Synthesia alternatives
What is a good alternative to Synthesia for animated, narrated teacher videos?
Updated by the Vidi team
Plans start at $5 a month.
If you like the idea of Synthesia but not the presenter, you are looking for a different kind of tool. Synthesia makes videos with AI avatars. An animated explainer replaces the presenter with animated scenes, a voiceover and captions.
This page compares the two approaches fairly. It shows what to check on free plans and how to make a short animated lesson video that is accurate and worth rewatching, whichever tool you use.
How it works
How to make an animated lesson explainer with Vidi
Describe the topic and the class
Say the year level, what students already know and how long you want the video to be. A line such as "A 60-second hook for Year 9 volcanoes" is enough to start. Pick a look that suits the subject and the age of your class, such as clay, watercolour or hand-drawn, and choose one of 74 narration languages.
Approve every line of the script
Vidi drafts the script scene by scene. Read each scene and fix the wording or the facts before anything is animated. Check that each scene carries one idea and that the video ends with one clear takeaway.
Download, show and reuse it
Download the video for the classroom screen or your course page. On Pro and higher plans you can make it widescreen 16:9. If one scene needs changing after the video is made, change just that scene with a note instead of starting again.
Avatar videos and animated explainers are different jobs
Synthesia is built around AI avatars: a realistic presenter who reads your script on screen. Its pricing page lists more than 125 stock avatars on the Starter plan. One independent review files it under enterprise AI avatar video and says it is best for corporate training, HR, sales-enablement and internal communications teams. The same review mentions complaints about uncanny avatars and slow renders.
An animated explainer works differently. There is no presenter. Each scene shows a picture or diagram of one idea while a narrator talks and captions follow along. For a lesson hook, a recap or a tricky concept, the screen can show the thing being explained rather than a talking head.
So the first question is not which tool is cheaper. It is which kind of video you want. If you want a face on screen, an avatar tool fits. If you want the idea itself animated, look for a tool that builds scenes, narration and captions instead.
What makes a good animated explainer for class
Start with the one idea you want students to leave with, and build backwards. A useful shape is a question your class wants answered, a few clear steps, then one takeaway at the end.
Give each scene one idea. If a scene needs narration about two different things, split it into two scenes.
Keep it short. A 60-second hook to open a lesson, or a few minutes for a recap, is easier to rewatch than a long lecture. Read the script aloud and time it before you make anything.
Write for your class, not a general audience. Say the year level, what they already know and which words are new.
Keep captions on, so the video still works on a noisy classroom screen and for students reading in a second language.
Check every fact. AI-drafted scripts can be wrong, and a polished animation makes a wrong claim look more convincing, not less. Read the script line by line before it is animated, then watch the final video once before you show it.
What to check before you pick any tool
Whatever you try, check these points before you build a unit around it.
Can you download the video on the plan you will use? Independent sources report that Synthesia's free plan does not allow MP4 downloads and that free videos carry the Synthesia logo. A video you cannot download is hard to put on a course page or in a slide deck.
Is there a watermark? On Vidi, Free and Starter videos carry a small Vidi logo, and Pro and higher plans have none.
How are you charged? Synthesia's pricing is built around finished video minutes and a credit pool, so longer and redone videos use more of your allowance. One source says unused allowance does not roll over. Vidi charges credits by length, style and engine, and unused credits roll over while your account is active.
Do you need LMS features? Sources list Synthesia's SCORM export under its Enterprise plan.
Is it allowed at your school? Check your school's privacy rules and each tool's age rules before students sign up. Vidi account holders must be 18 or have a parent's or guardian's permission.
When Synthesia or another route is the better choice
Synthesia is the better choice if you specifically want a human-looking presenter, for example for a staff induction or a course where a consistent on-screen guide matters. One independent review credits it with more than 240 avatars and more than 160 languages. Be careful with prices. Sources disagree, and one says prices vary by country and billing period, so check the official pricing page on the day you buy.
Other routes also lead to animated lessons. Template animation tools, design apps with animation and voiceover, whiteboard drawing tools, and your own slides with your voice recorded over them can all produce a narrated explainer. We could not verify their current plans or education discounts for this page, so check each one's own pricing or education page.
Recording your own voice over slides costs you time rather than a subscription, and students hear their own teacher. An AI tool saves drawing and editing time. Choose based on how many videos you need and how much time you have.
Synthesia vs Vidi for classroom explainer videos
| Synthesia | Vidi | |
|---|---|---|
| Kind of video | AI avatar presenter reading your script; one review says it is best for enterprise training and internal communications | Animated scenes with narration and captions, no presenter; more than 20 looks such as clay, watercolour and hand-drawn |
| Free option | Basic plan at $0 with up to 10 minutes of video or dubbing a month, per independent sources; free videos carry the Synthesia logo | 5 free credits and one free 15-second vertical video, no credit card; Free and Starter videos carry a small Vidi logo |
| Download | MP4 download needs a paid plan, per independent sources | You download the finished video for the classroom screen or a course page |
| How you pay | Credits tied to finished video minutes; prices vary by country and billing period, so check the official page | 1 credit = 1 US dollar; monthly plans from $5; cost varies by length, style and engine; unused credits roll over while active |
| Script control | Not covered in our sources | Review and edit every scene before it is animated; change one scene later with a note |
| Narration languages | More than 160, per one independent review | 74 |
| Length, shape and LMS | SCORM export listed on the Enterprise plan only | Up to 5 minutes on paid plans; widescreen 16:9 on Pro and higher; no SCORM export mentioned |
Limits worth knowing
- AI-drafted scripts can be wrong. Vidi does not check the facts in your video for you, so read every scene before it is animated and watch the result before you show it.
- Vidi's free video is a single 15-second vertical clip. Longer videos need paid credits, and widescreen 16:9 for a classroom screen needs Pro or higher.
- Vidi makes animated videos with no on-screen presenter. If you want a human-looking avatar, Synthesia or a similar avatar tool is the better fit.
- Synthesia's prices change and sources disagree, and we could not verify the current plans of other animation tools for this page. Check each official page before you buy.
Sources
Can Synthesia make a video without an avatar?
Our sources describe Synthesia as an avatar video tool. They do not say whether it has an avatar-free, slides-only mode. If you want animation rather than a presenter, check Synthesia's own help pages, or start with a tool designed around animated scenes and narration.
Is Synthesia free for teachers?
Synthesia has a free Basic plan. Independent sources say it includes up to 10 minutes of video or dubbing a month, but free videos carry the Synthesia logo and MP4 downloads need a paid plan. Our sources did not mention an education discount, so check the official site.
How much does Vidi cost for a teacher?
A free account comes with 5 credits and one free 15-second vertical video, with no credit card. One credit is worth one US dollar. Monthly plans run from Starter at $5 to Godfather at $179. Pro at $25 adds widescreen 16:9 and has no Vidi logo. Each video's cost depends on length, style and engine.
How long should a classroom explainer video be?
As a guide, keep a lesson hook to about a minute and a recap to a few minutes. Aim for one idea per scene and end with one takeaway. On Vidi, paid plans make videos up to 5 minutes, and the free video is 15 seconds.
Can the narration be in my students' language?
Vidi narrates in 74 languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Vietnamese and Mandarin Chinese. You choose the language before you create, and the script is written in it. One independent review says Synthesia supports more than 160 languages, so it may suit you better if you need a rarer one.
Can I show Vidi videos in class or post them online?
Yes. Under the terms of service you may use the videos Vidi makes for you, including on a course page or a public channel. Free and Starter videos carry a small Vidi logo; Pro and higher plans have none.