Synthesia Alternatives for Startups (2026): 5 AI Video Tools for Sales and Training

The best Synthesia alternatives for startups are HeyGen for fast marketing and personalised sales videos, Colossyan for onboarding and training content, D-ID for talking-photo avatars, and Elai and DeepBrain AI Studios for script-to-video at volume. Choose by the video you make most, how many minutes you need each month, and whether the free plan watermarks.

Last updated October 2026 · By Jason Lim

Founders who search for Synthesia alternatives usually have a clear job in mind. They need an onboarding or product-demo video with an AI presenter for new customers, plus a short cut for sales outreach. What matters most is how well the tool supports them when they are the ones selling.

How we tested

The task: create an onboarding or product-demo video with an AI presenter for new customers, and a short version for sales outreach. Our hands-on test will run this exact task on each tool's free plan or trial, using only what the free tier includes. For this review we also checked every price and plan limit on each vendor's own pricing page (October 2026) and consolidated the most common praise and complaints from verified reviewers on G2 and Capterra. We add first-hand results and screenshots only after the test is complete. Most free plans add a watermark (HeyGen, Colossyan, D-ID) or cap video length (HeyGen, Elai and DeepBrain AI Studios at 1 minute), so a clean, full-length onboarding video needs a paid plan.

Why Founders Look for a Synthesia Alternative

Synthesia Basic is free with 500 credits and 10 minutes of AI videos or dubbing a month, but videos are shared by link only and carry a Synthesia watermark. Downloads and logo removal start on Starter at $29/month billed monthly (1,250 credits).

Reviewers say avatars and voices can feel stiff on longer scripts, the editor is simple, and costs climb with seats and languages. As Jason puts it at authorjason.com, pick the tool for the work you will do every week, not for its best demo.

Synthesia Alternatives at a Glance

Prices and plan limits checked October 2026 on each vendor's official pricing page. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.

Building the rest of your stack? Start with our guide to the best AI tools for startups. For the head-to-head, see Synthesia vs HeyGen, or compare the same field from the other side in our HeyGen alternatives guide.

The Founder Task: an Onboarding Video and a Sales Cut

The task breaks into a few simple steps.

1. Write the onboarding script.

2. Pick a presenter and language.

3. Generate the full video.

4. Cut a short sales version.

5. Check the plan's watermark and length limits.

6. Export and share.

Most free plans watermark (HeyGen, Colossyan, D-ID) or cap length at 1 minute (HeyGen, Elai, DeepBrain AI Studios).

The quickest way to judge fit is to run this exact task on each tool's free plan or trial before you pay. As Jason puts it at authorjason.com, make the onboarding walkthrough for the customer you have, and the sales cut for the buyer you want.

An AI presenter can explain your product while you sleep. It cannot decide what makes a buyer trust you. That is what Jason's Future of Selling System is built for: the P.I.T.C.H. Formula, the follow-up structure and the objection replies he has taught. It is $19/month ($0.63 a day).

The 5 Alternatives, One by One

HeyGen

HeyGen is best for marketing and personal sales videos. The free plan gives 3 videos a month up to 1 minute, with watermark removal on paid plans. Creator is $29/month for videos up to 30 minutes, 1080p, and no watermark. The watch-out is that credits run out fast.

Colossyan

Colossyan is best for onboarding and training. The free plan gives 20 video minutes a month and 10 interactive videos. Professional is $59/month with no watermark and MP4 downloads. The watch-out is limited editing.

D-ID

Best for talking-photo avatars. The trial gives 3 minutes with a full-screen watermark. Lite is $4.70/month billed annually ($56/year) and is still watermarked. The watch-out is that the watermark remains even on Lite.

Elai

Best for script-to-video at volume. The free plan gives 1 minute. Creator is $29/month or $23/month billed annually for 15 minutes a month in full HD. The watch-out is that it is not for complex projects.

DeepBrain AI Studios

Best for longer videos on a first paid plan. The free plan gives up to 3 videos up to 1 minute in 720p. Personal is $24/month for unlimited videos up to 30 minutes in 1080p. The watch-out is that it is pricey for regular use.

Free Synthesia Alternatives and Their Limits

Synthesia Basic gives 10 minutes of AI videos or dubbing a month. Videos are shared by link only and carry a Synthesia watermark. HeyGen Free gives 3 videos a month up to 1 minute, with watermark removal only on paid plans. Colossyan Free gives 20 video minutes a month, with watermark removal only on paid plans.

D-ID Trial gives 3 minutes with a full-screen watermark. Elai Free gives 1 minute. DeepBrain AI Studios Free gives up to 3 videos up to 1 minute in 720p.

These limits are enough for a quick test of your onboarding flow and a short sales cut. A clean onboarding video without a watermark needs a paid plan on any of these tools.

Consent and Disclosure When You Use AI Avatars

Several free plans include custom avatars. HeyGen includes 1, Colossyan includes 15, and DeepBrain AI Studios includes 1.

Create an avatar only of yourself or of someone who gave written consent. Keep that consent on file. Tell customers and buyers when a video uses an AI presenter.

As Jason puts it at authorjason.com, trust is the one thing an AI presenter cannot fake for you.

What Users Say

HeyGen

HeyGen holds 4.8/5 from 1,967 reviews on G2 and 4.7/5 from 319 reviews on Capterra (both checked 7 Oct 2026). Reviewers praise fast, easy video creation, realistic avatars and voice cloning for personalised videos, and replacing filming for marketing and ads. The top complaints are credits that run out fast for heavy users, slow rendering at peak times, and some inconsistent output and billing complaints. An Account Executive in broadcast media noted on Capterra (via GetApp): "if you are a heavy user, the expenses can mount when budgets are limited."

Colossyan

Colossyan holds 4.7/5 from 494 reviews on G2 and 4.4/5 from 10 reviews on Capterra (both checked 7 Oct 2026; the Capterra sample is small). Reviewers praise ease of use, realistic avatars and time saved on multi-language training content. They report playback issues and lost work on larger projects, limited editing, some unnatural avatar expressions and high pricing. A Learning and Development reviewer in hospitality wrote in 2024 on Capterra (via GetApp): "Some of the mouth movements, hand movements and behavior of the avatars was unlifelike."

D-ID

D-ID holds 4.6/5 from 131 reviews on G2 (checked 7 Oct 2026). Reviewers like easy photo-to-video talking avatars, good-quality marketing videos and built-in text to speech. Complaints include inconsistent avatar quality, a less polished interface, high subscription cost, video length limits, watermarks on cheaper plans and support issues. A PhD student wrote in 2025 on Capterra (via GetApp): "I am not content with the watermark that they added onto the video."

Elai

Elai holds 4.5/5 from 157 reviews on G2 (checked 7 Oct 2026). Reviewers praise ease of use, customisable avatars with multilingual support, and helpful customer support. They mention stock avatars that can feel impersonal, limits on complex video projects and a learning curve for new users.

DeepBrain AI Studios

DeepBrain AI Studios holds 4.3/5 from 1,053 reviews on G2 and 4.5/5 from 51 reviews on Capterra (both checked 7 Oct 2026). Reviewers praise high-quality avatars, ease of use and time saved turning content into video. Complaints centre on a high price for regular use, limited scenes and editing options, and a confusing start for first-time users.

Our read: Reviewers rate all five well for ease of use and avatar quality; the complaints are about cost at volume, watermarks and limited editing. For a founder, that means picking by the paid plan you will actually need for clean, full-length videos, not by the free plan.

Why AI Video Doesn't Close the Deal for You

Every tool on this list makes the video, not the sale. It can give you a polished presenter or a clear voice in minutes, but it can't decide what you say, or how you answer the buyer who's thinking "Why should I trust you?" That part is the P.I.T.C.H. Formula, the pitch structure Jason Lim has taught over 10+ years.

Who Should Pick Which

Here is a quick way to match tools to your main job.

• Stay with Synthesia if you make training and explainer videos, value brand kits and translation, and $29/month for downloads works.

• Pick HeyGen if marketing and personal sales videos matter most.

• Pick Colossyan if onboarding and training is the main job.

• Pick D-ID if a talking photo fits short videos and you accept watermarks on cheaper plans.

• Pick Elai if you want script-to-video at $23/month billed annually.

• Pick DeepBrain AI Studios if you need videos up to 30 minutes on the first paid plan.

FAQ

What is the best free Synthesia alternative?

Colossyan is the best free Synthesia alternative by minutes. Its free plan has the most video minutes of the tools here: 20 a month, with a watermark. HeyGen Free allows 3 videos a month up to 1 minute. Most free plans watermark or cap length.

Is HeyGen better than Synthesia?

HeyGen is better for fast marketing and personal sales videos; Synthesia is better for training videos. G2 reviewers praise HeyGen for fast creation, realistic avatars and voice cloning, and Synthesia for an easy editor, brand kits and translation for training. Both start at $29/month.

Which Synthesia alternative is best for training videos?

Colossyan is the best Synthesia alternative for training videos. It focuses on learning and onboarding content, with multi-language training and 10 interactive videos a month on its free plan. Reviewers praise its realistic avatars but mention limited editing.

Do Synthesia alternatives add a watermark on free plans?

Most do. HeyGen and Colossyan charge for watermark removal, and D-ID's trial carries a full-screen watermark that stays on its Lite plan. Elai and DeepBrain AI Studios cap free videos at 1 minute.

Can I use AI avatars in sales emails?

Yes. Use an avatar of yourself or of someone who gave written consent, and say the video uses an AI presenter. A short sales cut that links to the full video keeps the email light.

What Actually Closes the Deal

Tools store, send and book. Words close. That is why Jason built the Future of Selling System on the P.I.T.C.H. Formula, and why founders who use it point to results like these:

• Jeffrey Teo: 63 customers in 100 days.

• Leon: from $2.5K to $2M+.

These are results of the selling system, not of any tool reviewed here. Jason has taught it over 10+ years, with $22M+ in combined sales behind it.

One last thing: Your AI presenter won't answer "It's too expensive" or "Let me think about it" for you. The free Founder's Objection Playbook just below gives you the word-for-word replies, so grab it before your next sales call.

Sources: Synthesia pricing · HeyGen pricing · Colossyan pricing · D-ID pricing · Elai pricing · DeepBrain AI Studios pricing · G2: HeyGen · Capterra: HeyGen · G2: Colossyan · Capterra: Colossyan · G2: D-ID · G2: Elai · G2: DeepBrain AI Studios · Capterra: DeepBrain AI Studios · GetApp: HeyGen · GetApp: Colossyan · GetApp: D-ID