Looking for the best HeyGen alternatives in 2026? You're not alone. The AI avatar video space hit $4.8 billion this year, and HeyGen has been one of the biggest names driving that growth. With over 85,000 paying customers, 230+ stock avatars, and features like Avatar IV and real-time video translation, HeyGen earned its reputation as a go-to AI video platform.
But here's the thing: across Reddit, G2, Trustpilot, and community forums, users consistently flag three pain points - confusing credit-based pricing that charges you for every iteration (not just final renders), avatar limitations when it comes to emotional nuance, and customer support that leans heavily on generic bot responses. One user on Trustpilot described the unlimited plan as "an endless cycle of payments," while another on the HeyGen community forum noted that credits get consumed during editing, not just on final exports.
Whether you're frustrated with HeyGen's pricing structure, need more advanced collaboration features, or want a tool that goes beyond AI avatars entirely, there are strong HeyGen alternatives worth exploring.
We tested 9 options head-to-head, comparing features, real user sentiment, pricing, and AI capabilities. Here's what we found.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|
| ngram | Professional video from any asset | Free / $17.40/mo | Context-aware AI generation from existing assets |
| Synthesia | Enterprise L&D and training | $18/mo (annual) | 240+ avatars, 140+ languages, Fortune 100 trusted |
| Colossyan | Workplace learning with interactivity | $19/mo | Branching scenarios, SCORM export |
| VEED.io | Quick online video editing | $12/mo | Browser-based editor with AI features |
| D-ID | Photo-to-talking-video, API-first | $4.70/mo | Creative Reality Studio, real-time streaming |
| Pictory | Blog-to-video repurposing | $19/mo | 3M+ stock clips, text-to-video |
| DeepBrain AI | Hyper-realistic avatars | $24/mo | AI kiosks for physical locations |
| InVideo | Text-to-video at massive scale | ~$20/mo | Sora 2 + Veo 3.1 integration, 50M+ users |
| Elai.io | E-learning under Panopto | $29/mo | Full video learning lifecycle (Panopto-integrated) |
The AI video generation market is booming
Before we dive into the alternatives, here's some context on why so many tools are competing for your attention.
The global AI video generator market is valued at approximately $717 million in 2025 and projected to reach $2.56 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20% (Fortune Business Insights). The broader AI avatar market is growing even faster - from $800 million in 2025 to a projected $5.93 billion by 2032, at a 33.1% CAGR (MarketsandMarkets).
On the demand side, 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl 2026), and 93% of marketers report positive ROI from video - the highest percentage ever recorded. Nearly half of all marketers (49%) already use AI video generation in their workflows.
The takeaway: this market is growing fast, competition is fierce, and you have more options than ever. Let's get into them.
1. ngram
If you're reading this because HeyGen's avatar-only approach doesn't fit how your team actually works, ngram takes a fundamentally different approach to AI video creation.
Where HeyGen starts with an AI avatar reading a script, ngram starts with whatever you already have - screen recordings, documents, images, URLs, text - and turns it into a polished, professional video. You tell ngram who the video is for, what goal it needs to achieve, and which channel it's going to. The output adapts automatically.
What makes ngram stand out
Context-aware generation is the core differentiator. A LinkedIn product announcement gets a fast hook and tight pacing. A website explainer takes more time to build context. A sales enablement video focuses on objection handling. Same assets, different output - because the intent drives the structure.
Plan first, generate second means you review the script and storyboard before anything renders. This is where most AI video tools waste your time and credits - they make you commit to a final product before you've confirmed the direction. With ngram, you fix problems at the cheapest possible moment.
AI-powered editing turns rough screen recordings into polished walkthroughs. Automatic filler word removal, smart zoom on interactions, cursor emphasis, and AI-driven callouts. No timeline editing skills required.
Unlike HeyGen's credit system that charges for every iteration, ngram lets you iterate on the plan without burning through your allowance.
Key features
- Context-aware generation - Tell ngram your audience, goal, and channel. It adapts structure, pacing, and tone automatically.
- Plan first, generate second - Review script and storyboard before rendering. Fix direction early.
- Start from what you have - Text, images, docs, URLs, screen recordings. ngram builds from your existing assets.
- AI-powered editing - Auto-cut, filler word removal, smart zoom, cursor emphasis.
- Multi-format export - 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 with captions included.
- Brand kits - Logo, colors, fonts applied automatically to every video.
Who is ngram best for?
Product Marketing, Growth, Sales Enablement, Customer Success, and Agencies who need professional videos without production timelines. If your videos go to customers, prospects, or public audiences - and you want more than an avatar reading a script - ngram is the pick.
ngram has a very generous free plan with paid plans starting at $17.40 per month.
Ready to try ngram? Create your first video in under 5 minutes. Start free
2. Synthesia
Synthesia is the most well-funded player in the AI avatar space, with $536 million raised and a $4 billion valuation as of late 2025. Over 50,000 teams use Synthesia, including 90% of Fortune 100 companies. If enterprise credibility matters to your buying decision, Synthesia leads.
Founded in London in 2017, Synthesia has been in the market longer than HeyGen and has built deep enterprise sales infrastructure. Revenue reportedly hit $150 million ARR in 2025, with expectations to pass $200 million in 2026.
Key features
- 240+ AI avatars with natural expressions and gestures
- 140+ languages and accents for global content
- Synthesia 3.0 with interactive video elements
- AI dubbing with frame-accurate lip-sync in 30+ languages
- 1-click translation to 80+ languages (Enterprise tier)
- SCORM export and LMS integration for training content
What users say
Users on G2 consistently praise Synthesia's avatar quality and enterprise stability. L&D teams love the SCORM export and interactive video capabilities. The biggest complaints center on pricing - translation features are locked behind a $5,000/year paywall with no monthly option, and content moderation can create multi-day delays on video approvals. A medical professional reported their practice video was auto-rejected, with support saying medical content requires a $1,000/year custom avatar upgrade. For teams with budget, though, the polish and reliability are hard to beat.
Best for
Enterprise L&D teams, corporate training, and compliance video production at scale. Especially strong for organizations needing multilingual content across dozens of markets.
Pricing starts at $18/month on the annual Starter plan, with Enterprise pricing available on request.
3. Colossyan
Colossyan has carved out a focused niche: workplace learning and training content. With 35,000 business accounts and customers like HP, BMW, Novartis, and Vodafone, it's purpose-built for L&D teams who need more than just talking-head videos.
Founded in Denmark in 2020, Colossyan has raised $28.2 million and grew revenue 155% year-over-year in 2024.
Key features
- 200+ AI avatars with natural expressions
- Interactive branching scenarios for learner engagement
- SCORM export for LMS integration
- Multiple avatars per scene (something HeyGen lacks)
- Document-to-video conversion for existing training materials
- 170+ voices filterable by accent, tone, age, and emotion
What users say
G2 reviewers call the avatar quality "truly top-tier" and highlight how easy it is for beginners to create content quickly. One user noted their new hire training program productivity improved significantly after adoption. The built-in ChatGPT writing assistant gets strong praise for helping with scripts. The main complaints are around rendering bugs - users report that videos sometimes look fine in preview but come out misaligned in the final render. Organizations report savings of up to 80% compared to traditional video production workflows.
Best for
Corporate L&D teams that need interactive, SCORM-compatible training videos with branching scenarios. If your primary use case is employee training, Colossyan is more purpose-built than HeyGen.
Pricing starts at $19/month.
Looking for the fastest way to create professional videos? ngram turns your screen recordings, docs, and images into polished videos in minutes - no avatars required. Try ngram free
4. VEED.io
VEED takes a different approach entirely - it's a full-featured online video editor that happens to include AI avatar capabilities, not an avatar-first platform. With 10 million monthly active users and $40 million in 2024 revenue, VEED has massive adoption among social content creators and marketing teams.
Founded in 2018 and backed by $35 million from Sequoia Capital, VEED bootstrapped for four years before taking funding - a sign of strong product-market fit.
Key features
- Browser-based drag-and-drop editor with intuitive UI
- Auto-subtitles in 125+ languages
- AI filler word removal and background noise removal
- AI avatars and presenters (added capability, not core focus)
- Google Docs-style collaboration with commenting and shared brand kits
- 2M+ stock video/audio library
What users say
VEED's ease of use receives over 1,000 positive mentions in G2 reviews - it's widely considered one of the most intuitive online editors available. The auto-captioning feature is described as "essential" by users. The cloud-based collaboration tools get strong praise from teams. However, billing practices draw significant criticism - users report difficulty canceling subscriptions and unexpected annual charges. Performance also degrades noticeably with longer videos, which is frustrating for the very subtitle-editing feature that draws people to VEED.
Best for
Social media creators and marketing teams who need a general-purpose online video editor with AI features layered on top. If you need video editing more than avatar generation, VEED is stronger than HeyGen.
Pricing starts at $12/month for the Basic plan.
5. D-ID
D-ID stands out with its Creative Reality Studio, where static photos become talking AI avatars. Founded in Tel Aviv in 2017, D-ID has generated over 150 million videos on its platform and raised approximately $48 million in funding.
The company also acquired Berlin-based simpleshow, adding explainer video capabilities to its toolkit. D-ID's API-first approach makes it particularly attractive for developers building video features into their own products.
Key features
- Creative Reality Studio - Turn photos into talking avatars
- Visual AI Agents for real-time conversational interactions
- Video Translate in 100+ languages with natural lip movements
- Video Campaigns for personalized, scalable email marketing
- Developer-friendly API with strong documentation
- PowerPoint plugin for in-presentation AI avatars
What users say
Users describe D-ID's facial animations as "among the most natural-looking" available, with eye blinks, mouth movements, and face tilts that appear genuinely human. The photo-to-video feature is called "GAME-CHANGING" by Product Hunt reviewers. The Canva and PowerPoint integrations get repeated praise. The biggest pain point is the credit system - users report being charged for failed video generations with no option to edit for free after rendering. One user was charged multiple times due to a system error, was promised a refund, and then support went silent.
Best for
Developers and API-first users building video into their products, plus marketers who want personalized video campaigns at scale. D-ID's photo-to-talking-avatar feature is genuinely unique.
Pricing starts at $4.70/month for the Lite plan, making it the most affordable entry point in this comparison.
6. Pictory
Pictory is not an avatar platform - it's a text-to-stock-video tool that turns blog posts, articles, and scripts into polished videos using its library of 3 million+ stock clips. Founded in Seattle in 2019, Pictory has over 10,000 paying customers and raised $4.72 million.
If you're looking for alternatives to HeyGen because you don't actually need AI avatars - you just need to turn written content into video - Pictory is worth a close look.
Key features
- Text-to-video from blog posts, scripts, and articles
- 3M+ stock video clips and 15,000 music tracks
- AI auto-summarization of long-form content
- Smart scene detection and auto-highlights
- Automatic captioning and subtitling
- Brand kit with custom fonts, colors, and logos
What users say
Users praise how quickly Pictory generates video from text - the workflow is genuinely efficient for content repurposing. The stock media library ensures videos look professional without sourcing external assets. The main complaint is consistently entertaining: the AI picks hilariously irrelevant stock footage. One user creating an email marketing video found that Pictory matched "open rates" with footage of people opening physical mail and "deliverability" with delivery truck footage. A fitness tips script got paired with random office footage. You'll need to manually swap some clips, but the time savings are still significant.
Best for
Content marketers and bloggers who want to repurpose written content into video format. Not for teams who need AI avatars - it's a completely different approach.
Pricing starts at $19/month with a 7-day free trial.
According to Zebracat's 2025 analysis, traditional video production costs $1,000-$10,000 per finished minute. AI video tools have brought that down to as little as $0.50-$2.13 per minute - a 58% average cost reduction reported by 63% of businesses using AI video tools (vidBoard.ai).
7. DeepBrain AI
DeepBrain AI is the oldest player in this comparison, founded in Seoul in 2016 - four years before HeyGen. With $55.76 million in funding and enterprise customers like SK Telecom and KB Kookmin Bank, DeepBrain has carved out a niche in hyper-realistic avatars and physical AI kiosk deployments.
What sets DeepBrain apart from every other tool on this list is its AI kiosk solutions for banks, retail stores, and airports - real-time conversational AI avatars running on physical screens.
Key features
- Hyper-realistic avatars with precise lip-syncing and gestures
- 150+ languages and 1,000+ AI voices
- Conversational AI avatars for real-time interaction
- AI kiosk solutions for physical retail and banking locations
- Deepfake detection technology (trust-building differentiator)
- Multi-avatar scenes with gesture control
What users say
Users describe the avatars as "very realistic" with strong lip-syncing, and the multilingual capabilities get praise for making language changes effortless. The biggest frustration is the lack of video preview before exporting - you have to spend credits just to see what your video looks like. Users describe being "literally charged twice for editing and downloading the same video." Gesture control and other expected features are locked behind the most expensive plan tier. Customer support faces language barriers with the South Korean team that hamper English-language troubleshooting.
Best for
Enterprise customers in banking, telecom, and retail who need both AI-generated video content and physical AI kiosk deployments. The real-time conversational avatar capability goes beyond what any pre-recorded video tool offers.
Pricing starts at $24/month for the Personal plan.
8. InVideo
InVideo is the volume play in this comparison - with 50 million+ registered users and 8 million videos created monthly, it's the most widely adopted tool on this list by a massive margin. Founded in Mumbai in 2017, InVideo has raised $52.5 million from Tiger Global and Sequoia Capital India.
What makes InVideo's latest iteration notable is its integration of OpenAI's Sora 2 and Google's Veo 3.1 directly into its workflow - you get access to cutting-edge generative video models without leaving the platform.
Key features
- Text-to-video generation from prompts (InVideo AI)
- Sora 2 + Veo 3.1 integration for generative video
- 16M+ stock media assets for visual support
- AI script generation with intelligent visual matching
- 5,000+ professional templates across categories
- AI avatars and voice cloning in 50+ languages
What users say
InVideo's strength is accessibility - users with zero video experience can generate polished videos from a text prompt. The stock media library (16M+ assets) gives you more visual options than almost any competitor. The Sora and Veo integration puts cutting-edge generative AI at your fingertips. The trade-off is that InVideo is a generalist - it does many things adequately rather than doing one thing exceptionally. Users looking for the most realistic AI avatars or the deepest editing controls will find purpose-built tools more capable.
Best for
Social media creators, small businesses, and marketing teams who want fast AI-generated videos from text prompts without deep video editing knowledge. Especially strong in emerging markets.
Pricing starts at approximately $20/month for the Plus plan.
9. Elai.io (now part of Panopto)
Elai.io was acquired by Panopto in October 2024, making it the only AI avatar tool on this list that's fully integrated into an enterprise video learning platform. Founded in Ukraine and bootstrapped to over 10,000 paying customers, Elai now operates as "Elai powered by Panopto."
This acquisition is significant: if your organization already uses Panopto for video management, Elai gives you AI video creation without adding another tool to your stack.
Key features
- Text-to-video with AI human presenters
- 300+ standard voices with various intonations and accents
- Custom AI avatars from user video footage
- URL-to-video conversion (article to video in minutes)
- 100+ language support for global teams
- Full Panopto integration for video lifecycle management
What users say
Users specifically praise Elai's voice quality as "convincingly human" - a differentiator that multiple reviewers call out. Ease of use scores highest among Elai's attributes on Capterra. The multilingual support enables consistent training content across regions. The main pain points are software crashes that cause lost work (even after saving), email-only support with 12-hour response times, and rendering minutes that get consumed by edits - not just final exports. The Panopto integration smooths over some of these issues for organizations already in that ecosystem.
Best for
E-learning teams already using Panopto, plus HR departments and marketing teams needing multilingual AI avatar videos on a reasonable budget.
Pricing starts at $29/user/month for the Basic plan.
Why teams are looking beyond HeyGen
Based on our research across Reddit, G2, Trustpilot, and HeyGen's own community forum, the top reasons teams seek alternatives come down to five themes:
1. Credit-based pricing frustrations. HeyGen's system charges credits during editing and iteration, not just on final exports. One community member noted that a 200 credits/month subscription provides limited utility for videos over 30 seconds when each prompt adjustment costs credits equal to the full video length. Users on Trustpilot describe the "unlimited" plan as hitting hidden daily caps.
2. Avatar limitations for emotional content. While HeyGen's Avatar IV produces impressive realism, users report limited facial expressions and repetitive gestures that reduce emotional impact - particularly for customer-facing or trust-based content.
3. Customer support gaps. Multiple review platforms surface complaints about generic bot-like responses, slow resolution times, and difficulty getting billing issues resolved. Users on the HeyGen community forum report needing to escalate publicly before getting meaningful help.
4. Missing collaboration features. HeyGen lacks side-view avatars, multi-avatar scenes (on most plans), and team collaboration tools that competitors like Colossyan and VEED offer natively.
5. Language and translation limitations. While HeyGen supports 175+ languages for translation, the base avatar creation only covers 40 languages - and users report accent inconsistencies and lip-sync issues in non-English content.
For a detailed head-to-head comparison, check out our ngram vs HeyGen comparison page.
According to HeyGen's own 2025 L&D Report, 42% of L&D managers have already replaced traditional video production with AI tools. Employees using AI video tools save approximately 34% of their time - around 45 hours per month. The shift is accelerating, and the question isn't whether to use AI video, but which tool fits your workflow.
How we evaluated these HeyGen alternatives
We didn't just list tools - we tested them, read hundreds of user reviews, and compared them across five weighted criteria:
| Criteria | Weight | What we looked at |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 30% | Core capabilities, AI features, editing tools, export options |
| Ease of Use | 25% | Learning curve, onboarding experience, UI/UX quality |
| AI Capabilities | 20% | Avatar realism, generation quality, automation, smart features |
| Value | 15% | Pricing relative to features, free tier generosity, cost at scale |
| Support & Community | 10% | Documentation, community size, customer support quality |
We also factored in:
- Real user reviews from G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Reddit, Trustpilot, and Product Hunt (qualitative sentiment, not numerical scores)
- Market presence and company stability (funding, user base, years in market)
- Integration ecosystem with common business tools
- Industry trends and where the AI video market is heading
Every tool on this list was evaluated for how well it serves teams looking to move beyond - or complement - HeyGen's avatar-first approach. Learn more about how teams use AI video for product demos and feature announcements.
The bottom line
HeyGen remains a strong avatar-based video tool, especially for teams focused on AI presenters and video translation. But the AI video market in 2026 offers far more than avatar-only solutions.
If you need professional video from your existing assets - screen recordings, documents, images, URLs - without being limited to an avatar reading a script, ngram is the AI video creator that gives you context-aware generation, plan-before-render workflows, and AI editing without the credit-burning iteration cycle.
Different tools solve different slices of the video problem. The right choice depends on whether you need avatar realism (Synthesia, DeepBrain), interactive training (Colossyan), general editing (VEED), content repurposing (Pictory), or complete video creation from any asset (ngram).
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