Best AI Headshot Generator for Freelancers

If you want to make a positive first impression, you need to present yourself in the right manner. And what better start than a solid headshot?

Hiring a professional photographer seems like the go-to option to get a great headshot. However, professionals can cost a lot of money and may be too busy to book you right away.

AI headshot generators adhere to the old saying “time is money,” but they also help you save money, considering how cheap they are compared to professional photographers.

What’s an AI headshot generator?

Headshot generators are powered by AI to create professional-looking portraits. A user uploads photos of themselves, and the AI takes care of the background and the look of a person, generating multiple choices.

Having said that, a quick look online reveals that there are hundreds of AI portrait generators out there. Naturally, some are better than others. Yet, finding the be-all and end-all solution is not possible.

The right AI headshot generator comes down to your needs. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options.

A quick rundown

Best for professional headshots: HeadshotPro
Best for creative headshots: Dreamwave
Best for shortest wait time: Instaheadshots
Best for influencer photos: Aragon
We wouldn’t recommend: AI SuitUp

How to use AI headshot generators

Before covering AI Headshot generators, it’s worthwhile to mention a few key things that every user should know in advance to get the best possible outcome.

Many tools will ask you to upload multiple photos to get a better understanding of your facial features. Generally speaking, the more photos you provide, the more accurately an AI can recreate your appearance.

Now, as for your submissions, a photo should:

• Have you looking directly at the camera;
• Have your face clear, with no hands covering it or anything of that kind;
• Have you as the only person in the shot;

Ultimately, the better the quality photos you submit, the better your final headshot will be. If possible, try to mix casual selfies with some professional photos you have to give the generator more juice to work with.

Now let’s delve into the generators.

Best for professional headshots: HeadshotPro

HeadshotPro is the best AI headshot generator for professional business headshots.

While the company claims to provide AI headshots to major brand name companies, as a freelancer, you can benefit from this professional AI tool just as much.

$29 provides dozens of professional headshots to choose from, which should be more than enough. HeadshotPro claims every order contains at least 1 “profile-worthy headshot”.

You can choose from 100+ available backgrounds, outfits, and styles to match the consistency of the brand you are building. Also, whenever you need to update a headshot, do so free of charge.

HeadshotPro pros:

• Professional and realistic quality AI headshots
• Cost-efficient; cheaper than other top competitors
• Great for large companies; one of the only tools with enterprise team management features
• Diverse backgrounds and outfit selections
• Very easy to use

Headshot cons:

• 2-hour wait time
• A cumbersome photo validation process at times
• Only does professional headshots

Best for creative headshots: Dreamwave

Dreamwave is a solid choice for quality and versatile headshots. The tool offers a free plan, though it comes with an extremely long wait time of days to weeks.

Paid options look alright, starting at $35 for 120 headshots. You must create an account before Dreamwave reveals the pricing–didn’t love that.

Users receive images within 1 to 2 hours after submission. And once the images arrive, built-in editing tools provide opportunities to edit the photos further to your liking.

Dreamwave pros:

• Fast turnaround
• Lots of creative control
• Free plan and previews

Dreamwave cons:

• Expensive compared to competitors
• Not as many clothing/background selections

Best for shortest wait time: Instaheadshots

As expected, Instaheadshots lives up to its name of delivering the content quickly. It takes about 15 minutes, which is great if you are in a hurry.

Overall, the headshots generated by InstaHeadshots are decent, but you can still see AI aesthetics. The biggest downside, though, is the non-transparent pricing. You have to sign up first and find out that the cost is $49 for 40 headshots.

Instaheadshots pros:

• Around 40 curated styles
• Beginner-friendly
• Fast TAT

Instaheadshots cons:

• Non-transparent pricing
• Restrictive refunding policy
• Limited pose variety

Best for influencer photos: Aragon AI

If you work as a freelance influencer and photos are your bread and butter, you want enough quantity without sacrificing the quality.

The casual styles offered by Aragon are perfect for influencers who want to appear relaxed and photogenic, and potentially even use their headshots on their dating profile.

As expected, the quality comes with extra expenses, and the upload UI is a bit of a pain to deal with at times. Nevertheless, if realism is what you are looking for, this is the tool for you.

Aragon AI pros:

• Built-in AI editor
• Photos you can use on your dating profile
• Reasonably quick delivery

Aragon AI cons:

• Buggy upload interface
• Relatively expensive
• Limited fine-grained face control

We wouldn’t recommend: AI SuitUp

AI SuitUp is a tool that commonly appears in the list of recommendations. However, it’s the one generator that is not the best option.

The realism is limited, and the photos come with airbrushed or artificial elements, which dampens the quality.

Customization options are limited, and the style range is narrow, leaving few customization options. Generally, the tool has no standout features other than unique speaking/presentation poses.

Combined with mixed consistency, AI SuitUp leaves a lot to be desired.

AI SuitUp pros:

• Unique speaking/presentation poses
• Flexible pricing

AI SuitUp cons:

• Basic interface options
• Mislabeled hairstyle options
• Lacks creative/artistic styles
• Some AI-introduced artificiality

Closing thoughts

Freelancers treat their online presence as a storefront. Thus, a polished headshot can make all the difference in landing new clients and other opportunities.

There are plenty of AI headshot generators to choose from to avoid the hassle of dealing with professional photographers.

In our testing, HeadshotPro’s professional AI headshots stood out from the rest. Instaheadshots is your best bet if you are in a hurry, while Dreamwave provides creative control.

The key is to choose an AI headshot generator that matches your budget, time, and personal branding goals. And while these generators can’t replace pro photographers 1:1 (not yet, anyway), they still offer an impressive alternative.

One more thing...

You didn't start freelancing to spend hours every week searching through job boards. You started freelancing to do more work you enjoy! Here at SolidGigs, we want to help you spend less time hunting and more time doing work you love.

Our team of "Gig Hunters"—together with the power of A.I.—sends you high-quality leads every weekday on autopilot. You can learn more or sign up here. Happy Freelancing!

Jack Nolan

Jack Nolan is a seasoned small business coach passionate about helping entrepreneurs turn their visions into thriving ventures. With over a decade of experience in business strategy and personal development, Jack combines practical guidance with motivational insights to empower his clients. His approach is straightforward and results-driven, making complex challenges feel manageable and fostering growth in a way that’s sustainable. When he’s not coaching, Jack writes articles on business growth, leadership, and productivity, sharing his expertise to help small business owners achieve lasting success.