Our verdict
Synthesia is the most careful of the avatar video tools on data: it says it does not pre-train its models on customer inputs or outputs. It is also the least forgiving on money. Every purchase is non-refundable, monthly credits reset with no rollover, and its stock avatars come with usage strings attached, including written consent before you run them in paid social ads. Good for corporate training; read the Acceptable Use Policy before using it for marketing.
Good fit if you…
- L&D and HR teams producing internal training videos
- Companies that want customer data kept out of model pre-training
- Buyers who can commit after a free-plan trial
Skip it if you…
- You want any chance of a refund after paying
- You plan to run stock avatars in paid social ads
- Your output varies a lot month to month and you need rollover
The fine print, graded
Five questions, graded A (best for you) to E from Synthesia's own pages. How grades work.
Pricing clarity · Are prices public and free of traps?
Self-serve plans are listed in dollars with monthly and yearly prices and credit volumes. Watch the introductory prices: Starter shows $9 and Pro $49 for the first month on monthly billing before reverting to $19 and $89. Each paid plan includes a single editor, with guests on top, so a team of creators quickly lands on Enterprise pricing. The page does not state currency or tax treatment.
SourceCancel & refunds · Can you leave, and get money back?
The billing help article says all purchases are non-cancelable and, unless your contract says otherwise, non-refundable, including renewals you did not use. Studio Avatars cannot be refunded once delivered. You can cancel from Billing in account settings, but must do so before the renewal date, and Synthesia warns a reminder email is not guaranteed on every plan.
SourceLimits & credits · What is capped, and do credits expire?
The pricing FAQ says monthly allowances and credits reset each billing period, with no rollover; annual plans get the year's credits up front. Credits bought separately stay valid 12 months. Credits burn at different rates: a one-minute Syren video typically uses 1,000 to 2,000 credits and lip-sync doubles the cost, so a 1,250-credit Starter month may cover only about a minute of that model.
SourceYour data · Is your content used to train models?
Synthesia's AI governance page states that it does not use Customer Data, including inputs or outputs, to pre-train its AI components, and fine-tuning on customer data happens only on the customer's written instruction. The Customer Terms still let it analyze usage information to improve the services. Biometric data for an avatar is kept as long as the avatar exists on the platform.
SourceOutput rights · Can you use what you make commercially?
You own your output, excluding Synthesia's own components. Stock avatars, voices and templates are only licensed during your subscription; after it ends you may keep using videos already generated but nothing new. The Acceptable Use Policy requires Synthesia's written consent before using a stock avatar in promoted or paid social ads, news, fundraising or political content.
SourceWhat users say about Synthesia
User reviews · What do paying users report?
Business users rate Synthesia well (G2 4.6, Capterra 4.6), while Trustpilot is more mixed at 3.8 from 1,830 reviews. The most repeated complaint is content moderation: legitimate videos get flagged or held for manual review with little explanation, alongside monthly credits that expire and a price many small teams find high. The most repeated praise is an easy editor with realistic avatars, plus useful training and helpful support.
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 3.8/5 | 1,830 | November 5, 2026 |
| G2 · figure from the search listing | 4.6/5 | 2,858 | November 5, 2026 |
| Capterra · figure from the search listing | 4.6/5 | 314 | November 5, 2026 |
Recurring complaints
- Videos flagged, rejected or sent to manual review even when the content is legitimate, with slow or unclear appeals
- Pricing feels high for small businesses, and monthly credits can expire before a video is finished
- Generated voices can sound flat, and custom avatars sometimes mispronounce words
- Setup feels heavy for simple jobs, and feature changes break existing workflows
- Creating a custom avatar takes a long time
What users like
- Easy to learn editor with useful templates
- Realistic avatars and many language options
- Cuts production time and cost for training and marketing videos
- Helpful webinars, onboarding and support staff
Ratings are the platforms' own figures on the date shown. Review sites attract unhappy customers and some vendors invite happy ones, so we average platforms instead of trusting one. How the user grade works.
Synthesia plans and prices
| Plan | Price | Billing | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | free | 500 credits a month (about 10 minutes of video), 9 avatars, 1 editor, Synthesia logo on videos |
| Starter | $19/month ($14/month billed yearly, $168/year) | monthly or yearly | 1,250 credits a month or 15,000 a year, 125+ avatars, 3 personal avatars, downloads, no logo, 1 editor + 3 guests; first month shown at $9 |
| Pro | $89/month ($59/month billed yearly, $708/year) | monthly or yearly | 6,000 credits a month or 72,000 a year, 180+ avatars, 5 personal avatars, 1 editor + 5 guests; first month shown at $49 |
| Enterprise | Custom | contract | Unlimited video minutes, 240+ avatars, SAML/SSO, SCORM export, custom seats |
Prices as shown on Synthesia's pricing page on November 4, 2026. Taxes may apply.
Pros
- Says customer inputs and outputs are not used to pre-train its models
- Free Basic plan includes about 10 minutes of video a month
- Yearly billing delivers the full year of credits up front
- Credits bought separately stay valid for 12 months
- Output belongs to the customer under the Customer Terms
Cons
- All purchases are non-refundable, including unused renewals
- Monthly credits reset each period with no rollover
- Stock avatars in paid social ads need Synthesia's written consent
- Stock avatar license ends with the subscription for new videos
- One editor per self-serve plan
Plans and what a credit buys
Synthesia prices everything in credits, which the pricing page calls the shared currency across all AI usage. The free Basic plan gives 500 credits a month, presented as about 10 minutes of video. Starter costs $19 a month, or $14 a month on yearly billing, for 1,250 credits a month. Pro costs $89 a month, or $59 on yearly billing, for 6,000 credits a month.
The minute estimates are where buyers should slow down. The page states that a one-minute video with its Syren model typically uses 1,000 to 2,000 credits, that lip-sync uses double credits, and that each b-roll asset with action for customizable avatars costs 230 credits. In other words, the advertised minutes depend heavily on which model and options you pick. Credits do not roll over month to month; annual plans hand you the full year (15,000 credits on Starter, 72,000 on Pro) at the start.
Seats are the other constraint. Every self-serve plan includes one editor: Starter adds 3 guests and Pro adds 5, while Enterprise sets editors and guests by contract. The free Basic plan stamps the Synthesia logo on videos and only shares them by link; downloads and logo removal start on Starter. If two people need to build videos, budget for a conversation with sales rather than a second self-serve plan.
Refunds: effectively none
Synthesia's billing article leaves little room for interpretation. All purchases are non-cancelable and non-refundable unless your contract says otherwise, and that includes a renewal you did not use. The only exception it mentions is a review if you were charged while locked out of your account by a confirmed technical issue. Studio Avatars cannot be refunded once they are produced and deployed to your account.
Two practical tips follow:
- Use the free Basic plan to check the avatars and voices before paying anything.
- Put your renewal date in a calendar. The help article itself warns that a reminder email is not guaranteed on every plan, and the Customer Terms describe automatic renewal, with notice required at least 30 days before the end of a subscription term to stop it.
Data use: the strongest policy in this group
Most avatar video tools reserve the right to train on what you upload. Synthesia's published AI governance practices take the opposite line: it does not use Customer Data, including inputs or outputs, to pre-train its AI components. Fine-tuning on customer data requires the customer's written instruction under its agreement, which is how a custom avatar of you gets built.
The caveats are small but real. The Customer Terms allow Synthesia to collect and analyze usage information to improve its services, and the privacy policy cites improving model capabilities and safety as a legitimate interest for that data. Biometric data tied to an avatar is stored as long as the avatar remains on the platform; verification samples are destroyed once the comparison is done.
Stock avatar rules that catch marketers
You own your videos, but the stock avatars in them belong to Synthesia and are licensed, not sold. Under the Customer Terms, that license runs for the subscription; when it ends you may keep using videos you already generated, but you cannot create new ones with those avatars. Stock avatars cannot be exported.
The Acceptable Use Policy, last updated February 23, 2024, adds restrictions that matter for marketing teams. Using a stock avatar in promoted, boosted or paid social advertising requires Synthesia's express written consent, as does using one in a TV program, news broadcast, fundraiser or political campaign. Custom avatars of real people need that person's consent instead. If your plan is to run avatar ads on social platforms, ask before you build the campaign.
Contract basics
The Customer Terms we read are effective July 20, 2026. There is no arbitration clause; disputes go to courts chosen by the customer's location, which for US customers means California law and San Francisco County courts. Credits expire when your contract ends and have no cash value. Bottom line: Synthesia is a safe choice for privacy-conscious companies and an unforgiving one for anyone who buys on impulse.
Head-to-head
FAQ
Can I get a refund from Synthesia?
Generally no. Synthesia's billing policy says all purchases are non-cancelable and non-refundable unless your contract states otherwise, including unused renewals.
Do Synthesia credits roll over?
No. Monthly allowances and credits reset each billing period. Credits bought separately stay valid for 12 months.
Does Synthesia train AI on my videos?
Synthesia states it does not use customer inputs or outputs to pre-train its AI components; fine-tuning happens only on the customer's written instruction.
Can I use Synthesia stock avatars in Facebook or TikTok ads?
Not without permission. The Acceptable Use Policy requires Synthesia's written consent to use a stock avatar in promoted, boosted or paid social advertising.
What happens to my videos if I cancel Synthesia?
Under the Customer Terms you can keep using videos already generated, but the license to stock avatars and other Synthesia content ends for new videos.
Sources
- Synthesia pricing page and FAQ (read November 4, 2026)
- Synthesia help centre: refund and billing policy (read November 4, 2026)
- Synthesia Customer Terms of Service (effective July 20, 2026) (read November 4, 2026)
- Synthesia Privacy Policy (effective October 1, 2026) (read November 4, 2026)
- Synthesia AI governance practices (read November 4, 2026)
- Synthesia Acceptable Use Policy (last updated February 23, 2024) (read November 4, 2026)
We have no affiliate deal with Synthesia. Links go to its own site. Disclosure.