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Choosing the Right Avatar Engine on HeyGen- Add Motion vs AvatarIV

This article helps understand which avatar engine is best for which use case and the differences between adding Motion and AvatarIV.

Avi avatar
Written by Avi
Updated this week

With multiple avatar types and engines available, choosing the right combination can make all the difference in how your video looks and feels.
Here's a clear guide to help you pick the best fit for your project.


🤖 When to Use Avatar IV (Photo Avatar 4 vs. Video Look (Digital Twin)

Feature

AvatarIV (Avatar 4)

Video Look (Digital Twin )

Video Duration

3 minutes and limited by amount of credits you have.

30 minutes on Creator / Team, unlimited for Enterprise.

Motion Type

Generic, realistic AI-driven motion. Can use prompting to choose specific movement and gestures.

Personalized motion based on real recorded footage. Can also control specific gestures.

Visual Customization

Fully customizable through prompting (change looks, outfits, backgrounds).

Limited—appearance is fixed based on the original footage recording. Can control Gestures.

Setup

Requires photos only.

Requires actual video recording + consent.

Choose Avatar IV (Avatar 4) when you need fast, flexible creation without recording.

Choose Video Look (Digital Twin) when you need personal, expressive, life-like motion.


🎬 When to Use Avatar IV (Avatar 4) vs. Add Motion Image-to-Video Model.

Tip: The purpose of generating Photo Avatar Looks is to create videos with them. Since looks and motions cost credits, it's best to focus on Looks that align with the types of videos you plan to make, rather than experimenting with styles that may not translate well into usable video content.

Use Case

Avatar IV (Avatar 4)

Add Motion Model

Scene Type

Talking-focused scenes (direct-to-camera speaking)

Action-focused or complex motion scenes (walking, gesturing)

Motion Needs

Simple, realistic talking motion.

Custom gestures, expressive or environmental motion.

Type of Setup

Requires some promoting, limited by credits available.

Requires some promoting, limited by credits available.

Use Avatar IV for speaking-heavy videos with minimal motion.

Use motion models for more dynamic, action-oriented content or when creating cinematic sequences.


🔑 Quick Takeaways:

Scenario

Best Choice

Need fast talking-head video

Avatar IV + Script-Time Motion

Want authentic, personalized gestures

Video Look (Digital Twin)

Planning action-rich or story-driven video

Add Motion Model

Creating long content with reusable scenes

Motion Model for cost-efficiency


If you're unsure which path to take, our team is here to help! Reach out through chat for personalized advice.

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