AI headshot generators that are really free October 2026
Free downloads, quality, refunds and how long they keep your selfies, read on the pages of 17 AI headshot generators. Some give a real headshot free. Others charge before you see one.
Checked by hand on 16 October 2026, on each company’s own pages.All 67 quotes re-checked 22h ago and still there.
The short answer
If you read nothing else, read this.
- A real free headshot: HeadshotPro gives 1 HD headshot from one selfie, with no account. Aragon gives 1 free generation, at lower resolution than its paid packs, and Canva's ProfilePhoto app 2 free credits, then more after 24 hours. BetterPic gives 10 in 4K, after a 60 to 90 day wait.
- Free, but small: LightX gives up to 2 headshots at 512 px, and Picsart gives free users standard web resolution. Gemini downloads at 1K with a visible watermark, and Google does not let users under 18 edit images.
- No sign-up: HeadshotPro says you need no account. So do PFPMaker and ProfilePicture.AI, but they clean up the photo you have instead of making an AI headshot. BetterPic asks you to sign in with Google or an email code.
- Pay before you see: Secta, ProPhotos and Try it on AI show no free version, and Fotor's help center says you pay first (in 2024 articles). Dreamwave shows its price only after you upload. YouCam gives 5 free credits, and one set of 20 headshots costs 30.
- Pay once or every month: HeadshotPro ($29), Fotor ($26.99), BetterPic ($35) and Secta ($49) say you pay once. Picsart, LightX, Photoroom, YouCam and Gemini sell subscriptions, and LightX's $4.99 a month is billed yearly.
- Refunds: HeadshotPro and Aragon refund within 14 days, but only if you have not downloaded a photo. Secta has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Dreamwave and Try it on AI give no refunds, and Fotor normally gives none.
- How long they keep your selfies: HeadshotPro deletes free uploads within 24 hours, and Fotor 24 hours after making your headshots. Aragon deletes or anonymizes face data within 30 days of delivery. BetterPic keeps selfies up to 1 year, unless you delete them.
I read the pages of 17 headshot makers. Check the price before you upload a selfie.
Quick picks
Free HD headshot, no sign-up
HeadshotPro
1 HD headshot
1024 x 1024, made from one selfie. No account, no email, no card. The other styles stay small previews.
Free with a Canva account
Canva
2 free credits
In the ProfilePhoto app, made by another company. More free credits after 24 hours. High-res JPG or PNG.
Free with an Aragon account
Aragon AI
1 free generation
Lower resolution than paid, from a few selfies. No card. Limited per day, and may have a waitlist when busy.
Most free headshots
BetterPic
10 in 4K
No card, but you sign in to get them. Free jobs wait 60 to 90 days, and free photos may be used for marketing.
Compare them all
All 17, side by side. Tap a name for the sentences behind it.
A real free headshot
- HeadshotPro1 HD headshotQuality HD, 1024 x 1024 · Sign-up Not needed · Paid $29 once, 30 headshots · Photos kept Free: 24 hours; paid: 30 daysTry free
- Aragon AIYes, 1 generationQuality Lower than paid · Sign-up Free account, no card · Paid $35 for 40 headshots · Photos kept 30 days after deliveryTry free
Canva (ProfilePhoto app)2 credits, more after 24 hoursQuality High-res JPG or PNG · Sign-up Canva account · Paid In the app, price not shown · Photos kept No time limit givenTry free
- BetterPic10 in 4K, after 60 to 90 daysQuality 4K · Sign-up Google or email code · Paid $35 once, 20 headshots · Photos kept Selfies up to 1 yearTry free
Free, but small
LightXUp to 2 headshotsQuality 512 px · Paid $4.99 a month, billed yearlyTry free
Google GeminiYes, within a daily limitQuality 1K (2K if you pay) · Sign-up Google account · Paid $4.99 a monthTry free
PicsartYes, how many not statedQuality Standard web resolution · Paid $10.50 a month, billed yearlyTry free
Free tools for the photo you have
PFPMakerYour photo, 30 backgroundsSign-up Not needed · Paid AI headshots from $9 · Photos kept 24 hours; longer with an accountTry free
ProfilePicture.AIYour photo, PNG or JPEGQuality HD, 1024 x 1024 · Sign-up Not needed · Paid Not needed · Photos kept Cut out in your browserTry free
PhotoroomYour own photo, editedQuality Up to 2000 px · Sign-up Needed · Paid $7.50 a month, billed yearlyTry free
Free, but hard to get
Pay before you see
Secta LabsNo, pay firstQuality HD · Paid $49 once, 200+ photos · Photos kept Deleted once processedSee plans
FotorNo, pay first, its help saysPaid $26.99 once, 20 headshots · Photos kept 24 hours after generatingSee plans
ProPhotosNo free version shownPaid $39 for 40 headshots · Photos kept AI model, 30 daysSee plans
Try it on AINo free version shownSign-up Needed · Paid From $17, no subscription · Photos kept Headshots 90 daysSee plans
– means their own pages do not say.
A real free headshot
AI makes new headshots from your selfies, and you can download one free. Read on each company's own pages on 5 October 2026.
HeadshotPro
- Free download
- 1 HD headshot
- Quality
- HD, 1024 x 1024
- Sign-up
- Not needed
- Paid
- $29 once, 30 headshots
- Photos kept
- Free: 24 hours; paid: 30 days
- You upload
- 1 selfie
- Refund
- 14 days, if nothing downloaded
Upload one selfie and it makes headshots in several styles. You keep one in HD, free; the others stay small previews until you pay. The page does not say "no watermark" in words, but says other free tools give "one watermarked photo" while it gives "a real HD headshot". Basic is paid once, with no subscription. The price page says $29, but the free tool calls $29 a first-view offer and $39 the usual price, so check at checkout. Download links for paid photos last 7 days.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“One HD headshot (1024×1024) you can download, save, and use anywhere”
“No. There's no account, no email collection, no sign-up wall.”
“Every photo you upload is deleted from our servers within 24 hours.”
“Basic ($29) gets you 30 headshots in about 2 hours with 6 photo credits for edits.”
Aragon AI
- Free download
- Yes, 1 generation
- Quality
- Lower than paid
- Sign-up
- Free account, no card
- Paid
- $35 for 40 headshots
- Photos kept
- 30 days after delivery
- Limit
- Daily, may have a waitlist
- You upload
- A few selfies
- Refund
- 14 days, if nothing downloaded
Aragon says free headshots are fine for LinkedIn and resumes, but the free version does not have "the same studio-quality photorealism" as paid packs, which also give higher resolution and more outfits and backgrounds. No page says if free headshots have a watermark. Basic is $35 for 40 headshots at 896 x 1088 px, marked 20% off for a limited time. You can ask for a refund within 14 days, but downloading counts as using your photos. If you pay for a subscription, your face data may be kept until it ends.
In their own words(5, checked 5 Oct)
“Yes. Free credits come with every Aragon account. Free generations are limited per day and may go on a waitlist during high demand.”
“Generate FREE* professional headshots for LinkedIn, resumes, and team profiles in about 30 minutes.”
“The paid version delivers higher resolution, more outfits and backgrounds (20+ vs limited free options), up to 100 photos per generation, and priority processing.”
“Using Your Photos: To prevent abuse, downloading your photos is considered as using your product.”
“Face Data Retention. We will permanently delete or anonymize your face data within thirty (30) days after the earliest of: (a) delivery of the AI content you requested, except where you are an active subscription user, in which case face data may be retained until termination, cancellation, or non-renewal of your subscription;”
- Free download
- 2 credits, more after 24 hours
- Quality
- High-res JPG or PNG
- Sign-up
- Canva account
- Paid
- In the app, price not shown
- Photos kept
- No time limit given
- Made by
- Imagineers Studio, not Canva
- You upload
- 1 selfie
Canva's AI headshot generator is an app inside Canva called ProfilePhoto, made by another company, Imagineers Studio Inc. After the 2 free credits you wait 24 hours for more. Extra credits and ProfilePhoto Pro are sold inside the app, and no public page shows the price. Canva Pro (US$144 a year) is a separate plan, and no page says it adds headshot credits. No page says if free headshots have a watermark, or if you may use them for business.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“The AI headshot generator offers two free credits to create professional AI headshots. Once you’ve used both credits, you’ll need to wait 24 hours before you can generate more headshots for free.”
“Download your AI professional headshot to your device as a high-resolution JPG or PNG file.”
“We do not offer refunds for any unused portion of the subscription, and subscriptions billed over 14 days ago are not eligible for refunds. Additionally, no refunds will be issued for annual subscriptions.”
“We will delete your personal information upon your request or when it is no longer needed.”
BetterPic
- Free download
- 10 in 4K, after 60 to 90 days
- Quality
- 4K
- Sign-up
- Google or email code
- Paid
- $35 once, 20 headshots
- Photos kept
- Selfies up to 1 year
- Wait
- 60 to 90 days in a queue
- Free photos
- May be used for marketing
- You upload
- 8 to 12 selfies
The catch is time: free jobs wait 60 to 90 days in a shared queue, so this will not help if you need a photo this week. Its comparison table says of the free tier: "Photos may be used for marketing and AI training", and that the free model "May subtly alter features". Its page title says no sign-up, but the page says you sign in with Google or an email code to receive the photos. Headshots are kept up to 3 years, unless you delete them, which you can do at once. Refunds: in full within 7 days if its AI has not been trained yet, minus 10% if it has, none after a download.
In their own words(4, checked 16 Oct)
“Ten professional headshots in 4K resolution, at no cost and with no credit card.”
“Free generations wait 60 to 90 days in a shared queue; a paid pack comes back in under an hour.”
“You sign in with Google or an email code to receive them”
“8.2.1 Input Photos: Input photos uploaded to our Service are stored for up to 1 year to enable re-renders and provide customer support.”
Free, but small
Free AI headshots, but few, small or with a watermark.
- Free download
- Up to 2 headshots
- Quality
- 512 px
- Paid
- $4.99 a month, billed yearly
- Watermark
- Not stated for free
- You upload
- 1 photo
The free Starter plan gives 6 AI credits a day. Its plan table allows "Up to 2 Headshot" on free, without saying per day or in total, and exports at 512 px. The table lists "No Watermark" only under Pro. Pro gives up to 500 headshots at 4096 px, with a 7-day free trial. Prices change with where you are.
In their own words(3, checked 16 Oct)
“6 daily free AI credits”
“AI Headshot Up to 2 Headshot 500 Headshots”
“Export Resolution 512px 4096px”
- Free download
- Yes, within a daily limit
- Quality
- 1K (2K if you pay)
- Sign-up
- Google account
- Paid
- $4.99 a month
- Watermark
- Visible, plus SynthID
- Age
- 18 or older to edit photos
A general image editor, not a headshot service: you upload your photo and describe the headshot you want. Google's blog says people use it for "editing better headshots for professional profiles". But Google's help page says "Editing images isn't available to users under 18", and turning a selfie into a headshot is editing. The daily limit is not given as a number. Google AI Plus doubles the limits and downloads at 2K (US price shown). Google says college students can get a free Pro plan for a year.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“$0/ month with a Google Account”
“Download images at at 2K resolution with a Google AI plan or at 1K without an AI plan.”
“Gemini uses an invisible SynthID watermark, as well as a visible watermark to show they are AI-generated.”
“$4.99/ month Get 2x higher usage access than Free”
Picsart
- Free download
- Yes, how many not stated
- Quality
- Standard web resolution
- Paid
- $10.50 a month, billed yearly
- You upload
- 1 selfie or portrait
Picsart no longer has its own AI headshot page; its tutorial makes headshots with its AI Avatar tool. Free users get standard web resolution, which Picsart says suits LinkedIn. High resolution (300 DPI) is for "Picsart Plus", but its pricing page now sells Pro and Ultra. No page says how many free headshots you get, if they have a watermark, or how long photos are kept. Prices change by country.
In their own words(3, checked 5 Oct)
“Free users get headshots at standard web resolution (suitable for LinkedIn and digital use). Picsart Plus subscribers can export at high resolution (300 DPI)”
“Pro at $15 monthly or $10.50/month annually”
“Refunds for mobile app subscriptions are subject to Apple or Google Play Store policies, while website purchases can be requested via this link.”
Free tools for the photo you have
These free tools do not make an AI headshot. They clean up a real photo of you: a new background, a crop, a frame.
PFPMaker
- Free download
- Your photo, 30 backgrounds
- Sign-up
- Not needed
- Paid
- AI headshots from $9
- Photos kept
- 24 hours; longer with an account
- Watermark
- None
- You upload
- 1 selfie
Two products. The free tool does not make an AI face: it cleans up your selfie, removes the background and puts you on 30 backgrounds, from solid colors to office backdrops. Its AI Headshot Generator, which makes new studio-style photos, is paid with credits: from $9, paid once, about $9 per 100 headshots, it says. Its FAQ says uploads are deleted every 24 hours, but its privacy policy says photos of registered users stay until you delete your account. Paid credits get a full refund within 14 days if you have used none.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Yes. You can upload a selfie, clean it up, restyle the background, and download your headshot without paying anything.”
“There are no watermarks and no hidden fees on the free tool.”
“No. There's no email, no account, and no credit card required.”
“Uploaded photos are automatically deleted every 24 hours.”
ProfilePicture.AI
- Free download
- Your photo, PNG or JPEG
- Quality
- HD, 1024 x 1024
- Sign-up
- Not needed
- Paid
- Not needed
- Photos kept
- Cut out in your browser
- Watermark
- None
It used to make AI headshots. Now it is a free photo editor from the HeadshotPro family: it removes the background, crops, and adds colors or borders to the photo you already have. It also gives sizes for LinkedIn and a CV. For an AI studio headshot it sends you to HeadshotPro, which it calls a paid product, though HeadshotPro's free tool above gives one headshot free. Its terms say you keep all rights to your photos, but do not mention business use in those words.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Yes. The pfp maker is 100% free. No sign-up, no watermark, no credit card.”
“This page is a free editor for the photo you already have.”
“One tap gives you the right size for Instagram, WhatsApp, Discord, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, and CV, plus a 1024×1024 HD square.”
“The image isn't uploaded to our servers to cut the background.”
Photoroom
- Free download
- Your own photo, edited
- Quality
- Up to 2000 px
- Sign-up
- Needed
- Paid
- $7.50 a month, billed yearly
- Business use
- Not on free
A photo editor, not a headshot generator: it puts your photo into a ready-made layout and removes the background. The page also mentions Photoroom's AI Headshot Generator, to refine lighting, framing and background. The free plan cannot be used for business. No page we read says if free exports have a watermark, or how long photos are kept. Pro and Max yearly plans have a 7-day free trial.
In their own words(5, checked 5 Oct)
“Photoroom’s Profile Picture Maker uses AI to place your photo into a ready-made layout and remove the background automatically.”
“Plan Export limit (Weekly) Export limit (Monthly) Free 25 100”
“If your image is more than 2000 pixels on its largest side, it will be scaled down proportionately when you export.”
“The Free plan has limited features, lower AI credit and export limits, and no API access. It is for personal, non-commercial use only.”
“Pro and Max yearly plans include a 7-day free trial”
Free, but hard to get
Each has something free, but it may not get you a headshot. Dreamwave's free spots fill in a minute or two, YouCam gives 5 free credits when a set costs 30, and Remini does not say what is free.
Dreamwave
- Free download
- Few spots a day, gone fast
- Paid
- Shown after you upload
- Photos kept
- 30 days of no use
- Refund
- None, all sales final
- You upload
- 1 clear photo
A few free spots open each day, and they often fill within a minute or two. No page says what the free version gives, or if you can download it. The price for one person shows only in the order, after you upload; the only public prices are for teams, $49 to $59 per person. All purchases are final: it says work starts the moment you upload. Its terms mention a subscription fee, but no page says what renews. Personal data and AI models are deleted after 30 days of no use, or sooner if you email support.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Yes! Our free AI headshot generator opens up a few spots each day, but they fill fast, often within a minute or two.”
“All purchases are final sale, and you will not be able to receive a refund of your payment or subscription fee at any time.”
“We delete your personal data by default within 30 days of no use.”
“Just 1 clear photo.”
YouCam
- Free download
- 5 credits; a set costs 30
- Sign-up
- Needed
- Paid
- $9.99 a month, $39.99 a year
- Watermark
- Yes, on free saves
- Business use
- Pro plan only
- You upload
- 1 photo on the web
Signing up gives 5 free credits, and one set of 20 AI headshots costs 30 credits, so the free credits do not cover one set, by our math. Free images are saved with a watermark, and free credits are for personal use only. Plus gives 100 credits a month and no watermark; business use needs Pro. Credit packs last a year and may cost more than a plan. No page we read says how long your photos are kept.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Sign up for 5 credits”
“20 image(s) = 30 credit(s)”
“Save image with watermark”
“For example, if you subscribe to the Plus monthly plan, the system will assign 100 credits to you and charge $9.99 for the monthly plan. If you subscribe to the Plus annual plan, the system will assign 100 credits every month and charge $39.99 for the annual plan.”
Remini
- Free download
- Not stated
- Paid
- Shown only in the app
- Photos kept
- Short time, unless you agree
- Watermark
- Even paid users may see one
- Trial
- Not always offered
- You upload
- 8 to 12 photos
Remini pitches AI Photos for CV and profile pictures, but does not say if it is free, how many photos you get, or what it costs. There is no fixed price list: offers in the app can be weekly, monthly or yearly. Free trials are not always offered, and renew unless you cancel at least 24 hours before they end. Refunds go through Apple or Google. Its site footer still says 2024.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Since each user may see unique offers that can change over time, there isn’t a fixed price list to refer to.”
“If no trial is offered, it means it’s not currently available, and your subscription will be charged immediately upon activation.”
“We can't request a refund on your behalf or issue one because the App Store manages your payments directly.”
“Once you allow access, your data isn’t stored on our servers except for the short period of time that’s necessary to provide you with the app’s functionalities, or if you provided explicit consent for us to use your images and videos to improve our AI.”
Pay before you see
Their pages show no free headshot, so you pay before you see a single photo. Check the refund rules first.
Secta Labs
- Free download
- No, pay first
- Quality
- HD
- Paid
- $49 once, 200+ photos
- Photos kept
- Deleted once processed
- Refund
- 30 days, no questions asked
- You upload
- 20 or more photos
No free version: you pay through Stripe first, then upload your photos. Its help pages ask for at least 20 photos in one place and 25 in another, and say not to upload only selfies. The pricing card says 200+ HD photos; the site menu says 100+. The $49 is paid once and shown as a discount, so it may change. A paid month of its optional subscription is not refunded. Your data is deleted within 14 days of a confirmed request.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Complete the secure purchase via Stripe.”
“Upload at least 20 images of yourself.”
“No questions asked. 30-day money back guarantee.”
“Your original images, once processed, are deleted from all storage that we have access to”
- Free download
- No, pay first, its help says
- Paid
- $26.99 once, 20 headshots
- Photos kept
- 24 hours after generating
- Refund
- Normally none
- You upload
- 1 photo or selfie
The page is called "Free AI Headshot Generator", but Fotor's help center says you pay before the AI runs, with a pricing pop-up after you send your photo. Those help articles are from 2024, so check before you upload. Packages are paid once: $26.99 for 20 headshots and 1 free redo, $37.99 for 40, $50.99 for 80. Fotor normally does not refund, but you can email support about major flaws, and its headshot page says it will reset your credits if a headshot does not look like you.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“Why do I need to pay before experiencing the AI Avatar feature?”
“20 Image Package US$26.99”
“Normally, Fotor does not offer refunds for already paid fees.”
“Those photos will be automatically deleted within 24 hours after the generation process is completed.”
ProPhotos
- Free download
- No free version shown
- Paid
- $39 for 40 headshots
- Photos kept
- AI model, 30 days
- Refund
- Not stated
- You upload
- As many as you can
Its pages mention no free version, trial or preview. Starter is $39 for 40 headshots, ready in 90 minutes; Premium is $49 for 100, Professional $59 for 200. No monthly price is shown, but the page does not say "one-time" in words. We found no refund policy on its home page, terms or privacy policy. You can delete your account and data at any time. ProPhotos is a different company from ProfilePicture.AI.
In their own words(3, checked 5 Oct)
“Starter $39 40 Unique AI Headshots 8 Outfits & Backgrounds Ready in 90 minutes”
“Your AI model will be deleted automatically after 30 days.”
“Yes, you can use your photos anywhere that you want. We grant you a full commercial license for all your AI generated photos.”
Try it on AI
- Free download
- No free version shown
- Sign-up
- Needed
- Paid
- From $17, no subscription
- Photos kept
- Headshots 90 days
- Refund
- None once you pay
- You upload
- 10+ photos, or 1 selfie
Its pages mention no free version, and the price list shows only after you sign in. The home page shows a 50% off banner marked "Today Only", with a countdown, so the $17 may already be a sale price. Its comparison table lists "Refunds" as a feature, but its terms, last updated in March 2023, say no refunds once you pay. It asks for 10+ photos in one place and 1 selfie in another. You can delete your headshots before the 90 days are up.
In their own words(4, checked 5 Oct)
“No subscription required · Starting from $17 · Results in minutes”
“We do not offer refunds once you made a payment.”
“We do not store image copies if the user deletes their data. In addition, user AI Headshots (images and videos) will be stored for 90 days, after which they will be deleted unless:”
“Enter studio Sign in with email”
Questions
Is there a really free AI headshot generator?
Yes. HeadshotPro gives 1 HD headshot, 1024 x 1024, from one selfie, with no account or card. Aragon gives one free generation with a free account, at lower resolution than its paid packs. Canva's ProfilePhoto app gives 2 free credits, then more after 24 hours. BetterPic gives 10 headshots in 4K, but free jobs wait 60 to 90 days.
Which free AI headshot generator needs no sign-up?
HeadshotPro says there is no account and no email for its free headshot. PFPMaker and ProfilePicture.AI need no account either, but they edit the photo you have rather than make an AI headshot. BetterPic asks you to sign in with Google or an email code to get its free headshots, and Aragon, Canva, Gemini, YouCam, Photoroom and Try it on AI need an account.
Is there a free AI headshot generator for LinkedIn?
Aragon says its free headshots are usable for LinkedIn and resumes, and Picsart says its free standard web resolution suits LinkedIn. HeadshotPro's free HD headshot is one you can "use anywhere". ProfilePicture.AI makes a LinkedIn-size version of the photo you already have.
Is Canva's AI headshot generator free?
Partly. It is an app inside Canva called ProfilePhoto, made by Imagineers Studio, not by Canva. You get 2 free credits, then wait 24 hours for more, and you download high-res JPG or PNG files. You need a Canva account. Extra credits are sold inside the app, at prices no public page shows, and no page says Canva Pro adds credits.
Can I get a refund on AI headshots?
Often only before you download. HeadshotPro and Aragon refund within 14 days if you have not downloaded any photos. BetterPic refunds in full within 7 days only if its AI has not been trained yet, keeps 10% if it has, and gives nothing after a download. Secta has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Dreamwave says all purchases are final, Try it on AI's terms say no refunds once you pay, and Fotor normally does not refund.
How long do AI headshot generators keep my photos?
It differs a lot. HeadshotPro deletes free uploads within 24 hours, and Fotor deletes photos 24 hours after making your headshots. Aragon deletes or anonymizes face data within 30 days of delivery. BetterPic keeps selfies up to 1 year and headshots up to 3 years, unless you delete them, and says free photos may be used for marketing and AI training.
How we checked
Every fact here comes from the company’s own page, with the sentence it is in. The facts checked for this guide show the day we read them. The tables come from our catalogue, which re-reads each price page on its own. When a page does not say something, we write that, and we never guess. How we check