Side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool for your business
Our Verdict: Sora for creative generation, Synthesia for structured business video
Sora and Synthesia are different tools that happen to both involve AI video. Sora generates novel video from text prompts — think cinematic scenes, product visualizations, and creative content. Synthesia creates talking-head videos with AI avatars reading scripts — think training videos, sales demos, and internal communications. They barely compete because their use cases are almost entirely separate.
Creative teams needing novel video generation from text descriptions
Included in ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo, 50 videos) / Pro ($200/mo, unlimited)
beginner
1 day
L&D teams and marketers creating scripted video content at scale
$22/mo (Starter, 3 min/mo) / $67/mo (Creator, 10 min/mo) / Custom (Enterprise)
beginner
1-3 days
| Feature | Sora | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Video type | Generative (text-to-video) | Scripted (avatar presentation) |
| Avatar control | No consistent characters | 230+ avatars + custom clone |
| Languages | English (primarily) | 140+ languages with lip sync |
| Video length | Up to 20 seconds | Unlimited (scene-based) |
| Editing tools | Basic (regenerate/remix) | Full editor (scenes, transitions) |
| Brand consistency | Difficult (generative) | Templates + brand kits |
| API access | Not yet | Yes (Enterprise) |
| Team collaboration | ChatGPT shared chats | Workspaces + review flows |
Generate eye-catching scenes that would cost thousands to film. Sora creates novel visuals that grab attention on social media.
Script-to-video with consistent AI presenters, multi-language support, and template reuse. Sora can't produce structured educational content.
Quick text-to-video generation creates scroll-stopping clips without filming, avatars, or editors. 50 videos/month on ChatGPT Plus is enough for daily posting.
Screen recording overlaid with an AI avatar explaining features. Updates are as easy as changing the script — no re-recording needed.
We implement both options. Tell us your use case and we'll recommend the right fit — then set it up for you.
Not for business video. Sora generates creative scenes but can't produce consistent talking-head presenters, follow scripts precisely, or maintain brand consistency across a video series. They solve different problems — Sora is a creative tool, Synthesia is a production tool.
Depends on the content type. Sora for attention-grabbing social clips, product visualizations, and creative ads. Synthesia for explainer videos, case study presentations, and personalized outreach videos. Most marketing teams would benefit from using both.
Better than ever, but still noticeably AI. Custom avatars (trained on your video) are more convincing than stock avatars. Most viewers can tell it's AI after 5-10 seconds. For training and internal content, this doesn't matter. For customer-facing content, set expectations clearly.
For short clips (5-15 seconds), yes — quality rivals stock footage. For longer sequences, consistency breaks down. Sora works best as a raw material generator that you edit into polished content, not as a standalone video production tool.