When I first tested HeyGen AI, I was skeptical—could an AI really replace traditional video production? But after experimenting with custom avatars, voice cloning, and multilingual video generation, I quickly saw why it’s earned the title of G2’s #1 Fastest Growing Product in 2025.
In this guide, I’ll break down my experience with HeyGen: what works, what doesn’t, and how it stacks up to competitors like Synthesia and DeepBrain AI.
HeyGen lets me turn a plain text script into a full video with a human-like presenter—no camera, mic, or editing suite needed, just like Hypernatural AI.
Both platforms reflect a growing trend in AI-powered video: fast, scalable, and hyper-personalized content creation—especially for social media, marketing, and education use cases.
And if you’ve ever tried repurposing podcast content into vertical videos for Instagram or YouTube Shorts, tools like 2short.ai offer impressive automation that complements what HeyGen offers with avatars. Together, they show how AI is disrupting every part of the content chain—from voice to video to distribution.
It uses advanced AI avatars, voice cloning, and translation tech to speed up video creation for:
As someone who works across multiple brands and content types, I needed something fast, flexible, and export-ready. HeyGen checked most of those boxes.
Feature | What I Liked |
Avatars | 100+ realistic avatars. The new Avatar IV model is incredibly expressive. |
Custom Avatar Creation | I uploaded my own video and generated a branded avatar—took under 10 minutes. |
Voice Cloning | The cloned voice matched my tone surprisingly well. 300+ options in 40+ languages. |
Multilingual Translation | I created an English video and translated it to Hindi, Spanish, and French instantly. |
AI Script-to-Video | Pasted a LinkedIn post and turned it into a video in minutes. |
Editing Studio | Drag-and-drop editing with music, overlays, captions, and team comments. |
Team Collaboration | Shared drafts, got feedback, versioned final cuts. Super helpful. |
Compliance Controls | Enterprise plans lock down avatar cloning to prevent misuse. |
What People Love:
What People Criticize:
Overall: Most users—including me—love the productivity boost, but want faster rendering and more customization.
Plan | Price | Features | Best For |
Free | $0 | 1 credit, 720p, watermark | Just testing it out |
Creator | $29/mo | 15 credits, 1080p, no watermark, 3 custom avatars | Solo creators |
Team | $149/mo | 30 credits, 4K, team access, brand tools | Agencies |
Enterprise | Custom | Custom limits, API, security, avatar cloning | Corporates & regulated firms |
Credits = how many videos you can make. More credits = longer or more frequent videos.
Feature | HeyGen | Synthesia | DeepBrain AI | Tagshop |
Custom Avatars | Easy | Yes Complex | Yes | Yes |
Voice Cloning | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Languages | 175+ | 120+ | 80+ | 50+ |
Batch Creation | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Why I Prefer HeyGen:
Where Others Win:
Pros | Cons |
Realistic avatars | Occasional rendering lag |
Fast setup | Limited free plan |
Multilingual support | Robotic voice tones in some languages |
Good value for teams | No side-angle avatars yet |
Absolutely—HeyGen isn’t just a tool; it’s a full-on production studio in your browser.
For marketers, educators, content creators, and startups alike, HeyGen delivers where it matters most: speed, quality, and scale. In my experience, it reduced my video production time by more than 80%, allowed me to build branded avatars in minutes, and made multilingual content creation effortless, without touching a camera.
It’s not flawless—some rendering delays and robotic voice tones still exist—but no tool this powerful is. And compared to competitors, HeyGen strikes the best balance between realism, usability, and value.
Whether you're crafting LinkedIn content, training modules, global campaigns, or social videos, HeyGen has the potential to become your go-to AI video powerhouse. For anyone serious about streamlining video production in 2025 and beyond, this is a platform you can’t afford to overlook.
1. Can I use HeyGen videos for YouTube monetization?
Yes, HeyGen videos can be used for YouTube and other monetized platforms. Just ensure your content complies with YouTube's policies and avoid misleading avatar usage.
2. Is the custom avatar feature private and secure?
HeyGen’s custom avatars are protected under enterprise-grade compliance. For personal use, the avatar is only accessible in your account unless shared manually.
3. How many videos can I create per month with the Creator plan?
The Creator plan includes 15 credits per month. Depending on video length and resolution, this allows for roughly 10–15 standard videos.
4. Does HeyGen support vertical video formats for Shorts and Reels?
Yes, HeyGen allows export in 9:16 aspect ratio—perfect for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
5. Can HeyGen videos be embedded in PowerPoint or LMS platforms?
Absolutely. You can download videos in .mp4 format and embed them in tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Moodle, and other LMS platforms.
6. Does HeyGen include royalty-free music?
Yes, the editing studio offers a library of royalty-free background music, making it easy to enhance your video without licensing concerns.
7. Is HeyGen available as an app or only via a web browser?
HeyGen is currently a browser-based platform with no mobile or desktop app. However, the web version is mobile-friendly and responsive
I’ve been using HeyGen AI for creating video content, and the avatars are incredibly lifelike. The level of realism is impressive, especially when compared to other AI video tools I’ve tried. The voice options are also quite natural, making the avatars feel more authentic.
John Davis
Jun 30, 2025HeyGen AI’s fast setup and simpler UI have made it much easier to incorporate into my workflow. It’s incredibly straightforward compared to tools like Synthesia and DeepBrain. I can generate videos in minutes without dealing with complicated interfaces, which has saved me so much time. If you’re looking for ease of use and speed, HeyGen is definitely worth considering.