6 Best Synthesia Alternatives in 2026
By Explaino Team · Updated · 11 min read
Quick answer
For avatar videos like Synthesia's, the closest alternatives are HeyGen and Colossyan. If you need to show a real product instead of a presenter, Explaino turns a screen recording into an AI-narrated video with a step-by-step guide and translation into 70+ languages. Clueso, Trupeer and Guidde also build videos from screen recordings.
Disclosure: this guide is published by Explaino, which is one of the tools compared. Competitor details come only from each vendor's own website, checked on October 11, 2026.
Synthesia is an AI video platform built around realistic AI avatars that present scripts, slides and documents, with AI dubbing in 70+ languages. It has a free plan with 10 minutes of video, and paid plans start at $29 a month billed monthly.
Teams look for alternatives for a few reasons: usage is metered in credits (Starter adds about 12 minutes of video a month), brand kits, SSO and 1-click translation are Enterprise-only, and its videos are built around avatars and scripts, while many teams mainly need to show a real product.
Below are six alternatives: two avatar platforms and four tools built around real screen recordings.
Capabilities at a glance
The six things buyers ask about most, for every tool on this page. Details and prices are in the table below.
| Tool | AI voiceover | Written guides | Translation | Desktop capture | Interactive demos | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explaino | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial or top tier only | Yes |
| HeyGen | Yes | No or not stated | Yes | Partial or top tier only | Partial or top tier only | Yes |
| Colossyan | Yes | Partial or top tier only | Yes | Partial or top tier only | Yes | Yes |
| Clueso | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No or not stated | Yes |
| Trupeer | Yes | Yes | Partial or top tier only | No or not stated | No or not stated | Partial or top tier only |
| Guidde | Partial or top tier only | Yes | Partial or top tier only | Yes | No or not stated | Yes |
| Synthesia | Yes | No or not stated | Yes | Partial or top tier only | No or not stated | Yes |
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plans from | AI voiceover | Step-by-step docs | Translation | Capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explaino | Narrated how-to videos plus articles from one recording | Yes: 10 min export/mo, up to 1080p | ₹4,999/mo (Pro, 4 seats) | Yes, 70+ languages, voice cloning | Yes: step-by-step article, guide and quiz | Yes, 70+ languages (voice, captions, on-screen text) | Chrome extension, desktop app (Windows, macOS), upload, text prompt |
| HeyGen | AI avatar videos and video translation | Yes: 3 videos/mo, up to 1 min, watermark | $24/mo (Creator, billed annually) | Yes: 1,000+ AI voices, voice cloning | Not stated | Yes, with lip-sync; 175+ languages on paid plans | Avatar video from a script or prompt, PPT/PDF import, browser screen recorder |
| Colossyan | Avatar-led training videos and courses | Yes: 20 min/mo, branded overlay (Starter) | $59/mo (Professional, billed yearly) | Yes: AI voices plus voice cloning | Partial: courses mix video, text and quizzes | Yes: script, voiceover and on-screen text, monthly caps | Avatar video from a script, PDF, deck, doc or URL; browser screen recorder |
| Clueso | Product videos and docs for SaaS teams | Yes: 10 min export/mo, 1 user | $40/mo (Solo, billed yearly) | Yes | Yes: step-by-step guides with screenshots | Yes (language count differs across its site) | Chrome extension, desktop app, uploads (recordings, slides, docs) |
| Trupeer | Video, docs and a searchable knowledge layer | 10-day free trial (5-min recordings, watermark) | From $40/mo (Pro) | Yes, plus AI avatars | Yes: documents, manuals and SOPs | From the Scale plan (2 target languages on Scale) | Chrome extension, upload |
| Guidde | How-to videos for training and adoption | Yes: 25 guiddes, web capture only | From $19/creator/mo billed annually (Pro) | Yes (AI text-to-voice on Business) | Yes: step-by-step article as PDF, Word or HTML (download on Pro) | Yes (multi-language translation on Enterprise) | Browser extension, desktop app, mobile |
| Synthesia | Avatar-led presenter videos | Yes: 10 min of video (Basic) | $29/mo (Starter, billed monthly) | Yes, with AI avatars | Not stated | AI dubbing in 70+ languages | Avatar video from a script, slides or docs; AI screen recorder |
“Not stated” means the vendor's own pages don't mention it. Prices change; check each vendor's pricing page.
Why teams look for a Synthesia alternative
Credit-metered minutes
Synthesia meters video by credits, about 100 per minute. Its $29 Starter plan adds roughly 12 minutes a month, and allowances don't roll over.
Built around scripts, not walkthroughs
Synthesia videos start from a script, slides or documents. Turning a real product flow into a tutorial is faster from a screen recording.
Team features on Enterprise
Brand kits, SSO, SCORM export and 1-click translation are Enterprise-only on Synthesia's pricing page. Its pages also don't list a step-by-step written guide.
1. Explaino
Best for: Narrated how-to videos plus articles from one recording
Explaino turns one screen recording, a prompt or an existing video into a narrated how-to video with smart zoom and captions, and generates a step-by-step article, an interactive guide and a quiz from the same project. It cleans your narration into a script, re-voices it with an AI voice (or your cloned voice) and translates the whole video.
Why it's on this list: The pick when the product itself is the star. Record your screen once and Explaino narrates it with an AI or cloned voice, adds smart zoom and captions, writes the step-by-step article, and translates voiceover, captions and on-screen text into 70+ languages. Avatars are not its focus.
Strengths
- One recording produces video, article, guide and quiz
- Removes ums and dead air, adds smart zoom and captions automatically
- AI voiceover and translation in 70+ languages, including voice cloning
- Both a Chrome extension and a desktop app for Windows and macOS
Limitations
- Not a clickable sandbox-demo builder; tools like Supademo focus on that
- Newer product with fewer third-party reviews than established tools
- Paid plans are priced in INR on the pricing page
Pricing: ₹4,999/mo (Pro, 4 seats). Free plan: Yes: 10 min export/mo, up to 1080p.
Visit Explaino2. HeyGen
Best for: AI avatar videos and video translation
HeyGen is an AI video platform built around lifelike avatars. Videos are made from a script in its AI Studio or from a prompt with its Video Agent, and it translates videos into 175+ languages and dialects with lip-sync and voice cloning.
Why it's on this list: The closest avatar-first swap, with 700+ stock avatars, video translation with lip-sync in 175+ languages on paid plans, a free plan, and a browser screen recorder.
Strengths
- Video translation with lip-sync and voice cloning on paid plans
- Permanent free plan, no credit card required
- 700+ stock avatars and 1,000+ AI voices, plus custom avatars
- Several ways to create: prompt, script editor, PPT/PDF import, screen recorder
Limitations
- No written step-by-step guide output stated
- Interactive video, quizzes and SCORM export start on Business
- Paid plans use credits that vary by AI model and video length
Pricing: $24/mo (Creator, billed annually). Free plan: Yes: 3 videos/mo, up to 1 min, watermark.
Visit HeyGen3. Colossyan
Best for: Avatar-led training videos and courses
Colossyan is an AI video and course platform for training teams. It turns PDFs, decks, URLs and videos into avatar-presented training videos and SCORM courses, makes them interactive with quizzes, buttons and branching, and translates them with lip-sync.
Why it's on this list: Built for L&D: it turns PDFs, decks and URLs into avatar-led training videos and SCORM courses, with interactive quizzes and branching on every plan.
Strengths
- Turns PDFs, decks and URLs into a scene-by-scene training video plan
- Interactive video on every plan: buttons, quizzes and branching
- Script, voiceover and on-screen text translate together
- Free Starter plan with no credit card
Limitations
- Screen recorder runs in the browser; no desktop app stated
- Starter has no SCORM export and keeps the branded overlay
- Analytics, SSO and team permissions are Enterprise-only
Pricing: $59/mo (Professional, billed yearly). Free plan: Yes: 20 min/mo, branded overlay (Starter).
Visit Colossyan4. Clueso
Best for: Product videos and docs for SaaS teams
Clueso describes itself as an agentic video creation platform that plans, creates, edits and updates product videos. It turns rough recordings into videos with AI voiceovers and also produces step-by-step guides.
Why it's on this list: Turns rough screen recordings into polished product videos with AI voiceovers and step-by-step guides, and has a free plan.
Strengths
- Video, AI voiceover and written guides in one tool
- Free plan to try it
- Accepts many inputs: recordings, slides, docs and PDFs
Limitations
- Export is capped on every plan (3 hours a year on Solo)
- Brand kit and SSO are Enterprise-only
Pricing: $40/mo (Solo, billed yearly). Free plan: Yes: 10 min export/mo, 1 user.
Visit Clueso5. Trupeer
Best for: Video, docs and a searchable knowledge layer
Trupeer positions itself as a workflow knowledge layer for humans and agents. It creates polished videos, guides and knowledge-base content from screen captures, with AI voiceovers and avatars.
Why it's on this list: Pairs screen recordings with AI avatars and a knowledge base, so you can keep a presenter while showing the real product. It starts with a 10-day trial.
Strengths
- Videos, documents and a knowledge base with AI search
- AI avatars as well as AI voices
- Large stated language library
Limitations
- No permanent free plan, only a 10-day trial
- Translation starts on the higher Scale plan
Pricing: From $40/mo (Pro). Free plan: 10-day free trial (5-min recordings, watermark).
Visit Trupeer6. Guidde
Best for: How-to videos for training and adoption
Guidde captures workflows and turns them into how-to videos and guides for training teams and digital adoption, with a large voice library.
Why it's on this list: A low-cost way to make how-to videos from real workflows, with browser, desktop and mobile capture.
Strengths
- Low entry price for paid video creation
- Large voice and language library
- Browser, desktop and mobile capture
Limitations
- AI voice, Magic Mic and desktop capture need the Business plan
- Free plan: 25 guiddes, web capture only, no downloads
Pricing: From $19/creator/mo billed annually (Pro). Free plan: Yes: 25 guiddes, web capture only.
Visit GuiddeFor reference: Synthesia
Best for: Avatar-led presenter videos
Synthesia is an AI video platform built around realistic AI avatars that present scripts, slides and documents, with dubbing in many languages.
Why it's here: Synthesia stays a leading choice for avatar-presented corporate and training videos.
Strengths
- High-quality AI avatars
- Broad dubbing support
- Free tier
Limitations
- Built around avatars and scripts rather than software walkthroughs
- Free plan has a watermark and no MP4 downloads
- Brand kits, SSO and 1-click translation are Enterprise-only
Pricing: $29/mo (Starter, billed monthly). Free plan: Yes: 10 min of video (Basic).
Visit SynthesiaExplaino vs Synthesia: feature by feature
The closer look for readers deciding between these two. The chart sums each category of the tables beside it.
Primary output
Explaino3.5/4Synthesia3/4Languages & voices
Explaino2/2Synthesia2/2Team
Explaino2/2Synthesia1/2
| Feature | Explaino | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Screen recording | Yes | Yes |
| AI avatar narrator | Partial | Yes |
| AI voiceover | Yes | Yes |
| Step-by-step article | Yes | No or not stated |
| Feature | Explaino | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| 70+ languages | Yes | Yes |
| Voice cloning | Yes | Yes |
| Feature | Explaino | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Brand kit | Yes | Partial |
| SSO / SAML | Yes | Partial |
How to choose
- You want an AI presenter on camera HeyGen or Colossyan
- You build L&D courses with quizzes and SCORM Colossyan
- You need to show a real product or workflow Explaino
- You want a presenter and a real screen recording Trupeer
- You make internal how-tos on a budget Guidde
Switching from Synthesia
- 1Split your library: keep avatar videos where a presenter adds value, and list the ones that are really product walkthroughs.
- 2Create a free Explaino account and install the Chrome extension, or the desktop app for Windows or macOS.
- 3Record each walkthrough once. Explaino writes and voices the narration, adds smart zoom and captions, and creates the step-by-step article.
- 4Translate into the languages your current videos cover: voiceover, captions and on-screen text are translated together.
- 5When the UI changes, re-record just that flow instead of rewriting a script.
How we compared
Every competitor fact on this page comes from that vendor's own pricing, feature and help pages, checked in October 2026 (2026-10-11). We did not use third-party reviews. If a vendor's pages don't mention something, the table says "Not stated" and the capability map counts it as no.
The capability map scores six things buyers ask about most: AI voiceover, written step-by-step guides, translation, desktop capture, interactive demos and a free plan. "Partial" means the feature is limited or only on a top tier. Prices are the lowest paid plan each vendor shows, with the billing basis it shows.
Explaino publishes this guide and is ranked first, so weigh that row accordingly. Synthesia is listed last for reference so you can compare like for like.
Where Explaino is not the best fit
- Not a clickable sandbox-demo builder; tools like Supademo focus on that
- Newer product with fewer third-party reviews than established tools
- Paid plans are priced in INR on the pricing page
Try Explaino on your own recording
Record your product once and get a narrated how-to video, a step-by-step article and translations from the same project.
Free plan · no credit card required
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Synthesia alternative?
For avatar videos, HeyGen and Colossyan are the closest alternatives. If you need to show a real product or workflow, Explaino turns a screen recording into a narrated video with a written guide.
Is there a free Synthesia alternative?
Yes. Explaino, HeyGen, Colossyan, Clueso and Guidde all list free plans on their pricing pages. HeyGen's free plan allows 3 videos a month up to 1 minute each; Explaino's includes 10 minutes of export a month.
Should I use Synthesia or Explaino?
Synthesia if your videos are mainly corporate training, HR or general-knowledge content where an avatar adds polish. Explaino if you're showing a real product or workflow.
Can Explaino add an avatar overlay?
Yes, you can add a presenter overlay via webcam or an AI avatar alongside screen capture. The core recording is still the screen.
Which Synthesia alternative is best for translation?
HeyGen lists video translation with lip-sync in 175+ languages on paid plans. Explaino translates voiceover, captions and on-screen text into 70+ languages on its plans. Colossyan translates script, voiceover and on-screen text with monthly caps.
Sources
- Synthesia pricing (synthesia.io/pricing)
- Synthesia help: AI screen recorder
- Explaino pricing (explaino.app/pricing)
- HeyGen pricing (heygen.com/pricing)
- HeyGen video translation (heygen.com/translate)
- Colossyan pricing (colossyan.com/pricing)
- Colossyan interactive video
- Clueso pricing (clueso.io/pricing)
- Trupeer pricing (trupeer.ai/pricing)
- Guidde pricing (guidde.com/pricing)