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Video Production · head to head

Captions vs Synthesia

Captions logo

Captions

Video Production

AI video editor that automates post-production at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Synthesia logo

Synthesia

Video Production

AI video creation with digital presenters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Captions credit rollover limited to 3x monthly maximum, forcing spending within quarters; Synthesia free plan limited to 10 minutes of video per month
  • They diverge on capability: Captions covers AI Edit, Synthesia covers AI avatars.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Captions and Synthesia actually diverge.

Attributes where Captions and Synthesia differ
AttributeCaptionsSynthesia
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Video Production).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Captions

  • AI Edit
  • Auto-Captions
  • AI Avatars
  • Eye Contact Correction
  • Background Noise Removal
  • Pause Trimming
  • Text-to-Edit
  • Royalty-Free Music

Only in Synthesia

  • AI avatars
  • 140+ languages
  • Video templates
  • Brand customization
  • API access
  • LMS integrations
  • PowerPoint
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Captions

  • Rapid video production for social media content at scalenot Synthesia
  • Converting long-form recordings into short-form clipsnot Synthesia
  • Adding captions and translations for global audience reachnot Synthesia
  • Cleaning up podcast and interview audio automaticallynot Synthesia
  • Building library of branded videos with consistent stylingnot Synthesia

Synthesia

  • Training video creation with AI avatarsnot Captions
  • Multilingual video localisation with AI dubbingnot Captions
  • Enterprise video production and managementnot Captions

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Captions

  • Credit rollover limited to 3x monthly maximum, forcing spending within quarters
  • Free plan provides limited editing capability, requiring immediate paid upgrade
  • Minimum 3-day refund window and 10-20 percent credit usage threshold restricts refunds
  • Per-credit pricing model increases costs for high-volume video production
  • Enterprise plan requires custom negotiation with no transparent pricing

Synthesia

  • Free plan limited to 10 minutes of video per month
  • Starter plan limited to 10 minutes of video per month
  • Creator plan capped at 30 minutes of video per month
  • SSO/SAML authentication restricted to Enterprise tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Captions

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic editing tools
    • Trim functionality
    • Transitions
  • Max$24.99/month
    • 500 AI credits per month
    • AI Edit styles
    • Digital twins and custom AI actors
  • Scale 1x$69.99/month
    • 1,400 AI credits per month
    • Everything in Max
    • Sophisticated generative AI model access
  • Scale 2x$139.99/month
    • 2,800 AI credits per month
    • Everything in Max
    • Sophisticated generative AI model access

Synthesia

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 1,200 credits per month
    • Up to 10 minutes of video per month
    • 9 AI avatars
  • Starter$29/month
    • 14,500 credits per year
    • Up to 120 minutes of video per year
    • 125+ AI avatars
  • Creator$89/month
    • 44,000 credits per year
    • Up to 360 minutes of video per year
    • 180+ AI avatars

Which should you pick?

Choose Captions if

  • You need ai edit.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auto-captions.
Captions review

Choose Synthesia if

  • You need ai avatars.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want 140+ languages.
Synthesia review

Questions people ask

Is Captions or Synthesia better?
Neither clearly leads. Captions starts at Free and Synthesia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Captions or Synthesia?
Captions starts at Free and Synthesia at Free.
Does Captions or Synthesia run on more platforms?
Captions runs on Web, iOS, Android. Synthesia runs on Web.
Can I use Captions for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Captions best used for?
Captions is most often used for rapid video production for social media content at scale, converting long-form recordings into short-form clips, adding captions and translations for global audience reach, cleaning up podcast and interview audio automatically. Of those, rapid video production for social media content at scale and converting long-form recordings into short-form clips are not what Synthesia is typically brought in for.
What can Captions do that Synthesia cannot?
Captions covers AI Edit, Auto-Captions, AI Avatars, Eye Contact Correction. Synthesia covers AI avatars, 140+ languages, Video templates, Brand customization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Captions: What is the price of the Max plan?

The Max plan costs $24.99 per month and includes 500 AI credits per month, AI Edit styles, digital twins, chat-based editor, and custom B-roll.

Source
Synthesia: How much does Synthesia cost?

Synthesia offers a free Basic plan with 10 minutes of video per month, Starter at $29 per month with 120 minutes per year, and Creator at $89 per month with 360 minutes per year. Annual billing provides 38% savings. Enterprise plans are available with custom pricing.

Source
Captions: How many languages are supported for captions?

Captions supports 100+ languages for auto-caption generation with 100+ caption style options.

Source
Synthesia: What is included in Synthesia's free plan?

The free Basic plan includes 1,200 credits per month (approximately 10 minutes of video), 9 AI avatars, 3 personal avatars, and access to 160+ languages and voices. No credit card is required.

Source
Captions: Can I use Captions on mobile devices?

Yes, Captions is available on iOS App Store and Google Play for mobile editing, along with the web-based editor.

Source
Captions: What does the Scale pricing tier include?

Scale plans offer 1,400, 2,800, or 5,600 AI credits per month at $69.99, $139.99, and $279.99 respectively, with everything in Max plus access to sophisticated generative AI models.

Source
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