Steve AI vs Synthesia (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Synthesia grades higher than Steve AI: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Synthesia grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Steve AI
Prompt-to-video maker for animated, stock and generative clips
Synthesia
AI video platform that turns scripts into avatar-presented videos
Which one is for you
Pick Steve AI if
- Fits if you make short explainer or social videos from text with no filming
- Works for people who want an iPhone app alongside the web editor
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: downloads are limited
- Watch out: the pricing page shows different figures in different views, so the billing basis is unclear
- Pricey if you want generative video, with the Generative AI plan at $99 a month
- Watch out: higher resolutions than 2K need Enterprise, and extra generative credits cost more
Pick Synthesia if
- Fits if your training team needs videos without filming anyone
- Works for dubbing existing videos into other languages, or turning decks into narrated videos
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you make long videos, because Starter's 1,250 credits add roughly 12 minutes a month
- Skip it if you need SSO, SCORM export or live team collaboration, as those are listed under Enterprise
- Not for you if you want teammates editing with you, since self-serve plans include 1 editor and guests only comment
- Watch out: free videos carry a watermark and can't be downloaded; both need Starter at $14 a month billed yearly
- Watch out: on monthly billing the first month is $9 for Starter and $49 for Pro, then it's $19 and $89 a month
How we grade them
| 2.0GPASteve AIFair | 2.4GPASynthesiaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $19 a month and Pro $39, though the billing basis isn't confirmed. That is inside the middle of the category. | CStarter is $14 a month on the year, $19 monthly, inside this category's normal range against a $10 middle, and it buys roughly 12 minutes of video a month at about 100 credits a minute. Pro, with personal avatars and interactive video, is $59 on the year and $89 monthly. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree plan: 1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits, with limited downloads. | CBasic renews monthly with 10 minutes of video or dubbing, 500 credits and 9 avatars. But videos carry a Synthesia watermark and you can't download them at all until Starter. |
| Features | CPrompt, script, audio and image inputs, AI voices, motion effects and an editor. Generative credits are limited on each paid plan and sold as add-ons. | BAvatar videos from a prompt, link, file or PowerPoint deck, dubbing into 70+ languages in the speaker's own voice, a personal avatar from one photo, interactive videos with branching and quizzes, roleplay, a screen recorder and an API. No gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A prompt box gets you a draft, but fixing scenes means using the editor. | CNo store rating on record, and the work is still making the video: choosing avatars, editing scenes, watching the credit meter. Handing the Video Assistant a prompt or a deck is the easy start of it. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb plus an iOS app. No desktop app and no integrations listed. | BA web app plus a Chrome extension for screen recordings, with an API and ties to PowerPoint, HubSpot, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Notion, Workday and Moodle. No phone app and no desktop app. |
| Best for | quick AI videos from a prompt or script | training videos with no camera |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Steve AI and Synthesia. How we grade
Price against what you get
Steve AI starts at $19 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Synthesia starts at $14 a month and scores 2.7.
Synthesia scores higher and starts $5 a month lower. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, 55 score higher than Steve AI for less, and 11 score higher than Synthesia for less.
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
Where they differ
- Steve AI also covers video editing, video generation and text to speech.
- Synthesia also covers templates and screen recording.
At a glance
| Steve AI | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $19 per month (billing basis not confirmed) | $14 per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits for AI and stock media generation, with limited downloads. | Basic plan: each month 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing, 3 survey responses and 500 credits, with 1 editor and 9 AI avatars. Videos carry a Synthesia watermark. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Steve AI | Synthesia Limited |
| Price read from | steve.ai | synthesia.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Steve AI
- The pricing page loads prices with scripts and shows different figures in different views, so the billing basis is unclear.
- The homepage toggle advertises 30% off annual billing, but the monthly and yearly prices are not both visible.
- Generative credits are limited on every paid plan, and extra ones are bought as add-ons.
- Higher resolutions than 2K need the Enterprise plan.
Synthesia
- Basic videos carry a Synthesia watermark; downloading videos and removing the logo start on the Starter plan.
- Usage is metered in credits: video costs about 100 credits a minute, so Starter's 1,250 monthly credits add roughly 12 minutes.
- Self-serve plans include 1 editor; Starter adds 3 guests and Pro 5, and guests are invited to comment on videos.
- SAML/SSO, live team collaboration, SCORM export and 1-click translation are listed under the Enterprise plan.
Key features
Steve AI
- Several ways to start a video
- Make a video from a prompt, a script, an audio file or an image, in animated, live-footage or generative styles.
- AI voices and multi-voice scenes
- Voiceovers use AI voices, and several voices can be combined in one script. The share of human-like voices rises on Pro.
- Motion effects and clips
- Add zooms, camera movement and kinetic text, or turn a tweet, image or blog post into a short clip.
- FlexiCredits and power-ups
- Plans can be topped up with extra generative credits and power-ups, which add more AI media and video minutes.
- iOS app
- A mobile app lets you create and edit videos on a phone.
Synthesia
- AI avatars
- Videos are presented by stock AI avatars, from 9 on Basic to 240+ on Enterprise, or by a personal avatar created from a single photo.
- Script, file or slides to video
- The AI Video Assistant turns a prompt, link or file into an editable video, and PowerPoint decks can be imported and narrated.
- AI dubbing and translation
- Dub an uploaded video or YouTube link into 70+ languages, 140+ on Enterprise, keeping the speaker's voice. Lip-sync uses twice the credits.
- Interactive videos
- Add clickable calls to action, branching paths and quizzes that show viewers a final score. Interactive videos are listed from the Pro plan.
- Roleplay and Survey Sessions
- Avatar-led roleplay practice and conversational surveys. Roleplay learner seats can be added to a plan for an extra monthly charge.
- AI Screen Recorder and API
- A Chrome extension makes editable screen recordings, and the Synthesia API creates and dubs videos programmatically.
Plans
Steve AI
Free$0
1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits for AI and stock media generation.
Starter$19
per month, billing basis not shown
100 minutes of AI video a month, 800 AI images and stock items, 1080p, no watermark, 120 seconds of generative credits.
Pro$39
per month, billing basis not shown
300 minutes of AI video a month, 2,400 AI images and stock items, 2K resolution, no watermark.
Generative AI$99
per month, billing basis not shown
400 minutes of AI video a month, 3,200 AI images and stock items, 2K, 15 minutes of generative credits.
EnterpriseCustom
Contact sales; no published price.
Synthesia
Basic$0
10 minutes of video or dubbing, 3 survey responses and 500 credits a month, with 1 editor and 9 AI avatars. Videos carry a watermark.
Starter$14
per month, billed yearly ($168); $19 billed monthly
1,250 credits a month on top of the free allowance, video downloads, no Synthesia logo, 3 guests and 125+ AI avatars.
Pro$59
per month, billed yearly ($708); $89 billed monthly
6,000 credits a month (tiers up to 48,000 for $448 a month yearly), 5 personal avatars, interactive videos, branded video pages and 5 guests.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited video minutes, 240+ avatars, 1-click translation, SAML/SSO, live team collaboration, brand kits and SCORM export.
Ways to pay less
Steve AI
- Annual discount
Annual billing discount
The homepage pricing toggle labels annual billing as 30% off compared with monthly.
Synthesia
- Annual discount
Save up to 4 months with yearly billing
Starter is $14 a month billed yearly against $19 billed monthly, and Pro is $59 against $89. Synthesia describes this as saving up to 4 months.
- Other savings
Discounted first month on monthly billing
On monthly billing the pricing page shows the first month of Starter for $9 and of Pro for $49, then $19 and $89 a month. No end date is given.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Steve AI or Synthesia?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Synthesia is cheaper to start with: $14 a month, against $19 a month for Steve AI. Steve AI starts at $19 per month (billing basis not confirmed), and Synthesia starts at $14 per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Steve AI or Synthesia?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Steve AI and Synthesia have a free plan.
Which platforms do Steve AI and Synthesia run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Steve AI lists an iOS app and only Synthesia lists a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.