HeyGen's plans run Free, Creator at $29/mo, Pro at $99/mo and Business at $149/mo, with a pay-as-you-go API on top at roughly $1–$4 per generated minute. The sticker prices are only half the story — the number that actually controls your bill is Premium Credits, which the best model (Avatar IV) burns at about 20 credits per minute.
The short answer
Every paid plan gives you "unlimited" videos, but premium features — Avatar IV, high-res, translation — draw on a monthly Premium Credit pool. So the real question isn't which plan, it's how much Avatar IV you'll generate. Light users are fine on Creator; anyone producing lots of Avatar IV or translated video should plan for Pro or credit top-ups.
Subscription plans
Four tiers, priced monthly (annual billing usually discounts them). Credits scale roughly 10x from Creator to Pro.
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 videos/mo, 3-min max, 720p, watermark |
| Creator | $29/mo | Unlimited videos, 1080p, 700+ avatars, voice cloning, ~200 Premium Credits |
| Pro | $99/mo | 4K export, faster processing, ~10x more Premium Credits |
| Business | $149/mo | Team seats & collaboration, up to 60-min videos, SSO, integrations |
| Enterprise | Custom | Volume credits, admin controls, security review, dedicated support |
How Premium Credits work
Premium Credits are the meter behind the "unlimited" label. Standard avatar video is cheap, but the flagship engines draw credits fast. As a rule of thumb, Avatar IV costs about 20 credits per minute and video translation about 5–10 credits per minute. Creator's ~200 credits therefore buys roughly 10 minutes of Avatar IV a month.
| Feature | Approx. credit cost | What Creator's ~200 credits buys |
|---|---|---|
| Avatar IV video | ~20 / min | ~10 minutes |
| Video translation | ~5–10 / min | ~20–40 minutes |
| Standard avatar video | Low / included | Effectively unlimited on plan |
The takeaway: match your plan to your Avatar IV volume, not your total video count. If you'll produce more than ~10 minutes of Avatar IV a month, Pro's larger pool is cheaper than topping up Creator.
API pricing
For developers and high-volume production, HeyGen's API bills per generated minute, by engine: about $1/min for an Avatar III digital twin, $3/min for an Avatar IV photo avatar, $4/min for an Avatar IV/V digital twin at 720/1080p, and roughly $3/min for real-time streaming at 720p. Pay-per-minute usually beats a subscription once you're generating a lot of finished, high-model video.
Vs Synthesia
HeyGen and Synthesia both start at $29/mo but meter differently: HeyGen by Premium Credits, Synthesia by video minutes. HeyGen is the better value if you localize existing footage (its translation is class-leading); Synthesia is the better value if you build tracked LMS courses.
| Tool | Entry price | Meter |
|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | $29/mo | Premium Credits |
| Synthesia | $29/mo | Video minutes |
See the full HeyGen vs Synthesia breakdown for which fits your workflow.
Is it worth it?
If you make presenter or localized video, HeyGen earns its price — and Creator at $29/month is the right starting point for most solo creators and small teams. Step up to Pro at $99 once you need 4K or you're regularly generating more than ~10 minutes of Avatar IV a month, and to Business at $149 when you need seats and collaboration.
If you'd rather avoid credit math or need SCORM/LMS export, Synthesia's minute-based billing may suit you better. For the full feature picture, read our HeyGen review, compare options in HeyGen alternatives, or see the best AI avatar generators roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does HeyGen cost?
There's a free tier, then Creator at $29/month for unlimited 1080p video and voice cloning, Pro at $99/month for 4K and roughly 10x more Premium Credits, and Business at $149/month for teams. The API bills about $1–$4 per generated minute.
How do HeyGen Premium Credits work?
They meter the best models. Avatar IV video uses roughly 20 credits per minute and video translation 5–10 credits per minute. Creator includes about 200 credits (~10 minutes of Avatar IV), so heavy Avatar IV users often need Pro or top-ups.
Is HeyGen's free plan good enough?
It's for testing only: 3 videos per month, a 3-minute cap, 720p and a watermark. It's enough to judge avatar quality, but you'll need Creator or higher for watermark-free 1080p and commercial use.
Does HeyGen offer annual discounts?
Yes, annual billing typically discounts the monthly rate on paid plans. The exact discount changes, so check the current annual price at checkout before committing.
Which plan should most creators buy?
Creator at $29/month for most solo creators and small teams — unlimited 1080p video, voice cloning and enough credits for light Avatar IV use. Move to Pro if you need 4K or produce Avatar IV video regularly.
Is the API cheaper than a subscription?
Often, once you're producing a lot of finished, high-model video. The API's per-minute billing ($1–$4/min) lets you pay only for what you render, while subscriptions cap you at a monthly credit pool.