HeyGen review: AI avatar videos for creators
HeyGen makes videos with AI avatars and voices from a script, and can translate videos into many languages. Here's the free plan and pricing in plain English.
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Hands-on tested Oct 2026. We used the tool ourselves on the free plan; details are in the “Our hands-on test” section. Prices and plans are from official pages (last checked Oct 2026). How we test
Quick verdict (hands-on tested on the free plan)
Good fit if: you're a solo creator or marketer who wants short avatar videos, with an easy free way to try it (3 videos a month, no credit card).
Maybe skip if: you need clean, long videos for free: free videos are capped at 1 minute, exported at 720p, and carry a HeyGen watermark.
Try HeyGen free →Our hands-on test (Oct 14, 2026, free plan)
- The in-app Free plan card says: 3 videos a month, watermarked; videos up to 1 minute each; access to Avatar IV and Video Agent; one custom video avatar plus 500+ ready-made presenters; 30+ languages.
- We made a 4-second clip with the stock avatar “Annie in Tan Jacket” (Avatar IV). It rendered in about 1–2 minutes.
- Download worked on the free plan, at 720p. 1080p is a paid feature.
- Both the preview and the download show a HeyGen watermark in the bottom-right corner. “Remove Watermark” is marked “Available with Creator Plan”.
- The in-app upgrade text mentions 1080p and videos up to 5 minutes on paid plans, while the public pricing page lists videos up to 30 minutes on Creator. We've reported both; check the current plan details.
Watch our free-plan sample (watermarked, 720p):
No one on our team has judged lip-sync or overall video quality yet, so we're not scoring it. Watch and judge for yourself.
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 videos/month, up to 1 min each, watermarked, 720p export (per our test), 500+ stock avatars, 1 custom video avatar, 30+ languages |
| Creator | $29/month ($24/month paid annually) | 600 credits, videos up to 30 min, 1080p export, watermark removal, voice cloning, 175+ languages and dialects |
| Pro | From $49/month | 1,000 credits, 4K export, faster processing; higher tiers up to 100,000 credits for $4,300/month |
| Business | $149/month + $20/seat | 1,500 credits, videos up to 60 min, team workspace, SSO, SCORM export |
Good to know
- Credits are HeyGen's single currency; how many a video uses depends on the AI model, length and complexity.
- Rollover: on monthly plans, unused credits roll over for one more month; on annual plans they accumulate until renewal. Credits are lost if you cancel.
- Cancelling keeps your paid features until the end of the billing cycle, then moves you to Free.
Pros
- Free plan, no credit card; free downloads work
- 175+ languages on paid plans
- Credit rollover
Cons
- Free videos max 1 minute, 720p, watermarked
- Credit usage varies by model, so it's harder to predict
- 4K needs Pro
Compare: Synthesia vs HeyGen · Best AI avatar video makers
Sources
- HeyGen pricing: last checked Oct 2026
- Our free-plan sample video: last checked Oct 14, 2026
Prices and plans change often. Always confirm on the official site before you buy.
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