HeyGen vs Arcads
Based on vendor documentation and pricing as of . We have not run hands-on tests of these tools; nothing here is a paid placement.
Quick verdict
HeyGen is a general AI-avatar video platform with a free plan and public pricing. Creator is $29/month for 600 credits and 1080p export, and Pro is $49/month for 1,000 credits and 4K. Arcads is built specifically for UGC-style ad actors, but it shows prices only in the app. Its help center describes a 72-hour trial (card required) that converts to Starter, and third-party reports put Starter around $110/month (unverified). If you want to test avatar ads for free, or need long videos and many languages, start with HeyGen. If your goal is a high volume of short UGC-style ad hooks and you prefer Arcads' actors, use its trial to compare.
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| Feature | HeyGen | Arcads |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: 3 watermarked videos/month, up to 1 min each | No (72-hour trial, card required) |
| Public pricing | Creator $29/mo; Pro $49/mo (yearly billing: 2 months free) | No, shown in-app |
| Credits on entry paid plan | Creator: 600 credits; roll over one month | Starter: 8,000 credits/mo (talking-actor video ≈ 800 credits) |
| Export quality | 1080p (Creator), 4K (Pro) | Not stated in vendor docs we read |
| Max video length | 30 min on paid plans (1 min on Free) | Not stated in vendor docs we read |
| Languages | 175+ languages and dialects (Creator) | Not stated in vendor docs we read |
| Custom avatar | 1 custom video avatar, including on Free | Not stated in vendor docs we read |
heygen.com/pricing and help.arcads.ai, read 20 Oct 2026. HeyGen's displayed price may reflect the yearly toggle; confirm at checkout.
| Tool | Entry plan | Price | Billing | Free plan / trial | Notes | Last verified | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | Creator | From $29/mo · verified | yearly view | Free plan | Monthly price not captured | 2026-10-20 | Visit ↗ |
| Arcads | Starter | From $110/mo · unverified | monthly | Free trial | Arcads publishes no prices (pricing shown only in-app). Plan/credit structure confirmed in official help center; $ figure from third-party reports (shhots.ai Aug 2026, go-rocket.ai Sep 2026) | 2026-10-20 | Visit ↗ |
Prices from each vendor's pricing page or docs; ‘unverified’ = third-party or ambiguous source.
Who each is for
- HeyGen: marketers making avatar explainers, localized ads and longer videos who want to start free and scale to 4K.
- Arcads: performance teams producing many short UGC-style ad variations who have already judged Arcads' actor quality.
FAQ
Is HeyGen cheaper than Arcads?
HeyGen has a free plan and lists Creator at $29/month. Arcads doesn't publish prices; third-party reports cite about $110/month for Starter (unverified).
Does HeyGen have a free plan?
Yes. 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute each, watermarked, per HeyGen's pricing page (20 Oct 2026).
Can I try Arcads for free?
Arcads offers a 72-hour trial with 1,000 credits. It requires a card and converts to the Starter monthly plan unless cancelled, per its help center.