Starts atPaid, credit-based; free trial available
- No free option listed
- Free trial3 days, card required
Head-to-head
Arcads vs HeyGen: which AI avatar tool fits a Shorts or TikTok creator?
At a glance
Starts atFree plan · paid from $24/mo billed yearly
- Free plan3 videos/month up to 1 min, 1080p
- Watermark on free exports
- Commercial use on paid plans
HeyGen is the easier start: it has a free plan with 3 videos a month up to 1 minute, and Creator costs $29/month, or $24/month billed yearly. Arcads is built for AI UGC-style ads. It has a 3-day trial that needs a card, and its price is only shown after you log in. Our check showed Canadian dollars; Arcads does not publish a USD price.
Quick verdict
Side-by-side comparison
| Detail | Arcads | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No free plan. 3-day trial on Starter | Yes: 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute, up to 1080p |
| Trial | 3 days, card required; charged when the trial ends unless you cancel | Free plan instead of a trial |
| Starting price | Shown only after login; our capture was in Canadian dollars. USD price not published (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Creator: $29/month, or $24/month billed yearly |
| Next plan | Starter (Canadian-dollar capture): CA$150/mo after trial (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Pro: from $49/month for 1,000 credits |
| Video length | Not stated on arcads.ai, whose pricing page was not found (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Free: 1 minute. Creator and Pro: 30 minutes |
| Export | Not stated on arcads.ai, whose pricing page was not found (checked 16 Oct 2026) | Free and Creator: up to 1080p. Pro: up to 4K |
| Commercial use | License to distribute and market the video, free or for payment | HeyGen says premium plans unlock commercial use |
| Ownership | Non-exclusive, personal, non-transferable license. Your script and uploads stay yours | Not covered in our check |
What the terms say about using the videos
Arcads: you get a non-exclusive, personal, non-transferable license to the video, worldwide. You may distribute and market it, free or for payment. Edits are limited to things like cropping, music, text, subtitles, emoji, B-roll, GIFs, sound effects, format changes and your logo. Other edits need written approval. Arcads also says another client could make a similar or identical video, because it uses AI. The terms ban uses that break ad platform rules or skip required sponsored-content labels.
HeyGen: its site says premium plans unlock commercial use, so the free plan is for testing. Its terms also say that where the law requires it, you must disclose that your output was made with AI. You may not present it as fully human-made.
The trial catch
Arcads charges your card after 3 days unless you cancel. It says it will email you 1 day before the trial ends. Set a reminder anyway.
Which one for a Shorts creator?
- Just testing AI avatars: HeyGen Free.
- Faceless channel with a talking presenter: HeyGen Creator.
- Brand running TikTok or Reels ads: Arcads, after the 3-day trial.
- Want 4K: HeyGen Pro.
Common questions
Does Arcads have a free plan?
No permanent free plan, but there's a free trial. Arcads pricing: Paid, credit-based; free trial available. Prices change, so check the official site.
Does HeyGen have a free plan?
Yes. HeyGen pricing: Freemium, from $29/mo. Prices change, so check the official site.
Which is better, Arcads or HeyGen?
Pick HeyGen if you want to try avatars for free, make longer talking videos, or translate videos. Pick Arcads if you run a brand and want ad-style videos with stock creator actors.
Related: HeyGen vs Synthesia, HeyGen vs Higgsfield, HeyGen alternatives, AI avatar tools.
Sources: heygen.com/pricing, heygen.com/terms, app.arcads.ai/onboarding/paywall, arcads.ai/terms. (checked 16 Oct 2026). Based on published plans and terms, not a hands-on test.