Alternatives · Screen Recording
Tolstoy alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Tolstoy alternative is HeyGen (2.6 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Tolstoy compared with 5 alternatives: HeyGen, Synthesia, VEED, Wave.video and Captions.
Tolstoy is a paid product, starting at $16 per workspace / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Tolstoy sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| TolstoyThis tool | From $16/mo | No | Web |
| HeyGen | Free plan · from $24/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Synthesia | Free plan · from $14/mo | Yes | Web, Browser extension |
| VEED | Free plan · from $25/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Wave.video | Free plan · from $16/mo | Yes | Web |
| Captions | Free plan · from $4.99/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Tolstoy starts at $16 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 3 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Synthesia, VEED and Captions.
HeyGen scores higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Tolstoy
HeyGen
AI video generator with realistic avatars and video translation
- HeyGen starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- HeyGen has a free plan, which Tolstoy lacks.
- HeyGen also lists iOS and Android apps.
- HeyGen also covers templates.
- HeyGen does not cover video generation, chatbots and ad creative, which Tolstoy does.
Suits: Marketers and creators making presenter videos without a camera
Synthesia
AI video platform that turns scripts into avatar-presented videos
- Synthesia starts at $14 per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly).
- Synthesia has a free plan, which Tolstoy lacks.
- Synthesia also lists a browser extension.
- Synthesia also covers templates and screen recording.
- Synthesia does not cover video generation, chatbots and ad creative, which Tolstoy does.
Suits: Training and L&D teams producing videos without filming
VEED
Browser-based AI video generator and editor for social video
- VEED starts at $25 per month or $146.99 per year for Creator (US App Store prices).
- VEED has a free plan, which Tolstoy lacks.
- VEED also lists iOS and Android apps.
- VEED also covers transcription, noise cancellation, templates, screen recording and video editing.
- VEED does not cover video generation, chatbots and ad creative, which Tolstoy does.
Suits: Marketers and creators making short social videos in a browser
Wave.video
Video editor, hosting and live streaming in one browser tool
- Wave.video starts at $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- Wave.video has a free plan, which Tolstoy lacks.
- Wave.video also covers templates, video editing, text to speech, webinars and multistreaming.
- Wave.video does not cover video generation, chatbots and ad creative, which Tolstoy does.
Suits: Marketers who want editing, hosting and streaming in one account
Captions
AI video editor and generator for short talking-head videos
- Captions starts at $4.99 per month for Lite (Android only); Basic is $9.99 per month.
- Captions has a free plan, which Tolstoy lacks.
- Captions also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Captions also covers transcription, noise cancellation and video editing.
- Captions does not cover video generation, chatbots and ad creative, which Tolstoy does.
Suits: Creators posting short talking-head videos to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts
Limits worth knowing in Tolstoy
- Usage is capped monthly: AI credits, plus video viewers counted separately; extra viewers cost $10 per 1,000 on Plus and $7 on the first two Business steps.
- Credits are not a fixed number of photos or videos; models and actions use different amounts.
- Extra team members cost $20 per seat a month on Plus and Business.
- The homepage offers Start for free, but the pricing page lists no free plan; its terms were not confirmed.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Tolstoy?
The alternatives to Tolstoy in this directory are HeyGen, Synthesia, VEED, Wave.video and Captions. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Tolstoy.
Is there a free alternative to Tolstoy?
Yes. HeyGen, Synthesia, VEED, Wave.video and Captions have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Tolstoy alternatives work on Android?
The Tolstoy listing does not include an Android app. HeyGen, VEED and Captions list one.
Which Tolstoy alternatives work on iOS?
The Tolstoy listing does not include an iOS app. HeyGen, VEED and Captions list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 6, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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