Descript vs Synthesia: tool pricing compared
Updated 2026-11-10 · listed A to Z, not ranked
Descript edits video and audio by editing a transcript. Plans are priced per person and differ in media hours and AI credits.
Synthesia makes AI avatar videos and meters usage in credits. Pro can be sized up in credit tiers.
Listed A to Z, from descript.com and synthesia.io. Every figure below is quoted from those pages.
- Main price table
- Free, Hobbyist, Creator, Business, Enterprise
- Free option
- Free: $0
- Published prices
- Free, Hobbyist $16, Creator $24 and Business $50 per person per month billed annually, monthly prices, media hours and AI credits.
- Main price table
- Basic, Starter, Pro
- Free option
- Basic: $0
- Published prices
- Basic free with 500 credits, Starter $19 a month ($9 first month), Pro $89 ($49 first month) and Pro credit tiers up to 48,000.
How we checked: Prices quoted from each official pricing page: Descript checked Nov 10, 2026, Synthesia checked Nov 10, 2026. Taxes, usage overages and promotions can change what you pay; confirm with each provider before you buy.
How they compare
- Main price table. Descript lists 5 entries (Free, Hobbyist, Creator, Business, Enterprise); Synthesia lists 3 (Basic, Starter, Pro).
- Lowest listed paid tier. Descript: Hobbyist $16, billed annually. Synthesia: Starter $19. Billing terms differ (per user or flat, monthly or annual), so check what each tier includes below.
- Free option. Descript: Free: $0. Synthesia: Basic: $0.
- How prices are quoted. Descript: “Plans (per person per month)”. Synthesia: “Plans (monthly billing)”.
Descript plans and prices
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Media | AI credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 60 media minutes a month | |
| Hobbyist | $16 | $24 | 10 media hours | 400 |
| Creator | $24 | $35 | 30 media hours, 4K export | 800 |
| Business | $50 | $65 | 40 media hours | 1,500 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
From descript.com, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: Descript pricing.
Synthesia plans and prices
| Plan | Price | Credits per month |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 500, plus a free allowance (10 minutes of Studio video or dubbing, 3 survey responses); watermark |
| Starter | $19 per month ($9 first month) | 1,250 (about 12 minutes of video) |
| Pro | $89 per month ($49 first month) | 6,000 (about 60 minutes) |
| Credits per month | Price per month |
|---|---|
| 6,000 | $89 |
| 12,000 | $176 |
| 24,000 | $347 |
| 36,000 | $514 |
| 48,000 | $676 |
From synthesia.io, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: Synthesia pricing.
FAQ
How much does Descript cost?
Free, Hobbyist $16, Creator $24 and Business $50 per person per month billed annually, monthly prices, media hours and AI credits. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
How much does Synthesia cost?
Basic free with 500 credits, Starter $19 a month ($9 first month), Pro $89 ($49 first month) and Pro credit tiers up to 48,000. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
Do Descript and Synthesia have a free option?
Descript: Free: $0. Synthesia: Basic: $0.
What is the cheapest paid plan, Descript or Synthesia?
Lowest listed paid tier: Descript Hobbyist $16, billed annually; Synthesia Starter $19 (as quoted on each pricing page). Billing units differ, so compare what each includes.
Which is better, Descript or Synthesia?
We do not pick a winner. The two price and package their products differently; the tables above quote each official pricing page so you can match a plan to your own usage.
Where do these prices come from?
Each vendor's own pricing page: descript.com (checked Nov 10, 2026) and synthesia.io (checked Nov 10, 2026). Prices change; confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Sources (official pages, read 2026-11-10)
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