HeyGen Video Podcast: what it makes, and what it doesn't
by Danny Abdeljabbar, founder of manekuThe short answer
HeyGen's Video Podcast turns a topic, prompt, document or script into a video episode with two avatar hosts. Each episode is 1, 2 or 3 minutes long, and HeyGen suggests stitching episodes together in your own editor if you need more. Nothing is recorded live. Even the co-host you can invite by email takes part as an avatar. It's a content generator, not a way to record a show.
In July 2026, HeyGen launched a feature called Video Podcast. Because I build an AI co-host for podcasts, people ask me how the two compare. They turn out to be quite different tools, so this post lays out what HeyGen's feature does, its limits, and who it suits. Everything here comes from HeyGen's own help center, announcement and terms, linked at the bottom.
What HeyGen Video Podcast does
You give it a topic, a prompt, an uploaded document or your own full script. It writes a conversation between two speakers, a host and a guest, and renders them as avatars in a studio scene. You can edit any line of the script before rendering, and HeyGen says the voice updates to match. You can also preview the episode before generating the final version.
The avatars come from your HeyGen library, from a photo you upload, or from another person who shares theirs with you. The result is a video file you can publish.
Inviting a co-host
You can invite another person to appear in an episode by email, and they don't need a HeyGen account. In HeyGen's words, they "can join with their own avatar." Once they approve, their avatar becomes a speaker you can use, and it delivers lines from the episode's script. Nothing is recorded live.
The limits
- Length. HeyGen's help center says an episode can be one, two or three minutes long, and three minutes is the maximum. For anything longer, it suggests making a series of episodes and joining them in your own video editor.
- Two speakers. One host and one guest per episode.
- Commercial use on the free plan. HeyGen's terms say free-plan output may not be monetized or used in connection with commercial activities. On the paid Creator, Pro and Business plans, the terms say you own what you make.
Who it's for
HeyGen pitches the feature for turning existing material, like blog posts, newsletters and internal documents, into video without a recording day. That's a real need. If you're a marketing or communications team that wants a steady stream of short, polished explainer videos from content you already have, a two-avatar format is a good way to make dense material watchable.
It's a different job from hosting a show. In a generated episode, the conversation is written first and performed afterwards, so it suits explainers more than live discussion.
If you want an AI in a show you're recording
That's what I build. maneku joins your Descript, Riverside or Restream recording as a participant, with its own tile, name and voice. It listens to the whole conversation and stays quiet until you summon it. Then it can react, look something up and cite it, or carry a segment, and it records to its own track on Descript and Riverside.
| HeyGen Video Podcast | maneku | |
|---|---|---|
| What it makes | A rendered video episode | A voice in your own recording |
| Who speaks | Two avatars delivering a script | You, your guests, and one AI voice when summoned |
| A human co-host | Appears as their avatar | Joins the recording as themselves |
| Episode length | 1 to 3 minutes | As long as your recording |
| The AI's look | A realistic avatar | A named tile with a voice visualizer |
| Where it runs | HeyGen's web and mobile apps | A macOS app, inside Descript, Riverside or Restream |
For the wider picture, including NotebookLM, Jellypod and ElevenLabs, see AI podcast generators vs. an AI co-host.
Questions people ask
How long can a HeyGen video podcast be?
One, two or three minutes per episode. HeyGen's help center says three minutes is the maximum, and suggests making a series of short episodes and combining them in a video editor for anything longer.
Can a real person be a co-host on a HeyGen video podcast?
You can invite someone by email, and they don't need a HeyGen account. They take part through their own avatar, not as a live participant. HeyGen's written announcement describes it that way.
Can I use HeyGen podcast videos commercially?
HeyGen's terms (last updated July 23, 2026) say output made on the free plan may not be monetized or used in connection with commercial activities. On the paid Creator, Pro and Business plans, the terms say you own your output. Check the current terms before publishing anything.
How many hosts can a HeyGen video podcast have?
Two: one host and one guest, according to HeyGen's help center.
What can I use if I want an AI on a podcast I'm actually recording?
You want an AI co-host rather than a generator. maneku joins Descript, Riverside and Restream sessions as a participant with its own voice and tile, and speaks when you summon it.
Danny Abdeljabbar
I built maneku. I also make all the artwork and marketing for Dry Quest, an app I developed with my wife, and I'm usually building a smaller app or two on the side. I co-host the Bro History podcast, and by day I work in revenue operations. Before all of this, I was an artist across a lot of mediums, including music and audio.
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