AI video · head to head
Descript vs Synthesia
What each costs, whether there's a free plan, and what each is best for, from prices checked on their own sites.
| Fact |  Descript |  Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| From | $16/mo | $18/mo |
| Free plan | Yes · 1 media hour/month, 720p with watermark | Yes · 10 minutes of video/month, watermarked |
| Best for | Podcasters and editors who need occasional AI voice | AI avatar videos for training and business communication. |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Website | Visit | Visit |
The difference in short
- Descript costs less to start: $16/mo against $18/mo for Synthesia.
- Both have a free plan, trial or credit to start with.
Descript pricing
All about Descript| Plan | Price | Specs / includes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 60 media minutes/month; 100 AI credits (one-time); 720p export | free |
| Hobbyist | $16/mo | 10 media hours/month; 400 AI credits/month; 1080p watermark-free export; 1 person | per person, billed annually. Monthly billing: $24/mo. Top-ups not available. |
| Creator | $24/mo | 30 media hours/month; 800 AI credits/month; 4K export; team of up to 3 billed separately; top-ups available | per person, billed annually. Monthly billing: $35/mo. Labelled 'Most popular'. |
| Business | $50/mo | 40 media hours/month; 1,500 AI credits/month; team of up to 5 billed separately; Brand Studio; priority support with SLA; top-ups | per person, billed annually. Monthly billing: $65/mo. Enterprise is custom. |
Synthesia pricing
All about Synthesia| Plan | Price | Specs / includes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free (shown as 'Basic') | Free | 10 min video/month, 500 credits/month, 9 avatars, watermark | free |
| Starter | $18/mo | 15,000 credits/year (1,250/month on monthly billing); video up to about 12 min/month (about 150 min/year) on top of the free allowance; 125+ avatars; no watermark; 1 editor + 3 guests | billed yearly ($216/yr). Monthly billing: $29/mo. Page estimates about 100 credits per video minute. |
| Pro (some page text calls it 'Creator') | $64/mo | 72,000 credits/year (6,000/month on monthly billing); video up to about 60 min/month (about 720 min/year) on top of the free allowance; 180+ avatars; 5 personal avatars; 1 editor + 5 guests | billed yearly ($768/yr). Monthly billing: $89/mo. Labelled 'Most popular'. |
| Enterprise | See site | Unlimited video minutes, custom credits, 240+ avatars, SAML/SSO, dedicated CSM | custom. Custom pricing; book a demo. |
What's good, and what to watch for
Descript
- Hobbyist includes AI Speech with custom voice clones and 25+ stock AI speakers
- Watermark-free 1080p export from Hobbyist
- You edit audio and video by editing the transcript
- AI Speech uses AI credits, and Descript publishes no fixed rate per minute
- Unused media minutes and AI credits don't roll over
Synthesia
AI avatar videos for training and business communication.
Other AI video options
Cheapest first where the prices compare.
Runway
HeyGen
ElevenLabs
SpeechifyFAQ
Which is cheaper, Descript or Synthesia?
Descript costs less to start: $16/mo against $18/mo for Synthesia. Prices checked Oct 18, 2026 on each company's own site.
Do Descript and Synthesia have a free plan?
Descript: Yes. 1 media hour/month, 720p with watermark. Synthesia: Yes. 10 minutes of video/month, watermarked.
What else should I compare with Descript and Synthesia?
Other AI video options we've checked: Runway ($12/mo), HeyGen ($24/mo), ElevenLabs ($5/mo), Speechify ($8.33/mo).
Keep comparing
Built from the prices and facts we checked on each company's own site. We haven't tested either hands-on.How we work