Face swapping has long been the rage on social media, and numerous apps on the Play Store and the App Store already cater to the trend. However, do you know there are multiple such services that let you chat as funny animals, superheros or celebrities in popular chat apps, like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc? Today, we’ll introduce you to the top 5 best online webcam face changers (free and paid) to improve the fun element during your online chats. Using these software, you can add effects, filters, doodle, overlays, change background, etc. during video calls. We’ll also tell you about what to remember while using these services, including possible privacy concerns, and more.
Here, we will list some of the best online webcam face changers to help transform your video-chatting experience. We have included software that let you participate in video conversations with funny facial filters, as well as services that help transform your staid videos into fun images that are sure to put a smile on the faces of everyone who sees them. You can also use these online webcam face changer apps to apply webcam filters, webcam effects, overlays, change backgrounds, draw video doodle, and more. So without further ado, let’s check out the best online face changers you can use right now.
- FaceRig
- CamMask
- AlterCam
- YouCam
- Faceit Live 3
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. FaceRig
The first and most impressive software on our list is FaceRig. It offers real-time facial animation, enabling just about anyone with a webcam to digitally embody awesome characters. You can use it for your online chats, to record vlogs or transform your party into a fun, freestyle impersonation show. The output can be recorded as a movie or streamed to Skype, Twitch, Google Meet or any service that traditionally uses a webcam in real time.
FaceRig is conceptualized, designed and developed by experienced game developers who went indie. It has three major ‘flavors’ – Classic, Pro and Studio, but there are no technical differences between the free FaceRig Classic and the paid-for Pro/Studio. The difference is only in its licensing, which is based on how you use it.
Full-featured free version
Support for multiple videoconferencing apps
Non-intuitive UI
2. CamMask
Another great online webcam face changer is CamMask, which offers dozens of special effects when you video chat with your friends. Available for Windows and macOS, it also offers a host of annotation options, including graffiti, text and date. It also supports picture-in-picture (PIP) and snapshot / recording function. Thanks to the virtual webcam driver, you can use CamMask in up to six applications simultaneously, each with its independent special effect video source.
Free version offers most of the cool features
Supports popular videoconferencing apps
Use with up to six applications simultaneously
Free version leaves watermark
3. AlterCam
Another notable online face changing software is AlterCam. As its name suggests, it helps you alter your face during online video chats by adding fun effects and filters. It also lets you hide your face with mosaic and other patterns, or add your logo to your webcam stream instantly. You can also broadcast pre-recorded video, live desktop or anything you want via Skype and other online chat software, thanks to the virtual webcam that can transmit videos with special effects.
Changes audio in real-time
Lets you add your own overlay or underlay images
Face changing algorithm needs more polish
No free version
4. YouCam
YouCam is a freemium application that comes from CyberLink – a recognized developer of video and audio tools for PCs and smartphones. It doesn’t offer you full face swap unlike the other options in this list, but you can use it to change the chat background by choosing any image from your computer or one of the many pre-loaded photos in the program itself.
Intuitive interface
Cool filters and animated effects
Support for Skype, Zoom, Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, and more
Doesn’t offer full face swap
Best features only available in paid version
5. Faceit Live 3
Last, but definitely not the least, is the Faceit Live 3 project, which uses AI deep learning to let you chat online as someone else. Available for Windows, Linux and Mac, it doesn’t offer you any of the fancy features offered by the commercial apps. However, you can use the deepfake face swap technology in real-time and not just for existing videos or photos.
Using it, you can chat as anybody else, including celebrities, superheroes, etc. For a side project, it is surprisingly good, and the real-time render on the webcam works at a very good frame rate. In fact, it looks normal in a videoconference that isn’t already buttery smooth.
Another negative is that it needs a high-end graphics processor and CPU for the algorithm to work as intended. However, if it is the best webcam face changer you’re after and you’re not afraid of a learning curve, this is undoubtedly one that you should try out.
Hyper-realistic real-time AI deepfake face swap
Difficult to setup
Steep learning curve
High-end hardware needed for fast rendering
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I Edit Videos Shot with These Software?
Yes, you can. Most of them come with basic video editors built-in, but you can also save them as standard video files and use third-party video editing programs to edit them.
2. Do They Work With Zoom Call?
Zoom offers a host of powerful features for fun effects, as does Skype, Google Meet and other online chat tools. However, you can also use these services to add more fun elements to brighten up your mundane video calls.
Apps like SnapChat and Zoom already offer built-in options to help you change chat backgrounds, but the programs mentioned above also let you change your background during video calls.
Among the five, FaceRig works most like Apple’s Animojis. It helps transform you to popular characters in real-time while still mimicking your facial gestures, etc. You can also use custom emojis for annotation purposes with these apps.
Yes, all the utilities let you share your videos online.
Yes, of course. All of these face changing apps work with your laptop camera.
7. Do I Need a Separate Webcam for Face Changers?
No, you don’t need a separate webcam for the face changers mentioned above. In fact, some of them can even be used as the video source instead of actual cameras for chat apps. This should enable you to video chat without revealing your face.
All five online webcam face changers can be downloaded on your computer and used to record offline videos. For that, follow the download links given above.
Yes, but ensure that your glasses are not reflective, especially in dark rooms where your computer monitor is the brightest light source. If you don’t have non-reflective glasses, try putting the brightest light source behind or beside you, and not in front. Also, glasses with thinner rims are preferred since they block less of your eyebrows.
Yes, that’s the whole point of these face changing apps. They let you stream online with services like Skype, Twitch etc.
You can access camera and microphone settings in Windows 10 from Settings > Privacy. There, you’ll find options to switch on/off your webcam and mic globally or for particular apps and services.
Have Fun with the Best Online Face Swap Apps
While deepfake apps and websites are becoming a bigger problem by the day, face changing apps can be great fun when used to add effects on video calls with friends and family, etc. So what are you waiting for? Try out the best online webcam face changers mentioned above and pick the one that you like best. My personal pick is FaceRig, which is not only fully free for home users with all its features, but also an open platform, making it more customizable than the rest.
