I've spent many hours testing HeyGen, and I'm genuinely impressed by how far AI video creation has come. As someone who's created many videos and written many reviews, I can tell you this ability is a game-changer for businesses and content creators looking to produce professional content without breaking the bank.
With HeyGen, I've been able to create videos in minutes that would have taken days with traditional methods—and the results are surprisingly good.
Let´s dive into this platform and make a video so you can check if this can be your next video tool.
Read on to learn more.
What is HeyGen, Really?
HeyGen isn't just another video tool—it's a complete reimagining of how we create video content. Born as Movio in 2022, this platform has evolved dramatically through 32 version updates and over 100 new features.
I remember when AI avatars first appeared, looking robotic and unconvincing. Now? The technology has matured into something genuinely useful for businesses of all sizes.
Check how HeyGen works in this video.
What makes HeyGen different
- No cameras or actors are needed (a lifesaver for smaller clients)
- No complex editing skills required (though I still use Premiere for certain projects)
- Localization is ridiculously simple (I recently created a training video in 5 languages in under an hour!)
- Production costs are slashed dramatically (your clients will love this part)
How to create a video with HeyGen
Once you log in to the webpage, the main dashboard appears. From there, you can create videos with lifelike avatars, build your digital avatars, or translate a video.
You can start creating a video by choosing an avatar or using a pre-made template.
HeyGen offers a well-populated library of pre-made templates, a useful feature to bring some inspiration when creating a video. All of these are customizable, but you can make your template from scratch too.
You must select landscape or vertical templates from 180+ available explainer video, social media, learning and development, and more categories. Clicking on the template plays a preview video:
The template includes an avatar, but it is easy to change it and choose close-up, half-body, circle view, left, center, or right screen position.
There is a massive library of 714+ avatars with many ethnicities, genders, and outfits. Notice that most avatars have many different outfits and backgrounds, so you can rest assured you will find the right option to meet your target audience.
Once I choose a template, I am on the main dashboard where the creation process occurs.
Clicking on the avatar lets me position it on different parts of the screen, choose view mode (close up, full body or circle screen) and add animations (on enter or exit)
But if I am uncomfortable with the avatar look, I can set another one from the left side. All of them offer many looks and can replace the original figure that was included in the template.
Let´s see how this works. I go for Georgia (who has five views) and click the "Casual Front" view
The system copied the avatar, including the background, but don´t panic. I click on the avatar, and on the upper row, there is a command to suppress the background. Check it out:
Here is how it resulted:
Needless to say, this HeyGen functionality is impressive.
Now, it is time to craft the script. I click on the left tab and the script screen appears.
HeyGen offers an impressive library of voices and languages. You can also create a new voice or integrate a third-party voice (a unique feature of this platform)
HeyGen voice management is quite powerful. You can set volume, pitch, and voice models. You can add pauses between the script, add your recording and use the ChatGPT integration for script writing. It is also possible to add your script using the PC microphone. For this review, I added some words to the original script.
The platform provides tons of royalty-free assets (called elements) available from a left tab. Here, you will find shapes, logos, images, videos, and music. Music items need organization and the option to filter files by file type and genre. Anyway, the music library has many resources you can preview by clicking the play button.
Despite the assets library, the system allows you to upload your images, videos, or logos and include them in your video. This is a useful resource if you have specific media to show.
If you have some experience with video editing, you know that it is not always easy to match the video with the length of the script. HeyGen does here an excellent job by adding a button you can toggle on and off to adjust both automatically.
Once you have your video ready, you can preview it before submitting it. In this stage, the avatar is fixed with no animation (this is standard behavior in this type of software)
Let's click "Submit" on the upper right. Rendering this 18-second video took 3 min 22 seconds, a standard ratio considering the video is quite simple and I am on the free plan.
Check it out
HeyGen pricing and Value for Money
HeyGen offers a flexible and competitive pricing structure for beginners and professional content creators. Here's a closer look at what each plan provides and how it delivers exceptional value:
Free Plan
- Cost: $0/month
- Features:
- Create up to 3 videos per month.
- Maximum video length of 3 minutes each.
- Access to a limited selection of avatars and templates.
- Best For: Individuals testing the platform or creating occasional videos.
Basic Plan
- Cost: $24/month (billed annually)
- Features:
- Unlimited video creation, removing any restrictions on output.
- Access to 120+ human avatars and 300+ customizable templates.
- Support for 40+ languages, enhancing global reach.
- Advanced features like Face Swap, Branding Kit, and Custom Avatars Pro and Lite.
- Regular updates and new feature rollouts included.
- Best For: Small businesses, marketers, and regular content creators seeking robust video creation tools without escalating costs.
Team Plan
- Cost: $69/month (billed annually)
- Features:
- Unlimited video creation, removing any restrictions on output.
- Videos up to 60 minutes.
- Support for 40+ languages, enhancing global reach.
- Multi-user workspace and granular control over roles and permissions.
- Branding kit.
- Best For: Agencies and teams with regular content workflow creation.
HeyGen's Pricing: Is it Really Worth It?
I've tested dozens of AI video abilities, and pricing is where many of them lose me. HeyGen, however, seems to understand the balance between features and affordability—mostly.
Their free plan is surprisingly generous. You get 3 videos monthly (up to 3 minutes each) with basic avatars and templates. Perfect if you're just dipping your toes in the AI video waters, though I found myself butting against these limitations pretty quickly.
The real value lies in their Basic plan at $24/month (annually billed). I was initially skeptical—that's not pocket change for many creators—but the unlimited video creation genuinely changed my workflow. No more rationing videos or rushing projects to fit within monthly allowances!
What sold me wasn't just the quantity but the quality you get access to. The 120+ human avatars (some better than others, I'll admit) and 300+ templates mean I'm not recycling the same look across multiple projects. And while I rarely use all 40+ languages, I've found the translation features invaluable when targeting international audiences.
Is it perfect? Not quite. Honestly, the annual billing requirement is a bit of a commitment for freelancers with fluctuating incomes.
That said, when I compare what I spent on traditional video production before—equipment, actors, editors—$24/month seems almost laughably cheap. Just one professional video shoot would cost me 10× that amount, and HeyGen lets me create unlimited videos with results that, while not Hollywood-quality, are certainly professional enough for most business purposes.
Check your ideal plan below
Mario here. I am the owner of Vidmetoo, a one-man band.
I founded this website to provide you with useful insights about video tools and related resources. Thanks for reading!