Avatars
A sandbox for exploring AI avatar video.
Hi, I'm Angela.
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AI Avatar Lab
A personal sandbox for exploring AI avatar video. I’m testing the free tiers of two leading tools side by side to see what they can do, where they fall short, and whether they’re worth a place in the FAST toolkit.
HeyGen
Me, as an avatar
- Built from a single photo using a Photo Avatar
- Voice: my own HeyGen voice clone. Close to the real thing, not perfect, but good enough for a first try
- Free plan: 3 videos/month, up to 1 minute, 720p, watermarked
- Downloadable MP4, hosted right here
Synthesia
Explainer-style presenter
- Free plan: about 10 minutes/month, watermarked
- Made with a stock avatar and stock voice
- Small set of stock avatars, 160+ languages
- Shared via Synthesia player (no downloads on free)
Side-by-side
| HeyGen | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Free allowance | 3 short videos/mo | ~10 min/mo |
| Custom avatar (free) | 1 photo avatar | No |
| Voice clone | Yes (used in my video) | Not on free plan (used a stock voice) |
| Download on free | Yes (watermarked) | No |
| Entry paid plan | $29/mo | $29/mo ($18 annual) |
| My verdict | Tough call. Best for a personal touch: my face, my voice | Tough call. Best for polished explainers, with more minutes to work with |
Pricing as of September 2026; check each site for current plans.
What I learned
- Free plans are enough to experiment. I made both videos without spending a dime. The watermarks and time limits only matter once you go public or professional.
- Your source photo matters. A clear, well-lit, front-facing shot makes a noticeably better avatar. The background comes along too unless you replace it.
- Voice clones are close, not perfect. Mine sounds like me, just a little off in places. Good enough for a first try, and shorter sentences help.
- The first frame counts. A video can open mid-word. Setting a poster image fixes that.
- Each tool has its lane. HeyGen shines when you want it to be you. Synthesia shines for clean, presenter-style explainers.