Synthesia vs Lumen5 for Nonprofits
Choosing between Synthesia's professional AI avatars and Lumen5's content-to-video automation? Both create polished videos without film crews, but Synthesia excels at training content and multilingual reach with 240+ AI presenters while Lumen5 dominates social media workflows with instant blog-to-video conversion. Your decision hinges on whether you need presenter-led professional videos or quick social content—and whether budget constraints make Lumen5's 50% nonprofit discount decisive.
Quick Verdict
Choose based on your nonprofit's priorities:
Choose Synthesia if:
- •You need professional training videos with consistent AI presenters
- •Multilingual reach is critical (140+ languages with lip-sync)
- •LMS integration and SCORM export matter for structured training
- •You want personalized donor videos with AI avatars
- •Brand consistency requires the same presenter across all content
Choose Lumen5 if:
- •Budget is tight—50% nonprofit discount + free tier available
- •You need quick social media content from existing articles
- •Direct publishing to 6 social platforms streamlines your workflow
- •Content repurposing is your main goal (blog → video)
- •You prefer the simplest possible learning curve (URL paste → video)
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Feature | Synthesia | Lumen5 | Winner / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free (3 min/month) or $18/month | Free (5 videos/month) or $29/month | ⚖️ Synthesia cheaper paid tier |
| Nonprofit Discount | None (annual billing saves 38%) | 50% off all paid plans | 🏆 Lumen5 (clear winner) |
| Video Creation Approach | AI avatars present your script | Text-to-video with stock media | ⚖️ Different approaches |
| Languages Supported | 140+ languages with lip-sync | Limited (primarily English voiceover) | 🏆 Synthesia (7x more) |
| AI Avatars | 240+ realistic avatars | None (text/image-based only) | 🏆 Synthesia (unique feature) |
| Stock Media Library | Limited stock assets | 15M-500M+ images/videos | 🏆 Lumen5 (massive library) |
| Social Media Publishing | Export only (manual upload) | Direct publish to 6 platforms | 🏆 Lumen5 (workflow advantage) |
| Learning Curve | Moderate (script + avatar setup) | Easy (paste URL → video) | 🏆 Lumen5 (simpler) |
| LMS Integration | Yes (SCORM export, 360Learning, etc.) | No LMS integration | 🏆 Synthesia (training-focused) |
| Video Resolution | 1080p Full HD (all paid plans) | 720p (Basic), 1080p (Starter+) | 🏆 Synthesia (consistent HD) |
| Content Repurposing | PDF/website to video (AI) | URL to video (AI) | 🏆 Lumen5 (optimized for this) |
| Best For | Training, multilingual, donor comms | Social media, blog repurposing | ⚖️ Context-dependent |
Last updated: January 11, 2026. Pricing and features subject to change; verify with vendors.
Why AI Video Creation Matters for Nonprofits
Video content has become essential for nonprofit communication—whether you're training volunteers, sharing impact stories, engaging donors, or building awareness on social media. But traditional video production requires cameras, editing software, and often professional help that small organizations can't afford. AI video tools have changed this equation, enabling nonprofits to create professional-quality videos without filming a single frame.
Synthesia and Lumen5 represent two fundamentally different approaches to AI video creation. Synthesia pioneered realistic AI avatars that present your content like a professional instructor or spokesperson, supporting 140+ languages and integrating with learning management systems. Lumen5 focuses on transforming existing written content into engaging videos automatically, optimized for social media distribution with direct publishing to six major platforms.
This comparison will help you understand which tool aligns with your organization's content needs, technical capacity, budget constraints, and strategic priorities. We'll examine video quality, language coverage, pricing structures (including nonprofit discounts), learning curves, integration capabilities, and real-world use cases to guide your decision. Understanding these differences is crucial because choosing the wrong tool means either overpaying for features you don't need or struggling with a platform that doesn't match your workflow.
Both tools deliver significant value for nonprofits, but they serve distinctly different content creation workflows. By the end of this guide, you'll know whether Synthesia's professional AI presenters or Lumen5's streamlined content repurposing better fits your mission. For more context on AI content creation strategies, see our comprehensive guide.
What Is Synthesia?
Synthesia is an AI video generation platform that creates professional videos using realistic AI avatars as presenters. Founded in 2017, the platform has become the industry leader in avatar-based video creation, trusted by major corporations and organizations for training content, internal communications, and marketing materials. The technology uses advanced machine learning to generate human-like presenters who speak your script in any of 140+ languages with natural lip-sync.
The platform's standout feature is its library of 240+ AI avatars—diverse digital presenters of different ages, ethnicities, and styles who deliver your content as if filming in a professional studio. You write a script, choose an avatar, and Synthesia generates a polished video in minutes. Custom avatars (starting at $1,000/year) allow organizations to create branded digital presenters based on real team members or entirely fictional characters, enabling consistent organizational identity across all video content.
For nonprofits, Synthesia excels at structured training content. The platform integrates with learning management systems through SCORM export and direct integrations with 360Learning, Articulate 360, and other e-learning platforms. This makes it ideal for volunteer onboarding, compliance training, program education, and any content that benefits from a consistent presenter guiding learners through material. The multilingual capabilities (140+ languages with AI dubbing that matches lip movements) open possibilities for serving diverse communities without hiring translators or voice actors.
Synthesia offers a free tier with 3 minutes of video per month and 9 avatars (with watermark). Paid plans start at $18/month (annual) for the Starter plan with 10 minutes/month and 125+ avatars. Unlike Lumen5, Synthesia does not offer nonprofit-specific discounts—the only way to reduce costs is through annual billing, which saves approximately 38% compared to monthly rates.
What Is Lumen5?
Lumen5 is an AI-powered video creation platform designed to transform written content—blog posts, articles, reports, and scripts—into engaging videos optimized for social media. Founded in 2016, the platform uses natural language processing to analyze your text and automatically suggest relevant visuals, layouts, and timing, making it possible to create professional videos in minutes without any video editing experience.
The platform's signature feature is URL-to-video conversion: paste a link to any article or blog post, and Lumen5's AI extracts key points, matches them with stock footage and images from its massive library (15 million to 500 million+ assets depending on your plan), and produces a shareable video. This makes Lumen5 particularly valuable for content repurposing—turning your existing written content into video format for broader reach. The AI script composer can also generate video scripts from scratch based on a topic or idea.
For nonprofits, Lumen5 excels at social media content creation and content repurposing. Direct publishing to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube eliminates the need to export and upload manually. The platform's template library and brand kit features ensure visual consistency across all videos. If your organization regularly publishes blog posts, newsletters, or impact reports, Lumen5 can transform that content into engaging videos for broader audience reach.
Lumen5 offers a free tier with 5 videos per month (2 minutes max, 720p, with watermark). Paid plans start at $29/month for Basic. The critical advantage for nonprofits: Lumen5 offers a 50% discount on all paid plans for verified nonprofits, reducing the Basic plan to approximately $14.50/month. This makes Lumen5 significantly more accessible for budget-conscious organizations. Combined with the free tier, nonprofits can experiment extensively before committing to paid plans.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
AI Avatars vs Stock Media Approach
Fundamentally different video creation philosophies
Synthesia
240+ AI avatars as video presenters: Choose from diverse digital humans who speak your script with natural lip-sync, gestures, and expressions. Avatars range from professional business presenters to casual conversational styles, with options for different ethnicities, ages, and appearances. Custom avatars ($1,000/year) let you create branded digital spokespersons or even clone team members (with consent). The presenter-led format works exceptionally well for training content, explanations, and any material benefiting from a "human" guide.
Lumen5
Text-based videos with stock media: No avatars or presenters—Lumen5 creates videos by pairing your text with relevant stock footage, images, icons, and music. The AI suggests visuals based on your content, and you can swap, customize, or replace suggestions from the platform's massive library (15M-500M+ assets). AI voiceover is available on Starter plans and above. This format works exceptionally well for social media posts, promotional content, and repurposed written material where visual storytelling matters more than a presenter.
Nonprofit Verdict:
Synthesia wins for training and educational content where a consistent presenter guides learners through material. The avatar approach creates more engagement for instructional videos and builds familiarity with organizational spokespersons. Lumen5 wins for social media and promotional content where visual variety and quick production matter more than presenter consistency. Choose based on your primary content type.
Multilingual Capabilities
Language support for diverse communities
Synthesia
140+ languages with AI dubbing and lip-sync: Create content in virtually any language, including less common languages and regional dialects. The AI dubbing feature automatically translates and re-voices existing videos into new languages while matching lip movements to the new audio. This means you can create one video in English and quickly produce versions in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, and dozens more. Voice cloning allows you to maintain a consistent voice across all languages.
Lumen5
Limited language support (primarily English): AI voiceover is available on Starter plans and above, but language options are limited compared to Synthesia. The platform supports text in multiple languages (you can write captions in any language), but automated voiceover and AI features are English-centric. If you need professional multilingual video content, you'll need to add voiceovers manually or use external tools.
Nonprofit Verdict:
Synthesia is the clear winner for multilingual nonprofits. If you serve immigrant communities, operate internationally, or need to communicate in multiple languages, Synthesia's 140+ language support with automatic lip-sync is transformative. Lumen5 works for single-language content or situations where you can add voiceovers separately, but it can't match Synthesia's multilingual automation.
Content Repurposing & Automation
Converting existing content into video
Synthesia
PDF/website to video conversion: Synthesia can transform documents and web pages into avatar-presented videos. Upload a PDF training manual or paste a website URL, and the AI generates a script that avatars then present. This works well for converting existing training materials, policy documents, or webpage content into video format. The AI script assistant helps refine and optimize content for video delivery.
Lumen5
URL-to-video optimized for blog content: Lumen5 is purpose-built for content repurposing. Paste any article URL and the AI automatically extracts key points, summarizes content, suggests visuals from the stock library, and produces a shareable video. The entire process takes 5-10 minutes with minimal input. AI script composer can also generate scripts from topics or ideas. This is Lumen5's core strength—no other tool makes blog-to-video conversion as seamless.
Nonprofit Verdict:
Lumen5 wins decisively for content repurposing. If your primary goal is converting blog posts, newsletters, annual reports, or other written content into video format, Lumen5's URL-to-video AI is unmatched. Synthesia wins for converting training documents that benefit from presenter-led explanation. The choice depends on whether your content is instructional (Synthesia) or promotional/informational (Lumen5).
Social Media & Distribution
Getting videos in front of your audience
Synthesia
Export-only distribution: Synthesia exports videos as MP4 files that you then upload to social platforms, your website, or LMS. No direct publishing to social media—you'll need to use native platform uploaders or scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite. The platform focuses on video creation quality rather than distribution workflow. This approach works fine but adds steps to your publishing process.
Lumen5
Direct publishing to 6 platforms: Lumen5 connects directly to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. Create a video and publish it immediately to any or all platforms without downloading and re-uploading. The platform automatically formats videos for each platform's specifications (square for Instagram, vertical for TikTok, landscape for YouTube). This significantly streamlines social media workflows for busy nonprofit teams.
Nonprofit Verdict:
Lumen5 wins for social media workflows. If you're creating content for social platforms, direct publishing saves significant time and ensures proper formatting for each platform. Synthesia works fine if you already use social scheduling tools or your videos are primarily for websites, LMS, or internal use where direct social publishing doesn't matter.
Training & E-Learning Features
Structured learning and LMS integration
Synthesia
Purpose-built for training content: Synthesia integrates with learning management systems through SCORM export and direct integrations with 360Learning, Articulate 360, aNewSpring, and Coassemble. Interactive videos (Enterprise plan) allow viewers to make choices that affect the video path—useful for scenario-based training. The consistent presenter format works well for course modules where learners expect a familiar "instructor" throughout. Multiple avatars per scene enable dialogue-based training scenarios.
Lumen5
No LMS integration or training-specific features: Lumen5 exports video files but doesn't offer SCORM export, LMS integrations, or interactive video capabilities. You can create informational videos and upload them to an LMS manually, but there's no structured learning support. The platform is optimized for marketing and social content, not course-based training.
Nonprofit Verdict:
Synthesia is the only choice for LMS-integrated training. If you're building structured training programs with learning management systems, volunteer onboarding courses, or compliance training that requires SCORM compatibility, Synthesia is essential. Lumen5 works for informal training or explainer videos that don't require LMS tracking—but for serious e-learning, Synthesia has no competition here.
Pricing Breakdown & Total Cost of Ownership
Synthesia Pricing
| Plan | Price (Annual) | Video Minutes | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 min/month | 9 avatars, watermark, 140+ languages |
| Starter | $18/month ($216/year) | 10 min/month (120/year) | 125+ avatars, no watermark, AI dubbing |
| Creator | $64/month ($768/year) | 30 min/month (360/year) | 180+ avatars, 5 personal avatars, API, interactive |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Unlimited | 230+ avatars, SAML/SSO, SCORM, dedicated CSM |
* No nonprofit discount available. Annual billing saves ~38% vs monthly.
Lumen5 Pricing
| Plan | Price | With 50% Nonprofit | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community (Free) | $0 | $0 | 5 videos/month (2 min), 720p, watermark |
| Basic | $29/month | ~$14.50/month | Unlimited videos, no watermark, 720p, brand kit |
| Starter | $79/month | ~$39.50/month | 1080p, AI voiceover, 50M+ stock assets |
| Professional | $199/month | ~$99.50/month | 500M+ assets, multiple brand kits, custom watermarks |
| Enterprise | Custom | Contact sales | Full Shutterstock, analytics, team collaboration |
* 50% nonprofit discount available on all paid plans. Contact Lumen5 sales.
Total Cost of Ownership: 3 Scenarios
Scenario 1: Small Nonprofit (Social media focus)
4-6 short videos per month for social media, occasional promotional content
Synthesia:
- Free tier might work: 3 min/month is tight for 4-6 videos
- Likely need Starter: $18/month ($216/year) for 10 min/month
- No direct social publishing: Add Buffer or similar ($0-15/month)
Lumen5:
- Free tier works: 5 videos/month covers most needs (with watermark)
- Basic with nonprofit discount: ~$14.50/month ($174/year)
- Direct social publishing included: No additional tools needed
Winner for this scenario: Lumen5
Saves $42-57/year with better social media features. Free tier viable for testing.
Scenario 2: Mid-Size Nonprofit (Training + marketing)
Monthly training videos + social content, 20-30 minutes of video/month total
Synthesia:
- Creator plan needed: $64/month ($768/year) for 30 min/month
- LMS integration included: SCORM export for training modules
- API access: Automate video creation workflows
Lumen5:
- Starter with nonprofit discount: ~$39.50/month ($474/year)
- Unlimited videos: No minute limits to worry about
- No LMS integration: Training videos require manual LMS upload
Winner for this scenario: Depends on priorities
Lumen5 saves $294/year but lacks LMS features. Choose Synthesia if training integration is critical; Lumen5 if budget is priority.
Scenario 3: Large Nonprofit (Multilingual training program)
Volunteer onboarding in 5+ languages, compliance training, high volume
Synthesia:
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for unlimited video minutes
- 140+ languages: AI dubbing with lip-sync for all content
- SCORM + SSO: Enterprise learning management integration
Lumen5:
- Enterprise with nonprofit discount: Custom pricing (contact sales)
- Limited multilingual: Would need external translation/voiceover
- No LMS integration: Not designed for enterprise training
Winner for this scenario: Synthesia
Multilingual AI dubbing and LMS integration are essential for this use case. Lumen5 lacks the enterprise training features needed.
Best Use Cases for Nonprofits
Best for Synthesia
- Volunteer onboarding courses
Consistent AI presenter guides new volunteers through training modules with LMS tracking
- Multilingual community outreach
Create one video, automatically dub into 140+ languages with lip-sync
- Personalized donor thank-yous
AI avatars deliver personalized messages at scale
- Compliance and policy training
Professional presenter explains policies with SCORM tracking for completion
- Program education videos
Explain complex programs with consistent branded spokesperson
Best for Lumen5
- Blog-to-video content
Paste article URL and get a shareable video in minutes
- Social media campaigns
Create and publish directly to 6 platforms with auto-formatting
- Event promotion
Quick promotional videos for fundraisers, galas, and community events
- Impact report highlights
Transform annual report sections into engaging video summaries
- Newsletter video versions
Convert email newsletter content into video for broader reach
Learning Curve & Implementation Timeline
Time to First Video
Synthesia
- •30-60 minutes to first video
- •Requires writing/pasting a script
- •Avatar selection and customization
- •Render time: 5-15 minutes per video
Lumen5
- •5-15 minutes to first video
- •Paste URL → AI generates video
- •Minimal customization needed
- •Near-instant rendering
Time to Proficiency
Synthesia
- •1-2 weeks to proficiency
- •Understanding script optimization
- •Avatar and scene configuration
- •Multi-language dubbing workflows
Lumen5
- •3-5 days to proficiency
- •Template selection and customization
- •Brand kit configuration
- •Social publishing workflows
Nonprofit Verdict:
Lumen5 is significantly easier to learn. The URL-to-video workflow requires almost no training—paste a link and customize the AI's suggestions. Synthesia requires understanding script writing for AI presenters, avatar selection, and video composition. Both are accessible to non-technical users, but Lumen5's simplicity makes it better for teams with limited time for tool training.
Data Privacy, Security & Compliance
| Security Feature | Synthesia | Lumen5 |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Compliance | Yes (Type 2) | Contact for details |
| GDPR Compliance | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 42001 (AI) | Yes | No |
| SSO/SAML | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| Data Encryption | At rest and in transit | In transit (SSL) |
| Content Moderation | AI moderation (may flag medical/financial) | Standard terms of service |
Nonprofit Security Considerations
Synthesia offers more robust enterprise security certifications (SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 42001 for AI) which may be important for larger nonprofits or those handling sensitive content. However, Synthesia's content moderation AI can sometimes flag legitimate healthcare or financial education content, requiring manual review.
Both platforms are suitable for typical nonprofit video content. If you're creating training content with sensitive personal information or working with vulnerable populations, verify data handling practices with each vendor directly.
Pros & Cons for Nonprofits
Synthesia
Pros
- • 240+ realistic AI avatars for professional presentations
- • 140+ languages with AI dubbing and lip-sync
- • LMS integration with SCORM export
- • Custom avatars for brand consistency
- • Enterprise-grade security (SOC 2, ISO 42001)
- • Interactive video capabilities (Enterprise)
Cons
- • No nonprofit discount available
- • Avatars can appear robotic to some viewers
- • Limited video minutes on lower tiers
- • Custom avatars are expensive ($1,000/year)
- • Content moderation may flag legitimate content
- • No direct social media publishing
Lumen5
Pros
- • 50% nonprofit discount on all paid plans
- • Free tier for basic usage (5 videos/month)
- • URL-to-video AI (fastest content repurposing)
- • Direct publishing to 6 social platforms
- • Massive stock media library (15M-500M+)
- • Easiest learning curve in AI video
Cons
- • No AI avatars (text/media-based only)
- • Limited multilingual support
- • No LMS integration
- • Basic plan limited to 720p resolution
- • AI sometimes selects irrelevant stock footage
- • Template-driven with limited customization
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for nonprofits: Synthesia or Lumen5?
Synthesia is better for training videos, multilingual content (140+ languages), and personalized communications using AI avatars. Lumen5 is better for social media content, content repurposing, and budget-conscious nonprofits (50% nonprofit discount with free tier). Your choice depends on whether you need professional training content (Synthesia) or quick social media videos (Lumen5).
Does Synthesia offer a nonprofit discount?
No, Synthesia does not offer nonprofit-specific discounts. They explicitly state no discounts for nonprofits, students, or educational institutions. The only discount available is through annual billing (saves approximately 38% compared to monthly). The Starter plan costs $18/month billed annually or $29/month billed monthly.
Does Lumen5 have a nonprofit discount?
Yes, Lumen5 offers a 50% discount for verified nonprofits on all paid plans. They also provide a free tier (5 videos per month, 2 minutes max, with watermark) and seasonal discounts during Black Friday and New Year promotions. With the nonprofit discount, the Basic plan costs approximately $14.50/month instead of $29/month.
Can I create training videos with both Synthesia and Lumen5?
Yes, but they excel at different types. Synthesia is purpose-built for training videos with AI avatars that present content like a real instructor, plus LMS integration and SCORM export. Lumen5 is better for converting existing written content (blog posts, reports) into engaging video summaries. For professional e-learning courses, Synthesia is the stronger choice.
Which tool supports more languages?
Synthesia supports significantly more languages—140+ languages with AI dubbing and lip-sync technology. Lumen5 supports AI voiceover in limited languages (primarily English) with the Starter plan and above. If you serve multilingual communities, Synthesia is the clear winner for language coverage.
Which AI video tool is easier to learn?
Lumen5 is easier to learn with its URL-to-video AI that automatically converts blog posts into videos in minutes. Simply paste a URL, and Lumen5 extracts content and suggests visuals. Synthesia requires scripting and avatar selection but produces more unique, presenter-style content. Both are accessible to non-technical users.
Can I post videos directly to social media from these tools?
Lumen5 offers direct publishing to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube—a major workflow advantage for social media managers. Synthesia exports videos as files that you then upload manually to your social platforms. If direct social publishing is important, Lumen5 has the edge.
How much video can I create with the free tiers?
Synthesia's free tier offers 3 minutes of video per month with 9 avatars and watermark. Lumen5's free tier offers 5 videos per month (2 minutes max each, totaling 10 minutes) at 720p with watermark. Lumen5's free tier is more generous for volume but limited to shorter videos.
Which Tool Should You Choose?
Use this decision framework to identify the best fit for your nonprofit:
5 Key Questions
- 1
What's your primary video use case?
Training/e-learning → Synthesia | Social media/content marketing → Lumen5
- 2
Do you need multilingual content?
Multiple languages needed → Synthesia (140+) | English-only → Either works
- 3
What's your budget constraint?
Tight budget → Lumen5 (50% discount + free tier) | Flexible → Synthesia
- 4
Do you need LMS integration?
Yes (SCORM, structured training) → Synthesia | No → Either works
- 5
How much time can you invest in learning?
Minimal time → Lumen5 (5-15 min to first video) | Can invest 1-2 weeks → Synthesia
Choose Synthesia If:
- • Training and e-learning is your primary need
- • You need 140+ languages with AI dubbing
- • LMS integration is required
- • You want AI avatar presenters
- • Budget is flexible ($18-64+/month)
Choose Lumen5 If:
- • Social media content is your priority
- • Budget is tight (50% discount available)
- • You want the fastest learning curve
- • Content repurposing is the main goal
- • Direct social publishing matters
Need Help Deciding?
Book a free consultation and we'll help you evaluate which AI video tool best fits your nonprofit's needs, budget, and content strategy.
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