Video & Audio · Review · Updated 16 October 2026
HeyGen reviewTurn a script into a presenter video with AI avatars, voices and 175+ languages
Excellent
Brent score, out of 5
HeyGen is one of the strongest tools for making presenter-style videos without a camera: type a script, pick or clone an avatar, and export in up to 175+ languages with lip-sync. It suits training, marketing and translation work well. Costs are credit-based and usage depends on model and length, so heavy users should watch credit burn closely.
Price
Free plan; paid from $24/month billed annually (USD)
Free option
Free plan
Best for
Course creators and trainers producing lesson videos
Opens HeyGen in a new tab · No card needed to look around · We may earn a commission
Disclosure: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our ratings. How we make money
Best for
- Course creators and trainers producing lesson videos
- Marketers making product explainers and ads at scale
- Businesses translating videos into many languages
- Faceless YouTube and social creators
Skip it if
- Creators who need cinematic, story-driven footage
- Very high-volume users on a tight budget
- People uncomfortable with AI-cloned likeness or voice
You need a steady stream of videos: course lessons, product explainers, onboarding clips, maybe versions in Spanish and Arabic too. Filming yourself takes hours of setup, retakes and editing, and hiring presenters or translators for every update isn't realistic.
HeyGen replaces the camera with an AI avatar. You paste a script, choose a stock avatar or create your own digital version, pick a voice and get a finished presenter video. Its translation tool can then re-voice and lip-sync that video into 175+ languages.
Here is what each plan includes, how credits work and where HeyGen falls short.
What is HeyGen?
HeyGen is a browser-based AI video platform. You create videos by typing or pasting a script, then choose an avatar (stock, a custom avatar of yourself, or a talking photo), a voice and a template or background. HeyGen generates the video with matching lip movement. Other tools translate existing videos with voice cloning and lip-sync, add captions and B-roll, and apply your brand kit. Developers can use HeyGen's API to generate videos, translations and lip-sync programmatically. Paid plans use monthly credits that are spent based on the AI model, video length and complexity.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Video translation in 175+ languages and dialects with lip-sync and voice cloning
- 700+ stock avatars on paid plans, plus custom and photo avatars
- Usable free plan: 3 videos/month up to 1 minute
- Up to 30-minute videos on Creator and Pro, 60 minutes on Business
- 4K export on Pro and above
- API access for developers to automate video generation
What could be better
- Credit usage depends on model, length and complexity, so costs are hard to predict
- Free plan is limited to 1-minute videos and 30+ languages
- Custom avatars need on-camera identity verification and are add-ons on paid plans
- Unused credits are lost when you cancel
Overall
Excellent
- Features4.8
- Ease of use4.5
- Value4.1
- Support4.0
Key features of HeyGen
AI avatars
Choose from 500+ stock avatars on Free and 700+ on paid plans, or create a custom avatar of yourself after on-camera identity verification. Photo avatars turn a single image into a talking presenter.
Video translation
Translate a video into 175+ languages and dialects with phoneme-level lip-sync. Voice cloning keeps the original speaker's tone, which suits training and marketing content for global audiences.
Voice cloning
Clone your own voice so avatars and translations sound like you. The Free plan includes 1 voice clone, with higher limits on paid plans.
Brand kit, captions and B-roll
Apply your brand kit, add automatic captions and B-roll, and use a brand glossary so product names translate correctly.
Long videos and 4K
Creator and Pro allow videos up to 30 minutes, Business up to 60 minutes and Enterprise has no maximum. Pro and above export in 4K.
API for developers
HeyGen's developer APIs cover video generation, translation, lip-sync and a video agent, so teams can generate personalised videos from their own apps. API pricing is separate from the app plans.
HeyGen pricing
Checked 2026-10. Prices can change; confirm on HeyGen’s site.
Free
$0
free
- 3 videos/month, up to 1 minute each
- 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom avatar
- 30+ languages
Creator
$29/month, or $24/month billed annually (USD)
monthly or annual
- 600 credits/month
- Videos up to 30 minutes, 1080p
- 175+ languages, watermark removed
Pro
$49/month (USD)
monthly or annual
- 1,000 credits/month (higher tiers available)
- Videos up to 30 minutes, 4K export
- Faster processing
Business
$149/month (USD)
monthly or annual
- 1,500 credits/month
- Videos up to 60 minutes, 4K
- Extra seats $20/seat/month
Enterprise
Contact sales
invoiced
- No maximum video length
- 10+ custom avatars (add-on)
- Fastest processing
Watch out: Credits are spent by model, video length and complexity, unused monthly credits roll over only one extra month, and remaining credits are lost when you cancel; annual prices other than Creator were not shown on the pricing page.
See current HeyGen pricing →What people use HeyGen for
An online course in three languages
A course creator records one custom avatar, writes lesson scripts and generates every lesson in English, then uses video translation to publish Spanish and Hindi versions with lip-sync.
Product explainers for an ecommerce brand
A marketer turns each product page into a 60-second presenter video using a stock avatar and the brand kit, without booking a studio.
Internal training and onboarding
An HR team turns policy documents into short avatar-led training videos and updates them by editing the script instead of reshooting.
How to get started with HeyGen
- 1
Sign up for the free plan.
- 2
Pick a stock avatar or start creating your own custom avatar.
- 3
Paste a short script and choose a voice and language.
- 4
Generate a 1-minute test video and review the lip-sync.
- 5
Upgrade to Creator when you need longer videos, more languages and no watermark.
HeyGen alternatives
| Product | Choose it when |
|---|---|
| HeyGen 4.5 | Course creators and trainers producing lesson videos |
| InVideo AI4.3 | Choose it if you want full videos with stock footage and generative clips from a prompt, rather than a presenter avatar. |
| Synthesia | Choose it if you are an enterprise focused on corporate training with strict governance needs. |
| ElevenLabs4.6 | Choose it if you only need realistic voiceovers and dubbing, not on-screen avatars. |
HeyGen: frequently asked questions
Is HeyGen free?+
Yes. The free plan allows 3 videos per month up to 1 minute each, with 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom avatar and 30+ languages. Watermark removal is listed only on paid plans.
How much does HeyGen cost?+
Creator is $29/month or $24/month billed annually, Pro is $49/month and Business is $149/month (USD). Enterprise is priced by sales.
How do HeyGen credits work?+
Paid plans include monthly credits: 600 on Creator, 1,000 on Pro and 1,500 on Business. Usage depends on the AI model, video length and complexity. Monthly subscribers keep unused credits for one more month.
Can HeyGen translate my own videos?+
Yes. HeyGen translates videos into 175+ languages and dialects with lip-sync and voice cloning that keeps your tone.
Can I make an avatar of myself on HeyGen?+
Yes. Custom avatars are available on every plan, and they require on-camera identity verification. Paid plans offer additional custom avatars as add-ons.
Does HeyGen have an API?+
Yes. HeyGen offers developer APIs for video generation, translation, lip-sync and its video agent, priced separately from the app plans.
Final verdict
Is HeyGen worth it?
If you need presenter videos or translations without filming, HeyGen gets you there fastest. Start free, make a 1-minute test video with a stock avatar today, and upgrade when you're ready for longer videos in 175+ languages.
Try HeyGen freeAffiliate link · we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Reviewed by
Amjid Ali, Founder and editor
Amjid Ali is a Melbourne-based AI and automation lead, author of five books on infrastructure, automation and digital transformation, and a corporate trainer whose courses on n8n, Proxmox, firewalls and ERP have taught thousands of IT professionals.
Last updated 16 October 2026 · How we review
You might also like
Video & Audio
invideo review
An AI video editor that builds and edits videos from plain-language prompts
Video & Audio
ElevenLabs review
Lifelike AI voices, voice cloning and dubbing from one shared credit pool
Video & Audio
VEED review
Browser video editor with auto subtitles, AI voice, dubbing and video generation
HeyGen 4.5
Free plan; paid from $24/month billed annually (USD)