Synthesia vs Colossyan (2026): Plans, Minutes, Credits
Vorec Team · 2026-10-22 · About 5 min read
Synthesia and Colossyan both make presenter-led training video from a script, and their middle plans share a $89 monthly price; the real split is metering, because Synthesia sells a shared credit balance while Colossyan sells avatar minutes split by model (NEO and NEO2). Colossyan's Professional plan lists 5 SCORM exports a month, while Synthesia's matrix keeps SCORM on Enterprise. Synthesia's cheapest paid plan, Starter, costs well under Colossyan's first paid plan.
Sources: Synthesia's pricing page captured 10 October 2026 (re-read 20 October) and Colossyan's captured 20 October 2026. Prices are dollars as displayed, without a checkout check; we did not test either product, and "Not checked" marks what the captures do not settle. Vorec publishes this page and appears near the end.
The two pricing pages, row by row
| Synthesia | Colossyan | |
|---|---|---|
| No-cost tier | Basic $0: 10 video minutes a month (matrix), 500 credits, 9 stock avatars, 1 editor, watermarked | Starter Free: 20 NEO minutes and 0.5 NEO2 minutes a month, 15 custom avatars plus 3 voices, 10 interactive videos and 15 auto translations a month |
| Cheapest paid plan | Starter $29 a month, or $18 a month billed yearly | Professional $89 a month, or $59 a month billed yearly (1 editor) |
| Plan at $89 a month | Pro, lowest tier: 6,000 credits a month ($64 billed yearly) | Professional: 30 NEO plus 10 NEO2 minutes a month |
| Seats | Starter 1 editor + 3 guests; Pro 1 editor + 5 guests | Professional up to 3 editors; extra member $30 a month on annual billing |
| Languages | 140+ languages and voices | 120+ languages |
| SCORM | Enterprise only | Professional 5 a month; Enterprise unlimited |
| Video API | Pro: up to 360 minutes a year, taken from plan usage | Professional: 360 minutes a year |
| Studio avatar | $1,000 a year add-on (eligible plans differ by billing view) | $1,000 a year add-on; 1 included on Enterprise |
| Resolution | Not checked | Professional up to 1080p; Enterprise up to 4K |
One caveat on Colossyan's Starter card: it shows a crossed-out $27 next to "Free". That figure is the vendor's reference value for the free tier, not a paid plan you can buy. Starter watermark and download cells were unverified in the capture, so both stay Not checked.
On Synthesia, the Studio Avatar row differed by billing view: monthly listed it for Enterprise only, yearly for Starter, Pro and Enterprise. We report that difference rather than pick one.
Credits versus minutes
Synthesia draws everything from one credit balance: video, dubbing, survey responses. Its FAQ estimates roughly 100 credits per finished video minute but warns that avatar footage and content change the real cost, so treat the card figures (Starter "up to ~12" extra minutes a month) as estimates, not a fixed conversion. Regeneration charges only new footage. Monthly credits do not roll over; annual credits arrive upfront; extra purchased credits stay valid for 12 months.
Colossyan counts minutes of generated video. A NEO2 avatar uses NEO2 minutes; a NEO avatar, or a video with no avatar, uses NEO minutes. Drafts are free, deleting a finished video does not refund its minutes, and unused minutes do not carry over. Annual subscribers get the whole year's minutes at once, and Professional yearly can add 600 NEO2 minutes for $1,500 a year.
Minutes are easier to forecast; one shared balance is more flexible if you also dub.
Which to choose
Pick Synthesia if budget is tight or you want guests reviewing work: Starter at $18 a month billed yearly includes 1 editor plus 3 guests, and every plan lists 140+ languages. Quizzes, SCORM and one-click translation sit on Enterprise.
Pick Colossyan if your videos go into an LMS and you will not buy Enterprise: Professional includes 5 SCORM exports a month and up to 3 editors, and the free Starter tier gives 20 NEO minutes a month to test with.
Cost over a year
| Plan | Monthly billing x 12 | Annual billing |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesia Starter | $29 x 12 = $348 | $18 x 12 = $216 |
| Synthesia Pro (6,000 credits) | $89 x 12 = $1,068 | $64 x 12 = $768 |
| Colossyan Professional, 1 editor | $89 x 12 = $1,068 | $59 x 12 = $708 |
| Colossyan Professional, 3 editors | Not checked | ($59 + 2 x $30) x 12 = $1,428 |
Annual totals are our arithmetic from displayed monthly equivalents, not checkout totals.
Where Vorec fits
Vorec works from screen recordings, not avatars: record with its macOS app or upload a capture, and it drafts narration matched to each on-screen step, voices it, and can turn the same capture into a written guide. Plans: a 7-day trial with 100 credits, no card, up to 3 projects and watermarked exports, then Starter $9, Pro $24 or Business $59 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Is Colossyan cheaper than Synthesia?
At the entry level, no: Synthesia Starter is $29 a month and Colossyan's first paid plan is $89. At $89 a month both offer a middle plan, and on annual billing Colossyan Professional ($59) is below Synthesia Pro ($64).
Do both have a free tier?
Yes. Synthesia Basic lists 10 video minutes a month with a watermark; Colossyan Starter lists 20 NEO minutes and 0.5 NEO2 minutes a month.
Which exports SCORM for an LMS?
Colossyan from Professional (5 a month) and Synthesia on Enterprise, per each plan matrix.
Related reading: compare presenters in Synthesia vs HeyGen, see the full Synthesia pricing breakdown, browse HeyGen alternatives or open the alternatives and comparisons hub.
Teaching software rather than presenting on camera? Upload a screen recording and get AI narration matched to every step. Start the 7-day trial: 100 credits, no card. Trial includes up to 3 projects; exports carry a watermark.