Listen, I never thought I'd be the person writing an article about AI headshot another resource here generators. But life comes at you fast.
My LinkedIn profile pic was genuinely from 2019—pre-pandemic, pre-that extra 15 pounds. Whenever I opened LinkedIn, that photo mocked me.
My dilemma: I can't stand getting professional photos taken. Something happens when standing in front of a camera that makes me look like a deer in headlights. And honestly, professional photography isn't cheap. We're talking $200-500 for a decent session, and that's before you get upsold on the "premium package".
Enter AI headshot generators became my new obsession.
My First Attempt
So picture this: I started with the free options since I'm not made of money. I began with some random free AI headshot generator I stumbled upon on Google's third page of results.
Dropped in about a dozen selfies—some from when I looked human, some from what I call my "copyright photo" collection. Pressed go. Sat there waiting.
The result looked like someone had put my face through a blender. It gave me a forehead that could land aircraft. NGL, I looked like a deep fake gone wrong.
What I discovered: You get what you pay for.
When I Actually Spent Money
Determined to find something better, I decided to services that actually cost money. Now we're cooking with gas.
My First Paid Service
Let's talk about ProfilePicture.ai. Set me back about $29 for a package. You upload 15-20 photos, chill out during what felt like forever, and boom—you get like 100+ headshots.
What I got? Surprisingly good. It managed to keep me looking like me, just like I'd actually gotten 8 hours of sleep. Bye-bye stress acne, lighting was on point, and best part—I looked confident.
We're talking about: that "I definitely have my life together" vibe. Backgrounds that didn't scream "I took this in my bedroom."
Good variety. Casual Friday vibes—enough variety to update my profile quarterly.
The Next Contender
Next Aragon AI, which cost a bit more $39. You know the routine: upload photos, play the waiting game, receive your professionally generated headshots.
What stood out: Aragon excelled at capturing my actual vibe. Where ProfilePicture.ai gave me "corporate professional," Aragon delivered "the cool colleague."
Aragon did something interesting with how I looked at the camera. Every photo felt like I was actually engaging. You know that thing where some photos make you look present? Exactly, that.
The Premium Experience
Riding the high of decent headshots, I splurged on some premium services.
Secta.ai
Here's where it gets interesting specifically markets itself the corporate headshot solution. About $49 for what they call "professional tier".
The difference here? Secta got the LinkedIn aesthetic. You've seen those profiles where professionals looks like they belong in a business magazine? That's Secta's jam.
The backgrounds were more sophisticated. Rather than generic office settings, I got that "I work at a tech startup" aesthetic. Blurred conference rooms—all the things that scream "I'm definitely not winging it."
HeadshotPro
Don't sleep on HeadshotPro (about $29-39 depending on the package). Here's where things got interesting.
This service gives you control over the aesthetic. Need to appear a CEO? You can select the vibe.
Tried various looks, and honestly, this became entertaining. One minute I'm suited up executive, then I'm casual Friday personified.
Results were solid across every variation. Everything looked professional where changing styles could result in wildly different quality.
What You Actually Get
Here's the truth: you're usually getting hit-or-miss. Good if you're not serious about results. But if you actually need? Spend the money.
The difference comes down to:
Better training data: Paid services have better training that understands business aesthetics.
More customization: Free generators give you what they give you. Premium platforms allow selection of the whole vibe.
Professional-grade output: No-cost generators usually aren't full quality. Paid services provide professional resolution good enough for print.
Variety: When you pay create dozens or hundreds of options. Free ones? Limited selection at best.
Privacy: Don't overlook this. Many no-cost platforms might use your photos to train their AI. Premium platforms usually offer better data protection.
Real-World Results
So I updated my LinkedIn photo. Selected ProfilePicture.ai that made me look "I'm good at my job but won't bore you at happy hour".
In less than a week:
Profile traffic jumped significantly
Received multiple actual recruiters reaching out
A coworker hit me up with "New headshot? Looking sharp!"
Turns out, your photo matters. That little circle picture is frequently the opening statement in your professional brand.
The Weird AI Quirks
Some entertaining moments. AI headshot generators have some entertaining quirks.
Every now and then the AI would give me jewelry that materialized from nowhere. This one time I was suddenly wearing a tie I've never owned.
If hands are visible—in the occasional full-upper-body shot—can get weird someone grafted extras on. Pro tip: choose headshot-only options.
And backgrounds—occasionally you'd get something that doesn't quite exist. Look closely and you could notice abstract art that hurts to look at.
The Bottom Line
Having invested more than I'd like to admit and several weeks testing:
If you're watching your wallet: ProfilePicture.ai is solid value. Great bang for your buck, dependable output.
If LinkedIn is your priority: Secta.ai gets the LinkedIn aesthetic. Worth the extra money.
If you want options: HeadshotPro offers maximum flexibility.
Quick and easy solution: Aragon AI won't let you down.
The Ethics of AI Headshots
Real talk, I know opinions vary on using AI instead of human professionals. Here's my take: these are a tool, not a replacement human professionals.
If you need specialized creative shoots, get an actual professional. When it's just basic business headshot that you'll update every year or two? AI makes sense.
It's democratizing professional photos. Not everyone can afford $300 to spend on pictures. These tools make professional-looking headshots accessible to everyone.
The Final Verdict
Having tried everything, I'm still using an digitally created photo. Engagement is higher. Getting more messages. My imposter syndrome about going the AI route? Dead and buried.
These days, your online presence matters. Your headshot is your digital handshake. Whether it's created by technology or tradition matters less than presenting yourself well.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. Should you try it? It depends—for anyone delaying refreshing their profile picture because it's expensive, this technology is definitely worth exploring.
Possibly avoid the no-cost versions. Take my word for it.
Some lessons are not worth learning the hard way.
Time to go, I have to change my Instagram profile pic. The rabbit hole continues.