HeyGen pricing: plans, credits, and what you actually pay

Updated August 21, 2026 to reflect HeyGen’s current plans, credit system, and API pricing.

HeyGen pricing starts at $0 and scales to custom enterprise contracts. HeyGen offers four self-serve tiers: Free, Creator at $29/month, Pro starting at $49/month, and Business at $149/month plus $20 per additional seat. Enterprise pricing is custom. That looks simple enough. It isn’t.

The credit system underneath those prices makes the real cost harder to predict than the sticker price suggests. Paid plans use credits across Avatar III, Avatar IV/V, video translation, Video Agent, asset generation, and other supported features. The API is billed separately from the web product. This guide covers what each tier includes, how credits translate to minutes, and when HeyGen is or isn’t the right spend.

How does the credit system work?

Credits are the currency that runs HeyGen. Every paid plan comes with a monthly credit allowance, and different features consume credits at different rates.

The number that matters most: Avatar III costs 3 credits per minute, while Avatar IV and Avatar V cost 20 credits per minute. Creator includes 600 credits, enough for approximately 200 minutes of Avatar III or 30 minutes of Avatar IV/V if all credits are used for avatar generation.

Credits also cover lip-synced video translation, which costs 5 credits per minute in speed mode or 10 in precision mode. Audio dubbing without lip sync costs 2 credits per minute, while generating a new avatar look costs 1 credit. Video Agent and AI-generated assets using models such as Seedance 2 and Veo 3.1 draw from the same balance. Mix several of those features in one month and your allowance can still disappear faster than expected.

Unused credits no longer vanish immediately at the end of every month. Monthly subscribers can carry them into one additional billing cycle. Annual subscribers receive a new allocation each month, but unused credits continue accumulating until the annual renewal date. Move back to the Free plan and any remaining balance expires.

Top-ups depend on the plan. Creator users have to upgrade to Pro, while Pro users can move to a higher credit tier. Business users can buy credits in blocks of 100 for $5 or enable auto-reload. If you’re regularly running out, the price on the plan card is no longer your real monthly cost.

What does the free plan include?

Three videos per month, each up to 1 minute, with a 720p sharing link and a HeyGen watermark. You get access to more than 500 stock avatars, one Custom Digital Twin, and a limited trial of features such as Avatar IV.

The free plan works for testing whether HeyGen’s editor and avatar quality meet your needs. It does not work for production content because of the watermark and resolution limit. If you’re evaluating AI video platforms, use the free tier to produce a test video in your actual use case before paying anything. HeyGen removed free API credits in February 2026. API access is still available to Free users, but you need to fund a separate pay-as-you-go balance starting from $5.

For context on how the free tier compares to other platforms, see the AI avatar platform comparison.

What does the Creator plan ($29/month) include?

Creator is HeyGen’s entry-level paid tier. For $29/month ($24/month on annual billing):

• 600 credits per month

• Avatar III at 3 credits per minute

• Avatar IV and Avatar V at 20 credits per minute

• 700+ stock avatars

• Videos up to 30 minutes long

• 1080p export

• No watermark

• Custom Digital Twin creation

• Unlimited voice cloning

The old “unlimited videos” framing no longer applies to current plans. Avatar III now uses credits too, although much more slowly than Avatar IV or V. Put the full 600-credit allowance toward Avatar III and you get about 200 minutes. Use it all on Avatar IV or V and you get about 30.

Creator fits solo creators producing regular short-form videos without needing 4K export. Translation, Video Agent, generated looks, and AI assets all pull from the same balance, so those headline minute totals fall once you start mixing features. If 600 credits consistently isn’t enough, the next step is Pro.

What does the Pro plan ($49/month) include?

Pro starts at $49/month, or roughly $41/month when billed annually, and includes 1,000 credits at the entry tier. You get everything in Creator, plus 4K export, faster processing, translation-script editing and proofreading, access to advanced AI models, and the option to choose a larger monthly credit allowance.

At 1,000 credits, you can generate about 333 minutes of Avatar III or 50 minutes of Avatar IV or V if you use the entire balance for avatar video. That puts the base plan at just under $1 per minute of Avatar IV or V output.

The important word here is “starts.” Pro scales through multiple credit tiers, from 1,000 credits at $49/month to 100,000 credits at $4,300/month. The features stay the same; you’re paying for a larger allowance. Pro fits advanced individual creators who need 4K, faster processing, or more room for credit-heavy models.

What does the Business plan ($149/month) include?

Business costs $149/month plus $20 per additional seat ($119/month plus seats on annual billing). It includes everything in Pro, plus:

• 4K video export

• SSO (SAML)

• SCORM export and LMS integration

• Interactive video with branching paths and in-video quizzes

• PowerPoint/PDF-to-video conversion

• Team collaboration and brand kit management

• 1,500 credits per month

Read that last line again. Business now includes 1,500 credits, which is 500 more than the base Pro tier. But the jump from $49 to $149 still looks steep if generation capacity is your main concern. At 20 credits per minute, the full allowance buys about 75 minutes of Avatar IV or V and less once translation, Video Agent, or generated assets start drawing from the same balance.

What you’re really paying for is team collaboration, SAML/SSO, centralized billing, SCORM and LMS integrations, interactive video, and five Custom Digital Twins. Additional seats cost another $20 per person each month. Pro already includes 4K export, so that isn’t a Business exclusive either.

If you’re a solo creator who mainly needs more credits, compare the higher Pro tiers before moving up. Business makes more sense when several people need to create, review, and manage content in the same workspace.

Enterprise pricing is custom and negotiated per contract. It includes dedicated support, custom SLAs, SCIM provisioning, and higher credit allocations. Contact HeyGen’s sales team for a quote.

How does HeyGen API pricing work?

The API is a separate product from the web subscription. You can buy API access regardless of your web plan, including on the free tier. The billing systems are independent.

HeyGen shifted the API to a pay-as-you-go model in 2026. You can start with $5, with usage charged by the avatar model, output resolution, and number of seconds generated:

Pay-as-you-go credits expire after 12 months, and there are no monthly commitments. This structure works well for teams with irregular or seasonal usage.

Legacy API plans (Pro at $0.99/credit, Scale at $0.50/credit) still exist for current subscribers, but they’re deprecated. Cancel one and it can’t be restored.

For a deeper look at what HeyGen’s API can do beyond the pricing mechanics, see the HeyGen API feature review.

Is annual billing worth it?

Annual billing saves 17-20% depending on the tier:

The old $15 monthly Premium Credit pack belongs to HeyGen’s legacy plan structure. On current plans, Creator and Pro users increase their allowance by upgrading. Business users can buy additional credits for $5 per 100 credits.

Don’t lock in during your first month. Run at least 2-3 billing cycles on monthly pricing to understand your actual credit consumption before committing to a year. Most people underestimate how fast credits go when using Avatar IV and video translation together.

How does HeyGen pricing compare to alternatives?

HeyGen sits in the middle of the pre-rendered AI video market. The main competitors and their pricing models:

Synthesia’s pricing is simpler: a minute is a minute regardless of avatar quality. HeyGen’s credit model gives more flexibility (you can allocate credits between avatar video, translation, and other features) but makes cost prediction harder. For a full head-to-head, see the HeyGen vs Synthesia comparison.

All of these platforms produce pre-rendered video from scripts. If you need a broader view that includes real-time conversation platforms, the AI avatar generators comparison covers both categories. Understanding whether you need a content avatar or a conversation avatar is the first decision to get right, because it determines which pricing models are even relevant to your use case.

When does HeyGen’s pricing model not apply?

HeyGen prices scripted video production. You write a script, pick an avatar, generate a file, and download it. Every plan described above is built around that workflow.

If your use case involves a user talking back to the avatar, asking follow-up questions, or having an unscripted conversation, you need a different product category with a different pricing structure. Customer support agents, onboarding flows, sales qualification bots, and training simulations all require real-time generation, not rendered files.

HeyGen has a separate product for this (LiveAvatar, at liveavatar.com), priced independently from the plans above. For platforms purpose-built around real-time interactive avatars, Anam and Tavus use session-based pricing tied to streaming duration. Anam’s pricing is public and usage-based. The cost model is structurally different because the product is structurally different.

For a broader look at how AI avatars work across both categories, from pre-rendered video to live conversation, see the guide to AI avatars. If you’re evaluating platforms for enterprise deployment, the enterprise buyer’s guide to digital avatars covers the evaluation framework in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Can you cancel a HeyGen subscription anytime?

Yes. HeyGen subscriptions cancel at the end of the current billing cycle. You keep access until the paid period expires. Check HeyGen’s terms for refund details on unused time.

Do unused HeyGen credits roll over to the next month?

Yes. Monthly subscribers can carry unused credits into one additional billing cycle. Annual subscribers receive credits monthly, but unused credits accumulate until the annual renewal date. Any remaining balance expires if you cancel and move back to the Free plan.

How many minutes of video does each HeyGen plan produce?

It depends on the avatar model. If you spend the entire allowance on Avatar III, Creator produces about 200 minutes, base Pro about 333 minutes, and Business about 500 minutes. Avatar IV and V use credits faster: Creator provides about 30 minutes, base Pro 50 minutes, and Business 75 minutes. Translation, Video Agent, generated looks, and other features draw from the same balance.

Does HeyGen include 4K export on all plans?

4K export is available on Pro ($49/month), Business ($149/month), and Enterprise. Creator exports at up to 1080p.

Is HeyGen’s API included in the web subscription?

No. The API is a separate purchase with its own pay-as-you-go pricing starting at $5. You can subscribe to the API on any web plan tier, including Free.

How does HeyGen compare to Synthesia on price?

Both platforms start at $29/month, but they meter usage differently. HeyGen’s Creator plan includes 600 credits, enough for about 200 minutes of Avatar III or 30 minutes of Avatar IV or V if you use the full balance on avatar generation. Synthesia uses a simpler minute allowance. Above $29/month the better deal depends on your usage pattern. The full HeyGen vs Synthesia pricing comparison breaks down each tier.

Can HeyGen be used for real-time conversation?

HeyGen’s standard plans cover pre-rendered video only. HeyGen has a separate real-time product (LiveAvatar) priced independently. For purpose-built real-time interactive avatars designed for live conversation, Anam and Tavus are the primary options in that category.

What is the cheapest AI avatar video option?

D-ID starts at $5.9/month (Lite plan, watermarked). HeyGen starts at $29/month and Synthesia starts at $19/month with no watermark. For real-time interactive avatar conversation rather than pre-rendered video, Anam offers usage-based pricing that scales with session volume.