Ijharul Islam
Yes, HeyGen has a free plan, with limits: 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute long, with a HeyGen watermark. HeyGen's help centre says free users can export up to 720p. The free plan includes 1 custom video avatar, up to 3 photo avatars and 1 voice clone, and paid plans start at $29 a month ($24 billed yearly).
More on this topic: Video tool pricing and alternatives, every guide in one place.
That's enough to try an AI presenter, but not to publish one under your brand. This page lists every limit HeyGen states for its free plan, what each paid plan adds, how Synthesia's and D-ID's free options compare, and what you can make for free elsewhere.
The short answer
HeyGen's free plan costs $0: 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute each, watermarked, exported at up to 720p, with 1 custom video avatar, up to 3 photo avatars and 1 voice clone. Creator ($29/month or $24 yearly) removes the watermark, gives 600 credits a month, 1080p and 30-minute videos. Pro is $49 with 1,000 credits and 4K; Business is $149 plus $20 a seat.
Key takeaways
- Free: 3 videos a month, 1 minute each, with a watermark. Avatar IV and translation are also capped at 1 minute.
- Free exports are up to 720p, per HeyGen's help centre; Creator goes to 1080p.
- Watermark removal, templates, audio input and PPT/PDF import are paid features.
- Synthesia's free Basic plan gives 10 minutes of video a month, also watermarked.
- If you only need a short presenter clip, per-clip tools can be cheaper than a monthly plan.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
Is HeyGen really free?
HeyGen is really free on its Free plan, but the plan is built for trying the product. HeyGen's pricing page lists the Free plan at $0 with 3 videos a month and a watermark, each video up to 1 minute. Checked on 26 October 2026. Here's everything the page says about it:
| Free plan feature | What HeyGen lists |
|---|---|
| Price | $0 |
| Videos | 3 a month, with a watermark |
| Length | Up to 1 minute per video; Avatar IV and translation also capped at 1 minute |
| Export resolution | Up to 720p (HeyGen help centre) |
| Avatars | 1 custom video avatar, up to 3 photo avatars, 500+ stock avatars |
| Voice | 1 voice clone |
| Motion and gesture control | 3 uses a month |
| Languages | Over 30 |
| Processing | Standard speed |
The pricing page doesn't give the free plan a credit number. Its FAQ says paid plans include a monthly credit allocation, which the free plan replaces with the 3-video cap.
What can't you do on HeyGen's free plan?
You can't remove the watermark on HeyGen's free plan. The pricing page also leaves these out of the Free column:
- Watermark removal.
- PPT and PDF import, and templates.
- Audio input (driving the avatar with your own recording) and uploading a voice.
- Brand voice, AI background removal and 4K avatars.
The watermark is the deciding limit for business use: a client video or ad with another company's mark on it won't pass review. The 720p export is the second: fine for an internal draft, soft on a large screen.
How much does HeyGen cost after the free plan?
HeyGen costs $29 a month for Creator ($24 billed yearly), $49 for Pro and $149 plus $20 a seat for Business. The yearly toggle on HeyGen's pricing page is labelled “2 months free”, but the page shows a yearly price only for Creator.
| Plan | Price | Credits | Longest video | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 videos a month instead | 1 minute | Up to 720p |
| Creator | $29/month, or $24 billed yearly | 600 a month, roll over for 1 month | 30 minutes | 1080p |
| Pro | $49/month | 1,000 a month (higher tiers available) | 30 minutes | Up to 4K |
| Business | $149/month + $20 per seat | 1,500 a month | 60 minutes | 4K with upscaling |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | No maximum | Custom |
HeyGen's help centre adds that 4K export on Pro, Business and Enterprise needs a source of the same resolution. Our HeyGen alternatives guide compares these plans with other avatar tools.
Does Synthesia or D-ID have a better free plan?
Synthesia's free plan gives more minutes than HeyGen's: its pricing page lists the free Basic plan at 10 minutes of video a month, with 9 AI avatars and a Synthesia watermark. D-ID offers a trial rather than a free plan, and its videos also carry a watermark.
| HeyGen Free | Synthesia Basic (free) | D-ID Trial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly allowance | 3 videos, up to 1 minute each | 10 minutes of video | 3 minutes in total, over a 14-day trial |
| Watermark | Yes | Yes | Yes, full screen |
| Avatars | 500+ stock, 1 custom video avatar | 9 | Not stated |
| First paid plan | Creator, $29 ($24 yearly) | Starter, $19 ($14 yearly) | Lite, $5.90 ($4.70 yearly), D-ID watermark |
D-ID's trial is for personal use only, and commercial use starts on its Pro plan at $29 a month ($16 yearly), per D-ID's Studio pricing page on 26 October 2026; D-ID alternatives has the full table. Synthesia's next tier, Pro, is $89 a month ($59 yearly); Synthesia pricing covers both Synthesia plans.
Is there a free HeyGen alternative without a watermark?
There's no avatar tool we know of that's free, unlimited and watermark-free, because every avatar video costs the provider real compute. The practical options are a free plan with a watermark for drafts, or a tool that charges per clip for the few videos you publish.
QuickVeed's AI avatars charge per clip with no watermark. Every model makes videos up to 30 seconds, from 22 stock faces or your own photo. P-Video Avatar speaks a typed script for 63 credits per 10 seconds; LivePortrait animates a photo to your audio from 10 credits per 10 seconds. A new account gets a 14-day trial with 250 credits and no card, enough for a full 30-second P-Video Avatar video or several 30-second LivePortrait ones.
| HeyGen Free | QuickVeed trial | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 every month | $0 for 14 days, then $18/month |
| Watermark | Yes | No |
| Longest video | 1 minute | 30 seconds per clip |
| What you get | 3 videos a month | 250 credits once (a 30-second P-Video Avatar video, or several LivePortrait ones) |
| Languages | Over 30 | Script in your language; dubbing in 32 |
Be clear about the gaps: QuickVeed's avatar clips are short (30 seconds each), so a 5-minute training video means stitching several clips, which HeyGen does in one. For long presenter videos, a HeyGen or Synthesia paid plan is the better fit. How to make an AI spokesperson video and how to make a talking photo show the short-clip workflow.
How do you get the most out of HeyGen's free plan?
You get the most out of HeyGen's free plan by using its 3 videos for tests, not finished work:
- Write the script first. At about 150 words a minute, 1 minute is roughly 150 words; check yours with the free words to minutes calculator.
- Test one stock avatar and your custom avatar on the same 30-second script to see which reads better.
- Try the voice clone once, since you only get one.
- Decide before the month resets: if the result is good enough to publish, the watermark means you'll need a paid plan anyway.
For training content, AI avatar training videos covers scripting short modules that fit avatar limits.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeyGen free forever?
The Free plan has no end date on HeyGen's pricing page: $0 for 3 watermarked videos a month, up to 1 minute each.
Does HeyGen's free plan have a watermark?
Yes. Removing it is a paid feature.
What resolution are free HeyGen videos?
Up to 720p, according to HeyGen's help centre. Creator exports 1080p.
How long can a free HeyGen video be?
Up to 1 minute per video.
How much is HeyGen's cheapest paid plan?
Creator, at $29 a month or $24 a month billed yearly, with 600 credits a month and 30-minute videos.
Is Synthesia free?
Synthesia's Basic plan is free, with 10 minutes of video a month, 9 avatars and a watermark. Starter is $19 a month ($14 yearly); see Synthesia pricing.
Is D-ID free?
D-ID has a 14-day trial with 3 minutes of video, a full-screen watermark and a personal-use license, not a lasting free plan. Lite is $5.90 a month; see D-ID alternatives.
Try it with your own video
Make a short presenter clip from a script or a photo, with no watermark and the price shown first. Pick a stock face or upload a photo, type a short script, and check the result before you pay for a plan. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
