Standing out in today’s crowded hiring market is no easy feat, but having a professional headshot to use on platforms like LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to separate yourself from the competition. Not only is it a clear display of professionalism, but it also offers you a valuable way to express your personality.
Thankfully, due to leaps and bounds being made in the field of artificial intelligence, you no longer have to spend a fortune to create the perfect professional image. There is an abundance of low-cost and free headshot generators that generate AI-created images that are almost indistinguishable from the real deal.
Whether you’re looking for a wide variety of background options, or the ability to control your expression, we offer a comprehensive round-up of the best free AI headshot generators available, including platforms with free-forever plans, and apps with generous free trials that’ll get you your headshot.
Read on to discover why AI headshots might be one of the best professional shortcuts, and for our summary of the best free solutions on the market in 2024.
Why Use an AI Headshot Generator?
A professional headshot is key to making a good first impression – whether you’re a corporate worker wanting to get headhunted, or an actor looking to land a role. Unfortunately, hiring a professional can cost anywhere from $100 a person, which is a deal breaker for working professionals committed to keeping costs low. AI headshot generators are a great alternative for users who want hyper-realistic results, without the hefty price tag that comes with traditional methods. Recent research has also shown that three quarters of recruiters actually prefer AI headshots to real ones!
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The technology is far from foolproof, but advances in the field mean that lots of AI image creators create high-quality headshots, that can be customized to meet your specific needs. The applications are pretty endless too – headshots can be used to update business profiles like LinkedIn, to add to resumes, and even to give your emails a professional edge.
Not all budget-friendly AI image creators product high-quality headshots, however, with many platforms creating unrealistic results that are clearly AI-generated and fail to reflect the user’s true appearance. To help you steer clear of these apps, take a look at our top free picks below.
Want to go beyond headshots? Check out the best free AI video generators.
The Best AI Headshot Generators in 2024
- Remini – Best free AI headshot generator overall
- MyEdit – Largest choice of background options
- InstaSize – Best for customizing facial expressions
- LightX – Best for creating realistic-looking headshots
- Dreamwave AI – Best for creating team headshots
- Headshot Pro – Best for money back guarantee for paid version
1. Remini
- Best free headshot generator overall
- Seven-day free trial
Remini is an AI photo enhancer that gained notoriety after going viral on TikTok last year. The app even temporarily topped the App Store after herds of Gen Zers realized they could use the tool to create realistic-looking headshots for sites like LinkedIn.
AI headshot made with Remini. Source: Remini
Like other AI image creators on this app, Remini requires users to upload an assortment of selfies to generate images. Then, after users select the ‘Casual Headshot’ option, Remini AI analyzes unique characteristics like facial features and skin tones and produces original, professional headshots.
Users even have the option to refine the results, to ensure the final images look as realistic as possible. This helps give Remini a leg up over other free AI headshot generators on this list, as this functionality lets users amend glitches and errors caused by artificial intelligence.
Remini is available as a desktop and mobile app, opening it up to a wide variety of users. However, if you’re looking to create headshots for free on a rolling basis, the image-creator won’t be for you as it makes you sign up for a paid subscription after its seven-day free trial.
2. MyEdit
- Largest choice of background options
- Free plan available
MyEdit is another hyper-realistic photo generator that lets you create professional-looking headshots for free. The platform only requires users to upload one reference image, before producing a wide selection of AI headshots to choose from. Users can choose between eight image styles too, with options including suits, shirts, or knitwear for more of a business casual look.
Professional headshot creator MyEdit in action. Source: MyEdit
You’re also able to edit the background of the shot to your liking. Selections include brick walls, offices, and solid colors, or you can choose to remove the background altogether and create your own using a ChatGPT-style promotion.
MyEdit also has a stripped-back back interface making it easy to get started on. However, while it does offer a free plan, the tier restricts users to one download per day. So, if you want to unlock unlimited AI generation and downloads, we’d recommend upgrading to its affordable $4 per month Image Plan.
3. InstaSize
- Best for customizing facial expressions
- Three-day free trial available
Instasize is a photo-editing app that also lets you create realistic headshots – whether you need to update your model or acting portfolio, or need a new LinkedIn profile picture. It’s available as an Android and iOS app, so exclusively catered towards smartphone users, but this doesn’t mean it compromises on functionality.
InstaSize’s professional headshots. Source: InstaSize
InstaSize lets users explore a variety of styles and backgrounds, has over 130 professional-grade photo filters, and even gives them control over their facial expressions. This is a huge boon to users who want a professional headshot that doesn’t conceal their personality.
The photo editing and creation platform has a free forever plan too, but this tier only offers basic editing features. If you want to create a professional headshot for free, you’ll have to use a three-day free trial of one of its paid plans instead, which starts at $4.99 per month after the trial ends.
4. LightX
- Best for creating realistic-looking headshots
- Free plan available
LightX is another highly competitive AI photo and video generator that can be used to create professional-looking headshots. The platform lets users tailor their final images through ChatGPT-style prompts like Remini, or by selecting one of 11 different style templates.
Professional headshots created by LightX. Source: LightX
LightX is also capable of making high-quality, realistic-looking images. This gives the platform an advantage over apps that create unrealistic results that have clearly been created using AI. LightX is also very easy to use, offering a low learning curve to users who are getting started with the technology for the first time.
Despite LightX’s varied style templates, however, it offers fewer customization options than other platforms on this list. This makes the image creator less suitable for users with a very specific vision in mind. LightX’s starter plan lets you get started for free, but for those wanting to benefit from premium features like cross-platform access and unlimited background options, you can trial one of its paid plans for free for 30 days, which start from only $2.99 per month.
5. Dreamwave AI
- Best for professional team headshots
- Free plan available
Dreamwave AI is an image generator that lets users create professional headshots for individuals and teams. The platform, which was developed by AI experts from Google and MIT, uses a proprietary algorithm to create images with an impressive output resolution.
Professional headshots created by Dreamwave. Source: Dreamwave
The platform offers an impressive amount of customization options, allowing users to choose between a very wide selection of styles, outfits, and backgrounds. Its team headshot function also makes it ideal for users creating headshots for more than one person at a time. Very few free AI photo generators offer this function, giving the platform a huge competitive advantage for users who want to create professional-looking team headshots for free.
Dreamwave only requires five to eight reference images to get started, but takes around an hour to produce results, which is a much longer wait time than platforms like Remini which only take a few minutes. Dreamwave offers a free plan that produces 20 photos at no cost. However, if you want a wider selection of images to choose from, its paid packages start from $55 per month.
6. Headshot Pro
- Best for money back guarantee
- Basic free version available
If you want a professional looking AI headshot, then it might make sense to go for the company called Headshot Pro, especially when it has a long list of established clients, such as eBay, Shopify, Dell and Hubspot.
Professional headshots created by Headshot Pro. Source: Headshot Pro
Headshot Pro’s main offering is its paid-for service, but the company does offer a very basic stripped down version, completely free. You don’t need to sign up with an email or add any personal details. Just upload your reference image, and off you go.
If you want to go beyond the free version, then the paid-for product is the real deal, which is why we wanted to mention it here. Firstly, you’ll need to upload multiple images for the best results, about 16 or so, and then you can choose backgrounds, poses, clothing, and so on. It’s about as close as you’ll get to having a session with a real photographer, without having to leave your desk.
Because the process is a bit more involved than some of its competitors, you’ll need to be patient, as headshots take around one to three hours to be ready, depending on the package chosen. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s worth the small wait, as the images produced are of a high quality, with any obvious AI images weeded out.
What’s more, Headshot Pro offers a 14-day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with the images, which is more than most of its competitors offer.
Pricing starts at $29, for 40 headshots, and it also offers team packages too.
