What's the best way to get a professional AI headshot?

I’m looking for the best AI tool or service to create a professional-looking headshot for my online profiles. I’ve tried a couple of apps but the results weren’t realistic or polished enough. Does anyone have recommendations for tools that deliver high-quality, business-appropriate headshots? I need this for LinkedIn and company websites, and would really appreciate some advice.

iPhone-Friendly AI Headshot Apps

Top Pick: AI Headshot Photo Generator for iPhone

Let’s be real, most so-called AI headshot apps seem to churn out those uncanny, wax-museum faces that belong nowhere near a résumé. So, color me shocked when I ran a batch of selfies through AI Headshot Photo Generator and saw flawless, almost studio-level portraits. My expectations were low. The “AI persona” hype sounded like empty calories—turns out, it stitches together personal likenesses into not just static images, but pretty decent little profile videos, too. Full disclosure: you’ll need to pony up dollars (this thing ain’t free), but if you’re hunting for a pro vibe without the awkward photo shoot, it’s worth trying.

Download on App Store

Android Alternatives

Decent All-Arounder: Prequel AI Studio

This one isn’t groundbreaking but it’s serviceable—easy enough for anyone who just wants a better LinkedIn photo without sweating the details. Upload your pic, get a headshot, move on. Rinse, repeat.


My Battle-Tested AI Headshot Tools

BetterPic

Ever wish you could tweak every shadow and highlight? BetterPic lands close: control lighting, pose, and even get a human editor if AI slips up. If you wear glasses, though, brace yourself for some “creative” results.

:+1: Pros: Human touch-ups, loads of control
:-1: Cons: Glasses-wearers get the short straw sometimes


Portrait Pal

This one nails simplicity. The process is practically foolproof: upload some pictures, receive high-res headshots that actually look like you, not your long-lost cousin. The UI glides along, although I noticed an occasional oddity in arm length—not a dealbreaker, just a chuckle.

:+1: Pros: Lifelike results, super easy
:-1: Cons: Proportions can get wonky


AI SuitUp

If you’re on a shoestring budget but still want to look sharp, SuitUp’s a go-to. Sometimes feels like using a ‘90s webpage, but you get what you pay for, which in this case is: solid face matching, fast delivery.

:+1: Pros: Great bang for your buck, quick turnaround
:-1: Cons: Interface is bare-bones


HeadshotPro

For folks who like options. And more options. Remix tools let you adjust looks without the AI having a meltdown. Can be hit-and-miss—some photos are gold, some look like they came out of the “Before” side of a makeover show.

:+1: Pros: Tons of features, edit after the fact
:-1: Cons: Not every image will make the cut


Aragon.AI

If you want those ‘just stepped out of a daylight-studio’ vibes, Aragon brings the goods. Faster than microwaving a Hot Pocket, cranks out portraits with solid detail in hair and skin. Premium styles = premium prices, though.

:+1: Pros: Clean lighting, powerful edit tools
:-1: Cons: Some cool looks cost extra


Profile Bakery

Here’s one aiming square at job seekers: not only do you get refined headshots, but you walk away with resume templates and LinkedIn guides. If you’re looking for goofy or playful, this ain’t your bakery.

:+1: Pros: Career-focused add-ons, helpful extras
:-1: Cons: Not for fun/creative types


Multiverse AI

Prompts are king here. Type what you want, tweak your image—but be ready to manually crop your photos, or the AI comes back with avant-garde results.

:+1: Pros: Custom edits, quick output
:-1: Cons: Manual prep is annoying


Try It On

From Hollywood glam to neon rave-ready, Try It On loves variety. Express lane delivers polished pics in maybe 15 minutes, and you can get a real human to tweak stuff. Some styles feel a bit “Instagram filter in 2015.”

:+1: Pros: Speedy, hands-on options
:-1: Cons: Some looks are gimmicky


HeadshotKiwi

Volume deal: 250 headshots for a fixed fee (way cheaper than dragging yourself to a real studio). Slick modern styles, with the caveat that there are a few bugs. It’s a young tool—expect the occasional hiccup.

:+1: Pros: Insane value, fresh styles
:-1: Cons: Some growing pains


Fotor

Want a freebie to mess around with? Fotor’s AI headshot tool won’t cost you a dime and is fine for testing the waters, but don’t expect to fool an HR rep.

:+1: Pros: Free, effortless start
:-1: Cons: Not suitable for business


AI Headshot Generator

Calling all anime fans: if you want headshots that look more comic-con than corporate, this site delivers. Fun for avatars and creative projects, not for serious job hunting.

:+1: Pros: Artsy, creative results
:-1: Cons: Not for professional profiles


ForgeHeadshots

Ever wanted a beachy, golden-hour LinkedIn shot? Forge delivers DSLR-style photos in a flash—though you can’t micromanage the outcome. You get what you get.

:+1: Pros: Looks pro, fast as heck
:-1: Cons: Fewer customization knobs


SellerPic

The main sell here is generating headshots from text prompts (e.g. “smiling in a navy suit”), plus you can try on different virtual outfits. Just remember, usage is capped monthly so don’t binge-edit.

:+1: Pros: Prompt-editable, virtual try-ons
:-1: Cons: Monthly credits run out quick


Rapid-Fire AI Headshot Generators

ChatGPT (Vision)

Upside: The speed. Seriously, just drop in a request and grab your AI-generated mugshot in seconds right inside ChatGPT.
Downside: Don’t expect facial resemblance if you’re picky—accuracy is all over the map.


Gemini AI (Google)

Upside: Blazingly quick to process a request.
Downside: Faces tend to look like someone’s memory sketch, not a true likeness.


2 Likes

Alright, hands up if you’ve dumped 20+ selfies into an “AI headshot” app only to get back a bunch of portraits that look like a Sims 2 character after a rough night. I feel you. Saw @mikeappsreviewer’s breakdown—lots of options, but most of those start feeling like spinning a wheel: will you get Corporate Kristaps Porziņģis, or just… someone who sorta shares your haircut?

Here’s my not-so-hot take: The “best” really depends on what passes for ‘professional’ in your industry and how picky you are about fidelity. If you want pixel-perfect realism (not “I guess that’s my nose?” realism), AI still chokes. Even the ARAGON/HeadshotPro types—yes, they crank out solid photos, but if you wear glasses or curly hair? Forget it. You’ll either go faceless, or get some vaporwave version of yourself. If you’re non-white, you often have to wade through questionable AI tanning as well, let’s be real.

Also, to offer a different approach than @mikeappsreviewer, the in-app stuff (like Prequel, Fotor, iPhone “personality” filters) might polish your wanna-be LinkedIn pic but rarely replaces a human touch. If you don’t wanna look like a wax statue, you may have to budget for services that blend AI with a human retoucher. BetterPic does this sometimes, but honestly—sometimes the “manual” route wins. A $20 Fiverr or Upwork gig, you send a phone selfie, they retouch for you, you get a real human face at the end, and it’s not that much pricier than AI sites that upcharge for “premium.”

TL;DR: If you need quick/cheap with only a little uncanny valley, AI SuitUp or BetterPic are fine. If you have $20-30, consider Fiverr retouchers who use AI as a starting point but actually finish the job. And for whatever’s holy, don’t trust Gemini or ChatGPT headshot generators unless you want your next employer picturing you as a half-remembered NPC.

Oh, and nothing—NOTHING—replaces going outside on a cloudy morning and snapping a selfie. Use Snapseed, remove zits, throw on a subtle vignette, done. It ain’t a studio, but at least you won’t look like you escaped an AI cloning lab.

I get the frustration with AI headshot tools — tried ‘em all, felt like I was on a bad Tinder date with my own face. Let’s be real: none of these AI magic mirror apps can yet guarantee you’ll look both human and credible for LinkedIn if you’re picky. Yeah, @mikeappsreviewer dropped a buffet of options (seriously, did they test them all in one sleepless night?), and @ombrasilente nailed why you might just want to hand your selfie to a human for the finishing touches. That said, there’s a missing angle here:

If realism and polish are non-negotiable, skip the strictly-AI tools for now and go hybrid: Use something like HeadshotPro or Aragon.AI to get 80% there — decent lighting, suits, proper framing — then take the best result and slap it into an old-school retouching app like Lightroom or even Snapseed. Tweak skin, sharpen eyes, fix those dead giveaway AI hands (if they sneak in), and smooth any weird artifacts. Or, yes, pay someone on Fiverr $10-15 to do a quick fix-over — they know what ‘normal’ looks like better than most algorithms and it’s pennies compared to studio prices.

I kinda disagree with the idea that the manual route is “always” the best value though, unless you’re really particular. We’re all used to “human error” in passport photos and professional shooters, but with AI, people scream when their jaw looks 2% longer. Sometimes “good enough” really is enough — especially if your industry’s not hyper-corporate. None of these tools will fix bad source images though; you want sharp, natural lighting, not a 2014 webcam potato shot.

Reality check: If what you’ve used so far felt fake or plasticky, you’re prob feeding the AI blurry selfies or pics with distracting backgrounds. Try taking 15-20 crisp, natural-light photos with some consistent expressions, neutral backgrounds, and minimal distractions (glasses, hats, etc if you can). Then run those through the tools mentioned above — HeadshotKiwi and Portrait Pal are less talked about but generally less “AI-mannequin” than the quick-fix phone apps.

Final take: Studio quality from AI for all faces/hair/textures/reality checks is still a 2025-26 dream. For now, AI gets you halfway, human touch gets you home, and a solid source photo is non-negotiable. If you don’t mind the odd “uncanny valley” moment, go AI all the way. If you do? Hybrid is the only real move, unless you like rolling the photogenic dice.