Criterion HeyGenLuma Dream Machine
CategoryAI Video GeneratorsAI Video Generators
In one sentenceCreate talking-avatar videos, digital twins and translated videos from a script.Luma's AI video and creative-agent platform for generating and editing clips from text, images or video.
Problem it solvesFilming presenters, re-shooting for edits and localising video is costly; HeyGen produces presenter videos from text.Producing short cinematic clips and iterating on them without a camera crew or a traditional editing pipeline.
Free planYesNo
Developer APIYes — docsYes — docs
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, API
Pricing (summary)Free plan offers 3 videos a month up to 1 minute. Creator is $29/month ($24 annual), Pro starts at $49/month with 1,000 credits, and Business is $149/month plus $20 per extra seat. The API is separate, pay-as-you-go from a $5 top-up.
Checked 2026-10-23
A free trial is offered; paid individual and team plans bundle monthly credits (annual billing is discounted), and the API is billed separately. Verify current plans on Luma's pricing page.
Checked 2026-10-18
Strengths
  • Strong avatar realism
  • Many languages
  • Flexible pay-as-you-go API
  • Fast concept-to-clip iteration
  • Agent-based workflow keeps project context
  • Separate developer API for programmatic use
Limitations
  • Credits-to-minutes conversion is not published
  • Free plan limited to 3 one-minute videos per month
  • Conflicting resolution info for Creator plan
  • Requires consent for likeness and voice
  • Free usage is trial credits, not an ongoing free tier
  • Credits are shared across a team workspace and are consumed quickly by video generations
  • Clip length and resolution depend on the plan and model