L&D and enterprise teams producing training videos in many languages
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	D-ID	Synthesia
Languages	120+	140+ languages and voices

D-ID vs Synthesia pricing

D-ID: paid

We couldn't verify D-ID's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.

D-ID pricing page

Synthesia: free plan + paid

Free plan: Yes, $0 with 500 credits a month source
Starting price: $19/month, or $14/month billed yearly (Starter) source
Pro plan: $89/month, or $59/month billed yearly source

Synthesia pricing page

Platforms

Platform	D-ID	Synthesia
Web

D-ID facts

4 of 4 verified

Languages: 120+; Checked Nov 8, 2026d-id.com(opens source in a new tab); “D-ID supports video creation and real-time interactions in 120+ languages, helping you connect authentically with global audiences.”
Watermark: On Trial and Lite plans; Checked Nov 8, 2026d-id.com(opens source in a new tab); “Why do videos have a D-ID watermark on the Trial and Lite plans?”
Unused minutes: Don't roll over; Checked Nov 8, 2026d-id.com(opens source in a new tab); “Minutes do not accumulate, they are renewed every month and unused minutes become void.”
API: Yes, shares the studio minute balance; Checked Nov 8, 2026d-id.com(opens source in a new tab); “Minutes used via the API are deducted from the same balance as your web version of D-ID.”

Synthesia facts

6 of 6 verified

Free plan: Yes, $0 with 500 credits a month; Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “Basic $0 per month 500 credits / month”
Starting price: $19/month, or $14/month billed yearly (Starter); Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “Starter $14 /mo $168 /yr, billed yearly”
Languages: 140+ languages and voices; Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “Languages & Voices Get access to over 140 languages and voices, including various narration styles and local accents.”
SCORM export: Yes; Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “SCORM Export Export your content as a SCORM package and easily upload it into your LMS.”
Compliance: SOC 2 and GDPR; Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “SOC 2 & GDPR compliant”
Pro plan: $89/month, or $59/month billed yearly; Checked Nov 8, 2026synthesia.io(opens source in a new tab); “Pro $59 /mo $708 /yr, billed yearly”

Pros and cons of D-ID

Real-time conversational avatars as well as rendered videos
Well-documented API for developers
Animates a single photo into a talking presenter
Supports more than 120 languages
Trial and Lite plans add a D-ID watermark
Unused minutes don't carry over to the next month
Fewer editing and scene tools than avatar studios like Synthesia

More D-ID alternatives

Pros and cons of Synthesia

SCORM export and LMS-friendly features for training teams
Over 140 languages and voices with one-click translation
SOC 2 and GDPR compliance for enterprise buyers
Free plan to try the editor
Free and lower plans include only a fraction of the avatar library
No pay-per-video option; it's subscription only
Studio-quality custom avatars are a paid add-on on annual plans

More Synthesia alternatives

Other apps to consider

HeyGen
Instead of D-ID
Larger avatar library and strong video translation, with an easier editor for marketing videos.
Colossyan
Instead of D-ID
Built for learning and development, with quizzes, branching and SCORM export.
Pictory
Instead of D-ID
Turns scripts and articles into stock-footage videos when you don't need a talking presenter.
Vidnoz
Instead of Synthesia
Budget avatar video maker with a free plan, suited to simple training and social clips.
invideo
Instead of Synthesia
Generates full AI scenes and edits footage when a presenter isn't needed.
AI Studios (DeepBrain AI)
Instead of Synthesia
Similar avatar presenter videos with a free plan to try, plus AI dubbing and interactive avatars.

D-ID vs Synthesia: common questions

Is D-ID better than Synthesia?

Is D-ID free?

No. D-ID is paid, though it may offer a trial.

Is Synthesia free?

Synthesia has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.

Is D-ID or Synthesia open source?

Neither is open source.

Which platforms do D-ID and Synthesia support?

D-ID: Web. Synthesia: Web.