HeyGen API

What it does

The HeyGen API takes text prompts, scripts, images, audio or existing videos and returns finished media. Outputs include avatar videos rendered as MP4, text-to-speech audio, translated and lip-synced videos, and images of an avatar in a new look. A Video Agent endpoint can turn a single text prompt into a complete video, while the Video Generation API gives finer control over avatars, voices, backgrounds and layouts.

Developers call the REST API directly with an API key, or connect through an MCP server for AI assistants such as Claude, or through Skills that extend coding agents like Claude Code and Cursor. Templates let you turn a video into a reusable layout and generate one personalised version per viewer. Video translation covers 175+ languages with voice cloning and lip-sync. Requests are asynchronous, and webhooks and batch endpoints are documented.

It suits developers and product teams adding avatar video or dubbing to their own software. Direct API and Skills use an API key and a separate prepaid API balance. MCP use requires an active HeyGen web plan with premium credits. Pay-As-You-Go starts at $5, and Enterprise is arranged through sales. Per-unit rates were not confirmed, so check cost against expected volume.

What it can do

• Generate a complete avatar video from a single text prompt via Video Agent
• Create avatar videos with control over avatar, voice, background and layout
• Translate and dub videos into 175+ languages with voice cloning and lip-sync
• Convert text to speech from a HeyGen Voice, including streaming
• Create digital twin, photo and prompt-based avatars and clone voices
• Generate personalised videos from templates, one call per viewer

Works with

• MCP Server (e.g. Claude)
• HeyGen Skills (Claude Code, Cursor)
• Slack

Example workflows

Prompt to finished video

Input: a short text prompt describing the video. Steps: set HEYGEN_API_KEY, POST the prompt to the video-agents endpoint, poll the session until rendering finishes. Output: a result URL for the MP4.

Translate an existing video

Input: a source video and target languages. Steps: submit the video to the Video Translation API, choose speed or precision mode, wait for completion or a webhook. Output: dubbed, lip-synced versions.

Before you choose

• API balance and web-plan premium credits are separate billing pools; MCP uses web credits, Direct API and Skills use API balance
• Digital Twin Creation API and Proofread API are listed under Enterprise only
• Generation is asynchronous, so plan for polling or webhooks, and check usage and concurrency limits

Listed under

• Creative
• Marketing
• Social and video
• Video generation
• AI video
• API
• Avatars
• Avatar video
• Business
• Developers

Get started

Generate a key in the dashboard; pass it as X-Api-Key

1. Create an API key in the HeyGen API dashboard and export it as HEYGEN_API_KEY
2. Top up the API wallet (from $5) since API usage draws on a separate balance
3. Verify the key with GET /v3/users/me, then send a first Video Agent request

Pay-As-You-Go requires topping up an API wallet, starting at $5, with no monthly commitment. Per-unit rates were not confirmed. MCP usage draws on web plan premium credits instead.

Source: heygen.com/api-pricing, checked 29 Oct 2026. Prices can change; check before you buy.

Sources for this overview

Product pages, documentation, and pricing checked 29 Oct 2026. Each source supports part of the overview; availability and prices can change.

• Affordable API Pricing Plans for AI Video Generation | HeyGen ↗www.heygen.com
• Quick Start - HeyGen Documentation ↗docs.heygen.com

Company website

developers.heygen.com: product, pricing and policy pages

YC directory mirror

Batch and company name

Web search

Confirms the official site

Social accounts

Accounts the company links, and its posts on X

Human review

Checked by a person

knowledge_base

Last checked 29 Oct 2026. Every field keeps its source and date; unknown means we couldn’t confirm it.