A Synthesia alternative for manuals with physical steps
Synthesia and Manual to Video both turn documents into video. They make different kinds of video, for different jobs. Here's a fair comparison, so you can pick the right one, or use both.
The short answer
Synthesia is an AI video platform built around AI presenters (avatars) and voices in many languages. Its PDF to video tool turns a document into a draft script with an avatar and voice-over. That is a strong fit for L&D, compliance, onboarding and anything that needs to be localised quickly.
Manual to Video makes one thing: animated films of the physical steps in a manual or procedure, in the document's own order, with no presenter. If your trainees or customers need to see parts go together, that's us. If they need someone to explain a policy, that's Synthesia.
| Synthesia | Manual to Video | |
|---|---|---|
| What it makes | Presenter-led videos with AI avatars and voice-over, from scripts, slides or documents | Animated film of the physical steps, in the document's order |
| Input | Script, slides, PDF, Word document or web page | Your manual, SOP or instructions (PDF or link) |
| Presenter | AI avatar (many to choose from) | None: the product and parts are the picture |
| Languages | Voice-over and translation in many languages | A calm voice and calm music in every full film |
| Who edits | You, in their editor | We make it; every film is checked against your order; one round of changes included |
| Pricing model | Subscription plans (see their pricing page) | Free preview; from $119 per film, most manuals $149 to $179, no subscription (excl. VAT) |
| Best for | Compliance, onboarding, soft skills, sales enablement, multilingual training | Assembly, installation, set-up and maintenance procedures |
Other providers' figures are published starting rates or listings we checked, not quotes. Our prices exclude VAT.
Choose Synthesia when
- The lesson is carried by words: policies, compliance, onboarding, soft skills
- You want a presenter on screen and many languages
- Your team wants to write and edit videos itself, in a video editor
Choose Manual to Video when
- The lesson is carried by the drawings: assembling, installing, setting up, maintaining
- You already have an approved manual or SOP and the film must match it step for step
- You'd rather order a finished film than build it in an editor
- You want to pay per film, with a free preview of your own manual first
Using both
Many training programmes combine the two: a presenter video introduces the module and the safety rules, and an animated procedure film shows the hands-on steps. Our films are normal video files, so they drop into the same LMS or course.
Trademarks
Synthesia is a trademark of its owner. Manual to Video is not affiliated with or endorsed by Synthesia. What we say about Synthesia comes from its public pages, checked on 30.09.2026; features change, so check their site for the current details.
Price
Preview
Free
A short film made from your own manual, under a minute, with a watermark, one manual per company
Full film
from $119excl. VAT
Most manuals $149 to $179, priced by your manual's length and shown before you pay, within 24 hours
Express
+$50excl. VAT
Your film goes first in line
Up to 3 min: $119 · 3 to 6 min: $149 · 6 to 10 min: $179 · 10 to 15 min: $219 · 15 to 20 min: $259 · Over 20 min: $259 + $40 per 5 min. Voice and calm music included. Sound effects +$2. Pay by card or with credits: 1 credit is 10 cents. All prices are in US dollars and exclude VAT. VAT is added at checkout where it applies; businesses can enter their VAT number.
Full pricingQuestions
Is Manual to Video a Synthesia replacement?+
Not in general. Synthesia makes presenter-led videos for many kinds of content. We only make animated films of physical steps from manuals and procedures. For that job, we're the more specialised choice.
Can Synthesia turn a PDF manual into a video?+
Its public PDF to video tool turns a PDF into a draft script with an AI avatar and voice-over. For manuals where the drawings matter, an animated film of the steps shows more of what the reader needs.
Do you use avatars?+
No. Our films show the product and its parts, animated step by step, with captions.
What does a film cost here?+
The preview is free. A full film is from $119, most manuals $149 to $179, priced by the manual's length and shown before you pay, ready within 24 hours. Express +$50 puts your film first in line. A calm voice and calm music are included; sound effects +$2. If we can't read every step of a manual, we make a shorter film of it instead, up to 1 minute (1½ minutes on Express), at the first price, $119. Prices exclude VAT.
Sources
See your own manual as a film.
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