ElevenLabs vs HeyGen
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | ElevenLabs | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier limited; Starter $5/mo, Creator $22/mo, Pro $99/mo, Enterprise custom | Free tier with watermark; Creator $29/mo, Business $89/mo, Enterprise custom |
| Best For | Content creators, developers, enterprises needing voice AI | Marketing teams, L&D, sales, social media creators needing video avatars |
| Languages | 70+ languages for text-to-speech | 175+ languages for video translation with lip-sync |
| Primary Output | Audio (voice, music, SFX), APIs | Videos with avatars, lip-sync, gestures |
| Voice Cloning | Native professional and instant voice cloning | Supported via ElevenLabs integration |
| Integration | Twilio, NVIDIA ACE, Duolingo, Meta, etc. | Sora, Veo, Kling, Flux, ElevenLabs |
Choose HeyGen if you need to create professional videos with realistic avatars from text or PDFs, especially for marketing or training at scale. Choose ElevenLabs if your primary need is ultra-realistic voice generation, voice cloning, or building conversational AI agents. They complement each other: HeyGen can use ElevenLabs for voice, but each excels in its own domain.
Feature-by-feature
HeyGen focuses on video generation with lifelike avatars: it can create videos from text, images, presentations, or PDFs, with realistic lip-sync and facial expressions. Its Photo Avatar feature creates a talking video from a single photo, while Digital Twin clones a person from video. The AI Video Translator supports 175+ languages with lip-sync and voice cloning. The AI Studio offers text-based editing for tone and gestures. It also has a Product Ad Generator and UGC ad creator. ElevenLabs excels in audio: ultra-realistic TTS in 70+ languages, voice cloning (instant and professional), expressive styles (narrator, conversational), AI music generation, and sound effects. Its ElevenAgents allow deployment of conversational AI across voice, chat, email, and WhatsApp with analytics. ElevenLabs also offers TTS and ASR APIs (Scribe with 98% accuracy). While HeyGen can integrate ElevenLabs for voice, ElevenLabs does not generate videos. HeyGen is better for visual content; ElevenLabs for audio-first use cases.
Pricing compared
Both offer freemium plans. HeyGen's free tier includes limited video creation with watermark. Paid plans start at $29/month (Creator) with 15 credits/minutes, Business at $89/month, and Enterprise custom. ElevenLabs' free tier provides 10,000 characters/month for TTS and limited voice cloning. Starter at $5/month extends to 30k chars, Creator at $22/month offers 100k chars and professional voice cloning, Pro at $99/month includes 500k chars and priority support. Both have enterprise options. HeyGen's pricing is per minute/credit; ElevenLabs is per character for TTS. For heavy video production, HeyGen's cost can add up. For high-volume audio, ElevenLabs is more scalable via API. HeyGen's cheapest paid plan is $29 vs ElevenLabs' $5 for Starter, but ElevenLabs' free tier is more restrictive. Overall, both offer competitive pricing for their core capabilities.
Who should pick which
- Marketing team creating product ads with avatarsPick: HeyGen
HeyGen's Product Ad Generator and UGC creator with avatar hold product placements are ideal for scaling ad creatives without production.
- Podcaster needing expressive voiceoversPick: ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs offers studio-quality TTS with expressive styles (narrator, conversational) and an all-in-one editor for podcasts.
- Developer building a voice assistantPick: ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs provides low-latency TTS and ASR APIs with 98% accuracy, and ElevenAgents for deploying conversational AI.
- L&D team localizing training videos into 10+ languagesPick: HeyGen
HeyGen's AI video translator supports 175+ languages with lip-sync, perfect for scaling multilingual training content.
- Game developer needing character voicesPick: ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs offers voice cloning and expressive TTS ideal for game dialog, plus music and SFX generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can HeyGen generate voiceovers without avatars?
Yes, HeyGen can generate voiceovers using text-to-speech, but it is primarily built for video with avatars. For pure voice, ElevenLabs is more suitable.
Does ElevenLabs create videos?
No, ElevenLabs focuses on audio (voice, music, SFX) and APIs; it does not generate video. Use HeyGen for video creation.
Which one supports more languages?
HeyGen supports 175+ languages for video translation with lip-sync; ElevenLabs supports 70+ languages for TTS.
Can I clone my voice with both?
ElevenLabs offers native voice cloning (instant and professional). HeyGen supports voice cloning via its integration with ElevenLabs.
Which is better for enterprise customer support?
ElevenLabs with ElevenAgents and API integrations (Twilio, Salesforce) is better for deploying voice agents for customer support.
Does HeyGen offer API?
Yes, HeyGen provides an API for video generation and translation, but ElevenLabs' API is more mature for voice and audio.
Can I use both together?
Yes, HeyGen integrates ElevenLabs for ultra-realistic speech, so you can combine HeyGen's video avatars with ElevenLabs' voices.
Which has a free tier?
Both offer free tiers. HeyGen's free tier includes watermarked videos; ElevenLabs' free tier provides limited TTS and voice cloning.
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