Hedra AI
AI-powered video generator that transforms static images into expressive, talking characters. Create lip-synced avatar videos with the groundbreaking Character-3 omnimodal model—no video editing skills required.
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Industry-Leading Lip-Sync
for Character-Driven Content
After extensive testing, Hedra AI delivers exceptional lip-sync accuracy that consistently beats competitors in head-to-head comparisons. Its Character-3 omnimodal model—the first of its kind in production—processes image, text, and audio simultaneously, creating remarkably natural talking avatars. With 3 million+ users and $44M in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Hedra has proven strong product-market fit for character-focused video content.
✓ What We Love
- Industry-leading lip-sync (9/10 accuracy)
- Real-time avatars at $0.05/min—15x cheaper
- Voice cloning from just 3 recorded lines
- 140+ languages with native lip-sync
! Could Be Better
- Max 720p resolution (no 4K option)
- Full-body animation less refined
- Free tier often disabled at peak times
What Is Hedra AI?
A comprehensive overview of the platform and who it's built for.
Hedra AI is a specialized video generation platform that transforms static images into expressive, talking character videos through its groundbreaking Character-3 omnimodal model. Founded by Stanford PhD dropout Michael Lingelbach and backed by $44 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Hedra has carved out a distinct niche in the AI video space by focusing exclusively on character-driven content rather than general-purpose video generation.
What sets Hedra apart from competitors is its omnimodal architecture. Unlike traditional multimodal systems that process inputs sequentially, Character-3 simultaneously processes image, text, and audio in a single pass—enabling better context understanding and creating videos with unprecedented coherence. This technological advantage translates directly into superior lip-sync accuracy, consistently rated 9/10 in independent testing and beating competitors including Runway and Kling in direct comparisons.
The platform has demonstrated remarkable market traction: over 3 million users have generated more than 10 million videos, and Hedra achieved $10 million in annual recurring revenue within just 4-6 months of launch. This commercial success validates genuine demand beyond vanity metrics—creators, marketers, and educators are finding real value in Hedra's character animation capabilities.
Hedra's technical infrastructure runs on Together AI's H100/H200 GPU clusters, achieving 60% cost reduction and 3x faster inference speeds while handling 300x growth in compute demand. This efficiency enables competitive pricing: real-time streaming avatars at $0.05 per minute—15x cheaper than competing solutions—position Hedra as critical infrastructure for the emerging AI agent ecosystem.
Who Is Hedra AI Best For?
Hedra excels for social media creators producing TikTok/Instagram character videos, marketers creating spokesperson content at scale, educators developing animated instructional material, and developers building conversational AI interfaces. The platform is ideal when you need expressive talking avatars with natural lip-sync—but not suited for full-body choreography, 4K production, or general scene generation beyond characters.
The platform generates Hedra video content across multiple input types: text-to-video with customizable scripts, image-to-video from uploaded portraits or AI-generated characters, and audio-to-video using custom recordings or voice cloning. With support for 140+ languages and authentic voice adaptation (not just translation), Hedra avatar creation serves global content needs from a single interface. Whether you're building a Hedra character for your YouTube channel or creating multilingual marketing campaigns, the platform streamlines the entire workflow.
See Hedra AI in Action
Real screenshots from the platform showing key features and the video creation workflow.
Dashboard & Creation Hub
Your central interface for all video creation modes
The Hedra dashboard presents a sleek, dark interface with the prompt "What should we make today?" at center. The creation toolbar offers Talking video, Motion control, Video, Image, Audio, Edit video, and Templates options. Below, the Explore section showcases trending templates like "Wizard School" and "Inferno Flash" with categories including Preset, Transition, Popular, Stylized, Swap, Glow Up, Meme, Sports, Fantasy, Retro, Music Video, and Marketing—demonstrating the platform's creative range.
Video Generation Models
Access multiple cutting-edge AI models from one interface
The Video creation panel reveals Hedra's multi-model approach. Available models include Grok Video (xAI's text-to-video), Kling 2.6 Motion Control Pro (movement transfer), Veo 3.1 Fast (quick turnarounds at ~20 credits/second), and Hedra Character 3 (the flagship model for full-body and facial animation with synced lip-movement). The right panel displays creative templates like Flame Wipe, Thunder God, Void Bloom, and Monitor Dive—each offering distinct visual styles for character videos.
AI Image Generation
Generate character images with best-in-class AI models
Hedra Studio integrates multiple industry-leading image generation models, eliminating the need for external tools. The interface shows Manual and Agent modes with options including Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 native with advanced multimodal understanding), Flux.2 [max] (state-of-the-art realism and precision), and Seedream 4.5 (enhanced detail with multi-reference image support). Users can generate character portraits directly within Hedra, then animate them in a seamless workflow.
Product Ad Templates
Professional templates for marketing and e-commerce
The Templates section showcases Hedra's marketing capabilities beyond character videos. The Product Ad workflow transforms product images into clean, professional advertisements. Additional templates include "Different Angle" (multiple perspectives), "Add Product Into a Scene" (contextual placement), and "Product Photo" (studio-quality shots). The interface supports both 9:16 (vertical/mobile) and 16:9 (landscape) aspect ratios with a simple "Generate" button workflow.
Video Composition Editor
Timeline-based editing for complete video projects
The New Composition interface reveals Hedra's video editing capabilities. The "Add media" dropdown offers Upload, Generate video, Add video, Add audio, Generate sound effect, and Record audio options. The timeline at bottom provides visual editing with 5-second and 10-second markers, plus dedicated audio layer controls. The Export video button (top right) supports 16:9 aspect ratio output. This composition view enables combining multiple generated clips into cohesive final videos.
Ready to create your own talking character videos?
Try Hedra AI →Free tier available • No credit card required to startHow Hedra AI Works
From static image to talking avatar in four simple steps.
Choose or Create Your Character
Start by uploading your own image (.jpeg, .png, or .webp) or generate one using Hedra's built-in AI models. The platform integrates Flux Dev/Pro/Ultra for photorealism, Recraft v3 for brand-focused design, Ideogram v2 for typography, and Imagen4 for Google's latest quality. Use front-facing or 3/4 angle portraits for optimal lip-sync results—profile shots produce less accurate synchronization.
Add Your Audio Source
Select how your character will speak. Options include premium text-to-speech voices from ElevenLabs and Cartesia (15 credits per 1,000 characters), voice cloning using just three recorded lines of text (Creator plan and above), direct audio file upload for music or pre-recorded dialogue, or live recording within the interface. The AI analyzes phonemes to match each sound with precise mouth movements.
Omnimodal Processing with Character-3
Hedra's proprietary Character-3 model processes everything simultaneously—not sequentially like traditional multimodal systems. The AI maps facial landmarks, synchronizes lip movements to audio, applies emotion modeling based on tone and mood, and generates natural head movements, blinking patterns, and micro-expressions. This unified architecture creates videos with unprecedented coherence and natural expression.
Generate, Refine & Export
Click Generate and receive your video in seconds to a few minutes—Hedra ranks among the fastest character video generators available. Choose 540p (3 credits/second) or 720p HD (6 credits/second) resolution. Preview results, generate variations with slight prompt changes if needed, then download to your device or share directly. Most 10-30 second videos complete in under a minute.
Real-Time Streaming Capability
For conversational AI applications, Hedra's Live Avatars feature (launched July 2025) delivers sub-100ms response times at $0.05/minute via LiveKit infrastructure. Integrate with any LLM (OpenAI, Gemini, Claude) through the LiveKit Agents framework to create visual presence for chatbots, virtual assistants, and customer service applications.
Hedra Elements: Modular Content System
Announced January 2026, Hedra Elements addresses the "blank slate problem" with pre-built components for characters, outfits, environments, and styles. Reusable asset libraries maintain brand consistency across multiple videos without complex prompting. Particularly valuable for marketers managing visual identity across campaigns.
Key Features
Everything you need for professional character video creation.
Character-3 Omnimodal Model
The first omnimodal AI model in production. Processes image, text, and audio simultaneously (not sequentially) for better context understanding and synchronized output. Delivers industry-leading lip-sync accuracy rated 9/10 in independent testing.
Real-Time Live Avatars
Stream talking avatars at $0.05/minute—15x cheaper than competitors. Sub-100ms latency via LiveKit infrastructure. Works with any LLM (OpenAI, Gemini, Claude) for conversational AI agents, customer service bots, and virtual assistants.
Voice Cloning
Create personalized voice profiles from just three lines of recorded text (~30 seconds). High accuracy in replicating tone, accent, and speech patterns. Use your cloned voice for unlimited videos within credit allowance. Available on Creator ($24/mo) and above.
Multi-Model Image Generation
Built-in access to Flux Dev/Pro/Ultra, Recraft v3, Ideogram v2, Imagen4, and Sana image generators. Create character portraits without external tools. Costs 4-8 credits per megapixel depending on model selection.
140+ Languages
Full multilingual support with accurate lip-sync across major languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, and Arabic. Authentic voice adaptation—not just translation—for global content creation.
Premium Voice Library
Integration with ElevenLabs and Cartesia for natural-sounding text-to-speech. Multiple voice options with emotional range and tonal variation. 15 credits per 1,000 characters. Perfect for when you need professional voiceovers without recording.
Hedra Elements
Modular content system (January 2026) with pre-built characters, outfits, environments, and styles. Reusable asset libraries ensure brand consistency across videos. Visual building blocks eliminate complex prompting requirements.
Developer API & Integrations
Node.js library, REST API, LiveKit plugin for real-time avatars, and Make.com integration for workflow automation. Full documentation enables product development and professional integrations beyond the web interface.
Hedra also offers multiple video generation models beyond Character-3: Grok Video (xAI's text-to-video), Kling 2.6 Motion Control Pro (movement transfer from reference videos), and Veo 3.1 Fast (quick turnarounds for creative exploration). The January 2026 Kling O1 integration added unified video editing capabilities, making Hedra increasingly comprehensive for character-focused production.
Experience all these features with your free credits:
Try Hedra AI →300 free credits • No credit card to startPricing Plans
Credit-based pricing with options for creators at every level.
Free
Lite
Creator
Professional
Note: Credits consumed during failed generations are typically not refunded • All sales final per Terms of Service
Real-Time Avatar Pricing (Separate)
Hedra's Live Avatar streaming is priced separately from credit-based video generation. At $0.05/minute, it's dramatically more affordable than HeyGen or D-ID for conversational AI applications—making previously cost-prohibitive use cases economically viable.
Compared to Hedra alternatives: HeyGen starts at $29/month (annual) with credit limits; Synthesia at $29/month for 10 minutes; D-ID offers the lowest entry at $4.70/month. Hedra's Creator plan at $24/month provides competitive value for character-focused content, particularly with voice cloning and credit rollover features not offered by all competitors.
Detailed Pros & Cons
An honest, balanced assessment based on extensive testing and user feedback.
✓ Pros
Independent testing consistently rates Hedra's lip-sync accuracy at 9/10 for close-up shots. The technology beat competitors including Runway and Kling in direct comparisons, with remarkably natural eye movements, blinking patterns, and emotional expressiveness that bring characters to life.
Live Avatars at $0.05/minute represents a genuine technological breakthrough—15x cheaper than competing solutions. Sub-100ms latency positions Hedra as critical infrastructure for the conversational AI ecosystem, making visual presence economically viable for chatbots and virtual assistants.
No technical expertise, video editing skills, or prompting knowledge required. Users generate professional-quality character videos within minutes of signing up. The clean interface guides you from image to finished video with minimal friction.
Most videos generate in seconds to a few minutes—among the fastest character video generators available. A 30-second video typically completes in under a minute, dramatically faster than traditional video production workflows.
Create personalized voice profiles from approximately 30 seconds of recorded speech. The cloned voice maintains high accuracy for tone, accent, and speech patterns—enabling consistent character voices across unlimited videos.
Access to Flux, Recraft, Ideogram, Imagen4, Grok Video, Kling 2.6, and Veo 3.1 within a single platform. No need for external tools to create character images or explore different video styles—everything flows through one interface.
✗ Cons
Maximum output is 720p HD—there's currently no option for 1080p or 4K. Users requiring higher resolution must employ third-party upscaling tools after export. For reference, HeyGen offers 4K on Business plans and Runway supports up to 4K on Pro.
While facial animation excels, full-body character movements can appear less natural compared to the close-up lip-sync quality. Some users note occasional visible transitions between head and body animation in certain scenarios.
The free plan's 300 credits (approximately 50 seconds @ 720p) is limited, and more significantly, free tier access is often disabled during high-demand periods. This makes it difficult to properly evaluate the platform without committing to a paid plan.
The automated content filter can be conservative, occasionally flagging legitimate creative content without clear explanation. Some users report spending credits on attempts that fail moderation checks. The system is designed to prevent misuse but may require patience.
Credits are typically consumed during generation attempts regardless of whether you're satisfied with the output. Plan for experimentation in your credit budget, particularly when learning the platform or testing new styles.
Unlike general-purpose video AI platforms (Sora, Runway), Hedra cannot create environmental scenes, camera movements, or narrative sequences—only character performances. If you need broader video capabilities, consider pairing Hedra with complementary tools.
Hedra AI vs Alternatives
A comprehensive comparison to help you choose the right AI video generator.
| Feature | Hedra AI | HeyGen | Synthesia | Kling AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/mo | $24/mo (annual) | $29/mo | Free tier |
| Max Resolution | 720p | 4K (Business) | 1080p | 1080p |
| Lip-Sync Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Real-Time Avatars | $0.05/min | Higher pricing | Not available | Not available |
| Voice Cloning | ✓ Creator+ | ✓ Pro+ | ✓ Enterprise | Limited |
| Languages | 140+ | 175+ | 140+ | 40+ |
| Best For | Character content | Marketing/Enterprise | Training videos | Cinematic quality |
Which Tool Is Right For You?
Hedra AI
Best Lip-SyncBest for: Social media creators producing TikTok/Instagram character videos, marketers creating talking spokesperson content, educators developing animated instructional material, and developers building conversational AI with visual presence. Ideal when lip-sync quality and generation speed matter more than 4K resolution.
HeyGen
Enterprise ChoiceBest for: Professional marketing teams needing 4K output, 175+ language translation, 500+ avatar library, and enterprise compliance features. Choose HeyGen if video translation across markets is essential or you require SOC 2 Type 2 certification. Pricing starts at $24/month (annual) or $29/month.
Synthesia
Training LeaderBest for: Corporate training, L&D teams, and enterprises requiring compliance (SSO, SCIM, SAML). Fortune 500 trusted with unlimited minutes on Enterprise plans. Best-in-class collaboration tools and brand management. Premium positioning at $29+/month reflects enterprise-grade features.
Kling AI
Cinematic QualityBest for: Creators prioritizing cinematic video quality, motion control, and artistic expression over avatar-specific features. Strong free tier for testing. Motion Control Pro enables reference video movement transfer. Best when visual artistry matters as much as character animation.
Fliki
Text-to-VideoBest for: Content creators who want to turn blog posts, scripts, and ideas into videos quickly. Strong text-to-video with stock media integration. Good for explainer videos, social content, and marketing clips where full avatar control is less critical than quick production.
Invideo AI
All-in-OneBest for: Creators wanting comprehensive video editing alongside AI generation. Combines traditional editing tools with AI assistance. Good for YouTube content, marketing videos, and projects requiring more editing control than pure avatar generators provide.
Veed.io
Free PlanBest for: Beginners and casual creators who need accessible video editing with AI features. Browser-based editor with auto-subtitles, screen recording, and collaborative tools. More editing-focused than pure avatar generation. Generous free tier for testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Try Hedra AI?
Hedra AI has established itself as the industry leader for lip-sync quality in character-driven video generation. The Character-3 omnimodal model—processing image, text, and audio simultaneously—delivers facial animation that consistently outperforms competitors in independent testing. With 3 million+ users, 10 million+ videos generated, and $44M in backing from Andreessen Horowitz, Hedra has proven genuine product-market fit.
The real-time avatar capability at $0.05/minute represents a breakthrough—15x cheaper than alternatives—making conversational AI with visual presence economically viable for the first time. For social media creators, marketers creating spokesperson content, and developers building AI agents, Hedra delivers exceptional value in 2026.
Limitations are real: 720p maximum resolution, full-body animation less refined than facial work, and free tier reliability challenges. But for the specific use case of expressive talking avatars, nothing else matches Hedra's combination of quality, speed, and pricing.
Our Recommendation
Start with the free tier when available to test lip-sync quality with your images. If results impress (they likely will for front-facing portraits), the Creator plan ($24/month) unlocks voice cloning and watermark-free output—the sweet spot for most creators. For high-volume production or priority processing, Professional ($60/month) provides excellent value. Low barrier to entry, potentially transformative for character-based content.
Ready to Create Expressive Talking Avatars?
Join 3 million+ creators generating character videos with industry-leading lip-sync on Hedra AI