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Video Production · head to head

Synthesia vs Totara

Synthesia logo

Synthesia

Video Production

AI video creation with digital presenters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Totara logo

Totara

LMS

Open source learning, performance and collaboration platform derived from Moodle and sold through partners

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Synthesia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Synthesia free plan limited to 10 minutes of video per month; Totara you cannot buy from the vendor. Every purchase runs through a partner who sets its own hosting, services and support pricing, so identical platforms are quoted at materially different totals and buyers must run a partner comparison as well as a product comparison.
  • They diverge on capability: Synthesia covers AI avatars, Totara covers Organisational hierarchies.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Synthesia and Totara actually diverge.

Attributes where Synthesia and Totara differ
AttributeSynthesiaTotara
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Linux
CategoryVideo ProductionLMS
Founded2017Unknown

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 Synthesia

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

Only in Totara

  • Organisational hierarchies
  • Compliance and certification
  • Totara Perform
  • Totara Engage
  • Self-hosting
  • Programs and learning plans

What people use each for

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

Synthesia

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

Totara

  • Health services and government bodies that must evidence mandatory training by job role across a large hierarchynot Synthesia
  • Organisations with data residency rules that require the platform to run on their own infrastructurenot Synthesia
  • Moodle users who need appraisal, competency and compliance features the academic product does not carrynot Synthesia
  • Buyers who want exit rights over the platform code rather than dependence on a single hosted vendornot Synthesia

Where each one falls short

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

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

Totara

  • You cannot buy from the vendor. Every purchase runs through a partner who sets its own hosting, services and support pricing, so identical platforms are quoted at materially different totals and buyers must run a partner comparison as well as a product comparison.
  • Open source does not mean cheap. Subscription plus partner hosting plus implementation and version upgrade services commonly lands near commercial system cost, and the saving is in control and exit rights rather than in the invoice.
  • The administrative interface carries its Moodle lineage and is dense, so administrator training is a real project cost rather than an afterthought.
  • Major version upgrades are projects, especially where a partner has customised the deployment, and organisations that customise heavily find upgrades slower and dearer over time.
  • The learner facing experience is functional rather than engaging, and organisations wanting a consumer grade learning experience usually front it with something else.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Totara

On request
  • Totara subscription via partner$undefined/year
    • Sold only through distribution partners
    • Partner sets hosting, implementation and support pricing
    • Source available under the GPL, but subscription required for supported releases

Which should you pick?

Choose Synthesia if

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

Choose Totara if

  • You need organisational hierarchies.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want compliance and certification.
Totara review

Questions people ask

Is Synthesia or Totara better?
Neither clearly leads. Synthesia starts at Free and Totara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Synthesia or Totara?
Synthesia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Synthesia and On request for Totara.
Does Synthesia or Totara run on more platforms?
Synthesia runs on Web. Totara runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Synthesia for free?
Yes. Synthesia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Totara starts at On request.
What is Synthesia best used for?
Synthesia is most often used for training video creation with ai avatars, multilingual video localisation with ai dubbing, enterprise video production and management. Of those, training video creation with ai avatars and multilingual video localisation with ai dubbing are not what Totara is typically brought in for.
What can Synthesia do that Totara cannot?
Synthesia covers AI avatars, 140+ languages, Video templates, Brand customization. Totara covers Organisational hierarchies, Compliance and certification, Totara Perform, Totara Engage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Totara: Is Totara free because it is open source?

No. The source is available under the GPL, but supported releases require a subscription, and it is sold through partners who add hosting, implementation and support costs.

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
Totara: How is it different from Moodle?

Moodle is built around courses and academic delivery. Totara adds organisational hierarchies, role based automatic assignment, recurring certification and appraisal, which is what workplace compliance reporting needs.

Totara: Can we host it ourselves?

Yes. Self hosting is a genuine option and is one of the main reasons regulated and public sector buyers choose it over a hosted only competitor.

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