Synthesia offers two categories of avatar: stock avatars that are ready to use, and custom avatars built from a specific person's photo, video, or filmed footage. Use the options below to find the right one for what you need to create.
📌 Not sure what your plan includes? Stock avatars are available on all plans at no extra cost. Custom avatars (Personal and Studio) are available on Starter plans and above and count against your avatar allowance.
See the comparison table below for a full breakdown, or check How do I check which avatars are available on my plan?
When to use each Avatar type
Different avatar types suit different kinds of content. Use this section to match an avatar type to your goal.
Stock avatars (Express-1, Express-2)
Stock avatars are pre-recorded by real actors and ready to use. They are designed for brand-safe, neutral, and educational content.
Best for: high-volume, repeatable content.
✅ Immediately available, high quality (4K), ideal for scalable content across languages. | ⚠️ Cannot be used for promotional content due to legal restrictions. |
Use when you want to:
Create content across multiple languages and regions at speed.
Reduce reliance on any one individual and represent a range of people.
Deliver consistent, standardized messaging at scale. Common use cases: global training programs, prospecting and customer communications, and support or Help Center content.
Synthetic stock avatars (Express-2)
Best for: branded or scaled content where you want full visual control without filming anyone.
✅ Completely customizable with no consent risks. | ⚠️ May have a less realistic appearance and limited video duration. |
Use when you want to:
Customize outfits, backgrounds, and b-roll for a branded presenter.
Produce content without managing a real person's consent or likeness.
Personal Avatars (from a photo or video)
Personal avatars are based on real people and require you to submit a photo or footage. These avatars are ideal for personal branding or when your presence in the video matters.
Best for: relationship-led content from a specific person, such as a subject-matter expert.
✅ Free, quick to create, maintains authenticity and personal connection. | ⚠️ Quality varies based on recording environment. |
Use when you want to:
Keep a personal connection while increasing how much content you produce.
Preserve an individual's voice and tone across multiple videos.
Build trust with internal or external audiences. Common use cases: sales enablement, customer education, and internal knowledge sharing.
💡 Personal Avatars created from a photo use Express-2 Avatar technology.
Custom Studio Avatars
A paid add-on filmed in a professional studio or submitted using a high-quality at-home setup, Studio Avatars deliver premium production value.
Best for: subject-matter expert content that needs a highly credible, authoritative presence.
✅ Ideal for capturing expertise from senior leaders and SMEs. | ⚠️ Requires professional setup and has higher cost and longer turnaround |
Use when you want to:
Capture deep expertise from senior leaders or domain experts.
Scale knowledge from a specific person at the highest level of realism.
Create consistent, high-quality training or enablement content. Common use cases: product deep dives, compliance or regulatory training, and leadership communications.
Avatar Use Cases
I need a ready-to-use presenter — no setup required
I need a ready-to-use presenter — no setup required
Stock avatars are included in your plan and available immediately from the avatar browser. There are three types to choose from depending on the kind of content you're making.
Express-1 stock avatars
The most realistic stock option. Express-1 avatars are built from professionally filmed footage and deliver consistent, high-quality output. They support transparent backgrounds and are compatible with the Synthesia API, making them a strong choice for long-form content, compliance videos, or automated pipelines.
No hand gestures.
Transparent background supported.
API-compatible.
Available on all plans.
Express-2 stock avatars
Express-2 avatars add natural hand gestures and flexible framing, making them well suited to dynamic or conversational content. The background is fixed and cannot be removed.
Hand gestures included.
Background is fixed — cannot be removed.
Not API-compatible.
Available on all plans.
Synthetic stock avatars
Synthetic avatars are fully AI-generated — no real person behind them. They support customizable outfits, backgrounds, and b-roll, making them a good fit for branded or scaled content where you want more visual control without filming anyone.
Hand gestures included.
Customizable outfits, backgrounds, and b-roll.
Not API-compatible.
Available on all plans.
💡 Not sure which stock avatars are available on your plan? Check out How do I check which avatars are available on my plan?
Ready to add one to a video? See How do I use an avatar in Synthesia?
I want an avatar of myself or a real person
I want an avatar of myself or a real person
Custom avatars are built from a real person's likeness. There are two recommended options for creating a personal avatar.
Personal Avatar from a photo (recommended)
Generated from a single uploaded image. This is the fastest way to create a personal avatar and the recommended starting point for most users. The avatar supports hand gestures and customizable outfits and backgrounds.
Hand gestures included.
Customizable outfits, backgrounds, and b-roll.
Transparent background supported.
Available on Starter plans and above.
Included in your avatar allowance (Starter: 3, Creator: 5, Enterprise: unlimited). Paid add-ons available for additional avatars.
Create one: How do I create a Personal Avatar from a photo?
Request from a colleague: How do I request a Personal Avatar from a colleague?
Personal Avatar from a video (Legacy — not recommended for new content)
Recorded from a webcam or phone. Basic expressiveness with looped gestures. This avatar type cannot be customized and uses Legacy technology, but it remains the only type you can currently request from a colleague.
Not customizable.
Transparent background supported.
Available on Starter plans and above.
Included in your avatar allowance.
Create one: How do I create a Personal Avatar from a video?
Request from a colleague: How do I request a Personal Avatar from a colleague?
✍️ Not sure which personal avatar type to use? The photo-based option is recommended for all new content. The video-based option is best kept for existing workflows.
I need the highest-realism option for leadership or official communications
I need the highest-realism option for leadership or official communications
A Custom Studio Avatar is an Express-1 avatar built from professionally filmed footage of a real person. It delivers the highest level of realism and identity consistency available in Synthesia — suited to leadership messages, compliance content, and API-driven workflows.
No customization after recording — appearance is fixed at the time of filming.
Transparent background supported.
API-compatible.
Available as an add-on to annual Starter plans and above, and on Enterprise.
Cost: $1,000 per avatar (self-submitted footage).
Learn more and start the creation process: How do I create a Custom Studio Avatar?
✍️ Have an older avatar you didn't create recently? It may be a Legacy avatar — either an older filmed stock avatar or a Personal Avatar from a video. Legacy avatars still work but are not recommended for new content. See the comparison table below for a full overview.
Quick Comparison
Stock Avatars
Avatar type | Customizable? | Plan availability | Best for | Cost |
Express-1 stock | No | All plans | High-stakes, long-form, API | Free |
Express-2 stock | No | All plans | Dynamic content, gestures, flexible framing | Free |
Synthetic stock | Yes — outfits, backgrounds, b-roll | All plans | Brand presenters, scaled content | Free |
Legacy stock | No | All plans — not recommended | Existing workflows only | Free |
Custom Avatars
Avatar type | Customizable? | Plan availability | Best for | Cost |
Personal Avatar from a photo | Yes — outfits, backgrounds, b-roll | Starter and up | Personalized outreach, localization | Avatar Allowances: avatars |
Personal Avatar from a video (Legacy) | No | Starter and up | Existing workflows only | Avatar Allowances: avatars |
Custom Studio Avatar | No — fixed at recording | Add on available to starter and up annual plan users. | Leadership, compliance, API | $1,000 per avatar (self-submitted) fee + $1,000 hosting fee (recorded in studio) |
Technical details — API, transparent backgrounds, and hand gestures
Technical details — API, transparent backgrounds, and hand gestures
Avatar type | Technology | API compatible | Transparent background | Hand gestures |
Express-1 stock | Express-1 | Yes | Yes | No |
Express-2 stock | Express-2 | No | Fixed (not removable) | Yes |
Synthetic stock | Synthetic + Express-2 | No | Yes | Yes |
Legacy stock | Legacy | Yes | Yes | No |
Personal Avatar from a photo | Express-2 | No | Yes | Yes |
Personal Avatar from a video | Legacy | No | Yes | Yes |
Custom Studio Avatar | Express-1 | Yes | Yes | No |
💡 Only Express-1-based avatars (Express-1 stock, Legacy stock, and Custom Studio Avatar) are currently compatible with the Synthesia API.
Avatar Articles
This page covers the decision. The articles below cover the detail — use them once you know which avatar type you need.
Understanding your options
Browse all stock avatar types and check what's available on your plan.
Creating a custom avatar
Start here if you want to build an avatar from a photo, video, or professionally filmed footage.
Using and managing avatars
Everything you need once your avatar is ready.
What's Next?
📚 For further information on Avatar best practices, check out the following resources: