HeyGen API Pricing for Avatar Video, Streaming and Translation per Minute
Avatar minutes from $0.60, Avatar V at $7.20, and the credit gap between the API and the web app. Compare raw render costs below, or paste a product URL into the tool to preview a finished UGCGen ad.
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Plans from $49 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly
HeyGen API pricing is pay-as-you-go, from $0.60 per minute for Avatar III Digital Twin to $7.20 for Avatar V, with separate translation and other feature rates. A 30 second ad costs $0.30 with Avatar III Digital Twin, $2.42 with Avatar IV Digital Twin or $3.60 with Avatar V. The API uses about three times the web app credits for comparable avatar minutes, and a HeyGen subscription does not fund it.
Rates follow HeyGen's help center article "HeyGen API Pricing Explained", updated October 19, 2026, alongside "HeyGen Credit-Based Pricing Plans & Subscriptions Explained" and the developer docs "Usage Limits". For other billing models, use our AI UGC pricing hub.
$0.05
Per API credit
3.0x
Avatar V credits versus the web app
10
Concurrent pay-as-you-go jobs
12 months
Pay-as-you-go credit expiry
HeyGen avatar video API prices per minute
The API is a standalone US dollar purchase. Any account, including a free account, can buy any amount of API credits. One credit equals $0.05, and subscriptions do not contribute to this balance. Avatar video is charged by actual seconds generated, so a shorter output costs proportionally less than a full minute.
| Avatar model | Per minute | API credits per minute |
|---|---|---|
| Avatar V Digital Twin | $7.20 | 144 |
| Avatar IV Photo Avatar | $2.31 | 46 |
| Avatar IV Digital Twin | $4.83 | 97 |
| Avatar IV Studio Avatar | $4.83 | 97 |
| Avatar III Digital Twin | $0.60 | 12 |
| Avatar III Studio Avatar | $0.99 | 20 |
| Avatar III Photo Avatar | $0.99 | 20 |
Dollar prices and credit counts reproduce the published rate card. Some credit figures are rounded and do not multiply exactly to the listed dollar price. We use the published dollar rates for the ad calculations below, rather than replacing them with a rounded credit conversion.
Match the billing unit to the feature
Not every API feature bills an output minute. Cinematic shots bill per video, clipping and filler removal bill input minutes, and avatar creation bills each call. Keep these units separate when a pipeline combines speech, translation, scene generation and a saved avatar.
| Feature | Billing unit | USD rate | API credits where listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar Shots Cinematic 720p | Per video | $7.30 | 146 |
| Avatar Shots Cinematic 1080p | Per video | $17.67 | 354 |
| Video Agent prompt to video | Per minute | $5.82 | 116 |
| Translation Speed audio only without lip sync | Per minute | $0.57 | 11 |
| Translation Speed lip sync | Per minute | $0.81 | 16 |
| Translation Precision lip sync | Per minute | $1.50 | 30 |
| Lipsync with your own audio Speed | Per minute | $0.84 | 17 |
| Lipsync with your own audio Precision | Per minute | $1.74 | 35 |
| AI clipping highlight | Per input minute | $0.70 | Not listed here |
| Filler word removal | Per input minute | $0.30 | Not listed here |
| Text to speech Starfish | Per minute | $0.12 | Not listed here |
| Image model | Per image | $0.28 | Not listed here |
| Instant voice | Per 1 million characters | $15 | Not listed here |
| Turbo voice | Per 1 million characters | $7.50 | Not listed here |
| Digital Twin creation | Per call | $2.13 | Not listed here |
| Photo Avatar creation | Per call | $1.32 | Not listed here |
HeyGen Video Model pricing per output second
These are promotional output-second prices under a 50% launch offer. List prices are double. This is the video model rate card, separate from the avatar-minute table. Reference to video carries a different rate from text or image to video, even at the same resolution.
| Output resolution | Text or image to video per second | Reference to video per second |
|---|---|---|
| 480p | $0.01 | $0.035 |
| 768p | $0.018 | $0.05 |
| 1080p or 2K | $0.05 | $0.09 |
Do not carry the launch promotion into a long-term budget as a permanent discount. Choose the model and resolution in the production specification, then price the output duration using the applicable unit.
Same minute, web app vs API
At the same $0.05 credit price, comparable API minutes usually consume about three times the web app credits. Avatar V is the cleanest example, with 48 credits in the web app and 144 through the API. Video Agent has the smallest gap in this comparison at 1.5x.
Video Look and Digital Twin are the closest equivalents here, not identically named products. The table compares their published usage rates, not guaranteed identical output. Dollar equivalents for web app credits use the same $0.05 benchmark; subscription allowances can change your effective cost.
| Comparable minute | Web app credits and USD | API credits and USD | API credit multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar V | 48 ($2.40) | 144 ($7.20) | 3.0x |
| Avatar IV Photo Look vs Photo Avatar | 16 ($0.80) | 46 ($2.31) | 2.9x |
| Avatar IV Video Look vs Digital Twin | 31 ($1.55) | 97 ($4.83) | 3.1x |
| Avatar III Video Look vs Digital Twin | 4 ($0.20) | 12 ($0.60) | 3.0x |
| Translation Precision | 10 ($0.50) | 30 ($1.50) | 3.0x |
| Video Agent standard vs prompt to video | 80 ($4.00) | 116 ($5.82) | 1.5x |
The remaining web app rates are Avatar III Photo Look at 7 credits per minute, Translation Speed at 6 and translation without lip sync at 4. The API buys automation, no seat or plan, and pay-as-you-go billing. The web app is far cheaper per minute if a human can click render.
Creator costs $29 monthly with 600 credits. Pro starts at $49 with 1,000 credits and scales up to 100,000. Business costs $149 for the first seat plus $20 per extra seat, with 1,500 credits. Business extra credits cost $0.05 each in 100-credit blocks for $5. Our HeyGen subscription pricing breakdown explains the plan side.
What a 30 second ad costs through the API
The estimates below multiply each published minute rate by the duration of a 30 second output, then round the displayed amount to cents. They cover generated output only. Your script, editing and pipeline work remain separate from the API bill.
| Model | API cost per 30 second ad |
|---|---|
| Avatar V Digital Twin | $3.60 |
| Avatar IV Digital Twin | $2.42 |
| Avatar IV Photo Avatar | $1.16 |
| Avatar III Digital Twin | $0.30 |
| Video Agent | $2.91 |
Our arithmetic gives $10.80 for three Avatar V takes per ad. At $0.12 per second, rerenders matter more than the headline credit price suggests. A batch of 100 Avatar IV Digital Twin ads lasting 30 seconds costs $241.50, calculated before rounding each individual output to the displayed $2.42.
Count the takes you expect to generate, not just the clips you intend to publish. For a broader production comparison, read Higgsfield vs HeyGen pricing by cost per UGC ad.
Free credits and legacy API plans have changed
There have been no free API credits since February 2026. Legacy API Pro and API Scale are deprecated. You can keep a legacy plan while it remains active, but once canceled it cannot be restored. Its credits do not automatically renew.
Legacy credits expire 30 days after purchase. Pay-as-you-go credits expire after 12 months. A balance bought for a future campaign therefore has a different usable life depending on its purchase type. Check which balance you hold before assuming unused credits will cover a later launch.
For budgeting, buy against the work you actually expect to run. A longer expiry window gives scheduling flexibility, but does not turn an unused balance into finished assets. Keep downloaded outputs and purchase records organized separately from your credit forecast.
Limits that affect the budget
Pay-as-you-go allows 10 concurrent jobs. Enterprise allows 20 and can burst up to 50 additional jobs per workflow type, billed at 1.5x the contract rate. That burst price belongs in an Enterprise production forecast, rather than being treated as ordinary pay-as-you-go capacity.
Exceeding the limit returns HTTP 429 with a Retry-After header. Queue requests and respect that header when rescheduling. Concurrency affects how quickly a batch can finish, so a deadline can change the appropriate plan even when the total output duration stays the same.
Avatar scripts have a maximum of 5,000 characters and audio inputs a maximum of 10 minutes. Validate both before submission. Splitting work to fit those constraints also changes your orchestration and review steps, which take engineering time even when the render unit price stays fixed.
HeyGen streaming and LiveAvatar pricing
Streaming runs on LiveAvatar, which has its own plans and its own credits. Your avatar video API wallet does not pay for it. LiveAvatar lists a free tier with 10 credits a month, Essential at $99 a month for 1,100 credits with one custom 720p avatar, Business at $475 a month for 6,000 credits with one custom 1080p avatar, and custom Enterprise pricing. Overage is $0.095 a credit on Essential and $0.09 on Business.
HeyGen's LiveAvatar help article converts credits into minutes. In Full mode one credit covers about half a minute, in Lite mode about one minute. That puts Essential at roughly $0.09 to $0.18 a streamed minute and Business at roughly $0.08 to $0.16. Streaming is for live conversations on your site. For prerecorded ads, budget with the avatar video rates above.
Who should buy the API and who should buy finished ads
Developers building a pipeline
Choose the HeyGen API when rendering must run from your application or product data. Its automation can justify the higher minute rate. Budget for queues, scripts, review and your own editing system alongside the purchased credits.
Marketers who need finished ads
Use the HeyGen web app when a human can prepare and render the video. Consider UGCGen when you want the script and finished ad assembled from a product page. The HeyGen alternative guide for product ads compares that workflow.
Agencies managing client production
Separate avatar volume from the work of producing client-ready ads. Compare manual web app rendering with API automation, then assess UGCGen Pro if you need bulk CSV import, white label delivery, team seats and product feed pipelines.
HeyGen API vs UGCGen for finished product ads
UGCGen is more expensive per second than the HeyGen API. What you buy is a finished ad with the script, voice, lip sync, captions, five hook variations and every aspect ratio. The API sells raw avatar output that you connect to your own engineering and production workflow.
| Purchase | Price and allowance | What to budget for |
|---|---|---|
| HeyGen API Avatar V | $7.20 per minute | Raw avatar generation plus your production work |
| UGCGen Starter | $49 monthly, 19 seconds | Finished talking AI creator video |
| UGCGen Plus | $149 monthly, 50 seconds of Veo video | 26 ad generations |
| UGCGen Pro | $499 monthly or $249 per month billed yearly, 169 seconds of Veo video | 89 ad generations, up to 25 a day, 10 seats |
UGCGen Pro also includes white label, bulk CSV import and API access for product feeds and pipelines. Those are workflow features, not a claim that its seconds cost less. Compare the finished deliverable and the work your team must still do, then review UGCGen plans and included production allowances.
UGCGen purchases are final, with no refunds. Watch example ads before paying so you can judge whether the finished format fits your product and campaign.
HeyGen API pricing questions answered
How much does the HeyGen API cost?
The HeyGen API starts at $0.60 per minute for Avatar III Digital Twin and reaches $7.20 for Avatar V. It is pay-as-you-go in US dollars, separate from subscriptions. One API credit equals $0.05. Translation, cinematic videos, images and voice have their own rates, so choose the feature before estimating a project.
Is the HeyGen API free?
No, the HeyGen API requires purchased credits for generation. A free HeyGen account can buy any amount of API credits without a Creator, Pro or Business subscription. That removes the subscription requirement, but does not remove usage charges. Budget for the chosen avatar model and every take you generate.
Does HeyGen have free API credits?
HeyGen has not offered free API credits since February 2026. Older tutorials that mention an introductory API allowance describe a retired offer. You can still purchase API credits from a free account, and those purchases are independent of web app subscription credits. Treat your first generated test as paid usage.
What is HeyGen avatar API pricing?
HeyGen avatar API pricing runs from $0.60 to $7.20 per minute, billed by actual seconds generated. Avatar III Digital Twin is $0.60, Avatar IV Photo Avatar is $2.31, Avatar IV Digital Twin is $4.83, and Avatar V Digital Twin is $7.20. Avatar creation is billed separately per call.
How much is the HeyGen streaming API?
HeyGen streaming runs on the separate LiveAvatar price list, not the avatar video API. Essential is $99 a month for 1,100 credits and Business is $475 for 6,000. One credit buys about one minute in Lite mode or half a minute in Full mode, so streaming costs roughly $0.08 to $0.18 a minute.
Do HeyGen API credits expire?
Yes, pay-as-you-go HeyGen API credits expire after 12 months. Credits purchased under legacy API Pro and API Scale expire 30 days after purchase and do not automatically renew. Those deprecated plans can stay active, but cannot be restored after cancellation. Check the balance type before buying credits for a later campaign.
Is the HeyGen API cheaper than a HeyGen subscription?
The HeyGen API generally costs more per generated minute than the web app at the same $0.05 credit price. Avatar V uses 144 API credits against 48 web app credits, a 3.0x difference. The API buys automated production without a subscription or seat, while manual web app rendering has lower usage costs.
How much does a 30 second HeyGen API video cost?
A 30 second HeyGen API video costs $3.60 with Avatar V or $2.42 with Avatar IV Digital Twin. Our arithmetic also gives $1.16 for Avatar IV Photo, $0.30 for Avatar III Digital Twin and $2.91 for Video Agent. Three Avatar V takes cost $10.80 before your own editing and engineering.
Does a HeyGen subscription include API credits?
No, a HeyGen Creator, Pro or Business subscription does not fund the API. Web app credits and API credits are separate purchases, even when you use the same account. Any user can buy any amount of API credits, so choose a subscription only when you also need the web app workflow.
What are the HeyGen API rate limits?
Pay-as-you-go accounts can run 10 concurrent jobs, while Enterprise allows 20. Enterprise can burst up to 50 additional jobs per workflow type at 1.5x the contract rate. Over-limit requests return HTTP 429 with Retry-After. Avatar scripts allow 5,000 characters, and audio input allows up to 10 minutes.
Is UGCGen cheaper than the HeyGen API?
No, UGCGen is more expensive per second than the HeyGen API. Starter costs $49 a month for 19 seconds of finished talking AI creator video. The purchase includes the script, voice, lip sync, captions, five hook variations and every aspect ratio. Purchases are final with no refunds, so watch example ads before paying.
Preview a finished product ad before buying
Use the rate card to budget avatar minutes. If your next step is a finished ad, paste a product URL to preview the UGCGen workflow, then review the paid plans. Purchases are final with no refunds.