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Translation · head to head

Smartling vs Synthesia

Smartling logo

Smartling

Translation

Enterprise translation management sold alongside first-party language services priced per word

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Synthesia logo

Synthesia

Video Production

AI video creation with digital presenters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Synthesia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Smartling translation memory is retained for only 180 days on the Core tier, so the asset that would make a future migration cheap expires on the plan most likely to be used by a team testing the water.; Synthesia free plan limited to 10 minutes of video per month
  • They diverge on capability: Smartling covers Translation memory, Synthesia covers AI avatars.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Smartling and Synthesia actually diverge.

Attributes where Smartling and Synthesia differ
AttributeSmartlingSynthesia
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb
CategoryTranslationVideo Production
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Smartling

  • Translation memory
  • Visual context CAT editor
  • Configurable workflows
  • First-party language services
  • Linguistic quality assurance
  • Connectors and API

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.

Smartling

  • A company that wants one supplier answerable for both the translation platform and the quality of the translated outputnot Synthesia
  • Marketing sites where a translator needs to see the rendered page, not a spreadsheet of strings, to get tone and length rightnot Synthesia
  • Replacing a platform vendor plus several separate agencies with a single contract and a single invoicenot Synthesia
  • Content operations at a volume where per-word rates are the dominant cost and the tooling fee is noisenot Synthesia

Synthesia

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

Where each one falls short

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

Smartling

  • Translation memory is retained for only 180 days on the Core tier, so the asset that would make a future migration cheap expires on the plan most likely to be used by a team testing the water.
  • The platform subscription is not published while the per-word service rates are, so you can model the variable cost precisely and cannot model the fixed cost at all until you have been through a sales sizing exercise.
  • The vendor earns on words routed through it, so the commercial relationship rewards volume flowing to Smartling rather than volume being avoided through better reuse of existing memory.
  • Per-word pricing multiplies by target language, so adding a market to a product that ships in twelve languages costs a thirteenth of the current translation bill rather than a marginal amount.
  • Minimum contract term, minimum annual spend and whether individual connectors carry their own charge are all absent from the public site, so three of the numbers that determine total cost only appear inside a proposal.

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

Smartling

On request
  • Core$undefined/year
    • Subscription price not published
    • Basic workflow, user and project management
    • Browser CAT editor with visual context
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Subscription price not published
    • Fully configurable dynamic workflows
    • Translation memory with unlimited storage
  • Language services, charged separately per word$undefined/year
    • Machine translation from 0.0075 USD per word
    • AI translation from 0.06 USD per word
    • AI translation with human review from 0.12 USD per word

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 Smartling if

  • You need translation memory.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want visual context cat editor.
Smartling 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 Smartling or Synthesia better?
Neither clearly leads. Smartling starts at On request and Synthesia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Smartling or Synthesia?
Synthesia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Smartling and Free for Synthesia.
Does Smartling or Synthesia run on more platforms?
Smartling runs on Web, API. Synthesia runs on Web.
Can I use Synthesia for free?
Yes. Synthesia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Smartling starts at On request.
What is Smartling best used for?
Smartling is most often used for a company that wants one supplier answerable for both the translation platform and the quality of the translated output, marketing sites where a translator needs to see the rendered page, not a spreadsheet of strings, to get tone and length right, replacing a platform vendor plus several separate agencies with a single contract and a single invoice, content operations at a volume where per-word rates are the dominant cost and the tooling fee is noise. Of those, a company that wants one supplier answerable for both the translation platform and the quality of the translated output and marketing sites where a translator needs to see the rendered page, not a spreadsheet of strings, to get tone and length right are not what Synthesia is typically brought in for.
What can Smartling do that Synthesia cannot?
Smartling covers Translation memory, Visual context CAT editor, Configurable workflows, First-party language services. Synthesia covers AI avatars, 140+ languages, Video templates, Brand customization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Smartling: Is there a free plan?

The Core tier is advertised as free to start, but translation memory is kept for only 180 days on it and any production deployment is a quoted subscription. Treat it as an evaluation route, not a plan.

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
Smartling: What does the platform actually cost?

Smartling does not publish it. The published figures are per-word service rates. Expect an annual subscription sized against your content volume, workflows and language count, quoted after a scoping call.

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
Smartling: Can I use Smartling with my own translators?

Yes, the platform works with your own vendors and freelancers. You then pay for software and forgo the services revenue the pricing model is built around, which weakens your negotiating position on the subscription.

Smartling: What happens to my translation memory if I leave?

Translation memory is exportable, but on Core it only covers the previous 180 days, so leaving after two years on the entry tier means most of the asset is already gone.

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