HeyGen vs Steve AI (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HeyGen grades higher than Steve AI: 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
HeyGen grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Steve AI grades higher on value for money. 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.
HeyGen
AI video generator with realistic avatars and video translation
Steve AI
Prompt-to-video maker for animated, stock and generative clips
Which one is for you
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
Pick Steve AI if
- Fits if you make short explainer or social videos from text with no filming
- Works for people who want an iPhone app alongside the web editor
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: downloads are limited
- Watch out: the pricing page shows different figures in different views, so the billing basis is unclear
- Pricey if you want generative video, with the Generative AI plan at $99 a month
- Watch out: higher resolutions than 2K need Enterprise, and extra generative credits cost more
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAHeyGenGood | 2.0GPASteve AIFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CStarter is $19 a month and Pro $39, though the billing basis isn't confirmed. That is inside the middle of the category. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CFree plan: 1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits, with limited downloads. |
| Features | 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. | CPrompt, script, audio and image inputs, AI voices, motion effects and an editor. Generative credits are limited on each paid plan and sold as add-ons. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo store rating on record. A prompt box gets you a draft, but fixing scenes means using the editor. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CWeb plus an iOS app. No desktop app and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | presenter videos without a camera | quick AI videos from a prompt or script |
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: HeyGen and Steve AI. How we grade
Price against what you get
HeyGen starts at $24 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Steve AI starts at $19 a month and scores 2.0.
HeyGen scores higher, and starts $5 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, none scores higher than HeyGen for less, and 55 score higher than Steve AI 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
- HeyGen also covers templates.
- Steve AI also covers video editing, video generation and text to speech.
At a glance
| HeyGen | Steve AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly) | $19 per month (billing basis not confirmed) |
| Free plan | 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. | 1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits for AI and stock media generation, with limited downloads. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | HeyGen Technology Inc. | Steve AI |
| Price read from | heygen.com | steve.ai |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Steve AI
- The pricing page loads prices with scripts and shows different figures in different views, so the billing basis is unclear.
- The homepage toggle advertises 30% off annual billing, but the monthly and yearly prices are not both visible.
- Generative credits are limited on every paid plan, and extra ones are bought as add-ons.
- Higher resolutions than 2K need the Enterprise plan.
Key features
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.
Steve AI
- Several ways to start a video
- Make a video from a prompt, a script, an audio file or an image, in animated, live-footage or generative styles.
- AI voices and multi-voice scenes
- Voiceovers use AI voices, and several voices can be combined in one script. The share of human-like voices rises on Pro.
- Motion effects and clips
- Add zooms, camera movement and kinetic text, or turn a tweet, image or blog post into a short clip.
- FlexiCredits and power-ups
- Plans can be topped up with extra generative credits and power-ups, which add more AI media and video minutes.
- iOS app
- A mobile app lets you create and edit videos on a phone.
Plans
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.
Steve AI
Free$0
1,200 seconds of AI video and 200 credits for AI and stock media generation.
Starter$19
per month, billing basis not shown
100 minutes of AI video a month, 800 AI images and stock items, 1080p, no watermark, 120 seconds of generative credits.
Pro$39
per month, billing basis not shown
300 minutes of AI video a month, 2,400 AI images and stock items, 2K resolution, no watermark.
Generative AI$99
per month, billing basis not shown
400 minutes of AI video a month, 3,200 AI images and stock items, 2K, 15 minutes of generative credits.
EnterpriseCustom
Contact sales; no published price.
Ways to pay less
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.
Steve AI
- Annual discount
Annual billing discount
The homepage pricing toggle labels annual billing as 30% off compared with monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HeyGen or Steve AI?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Steve AI is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $24 a month for HeyGen. HeyGen starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly), and Steve AI starts at $19 per month (billing basis not confirmed).
Which has a free plan, HeyGen or Steve AI?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both HeyGen and Steve AI have a free plan.
Which platforms do HeyGen and Steve AI run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only HeyGen lists an Android app. Both list a web app and an iOS 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.