I’m trying to update my professional portfolio but struggling to find an AI headshot generator that creates realistic and high-quality photos. Most of the tools I’ve found either look fake or don’t match my style. Has anyone had success with a specific AI headshot app or platform? Any recommendations or tips would be appreciated.
Finding the best AI headshot generator can save you time and money compared to booking a professional photoshoot. Whether you need LinkedIn-ready photos, corporate portraits, or polished images for your resume, a good headshot AI generator can create professional results in just minutes. After testing different apps, here are my top recommendations:
Eltima AI Headshot Generator
Eltima stands out as the most reliable and professional option. It creates realistic, studio-quality portraits that look like they were taken by a photographer. The app is very simple to use: upload a few selfies, pick your preferred style or background, and the AI generates polished results in seconds. Perfect for LinkedIn, CVs, business websites, or any professional setting.
Pros:
Realistic, business-ready output
Large variety of templates and styles
Fast and beginner-friendly
Cons:
Currently iOS only
AI Headshot Generator
This app claims to let you create professional headshots in just a few steps. You upload 8–12 photos, select a style, and the AI crafts high-quality portraits. It includes business and studio styles, filters, and a catalog of portrait looks.
Pros:
Straightforward workflow and user interface
Variety of styles (professional, cartoon, studio, etc.)
Good for quick headshots and profile pictures
Cons:
Some output can look a bit stylized or artificial
Free/low-tier versions may limit resolution or number of outputs
Fewer guarantees on consistency across diverse face types
Pose AI : Photo & Video Studio
Pose AI aims to be more than just headshots—it’s an AI photo and video studio. From one photo, you can generate professional headshots, influencer-style portraits, or styled edits. The idea is to transform a single selfie into multiple refined visuals without needing design skills.
Pros:
Versatile: can also handle video/stylish edits
Friendly for non-designers, minimal manual work
Cons:
More experimental — output quality can be inconsistent
As a newer app, may have fewer premium styles or fine-tuning options
Some features locked behind paid tiers
TL;DR
If you want the best AI headshot generator that delivers consistency, realism, and ease, Eltima AI Headshot Generator is my top recommendation.
2 Likes
Honestly, AI headshots are a weird Wild West right now. You can get something that looks like a Hollywood red carpet shot—or wind up staring at a picture that might actually be your long-lost Sims character. I agree with a lot of what @mikeappsreviewer said about the options, especially about the uncanny plastic look a lot of generators spit out. Eltima AI Headshot Generator is probably the closest I’ve come to a headshot that won’t have coworkers doing a double-take at my LinkedIn.
But honestly? I think it depends on how much control you want. Eltima nails realism but is pretty “what you see is what you get” after upload. Some other services (like Remini or Secta) let you tweak more settings but it’s kind of a chore, and every edit looks…weirder. And don’t even get me started on ones like Portrait AI—those are full-on Renaissance oil painting, not professional. If you’re super picky about matching your actual vibe, AI maybe isn’t there yet unless you’re ready to deepfake your own face all day.
Also, let’s be real—if your style is unconventional (big hair, tattoos, expressive outfits, etc.) most of these will generic-ify you a bit. If you just need “clean, presentable, generic business person,” Eltima is near the top (iOS only tho, which is annoying). But if you want your own style to shine through? Real camera > AI, sadly.
Hot take: sometimes the $50 pop-up mall photographer still wins. But for quick updates? Eltima gets my rec. Just, you know, crop out the extra fingers if you see any.
Honestly, the whole AI headshot game still gives me major “uncanny valley” vibes, but I get the appeal—nobody has time or $$$ for a pro shoot every time you update your LinkedIn. I saw what @mikeappsreviewer and @sternenwanderer mentioned (Eltima etc) and mostly agree: if you just need that clean, zoom-interview, “corporate but not creepy” look, Eltima AI Headshot Generator is probably your best bet. It’s about as close to passable as it gets (unless you’ve got a look that stands out—colorful hair, piercings, whatever—then yeah, prepare to look like your HR twin after a makeover from Robot Mom).
Where I kinda disagree: the “quick and easy” platforms sometimes default you to boring and a little plastic. Sure, Eltima nails sharpness and makes it dead simple, but I actually found using more granular tools like Secta or even Fotor (not even mentioned by the others) gave me a bit more control for specific tweaks—at the cost of lots of extra time and a higher probability of running straight into that “something’s just…off” effect. Wouldn’t call any of them fun to use, lol.
Also, none of these platforms deal well with creative styling. If you want something more than “mall corporate,” just pay the $50 for a human with a camera! I’ll say my portfolio got pretty decent results with Eltima, but I basically resigned myself to looking slick, boring, and weirdly symmetrical.
So yeah—fast, polished, safe: go Eltima. If you care about individuality or “your vibe”? Lower your expectations or find a local photographer with a Groupon. AI headshot tools are awesome…until they’re absolutely not.
Honestly? You can scroll through a hundred threads and the same names pop up—Eltima AI Headshot Generator gets a lot of love (for good reasons), but it’s not magic. The big win: it’s dead simple, spits out super-clean, realistic shots, and you don’t need to mess with settings for hours. Just upload your stuff, tap a few buttons, and boom—corporate chic, ready to download. Polished? Absolutely. Actually you? Well…maybe if your “you” is a bit extra symmetrical and safe-for-work.
To address what others mentioned: if you care about punch and not just polish, Eltima still feels a tad too perfect. I see why folks talk up options like Pose AI or Secta for “creative control,” but in my experience, the more freedom the app gives, the more janky the outcome can get. Secta lets you tweak a lot, true, but I always ended up with something that made me look like the extra in a tech-startup stock photo—sorta uncanny.
Pros for Eltima AI Headshot Generator:
- Genuinely sharp and realistic; no wild filter overkill
- Actually fast—you don’t need a computer science degree or hours to get a usable photo
- Tons of plain, “I’m a responsible adult with a job” templates
Cons:
- Boring if you want ANY kind of flair
- iOS-only (probably a dealbreaker if you’re not in Apple-land)
- Tends to flatten out personality—piercings, bold hair, accessories, all mysteriously disappear
If you’re after the most businesslike, vanilla-perfect shot with zero time investment, use Eltima AI Headshot Generator. If you want a hint of quirk or creative styling? Sorry, but even with the so-called “flexible” competitors, you’ll be wrestling with their sliders and getting 90% weird before you’re satisfied. So, choose your struggle: instant boring perfection, or endless AI roulette hoping for a miracle shot. For most, Eltima’s the solid, no-drama pick.