HeyGen alternative for small business reels
By the MakeAIReel team. We make MakeAIReel, so read this as a vendor comparison. HeyGen facts checked on October 20, 2026 from HeyGen’s own pages (linked below); prices change, so confirm on their site.
Short answer
HeyGen is an AI avatar tool: a presenter speaks your script, in many languages, and Creator costs $29 a month ($24 billed yearly). MakeAIReel is a reel maker: it builds a 9:16 reel from your products, photos or footage, with voiceover, music, captions and a call to action, and uses an AI talking actor only for the hook on Pro ($20 for 30 days). Pick HeyGen when the presenter is the video; pick MakeAIReel when the product is.
HeyGen vs MakeAIReel
| HeyGen | MakeAIReel | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plans | Creator $29/mo or $24/mo billed yearly (600 credits). Pro $49/mo (1,000 credits, 4K). Business $149/mo plus $20 per seat. | Free: 5 AI reels. Starter $10 / 30 days (20 AI reels, 50 HD exports). Pro $20 / 30 days (40 AI reels, 100 HD exports). |
| Free plan | Yes: 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute, with a watermark. | Yes: 5 AI reels, 720p export with a watermark. |
| Export | 1080p on Creator, 4K on Pro. | 9:16, 1:1 or 16:9. HD exports are 1080p with no watermark (Starter and Pro). |
| What you start from | A script read by an AI avatar or your own digital twin. | A prompt plus optional product photos, clips, music, a voice sample, a store or product link, or raw video. |
| Store or product link to video | Not stated on their pricing page | Yes, every plan: product, collection or homepage link from your own store (Shopify and most brand sites). |
| AI presenter | The core product. One custom avatar on Free, more on paid plans. | Pro: 10 AI talking-actor clips / 30 days (fictional presenter or your own photo) for the opening hook. |
| Voice cloning | Yes, from the free plan up. | Pro: clone your voice from a 10 to 60 second recording. |
| Languages | 175 languages on Creator (the pricing page does not list them). | English, Hindi (Devanagari) and Hinglish (Roman script). |
| Built for | Avatar and presenter videos: marketing, training, translation. | Small businesses and D2C brands posting reels for products, offers and services. |
When HeyGen is the better pick
- The whole video is a person talking to camera and you do not want to film.
- You need many languages or video translation.
- You need 4K or long avatar videos.
When MakeAIReel is the better pick
- You sell products and want them on screen with music, captions and a call to action.
- An AI presenter for the opening hook is enough, then the reel shows your product.
- You want to edit your own raw talking video (filler words and retakes removed).
- You want a lower monthly cost for frequent reels.
Questions
Is there a cheaper HeyGen alternative for reels?
MakeAIReel Pro is $20 for 30 days and includes 40 AI reels plus 10 AI talking-actor clips. HeyGen Creator is $29 a month (prices checked October 2026). They do different jobs, so compare what each video needs.
Can MakeAIReel make a full avatar video like HeyGen?
No. MakeAIReel uses an AI talking actor for the opening hook of a reel, then cuts to your product. For a presenter talking for the whole video, HeyGen is built for that.
Does HeyGen add a watermark on the free plan?
Yes, according to its pricing page. MakeAIReel free exports are 720p with a watermark too; Starter and Pro export 1080p without one.
Sources
- HeyGen pricing (checked October 20, 2026)
- MakeAIReel pricing
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