Elai vs HeyGen (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HeyGen grades higher than Elai: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Elai grades higher on value for money. HeyGen grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Elai
AI avatar video maker that turns text, URLs and slides into video
HeyGen
AI video generator with realistic avatars and video translation
Which one is for you
Pick Elai if
- Fits if you make training or explainer videos with an avatar presenter
- Works for teams who need SCORM export
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, as the free plan covers 1 minute of video
- Watch out: every render uses minutes, even a re-render of the same video
- Pricey if you need more minutes, as extra ones cost $2 each and only on paid plans
- Watch out: voice clones and selfie avatars cost $200 and $199 a year on Creator
Pick HeyGen if
- Fits if you need a presenter on screen and don't want to film one
- Works for videos that must go out in several languages with the lips matching
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you only need a video now and then, since you pay every month regardless
- Tight if you want the newest avatars, where Creator's 600 credits is about 12 minutes and there's no top-up
- Not for you if you need to know the bill in advance, as credit use varies with the model, length and complexity
- Skip it if refunds or quick support matter: payments are generally non-refundable, and reviewers report unanswered emails
- Watch out: credits vanish when you cancel or pause, SSO and SCORM start on Business at $149 a month, and extra seats add no credits
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAElaiFair | 2.6GPAHeyGenGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CCreator is $23 a month billed yearly for 15 minutes, or $29 monthly, around the top of the category's usual range. | DCreator is $24 a month on yearly billing against a $10 middle for video tools here, and that buys 600 credits. HeyGen's help page puts its newest avatar at 48 credits a minute, so about 12 minutes of video. 4K and all the advanced models need Pro at $41. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free plan with 1 user and 1 minute of video, which you will outgrow quickly. | CThree videos a month, a minute each, and the help center says the quota is 1 to 3 depending on region. No card needed, but the watermark stays until you pay, and 1080p starts on Creator. |
| Features | CAvatars, script, URL and slide input, translation, API and SCORM export, but voice clones and selfie avatars are paid add-ons. | BStock and custom avatars, voice cloning, lip-synced translation into 175+ languages, a Video Agent that builds a whole video from one prompt, and an API with an MCP server. Synthesia covers the same ground, and here credits meter all of it. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and you build scripts and scenes before you get a video. | A4.78 from about 26,000 App Store ratings, the highest in this category. One reviewer who hands anything technical to their teenager made videos alone. Working out what things cost in credits is the hard part, going by the one-star reviews. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with Panopto the one integration listed beside the API. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with an API, an MCP server and Canva and Adobe Express plugging straight in. There's no desktop app, and Zapier, Make and HubSpot are listed under Business. |
| Best for | talking-avatar videos from text | presenter videos without a camera |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Elai and HeyGen. How we grade
Price against what you get
Elai starts at $23 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. HeyGen starts at $24 a month and scores 3.3.
HeyGen scores higher, and starts $1 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, 59 score higher than Elai for less, and none scores higher than HeyGen for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Elai also covers video generation, text to speech and voice cloning.
- HeyGen also covers templates.
At a glance
| Elai | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $23 per month for 15 minutes, billed annually ($29 billed monthly) | $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 1 user, 1 minute of video, 80+ avatars, 75+ languages and all Creator features. | Up to 3 videos a month of up to 1 minute each (1 to 3 depending on region), with 500+ stock video avatars, 1 custom video avatar, 1 voice clone and 30+ languages. No credit card required. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Elai Inc. | HeyGen Technology Inc. |
| Price read from | elai.io | heygen.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Elai
- Plans are measured in render minutes, and every render uses minutes, even a re-render of the same video.
- Extra minutes cost $2 each and can only be bought on paid subscriptions.
- Voice clones and selfie avatars are add-ons on Creator ($200 and $199 per year); Team annual includes one of each.
- The free plan is limited to 1 minute of video.
HeyGen
- The Free plan allows up to 3 videos a month of 1 minute each, and the help centre says the quota is 1 to 3 depending on region. Watermark removal and 1080p export start on Creator.
- Paid plans are metered in credits, and the number a video uses varies with the AI model, its duration and its complexity.
- SAML/SSO, SCORM export, LMS integrations and workspace collaboration are listed from Business at $149 a month, plus $20 per extra seat.
- Unused credits roll over for one month on monthly billing and are lost when a subscription is cancelled.
Key features
Elai
- Avatar videos from a script
- Choose from 80+ avatars and 300+ standard voices, type or upload a script, and render the video.
- URL, PPTX and AI storyboard input
- Paste a URL or upload a PowerPoint file, or have a script drafted from a prompt, link or document.
- Interactivity
- Add buttons, hotspots, branching paths and text quizzes; image and multi-select quizzes need a higher plan.
- Translation and captions
- Translate a video automatically, and add captions or subtitles, in 75+ languages.
- API and SCORM export
- A public API is listed in the plan comparison but not on the free plan; SCORM export is listed for Enterprise only.
HeyGen
- AI avatars
- Scripts are delivered by stock video avatars or a custom avatar of yourself, with lip-sync across more than 175 languages and dialects.
- Video Agent
- Type an idea and get a finished video with presenter footage, motion graphics and B-roll. Every element stays editable afterwards in AI Studio.
- AI Studio editor
- A text-based editor that directs words, gestures and emotion from the script, with Brand Kit, auto captions and comments for teams.
- Video translation
- Upload a file or paste a YouTube link to translate a video with cloned voice and lip-sync. Pro adds editing and proofreading of the translated script.
- Voice cloning
- Clone your voice so avatar and translated videos keep your tone and delivery. Voice cloning is listed from the Creator plan.
- API and integrations
- Developer APIs for video generation, translation and lip-sync, an MCP server, and direct integrations with tools such as Canva and Adobe Express.
Plans
Elai
Free$0
1 user and 1 minute of rendered video; 80+ avatars and 75+ languages.
Creator$23
per month for 15 minutes, billed annually ($29 billed monthly)
1 user, Full HD video and the full avatar, voice and language library. $276 billed annually.
Team$100
per month for 50 minutes, billed annually ($125 billed monthly)
3 editors and 3 guests, 4K video, premium voices, custom images and fonts, 1 selfie avatar and 1 voice clone. $1,200 billed annually.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited users, brand kit, workspaces, SSO and premium avatars; sold through sales.
HeyGen
Free$0
Up to 3 videos a month (1 to 3 depending on region) of up to 1 minute each, 500+ stock video avatars, 1 custom video avatar, 1 voice clone and 30+ languages.
Creator$24
per month, billed annually ($288); $29 billed monthly
600 credits a month, videos up to 30 minutes, 1080p export, watermark removal, voice cloning and 175+ languages and dialects.
Pro$41
per month, billed annually ($488); $49 billed monthly
From 1,000 credits a month, with larger credit tiers at higher prices, 4K export and access to all advanced AI models.
Business$119
per month, billed annually ($1,428); $149 billed monthly
1,500 credits, videos up to 60 minutes, 5 or 10 custom video avatars depending on the account, SAML/SSO, SCORM export and collaboration. Extra seats are $20 a month each.
EnterpriseCustom
No maximum video duration, multi-workspace management, SCIM provisioning, invoice billing and a dedicated customer success manager.
Ways to pay less
Elai
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Elai's pricing page shows a 20% saving when Creator or Team is billed annually instead of monthly.
HeyGen
- Annual discount
Save about 16% to 20% with annual billing
Creator is $24 a month billed annually ($288) against $29 billed monthly. Pro is $41 against $49, and Business is $119 against $149.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Elai or HeyGen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Elai is cheaper to start with: $23 a month, against $24 a month for HeyGen. Elai starts at $23 per month for 15 minutes, billed annually ($29 billed monthly), and HeyGen starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Elai or HeyGen?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Elai and HeyGen have a free plan.
Which platforms do Elai and HeyGen run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only HeyGen lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.