An AI voice over takes a few minutes to generate, in several languages, and can be redone as often as the script changes. A voice actor brings a performance no model matches yet on an emotional text, but has to be booked in advance and is paid with usage rights.
For a 30 second SaaS video, the choice depends mostly on how long the text will live and how many languages you need.
What a recorded voice-over costs
A voice actor means choosing one, booking a session, recording, then redoing the lines that do not work. The price covers the session and usage rights, which vary with distribution: website, social media, television, duration, countries.
The real cost comes with the first change. A feature name that changes or an English version to add, and every edit goes back through a new session. For a product that evolves every month, the voice becomes the slowest link in the video.
Where AI voices stand
Synthetic voices from the best tools, such as ElevenLabs, sound natural on a short, informative text. They breathe, mark the ends of sentences, and switch languages without losing their tone.
They still have two weaknesses. Fine emotion, on a text meant to move people, falls short of a good actor. And unusual proper names, acronyms or domain names are sometimes mangled: you have to listen to them one by one.
AI voice or voice actor: the comparison
| Criterion | AI voice over | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Turnaround | A few minutes | A few days, to book and record |
| Cost | A subscription to the tool | A session plus rights depending on distribution |
| Changes | Regenerate the line | A new session |
| Languages | Several, with the same voice | One actor per language |
| Emotion | Good on an informative text | Better on an emotional text |
| Rights | Per the tool's terms | Negotiated with the actor |
When to choose a voice actor
For a brand film that will run for years, or a story meant to move people. And when the voice itself is part of your identity, like a jingle: you then want the same person, under contract, on all your videos.
When an AI voice is enough
For videos that get renewed: product presentation, feature announcements, ads to test, tutorials. And as soon as you target several languages, since the same voice can speak English and French.
It also suits videos that change often. Fixing a line takes a minute, with nobody to book. The same strengths and limits show up in animation: see what AI motion design does well and what it misses.
Choosing the right voice
- A voice that fits your customer and your industry, neither too deep nor too salesy.
- A lively pace: a slow voice makes the video feel long.
- The pronunciation of your brand and acronyms, checked word by word.
- A listen on a phone speaker, where most people will hear it.
- The same voice from one video to the next, so people recognize your brand by ear.
The voice is only one step of the video. The rest, from script to publishing, is in our launch video guide.
The voice-over in Genmotion.design
Genmotion.design generates the voice-over for each video, in English or French, with a voice chosen for your industry. The voice is recorded sentence by sentence, and the animation follows it. The full video is ready in under an hour. The software does not clone voices: it only uses synthetic voices made for this purpose.
Prices range from a few dozen to a few hundred dollars depending on the plan: one video at a time, or a subscription sized to the number of videos. Access opens first to the first 100 early stage sign-ups.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use an AI voice over in an ad?
Yes, if the tool's terms allow commercial use. Check them before the campaign. On Genmotion.design, the videos you generate and unlock belong to you, voice included.
Do AI voices pronounce brand names correctly?
Not always. Listen to every proper name and every acronym; if one is mangled, write it in the script the way it sounds.
How much does an AI voice over cost?
Voice tools are paid by subscription, from a few dollars to around a hundred dollars a month depending on volume. On Genmotion.design, the voice is included in the price of the video.
Can you clone your own voice?
Some tools offer it, with the written consent of the person whose voice it is. Genmotion.design does not, and only uses synthetic voices made for this purpose.
In short
For a SaaS video that changes with the product and speaks several languages, an AI voice over does the job in minutes. Keep a voice actor for the brand film and the texts meant to move people. Either way, listen to how your name is pronounced before publishing.
Your SaaS video, ready in under an hour
Paste your website address: script, voice-over, music and animation are made for you. Access opens first to the first 100 sign-ups.
Join the early stage