Getting a professional headshot used to mean booking a photographer, finding the right outfit, and blocking off half a day. AI headshot platforms have upended that process entirely. You upload a few selfies and you can have polished, business-ready portraits waiting in your inbox before your coffee gets cold.
But a lot of these tools have flooded the market, and their quality varies wildly. Some produce images indistinguishable from a studio session; others deliver results that look more like a video-game avatar than a working professional.
So we ran ten of the most talked-about platforms through the same real-world test: identical reference photos, consistent evaluation criteria, and zero favoritism. Below is what we found, starting with a snapshot comparison, then a closer look at each tool.
| Platform | Price | Headshots Delivered | Turnaround Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headshots.com | $15/image (pay only for what you keep) | 30 | ~30 seconds | Anyone who wants fast, realistic results with zero risk |
| Aragon.ai | $35–$75 | 40–100 | 15–45 min | Users who value speed plus deep customization |
| HeadshotPro | $29–$59 | 32–128 | Under 2 hours | Budget-conscious buyers okay with fewer style controls |
| InstaHeadshots | $59 | 50 | ~15 min | People who want a large batch quickly in one style |
| Canva | $9.99/week | 1 per generation | 3–4 min | Existing Canva subscribers needing a quick single shot |
| ExecHeadshots.com | $39–$99 | 20–80 | 1–2 hours | Professionals prioritizing facial accuracy over polish |
| Portrait Pal | $35–$75 | 20–100 | 1–2 hours | Users wanting varied backgrounds and outfit combos |
| Bettershot | $29–$45 | 72–160 | ~2 hours | Value seekers who want maximum volume per dollar |
| BetterPic | $39–$79 | 20–120 | 1–2 hours | Teams needing bulk headshots on a tight timeline |
| Secta Labs | $49 | ~60 (200 advertised) | 60–90 min | Those who prefer an ultra-polished, stylized aesthetic |
Headshots.com
• Price: $15 per image (no upfront payment – only pay for what you want)
• Headshots Delivered: 30
• Turnaround Time: Roughly 30 seconds
• Best For: Anyone who wants fast, realistic results with zero financial risk
Headshots.com was an early pioneer of virtual headshots, having professional editors hand-edit customer photos taken at home using a cell phone. They recently launched an AI headshot generator that combines their decades of headshot editing expertise with superior AI technology to deliver hyper realistic results.
The platform has earned the trust of professionals from over 4,100 organizations (like Toyota, JPMorgan, Voya, and T-Mobile among them) largely because it sidesteps the usual friction of coordinating group photoshoots. Upload as few as one selfie, receive your options in about half a minute, and only purchase the ones you actually like.
What sets it apart even further is its Refinement Studio, which lets you adjust everything from outfit color and accessories to posture, expression, lighting, and background after the initial generation. It is a uniquely flexible workflow that no other tool on this list matches.
Pros
- Requires only a single upload, which was the lowest barrier of any platform we evaluated
- Pay-per-image model means you never spend money on photos you will not use
- Refinement Studio provides granular post-generation control over nearly every visual element
- Consistently produced the most true-to-life resemblance across all tests
Cons
- Individual image cost can add up if you want a large batch, though the pay-for-what-you-keep model offsets this
Aragon.ai
• Price: $35–$75 for individuals; team pricing starts at $45/person with volume discounts
• Headshots Delivered: 40–100
• Turnaround Time: 15–45 minutes
• Best For: Users who value speed alongside meaningful customization controls
Aragon is one of the faster platforms in this category, typically delivering a full set within 45 minutes or less. It offers a healthy roster of style presets spanning professional, healthcare, legal, and studio looks, along with granular controls for attire, background, and physical attributes.
Output quality was generally solid, though inconsistent; some images were sharp and polished while others from the same batch showed visible artifacts, particularly around hands and fine details.
Pros
- One of the quickest generation times among paid platforms
- Broad customization menu covering outfit type, background, body type, and more
- Lenient photo-approval process (only six uploads needed to get started)
Cons
- Noticeable quality swings within a single batch
- Artifacts appear frequently in images that include hands or body below the shoulders
HeadshotPro
• Price: $29–$59 for individuals; team plans begin at $39 per person
• Headshots Delivered: 32–128
• Turnaround Time: Under 2 hours
• Best For: Budget-conscious buyers who do not need extensive style controls
HeadshotPro positions itself as an affordable option with tiered packages that scale up in volume. The tool generates a respectable number of outputs, and when the AI model performs well, the subject looks natural enough for professional use.
However, the platform enforces strict upload-approval filters. It seems they’re very particular about the quality of the photo allowed to be uploaded.
Pros
- Competitive entry price at the lower tier
- Large volume of outputs in higher packages
- Refund policy available if results are unsatisfactory
Cons
- Extremely rigid photo-approval gate can stall the process, especially for teams
- Backgrounds occasionally include unrealistic elements like studio equipment
- Facial consistency drops when the approval filter is relaxed
InstaHeadshots
• Price: $59 (single package)
• Headshots Delivered: 50
• Turnaround Time: Approximately 15 minutes
• Best For: People who want a high volume of outputs fast in a single style
InstaHeadshots keeps things straightforward: one price, one package, fifty photos. Generation is quick at around fifteen minutes, and the images generally look natural with well-preserved lighting and facial structure.
The main drawback is limited variety. You are essentially receiving many variations of the same look. Eye rendering was also a recurring weak spot across multiple outputs.
Pros
- Relatively fast delivery
- Fifty images per order gives plenty of options to sift through
- Lighting and skin tones rendered naturally in most outputs
Cons
- Only one style per batch with minimal customization levers
- Recurring eye-rendering issues in a noticeable share of outputs
- Higher single price point with no tiered or team options
Canva
• Price: $9.99 per week (requires a Canva subscription)
• Headshots Delivered: 1 per generation
• Turnaround Time: 3–4 minutes
• Best For: Existing Canva subscribers who need a quick single image without leaving their design workflow
Canva rolled out AI headshot generation as an add-on within its broader design suite. It is fast and frictionless if you already pay for the platform. You upload one photo, pick from about a dozen preset styles, and receive a result in under five minutes.
Quality is passable but unremarkable; minor visual artifacts appear on close inspection, and the tool tends to smooth over distinctive facial features rather than preserve them.
Pros
- Extremely quick turnaround for a single image
- No additional software to install if you are already a Canva user
- Low per-session cost relative to dedicated headshot platforms
Cons
- Generates only one image at a time — iterating is slow and credit-intensive
- Only twelve style presets currently available
- Subtle facial features often lost in the generation process
ExecHeadshots.com
• Price: $39–$99
• Headshots Delivered: 20–80
• Turnaround Time: 1–2 hours
• Best For: Professionals who prioritize looking like themselves over maximum visual polish
ExecHeadshots stood out for facial fidelity. The generated faces were among the most accurate we tested, capturing genuine expressions that felt natural rather than staged. It also requires only four reference photos, keeping the upload step quick.
The trade-off is that backgrounds tend to be plain and somewhat generic, and overall image resolution sits closer to average than premium. If likeness matters more to you than cinematic backdrops, this is a strong contender.
Pros
- Top-tier facial accuracy and expression realism
- Low upload requirement (just four photos needed)
- Satisfaction guarantee with free re-generation if results miss the mark
Cons
- Backgrounds lack variety and realism
- Image resolution does not match higher-priced competitors
- No refund policy, only a re-processing offer
Portrait Pal
• Price: $35–$75
• Headshots Delivered: 20–100
• Turnaround Time: 1–2 hours
• Best For: Users who want to explore a broad range of outfit and background combinations
Portrait Pal delivered more images than promised during our test (fifty instead of the twenty in the base package), and its lighting and backgrounds were among the more believable in the group. The tool does a solid job capturing small facial details.
The flip side is that those details are sometimes exaggerated in unflattering ways, and expression variety is limited. Many outputs carried an overly intense gaze rather than a relaxed, approachable look.
Pros
- Realistic lighting and backgrounds relative to competitors
- Over-delivered on volume during testing
- Captures fine facial details that other generators miss
Cons
- Tends to exaggerate certain features, creating an uncanny effect in some images
- Limited range of expressions across outputs
- Refund policy is conditional and requires contacting support
Bettershot
• Price: $29–$45 for individuals; team pricing available on request
• Headshots Delivered: 72–160
• Turnaround Time: Approximately 2 hours
• Best For: Value-oriented buyers who want the most images per dollar
Bettershot offers one of the best volume-to-price ratios on the market. Its entry-level $29 package delivers 72 images, far more than most competitors at that price point. Resolution and overall sharpness were consistently decent.
Where it falls short is likeness. While the AI preserves individual features, the composite result often does not quite read as the same person, and some features are emphasized in ways that feel slightly off.
Pros
- Highest image count per dollar among all platforms evaluated
- Consistent resolution and sharpness across outputs
- Thirty-day refund window
Cons
- Generated faces sometimes do not convincingly resemble the subject
- Background options are limited and tied to outfit selection
- Feature emphasis can veer into unflattering territory
BetterPic
• Price: $39–$79 for individuals; team plans from $49 per person
• Headshots Delivered: 20–120
• Turnaround Time: 1–2 hours
• Best For: Teams needing a bulk order with basic customization
BetterPic provides a wide range of package sizes and includes options for eye color, clothing style, and background selection. The interface is simple and the generation process is relatively hands-off once uploads are approved.
Quality, however, was disappointing. The AI struggled with body proportions, as hands and neck areas were frequent problem zones, and it consistently slimmed subjects beyond what the reference photos showed, with no way to adjust this during setup.
Pros
- Team pricing scales well for larger groups
- Straightforward setup with a clear pre-generation questionnaire
- Decent variety of customization fields at the input stage
Cons
- Poor rendering of hands, neck, and body proportions
- AI alters body shape without user consent or control
- Our 20-image package delivered only 11 usable outputs
Secta Labs
• Price: $49 for individuals; team discounts available
• Headshots Delivered: ~60 (advertised as 200+)
• Turnaround Time: 60–90 minutes
• Best For: Those who prefer an ultra-polished, stylized look over strict realism
Secta Labs produces high-resolution images with strong facial accuracy, but the outputs lean heavily toward a hyper-polished aesthetic that reads unmistakably as AI-generated. If you want that glossy, magazine-cover feel, it delivers.
The onboarding process is demanding. Fifteen reference photos are required, and the approval filter is one of the pickiest we tested. The advertised output of 200+ images also did not match reality; we received roughly sixty.
Pros
- High resolution across the full output set
- Facial features are well-maintained from upload to final image
- Polished visual style suits creative and editorial contexts
Cons
- Actual output count fell far short of the advertised 200+
- Fifteen-photo upload requirement is the highest on this list
- Hyper-stylized finish reduces believability for corporate or LinkedIn use
Frequently Asked Questions About AI Headshots
How do AI headshot generators actually produce images, and why do results vary so much between platforms?
Most platforms use one of two core approaches. Some fine-tune a generative model on your uploaded photos, essentially training a temporary version of the AI to understand your face before producing new images. Others use face-swapping or inpainting techniques, where your features are composited onto pre-rendered body and background templates. Fine-tuned models tend to deliver stronger likeness because the system learns the geometry and texture of your face in three dimensions, while swap-based tools are faster but more prone to producing images that look like someone else wearing your skin. The number and diversity of reference photos you provide also play a significant role. More angles and lighting conditions give the model better raw material to learn from.
How many reference photos do you actually need for a good result, and is there a point of diminishing returns?
It depends on the underlying technology, but our testing suggests a clear pattern. Platforms that fine-tune a model on your face generally produce better output with six to ten well-chosen photos showing different angles, expressions, and lighting conditions. Going beyond ten did not meaningfully improve likeness in most cases, and some platforms that demanded twelve or fifteen uploads did not outperform those that asked for six. What matters more than quantity is variety: a mix of front-facing, slight profile, indoor, and outdoor shots with natural lighting. Five varied images tend to outperform fifteen similar selfies taken in the same room.
Can people tell the difference between an AI headshot and one taken by a photographer?
The best generators produce images that pass casual inspection on LinkedIn, a company website, or a Zoom profile without raising eyebrows. Where they typically get caught is in fine details — overly smooth skin texture, perfectly symmetrical lighting that does not match any natural source, or a background that lacks the subtle depth-of-field imperfections a real lens produces. People in visual professions (photographers, designers, recruiters who review hundreds of headshots) tend to notice these cues more quickly. For most professional contexts, though, a top-tier AI headshot is functionally indistinguishable from a competent studio shot and noticeably better than a cropped selfie or a five-year-old photo.
Why do some AI headshot tools alter your body shape or appearance without asking?
This is a common frustration we encountered during testing. Several platforms applied slimming effects, smoothed skin to a degree that changed the subject’s apparent age, or adjusted facial proportions in ways the user never requested. This usually happens because the training data or the post-processing pipeline includes a bias toward idealized proportions, which is the same bias that powers beauty filters on social media. The better platforms either avoid this entirely or give you explicit controls to adjust body type, skin smoothness, and similar parameters during setup. If a platform does not mention these options upfront, that is usually a sign the adjustments happen automatically behind the scenes.
What should you look for in the fine print before uploading your photos?
Three things matter most. First, check whether the platform retains your uploaded images and generated outputs after you download them. Some delete your data within days, while others store it indefinitely or use it to improve their models. Second, look at the refund and satisfaction policy. Terms like “money-back guarantee” vary wildly in practice: some offer unconditional refunds within a window, others only agree to re-process your images with different settings, and some attach conditions around how many images you have already downloaded. Third, verify what happens with generated images that you do not select. On a pay-per-image platform, the photos you skip should not be stored or repurposed. Platforms with flat-fee models are less transparent on this point.
Are AI-generated headshots appropriate for industries with strict compliance or licensing requirements?
For contexts like financial advisor profiles registered with FINRA, real estate headshots submitted to licensing boards, or healthcare provider directories, the rules around image authenticity vary. Most regulatory bodies have not explicitly addressed AI-generated headshots yet, which means they generally fall into a gray area. The safest approach is to use AI headshots for informal or marketing contexts like LinkedIn, your personal website, and internal company directories. Keep a traditional photo on file for any context where a regulatory body could challenge the image’s authenticity. As these tools become more common, industry-specific guidelines are likely to emerge, but at the time of writing, few formal policies exist.
Do AI headshots hold up at high resolution for printed materials like conference badges or brochures?
It depends on the platform. Some generators export images that look sharp on a screen but break down at print resolution (typically 300 DPI). During our evaluation, about half of the tools produced images that would print cleanly at standard headshot sizes (roughly 2×3 inches), while the others delivered files that appeared large in pixel dimensions but lacked the underlying detail to survive close-up print inspection — a common trick where file size does not reflect actual image quality. If print use is part of your plan, test a sample output at 100% crop before committing to a full order, and look specifically at hair edges, skin texture, and collar or lapel detail, which are the areas where low effective resolution shows first.