The combination of AI (artificial intelligence) and visual media like photographs and video has created a curious genre of tools: AI face swap generators. Using advanced algorithms, they can manipulate facial features, but how, why, and what are the best AI face swap tools? Let’s take a look.
What is AI Face Swap Software?
AI face swap or AI face generators can seamlessly (or that’s the aim, anyway) change and transform facial features, performing a face ‘swap’. The technology is still developing, and so the results of these do vary wildly, from the ridiculously comical, to the fairly convincing.
Why Use AI Face Swap Software?
As this tech isn’t great yet, it’s hard to know what the best uses of AI face swapping are or will be, but here are some ways it could be used effectively.
Marketing and advertising – Using faces of target demographics to create content, or even as a brand ambassador could be a good use of AI face swap technology for a company. This would also work with things like product demos.
Education and training – history could potentially be brought to life by face-swapping historical figures onto educational videos.
Entertainment – TV and film characters could be ‘face swapped’ to show them in different time periods, like The Irishman did… (badly). Actors who have passed away could reprise roles through face swapping, though this, and the other uses come with serious ethical concerns.
The Dangers of AI Face Swap in Video and Photo
Everything I mentioned above – just a small example of how AI face swapping tools could be used – comes with serious privacy and ethical considerations. Facial data storage could become just as sought after as our other private details, and we should exercise caution with how freely we give it away.
There’s a danger that face-swapping could be used to fake photos and videos, spreading misinformation. A risk of impersonation comes with AI face swap tools, too.
As with all AI tools so far, there are inbuilt biases, so extra caution should be taken when face-swapping.
1. Faceswap
Price: free and open source
An AI faceswap for video or photo online, for free, Faceswap is open source and will run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has an active community helping to support its development and there are a lot of guides on the site to help you use it.
Pros
- Real-time previews.
- Advanced customisation.
Regular updates.
Cons
- A learning curve.
- Some guide posts require a subscription to their Patreon.
2. Reface
Price: 5 free tokens and then from $0.10 per photo (Restyle app has in-app purchases)
Reface is AI face swapping for fun rather than serious uses. Its web app lets you do everything right in the browser, or you can download the companion app Restyle for Android and Apple users, which according to its users is mostly the same thing.
Pros
- Instant and fun/entertaining results.
- Regularly updated template library.
- User friendly.
Cons
- A lot is behind the premium features.
- The maximum length for videos is limited to 60 seconds.
3. FaceApp – AI Face Ganerator
Price: Free download but in-app purchases
FaceApp isn’t technically billed as face swap software, but the level of face manipulation it can do certainly counts, we think. It features age transformation, gender swap, plus things like background changes.
Pros
- Lots of options.
- Fairly realistic changes compared to other apps.
Cons
- Freemium – you want more, you pay more.
- It seems to collect a fair amount of data, including your location and purchase history.
4. Faceover: Photo Face Swap for Apple – Free Face Swap App
Price: Free download but in-app purchases
Faceover say the ‘possibilities are endless’ with their AI face swap app. We’re not so sure about that, but certainly if face swapping is what you’re after, then this will do an amusing enough job, even if the results are a little clunky.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Easy to share results with friends.
Cons
- Mostly not free, as many features are behind additional purchases.
- The results are fairly poor for a paid-for app.
5. DeepSwap
Price: From £49.99 for the first year, then £99.99
DeepSwap lets you upload videos, photos or GIFs onto the site and face swap right in the browser. It’s limited to 10 minute videos at 500MB which might be restrictive for some users. It’s also available as an app for Android and Apple.
Pros
- Professional-grade face swapping.
- Regular updates.
Cons
- Expensive compared to others
- No examples on the site means it’s difficult to judge results.
6. Face Swap Booth – Free Face Swap App
Price: Free download with in-app purchases
Face Swap Booth is supposed to be for Android and Apple but no longer exists on the Play store; we assume it will make a return at some stage! The results here aren’t great, but they’re fun, so if you’re looking to amuse your friends or keep the kids entertained, it’s worth a try.
Pros
Cons
- Middling results at best.
7. SwapFace
Price: Free with watermark and limits and then from $19 for 100 credits.
Swapface is a Windows app that claims to be easy-to-use, private, and give realistic results. With no examples on their site, it’s difficult to say. Discussion in forums seems to be mostly positive on the results, so we figured it was worth including in the list so you can check it out.
Pros
Cons
- Expensive.
- Reviews may not be trustworthy, and some say they were in exchange for credits.
8. Snapchat: Face Swap Lens – Free Face Swap App
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Snapchat is an app that’s been around for a while, with fun filters for photo and video. Snapchat calls its filters ‘lenses’ and through its Face Swap Lens, you can do some fun AI face swapping with friends, and produce some fairly decent, fun results.
Pros
- Snapchat has been around for a while and is pretty trusted
- Easy to use.
- Free (mostly)
Cons
- It harvests a lot of data like search history, location, and contact info
9. Facemagic – for Apple and Android
Price: Free with in-app purchases
This AI face swap for video is online and free for both Apple and Android users. Swap multiple faces at once in just a few seconds, then share them easily with friends across your social media channels.
Pros
Cons
- The reviews are mixed to bad, so it might worth trying the free version before committing to any purchases.
10. Avatarify – for Apple and Android
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Avatarify is more of an AI face animator than an AI face swap software, but it’s close enough to count, plus it’s fun! Upload your media and the advanced neural network will manipulate facial expressions and bring photographs to life.
Pros
- Free and easy to use
- Largely good reviews
Cons
- The negative reviews it has are recent and seem to limit the free version more than previously.
Which AI Face Swap Generator is Best for You?
For us, the technology just isn’t there yet, so when it comes to choosing the best AI face generator it’s really going to come down to two things, essentially. Are you face swapping for fun? Or, for serious projects.
Mobile apps don’t really have the capability to create great results, but they’re fine if you just want to mess around. We like Snapchat, for its ease of use, longevity, and fun filters, though we have concerns – as we do with most apps – about their data collection permissions.
Here are some tips to help you decide which is the best AI face swap software for you.
1. Consider Your Needs
Before choosing an AI face swapping app, you need to know what you want, like we said earlier. This might not just be down to the face swapping results, some free face swap apps also do photo editing, others focus on video.
2. Ease of Use
Choosing an app or face swap software with an intuitive interface is probably crucial if you’re new to face swapping.
3. Realism and Quality
This is a tricky one because unless you’re paying the big bucks, you’re just not going to get the realism that sci-fi shows are promising us. Look for apps that seamlessly blend faces with high-quality results but right now, they’re few and far between.
4. Privacy and Security
This is a biggy for us, choose apps that are transparent about how they handle user data, especially facial recognition data. There are a lot of free face swap apps online that are just hooking you in to get your data, so be careful.
5. Features
We sort of touched on this already, but choose an app that offers more than just face swapping. Some provide additional filters, effects, or editing tools, so they’re going to be more useful for your creative projects.
6. Reviews and Ratings
With so many similar AI face generator apps out there, reviews and feedback is going to become more important than ever when making a choice. Beware reviews that look like they’ve been courted for rewards.
7. Try Before You Buy
It’s always wise to explore trial or free versions of an AI face generator or face swap software if you can, before committing to a purchase. That way you can see if the tools work for you the way you want them too.
8. Cost
Cost is always a factor, but it’s even more important when there are so many freemium apps around. Is an app really free in the way you’d need it to be? Or will you be pushed into on-going costs to do what you need. The best AI face swap software will be up front about costs and not try to hide what you get for your money. premium versions. Find a balance between your budget and the features offered.
Envato Elements has amazing assets for photographs, videographers, designers… you name it! If you’re looking for easy-to-use templates, SFX, music tracks, stock footage and more, then you should check it out and download and use as much as you like for a monthly subscription.
There are freebies too. Every month you’ll find a bunch of new ones to choose from, so don’t miss out.
Conclusion
Like a lot of AI technology, AI face swaps for video and photo are constantly being updated and improved. We think that for casual or light users, the results just aren’t there yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun exploring what’s around… just don’t expect amazing outcomes!
While you’re exploring AI face swap software, it’s good to keep in mind what features they offer, the functionality, and the upfront or ongoing cost of those things. Remember also that many apps rely on you downloading them without checking what they’re asking permission for, so be wary of what you agree to that might later compromise your privacy or even safety.
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About This Page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Gonzalo Angulo. Gonzalo is an editor, writer and illustrator.