How I Ended Up Turning to AI for My LinkedIn Photo
I wanted a professional image for my LinkedIn profile, but to be honest, I didn’t have one that looked polished enough. All I had were a few goofy selfies and some casual photos from some of my social activities, none of which were professional-looking.
The thought of hiring a photographer seemed expensive and like it would take too long, plus I wanted my photo and didn’t want to wait a few weeks. So, I started to research AI LinkedIn photo generators. They claim to take your average selfies and turn them into a polished, professional-looking headshot. At first, I thought, Does AI really do the work of a professional photographer?
Spoiler: it did a lot better than I anticipated.
Why Your LinkedIn Photo Can Make or Break Opportunities
Treat your LinkedIn profile picture like a digital handshake. It is the first impression you give to recruiters, coworkers, or potential clients. If your photo is blurry, slapdash, or poorly lit, you are immediately damaging your credibility.
According to LinkedIn’s stats, having a professional profile photo makes you:
- 14x more likely to have profile views
- 36x more likely to receive a message from a recruiter
- And much more likely to be viewed as a professional
That was enough to convince me that a professional-looking photo was not an option but a requirement.
How AI LinkedIn Photo Generators Work Their Magic
The procedure is almost shockingly simple. Most providers ask you for 10ā20 selfies (from different angles and lighting conditions). Then, with AI LinkedIn photo generator trained on professional photography, they will create dozens, sometimes hundreds, of polished headshots.
- Pros: Cheaper than a studio shoot, pretty fast turnaround (some in minutes, others in hours), customizable styles, and surprisingly realistic results.
- Cons: Some might look overly airbrushed, or, in rare cases, might not look close enough to you.
But overall? Given the price and ease, these are a good alternative to booking a photographer.
7 Best AI LinkedIn Photo Generators You Should Try
1. Aragon AI
Description: Aragon AI is one of the most popular tools on this list. It’s designed to create ultra-realistic, studio-like headshots that genuinely look like you.
Features:
- Creates an incredible amount of options, 40+ professional headshots.
- Many backgrounds and outfit types
- Good for LinkedIn and corporate use
Pricing:
- Basic ā $12: 40 headshots, 45-minute generation, 1 attire, 1 background, standard resolution.
- Standard ā $15: 60 headshots, 30-minute generation, 2 attires, 2 backgrounds, standard resolution.
- Executive ā $25: 100 headshots, 15-min generation, all attire & backgrounds, enhanced resolution.
Pros:
- Some of the most realistic-looking results in AI headshot tools.
- Good diversity of styles and backgrounds.
- Professional and polished quality.
Cons:
- Results may take a few hours to deliver.
- This tool is paid; free plan is limited.
2. PFPMaker
Description: PFPMaker is a speedy, free option for simple, clean, LinkedIn-friendly profile pictures. It is not going to make as many variations as premium options, but it is quick!
Features:
- Free AI-generated headshots
- Automatic background removal and insertion
- Basic retouches
Pricing: Free
- Monthly ā $9.99: Access to 50+ premium AI filters, 100+ premium templates, and more.
- Yearly ā $59.99 ($4.99/mo): Same features with 50% discount.
Pros:
- Totally free to try
- Quickly makes the images
- Easy to use for beginners
Cons:
- Not as realistic as paid tools
- Limited customization options
3. HeadshotPro
Description: HeadshotPro is an excellent option for individuals and businesses, especially if you want consistent professional headshots throughout your entire team.
Features:
- Upload selfies, receive 120+ AI-generated headshots
- The business team package is available
- A variety of styles are available: casual, formal, or modern corporate.
Pricing:
- Basic ā $29: 40 headshots, 4 backdrops & outfits, hundreds of styles, 4-hour turnaround, standard resolution, money-back guarantee.
- Professional ā $39: 100 headshots, 10 backdrops & outfits, hundreds of styles, 2-hour turnaround, 10 edit credits, standard resolution.
- Executive ā $59: 150 headshots, 15 backdrops & outfits, hundreds of styles, 1-hour turnaround, 20 edit credits, 4K print-ready resolution, portrait/landscape.
Pros:
- Studio-like quality provided
- Great for teams and companies
- Excellent value based on the number of headshots that you receive
Cons:
- Requires 10ā20 photos to be uploaded up-front
- Some of the headshots are overly āairbrushedā in appearance.
4. StudioShot AI
Description: StudioShot AI is meant to replicate hiring a real photographer. The final product looks very professional and polished, especially for LinkedIn.
Features:
- Replicates studio lighting and photography styles
- 40-60 AI headshots
- High-resolution downloadable headshots
Pricing:
- Basic ā $29 ($39): 40 headshots, 1 background, delivery <12 hrs, 2 manual retouches.
- Standard ā $36 ($49): 80 headshots, 2 backgrounds, delivery <8 hrs, 4 manual retouches.
- Premium ā $44 ($59): 120 headshots, 3 backgrounds, delivery <6 hrs, 6 manual retouches.
Pros:
- Results are polished and appear very professional
- High-quality resolution, great for LinkedIn and beyond
- Quick turnaround
Cons:
- Not a wide variety of styles in comparison to other competitors
- Some headshots seem too āperfect.ā
5. ProPhotos AI
Description: ProPhotos AI aims to provide natural but professional portraits, as it avoids the “overly photoshopped” style and keeps a reasonable level of balance.
Features:
- 40+ professional headshots
- Realistic skin tones and natural editing
- Option for attire and background styles
Pricing:
- Starter- $39: 40 unique AI headshots, 8 outfits & backgrounds, ready in 90 minutes
- Premium- $49 (most popular): 100 unique AI headshots, 20 outfits & backgrounds, free background changer, ready in 45 minutes
- Professional- $59: 200 unique AI headshots, 40 outfits & backgrounds, free background changer, ready in 30 minutes
Pros:
- Affordable price points
- Very natural looking
- Easy process
Cons:
- Fewer customization options
- It can receive different results based on the quality of selfies uploaded.
6. Secta AI
Description: Secta AI is one of my favorites, functionality-wise. Secta produces realistic results that feel real; pictures aren’t overly edited.
Features:
- Produces 50+ headshots
- Real editing emphasis
- Multiple clothes and styles
Pricing:
- Professional Plan ā $49 (one-time): 100+ HD headshots, 90+ styles, instant edits with Remix, 12+ AI tools, privacy guarantee, delivery under 1 hour, 30-day money-back.
- Custom (for companies & communities): Team onboarding, consistent headshots, custom backgrounds, brand styles, central dashboard, bulk export, data privacy compliant.
Pros:
- Some of the most realistic images
- Great detail on everything from hair and makeup to lighting and ambiguous changes
- A great option for those who don’t want AI edits that feel “overdone.”
Cons:
- A bit pricier in comparison to some tools
- Free trials are limited.
7. AirBrush AI Headshots
Description: AirBrush brags about its ease of use! The app is geared towards first-timers with LinkedIn headshots, and it has a series of presets to remove any guesswork on your first time.
Features:
- Quick headshot optimization
- Backgrounds and lighting options
- Basic retouching with AI optimization tools
Pricing:
- Free ā $0: 20 credits/month, AI headshots, image upscaling, blog cover images, image-to-text converter, image history.
- Unlimited ā $9/month: Unlimited credits, AI headshots, image upscaling, blog cover images, image-to-text converter, image history.
Pros:
- Very cheap when it comes to pricing
- Fast & simple to use
- Presets tailored to LinkedIn headshots provide consistent quality
Cons:
- Not as powerful as Aragon AI or Secta
- Seems to be limited in styles and color variations.
My Take on AI LinkedIn Photo Generators
After trying out these AI tools, hereās what I learned:
- Most realistic: Secta AI nailed realism; the headshots looked like me, just a little more polished.
- Most polished: Aragon AI and StudioShot created headshots that looked like something out of Forbes.
- Best free option: PFPMaker is worth a shot if you are simply dipping your toes in the water.
- Best for teams: HeadshotPro makes sense if you need consistency across your entire company.
- Most balanced: ProPhotos AI found a good balance between price and realism.
- Best for fast fixes: AirBrush AI Headshots is the quickest way to upgrade a profile without spending much.
In the end, I would recommend Secta AI for realistic headshots and Aragon AI for highly polished headshots. Honestly, I now feel much more confident about my LinkedIn profile picture, and I didn’t even have to spend much for an expensive photoshoot.
Bonus: Can Prompts Replace AI Headshot Tools?
There is also the option of using ChatGPT + DALLĀ·E or MidJourney for DIY LinkedIn headshots. Here is an example prompt:
“Create a professional corporate headshot of a person wearing business attire, with a neutral background, a portrait in LinkedIn style, and realistic lighting.”
As good as this works, I found the results seemed inconsistent and sometimes a bit too creative for LinkedIn. Dedicated tools continue to be the safer option.
5 Prompts You Can Use for Better AI LinkedIn Headshots
If you do want to steer the AI tools (or try and play around with image generation tools like DALLĀ·E and MidJourney), you might want to try prompts like this:
- “A professional, corporate headshot. Wearing business attire. Neutral background. Portrait for LinkedIn and has realistic lighting.”
- “Studio-quality headshot of confident professional with blazer/coat on. Soft lighting. Plain gray background.”
- “Friendly but professional business portrait. Business casual attire. Clean office background. Headshot for LinkedIn.”
- “High-resolution headshot of young professional leader. Natural smile. Professional attire. White background.”
- “Portrait of CEO. Formal/Business Suit. Sharp lighting. Subtle gradient background. Professional-looking photo for LinkedIn profile.”
These prompts help redirect the output toward professional and polished, yet still approachable, which is just what works best on LinkedIn.
If youāre also looking to boost engagement, check out how to use AI to write LinkedIn comments that actually get you noticed.
Donāt Wait for a Studio Shoot; Let AI Elevate Your LinkedIn!
Your LinkedIn profile is your digital first impression. I can tell you, going from “not a professional headshot at all” to a bunch of nice options in just a couple of hours is a huge relief.
If you have been delaying booking a photographer, then don’t delay anymore! With an AI LinkedIn photo generator, you can enhance your professional presence today. Who knows, one photo could be the start of your next big opportunity!
Polishing your LinkedIn profile goes beyond a professional headshot; learning how to network strategically can multiply your opportunities. Check out this tactical networking guide.
