The AI video generator market is projected to grow from $716.8 million in 2025 to over $2.5 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. That's a lot of tools fighting for your attention - and a lot of reasons to make sure you're using the right one.
Elai.io has carved out a solid niche since its founding in 2021. With 80+ AI avatars, support for 75+ languages, and features like interactive quizzes and AI storyboarding, it's a capable platform for turning text into talking-head videos. Over 2,000 companies trust it for training content, marketing, and internal communications.
But here's the thing: Elai's limitations are starting to show. Users on G2 and Capterra consistently flag the limited avatar selection, stiff avatar movements, and restrictive rendering minutes (edits eat into your quota, and unused minutes expire monthly). The free trial gives you just one minute of credit and one slide per render - barely enough to test the platform. And after Panopto acquired Elai in late 2024, the product roadmap remains unclear.
Whether you're hitting Elai's editing ceiling, frustrated by the pricing structure, or just exploring what else is out there, we tested 9 alternatives across features, AI capabilities, real user sentiment, and value. Here's what we found.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|
| ngram | Professional video from any asset | Free / $17.40/mo | Context-aware AI generation |
| Synthesia | Enterprise training at scale | $29/mo | 240+ avatars, enterprise governance |
| HeyGen | Fast avatar videos for marketing | $29/mo | 500+ avatars, video translation |
| Colossyan | L&D and workplace learning | $19/mo | Quizzes, branching, SCORM export |
| D-ID | Photo-to-video animation | $4.70/mo | Real-time streaming API |
| Pictory | Blog-to-video conversion | $7/mo | Text summarization to video |
| VEED | Quick browser-based editing | Free / $12/mo | All-in-one online editor |
| InVideo AI | Prompt-to-video for social | Free / $25/mo | 50M+ users, AI prompt workflow |
| DeepBrain AI | Hyper-realistic AI humans | $30/mo | Broadcast-quality avatars |
The AI video market is growing at a 20% CAGR - and enterprise adoption of AI video tools jumped 75% year-over-year in 2025. If you're evaluating tools, now is the time to pick the right one.
1. ngram
If you're using Elai because you need to turn raw content into professional videos without a production team, ngram is built for exactly that problem - but approaches it from a fundamentally different angle.
Where Elai (and most tools on this list) rely on AI avatars to deliver your script, ngram starts from what you already have. Upload a screen recording, a document, some screenshots, a URL - then tell ngram who the video is for, what it should accomplish, and where it's going. It handles the script, storyboard, visuals, pacing, captions, and brand styling automatically.
What makes ngram stand out
Context-aware generation is the core differentiator. Tell ngram your audience (developers vs. executives), your goal (educate vs. convert), and your channel (LinkedIn vs. website). The output adapts structure, length, pacing, and tone automatically. A LinkedIn announcement gets a fast hook and tight pacing, while a website explainer builds more context. This is something avatar-based tools like Elai simply can't do.
Plan first, generate second means you review the script and storyboard before anything renders. Most video tools make you commit to a final product before you've confirmed the direction. With ngram, you fix problems at the cheapest possible moment.
AI-powered editing turns rough recordings into polished walkthroughs with automatic filler word removal, smart zoom on interactions, cursor emphasis, and prompt-driven callouts. No timeline editing required.
Key features
- Context-aware generation - Adapts structure, pacing, and tone to your audience and channel
- Plan first, generate second - Script and storyboard review before rendering
- Any asset in - Text, images, docs, URLs, screen recordings as input
- AI editing - Auto-cut, filler removal, smart zoom, cursor emphasis
- Multi-format export - 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 with captions included
- Brand kits - Logo, colors, fonts applied to every video automatically
Who is ngram best for?
Product Marketing, Growth, Sales Enablement, Customer Success, and Agencies who need professional videos without production timelines. If your videos go to customers, prospects, or public audiences - and you want more than a talking avatar reading a script - ngram is the pick.
ngram has a very generous free plan with paid plans starting at $17.40 per month. Learn more about ngram's AI editing features.
Ready to try ngram? Create your first video in under 5 minutes. Start free
2. Synthesia
Synthesia is the 800-pound gorilla of AI avatar video. Founded in 2017 by AI researchers from Stanford, Cambridge, and UCL, the London-based company has grown into a $4 billion unicorn with over $100 million in annual recurring revenue. More than 65,000 businesses use it, including over 70% of the Fortune 100.
With 240+ AI avatars, support for 140+ languages, and enterprise-grade security (ISO 27001, ISO 42001, SAML SSO), Synthesia is purpose-built for organizations that need avatar-driven video at scale. It's the most direct competitor to Elai, but with significantly more polish and depth.
Key features
- 240+ realistic AI avatars - Far more variety than Elai's 80+ avatars
- 140+ languages with AI dubbing - Automatic lip-sync across translations
- Interactive video elements - Clickable CTAs, branching paths, embedded quizzes
- SCORM export - LMS-ready for corporate training
- Enterprise governance - SOC 2, ISO certifications, consent-based avatar management
What users say
Users consistently praise the time savings. One instructional designer shared: "Synthesia has streamlined our workflow, made our content more inclusive, and significantly enhanced the learning experience for our students." Another noted the avatars' "natural body language" as a standout.
On the flip side, users flag content moderation policies that feel "subjective and inconsistent" - videos approved one day can get flagged the next after minor edits. Pricing is also a concern for smaller teams, and some users report that synthesized voices can still sound robotic in longer videos.
Best for
Enterprise L&D teams and large organizations that need multilingual training content at scale with compliance-grade security. If you need avatar-centric video with the deepest feature set, Synthesia is the market leader.
Pricing starts at $29/month for the Starter plan.
3. HeyGen
HeyGen has been on a tear. Founded in 2020, the Los Angeles-based company crossed $100 million ARR in just 29 months, raised $74 million (led by Benchmark), and now serves over 85,000 customers globally - including OpenAI, PepsiCo, Samsung, and Shopify. G2 named it the #1 Fastest Growing Product in 2025.
Where Synthesia leans enterprise, HeyGen leans speed and marketing. It offers 500+ stock avatars, 175+ languages, and a strong focus on video translation and personalization for go-to-market teams.
Key features
- 500+ AI avatars - The largest avatar library in the category
- Video translation - Translate existing videos with automatic lip-sync
- Custom avatar cloning - Create a digital twin from a short recording
- Interactive avatars - Real-time conversational AI agents
- FaceSwap technology - Unique feature not available in Elai
What users say
Users love the ease of use and avatar realism. One user shared: "It's extremely useful for someone that HATES getting on camera - this has been a real life saver." The platform's video translation tool is frequently praised as best-in-class.
Complaints center on pricing and billing practices. Several users report unexpected credit deductions and frustration over mid-subscription changes to plan limits. Avatar movements can also look unnatural in longer videos, with hand gestures that don't match the script.
Best for
Marketing teams and content creators who need fast avatar videos for social media, product demos, and multilingual campaigns. HeyGen's speed and template library make it ideal for high-volume output.
Free plan available with limited features. Paid plans start at $29/month.
Looking for the fastest way to create professional videos? ngram turns your screen recordings, docs, and images into polished videos in minutes - no avatars needed. Try ngram free
4. Colossyan
Colossyan is the learning and development specialist in the AI video space. The platform reached 35,000 business accounts in 2024, grew revenue 155% year-over-year, and counts Novartis, BMW, Porsche, and Hewlett Packard among its customers. Nearly 1 million videos have been created on the platform.
If Elai's interactive quiz features caught your attention, Colossyan takes that concept much further with branching scenarios, conversational learning paths, and built-in screen recording.
Key features
- 130+ AI avatars with NEO 2 ultra-realistic generation
- Branching scenarios - Create choose-your-own-adventure learning paths
- Interactive quizzes - Embedded directly in videos for active learning
- Screen recording - Built-in recorder with avatar overlay
- SCORM & xAPI export - Full LMS compatibility
- 600+ AI voices across 70+ languages
What users say
L&D professionals praise Colossyan's focus on their workflow. The branching scenarios and quiz features are frequently called out as the reason teams chose it over Elai. Users also appreciate the instant avatar feature that creates a custom presenter from a phone recording.
Complaints tend to focus on avatar quality not quite matching Synthesia or HeyGen, and some users report the rendering can be slow for longer videos.
Best for
Workplace learning teams, corporate training departments, and organizations that need interactive, SCORM-compatible video content. If L&D is your primary use case, Colossyan is purpose-built for you.
Pricing starts at $19/month.
5. D-ID
D-ID takes a different approach to AI video: instead of pre-built avatars, it animates any still photo into a realistic talking head. Founded in 2017 in Tel Aviv, the company has raised significant funding and generated $33.6 million in revenue. Its Creative Reality Studio and robust API make it popular with developers and businesses that need custom digital personas.
With support for 1,119 languages and dialects, D-ID has one of the broadest language capabilities in the market.
Key features
- Photo-to-video animation - Turn any still image into a talking presenter
- Real-time streaming API - Build conversational AI agents with live video
- 4x faster rendering - 100 FPS, significantly faster than real-time
- Creative Reality Studio - Combines face animation, text generation, and image generation
- Custom digital personas - Create brand-specific AI characters from photos
What users say
Developers love the API flexibility and real-time streaming capabilities. The photo animation technology is frequently praised as "magic" for quickly creating talking-head videos from any headshot. Users appreciate the speed of rendering compared to competitors.
Limitations include less polished results compared to avatar-first platforms like Synthesia, and the photo-based approach can produce uncanny valley effects with certain images. The platform is more developer-focused, which means non-technical users may find the learning curve steeper.
Best for
Developers building conversational AI agents, kiosks, or custom video experiences. Also great for teams that need to create presenters from existing headshots rather than stock avatars.
Pricing starts at $4.70/month for the Lite plan.
6. Pictory
Pictory approaches AI video from the content repurposing angle. Founded in 2019 in Seattle, it's used by over 5,000 customers who need to turn blog posts, articles, and long-form text into short video content. It's less about avatars and more about intelligent text-to-video summarization.
For Elai users who primarily create content marketing videos (rather than training), Pictory's blog-to-video workflow can be significantly faster.
Key features
- Blog-to-video AI - Paste a URL, get a video with matched visuals
- Text-to-video - AI analyzes scripts and generates matching scenes
- Auto-captions - Time-synced subtitles generated automatically
- Brand kit - Apply fonts, colors, and logos consistently
- Stock media library - Built-in access to millions of clips and images
What users say
Content marketers praise the speed of turning written content into video. The blog-to-video feature is frequently called "a time saver" for teams producing social clips from existing articles. The auto-captioning accuracy gets strong marks.
Users note that the AI's visual matching can be hit-or-miss - sometimes the stock footage doesn't quite fit the context. There's no avatar capability, which limits use cases. And the output quality, while good for social media, may not meet enterprise standards.
Best for
Content marketers and bloggers who want to repurpose written content into video for social distribution. Not ideal for training or talking-head content.
Pricing starts at $7/month.
7. VEED
VEED is the Swiss army knife of online video editing. It's not specifically an AI avatar tool like Elai, but its browser-based editor, combined with AI features like auto-subtitles, text-to-speech, and AI avatars, makes it a versatile alternative for teams that need more than just talking-head videos.
Key features
- Browser-based video editor - Full editing suite, no downloads
- Auto-subtitles - One of the best speech-to-text engines in the market
- AI avatars - Recently added AI presenter capability
- Text-to-speech - Multiple voice options for narration
- Screen recording - Built-in recorder with editing
- Collaboration tools - Team workflows and sharing
What users say
Users love the simplicity of editing directly in the browser. The subtitle generation is consistently praised as "one of the best" in the category. For quick edits, trims, and social clips, VEED gets the job done fast.
The downsides are real, though. Users report frequent buffering and lag during editing sessions. Some describe it as "buggy," with videos failing to upload and previously saved projects occasionally disappearing. Billing practices have drawn criticism, with users reporting that downloading anything voids the refund window.
Best for
Teams that need a quick, browser-based video editor with AI features bolted on. Not a direct Elai replacement for avatar-heavy workflows, but a broader alternative for general video needs.
Free plan available. Paid plans start at $12/month.
According to Wyzowl's 2026 report, 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool, and 93% of marketers say video has helped increase brand awareness. The demand for AI-powered video creation has never been higher.
8. InVideo AI
InVideo AI is the scale play. With over 50 million registered users and backing from Tiger Global, it's one of the most widely adopted AI video platforms in the world. Founded in 2017 by Sanket Shah, the Mumbai-based company has raised over $52 million and processes more than 7 million videos per month.
InVideo AI's core workflow is prompt-based: describe what you want, and the AI generates a complete video with script, visuals, and narration.
Key features
- Prompt-to-video - Describe your video idea, get a complete draft
- AI script generation - Automatically writes and structures content
- Massive template library - Thousands of templates across categories
- Multi-platform export - Optimized for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn
- 50M+ user community - One of the largest video creation platforms globally
What users say
Users praise InVideo as an "all-in-one solution" where you "put in your script and it gives you a complete video." The template library and ease of use make it popular with social media creators and small businesses.
However, users frequently complain about plan limitations, restricted brand assets, and pricing that feels high relative to output quality. Some report that promised AI features underdeliver, and customer support gets mixed reviews with "repeated frustrations over unaddressed issues."
Best for
Social media creators and small businesses who need fast, template-driven video content at scale. Not ideal for enterprise training or talking-head content.
Free plan available. Paid plans start at $25/month.
9. DeepBrain AI
DeepBrain AI (AI Studios) is the broadcast-quality option. The Seoul-based company specializes in hyper-realistic "AI Humans" designed for news broadcasts, digital kiosks, live events, and real-time conversational interaction. Revenue grew 900% following the launch of AI Studios 2.0, and the platform generated $12.8 million in revenue in 2024.
If Elai's avatar quality isn't cutting it for you, DeepBrain's photorealistic presenters are among the most lifelike in the industry.
Key features
- Hyper-realistic AI avatars - Broadcast-quality digital humans
- Real-time conversational agents - Live interactive AI personas for kiosks and events
- Multi-scene editing - Full video editor with transitions and overlays
- Multilingual support - 80+ languages with natural lip-sync
- PowerPoint integration - Convert slides directly to AI presenter videos
What users say
Users praise the avatar quality as some of the best available, describing them as "photo-realistic" and suitable for professional broadcasts. The platform's fast production time and ROI are frequently mentioned as strengths.
Complaints include confusing pricing tiers, slow rendering speeds, and language barriers with the Korea-based support team. Some users flag that the basic plan limits avatar options significantly, and there's no way to preview lip-sync quality before spending export credits.
Best for
Media companies, enterprises needing broadcast-quality AI presenters, and organizations building interactive kiosk or digital signage experiences.
Pricing starts at $30/month.
How we evaluated these Elai alternatives
We didn't just list tools - we tested them, read hundreds of user reviews, and compared them across five weighted criteria:
| Criteria | Weight | What we looked at |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 30% | Core capabilities, AI features, editing tools, export options |
| Ease of Use | 25% | Learning curve, onboarding experience, UI/UX quality |
| AI Capabilities | 20% | AI editing, generation, automation, smart features |
| Value | 15% | Pricing relative to features, free tier generosity, cost at scale |
| Support & Community | 10% | Documentation, community size, customer support quality |
We also factored in:
- Real user reviews from G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Reddit, and Product Hunt (qualitative sentiment, not numerical scores)
- Market presence and company stability (funding, user base, years in market)
- Integration ecosystem with common business tools
- Industry trends and where the market is heading
According to Wyzowl, 85% of video marketers say video has helped them generate leads, and 83% say it's directly increased sales. With 74% of corporate training departments now saving up to 49% of their video budgets through AI tools, choosing the right platform has real financial impact.
For a head-to-head comparison between ngram and Elai specifically, check out our ngram vs Elai comparison page.
The bottom line
The AI video generator landscape has matured fast. Elai remains a solid option for basic avatar-driven video, but each tool on this list solves the video problem differently.
If you need AI avatars at enterprise scale, Synthesia is the market leader. If you want the largest avatar library with fast turnaround, HeyGen delivers. If L&D is your world, Colossyan was purpose-built for it.
But if you need videos that go beyond talking heads - professional content built from your existing assets, adapted to your audience and channel, with real editing power - ngram is the AI video creator that gives you context-aware generation and AI editing without the production timelines or the freelancer costs.
The right choice depends on your use case. But with AI video production saving 70-90% compared to traditional methods and cutting production time by up to 80%, the cost of not switching to the right tool is measured in weeks of lost productivity.
Start creating professional videos today
ngram turns your raw content into polished, on-brand videos in minutes. No editing skills needed. No freelancer timelines. No avatar limitations.
