HeyGen LiveAvatar
Modular real-time avatar with FULL/LITE modes
TTFR Latency
~400ms
real-time
Cost / minute
$0.200/min
real-time
Visual Quality
9/10
estimated score
Protocols
WebRTC, REST, LiveKit
Avatar Customisation
RAG / Knowledge Base
Via 'Links' field in Context: provide URLs to knowledge base articles. Avatar queries them in real-time.
Behavior & Personality
System prompt via 'Context' object. Defines role, tone, response limits. Supports opening text, push-to-talk or continuous mode.
Body Language & Gestures
Not programmable via API. Fixed by training video. Natural eye contact and head nods are model-generated.
Facial Expressions
Automatic based on training. No per-expression API control.
Voice & Voice Cloning
ElevenLabs Flash v2.5 integration. Controls: speed, stability, accent. 30+ languages.
Persona Fine-Tuning
Modular: separate Avatar ID (visual), Voice ID (audio), Context ID (personality). Same persona can run on different faces.
Avatar Training
Best Practices
- 01.15s listening segment (smiles, nods)
- 02.90s natural speech on any topic
- 03.15s stillness (eyes on camera, natural breathing)
- 04.Uniform lighting, no shadows
- 05.Silent environment, stable position
- 06.Closed mouth pauses between sentences
API Analysis
Protocols
SDKs
Concurrent Sessions
Plan-dependent (Sandbox: unlimited test mode)
Rate Limits
1 min pre-reserved per session start
Key Features
- FULL mode: HeyGen manages ASR + LLM + TTS + WebRTC
- LITE mode: developer brings own AI stack, HeyGen handles video only
- Sandbox mode for unlimited testing (no credit consumption)
- Session webhooks: READY, RUNNING, COMPLETED, FAILED
API Constraints
- Old Interactive Avatar API sunset March 31 2026
- Old HeyGen API keys incompatible with LiveAvatar
- 1-minute credit escrow per session start
Pricing Model
| Plan | Price | Included minutes | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | ~5 min (10 credits) | $0.10/credit |
| Paid | ~$29/mo | ~500 min (1000 credits) | $0.10/credit |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Negotiated |
Hidden costs / watch out
- 1-min credit escrow per session
- ElevenLabs voice costs billed separately
Sovereignty & Hosting
Sovereignty Score
Hosting
AWS US-East-1
GDPR
YesOn-premise
NoSovereignty detail
AWS US-East only. No EU hosting. GDPR DPA available.
Constraints & Limits
- No body gesture API control
- Photo-only avatars no longer supported (video required)
- AWS US hosting only — no EU option
- Strict content moderation (no adult, political, hate content)
- API key system incompatible between HeyGen Studio and LiveAvatar
GamiWays Relevance
Score
8/10
Excellent for LITE mode: GamiWays keeps full control over ASR/LLM/TTS stack while HeyGen handles real-time video rendering. Industry-leading visual quality. Main limitation: US-only hosting.