In short — Arcads makes the most convincing AI-actor ads in the category: 1,000+ actors cloned from consenting performers, speaking 74 languages. Since Arcads 3.0 it is also a full ad workspace, with models such as Seedance 2.5, Veo 3.1 and Kling 3.0, an AI agent called Mark, Workflows and tools like Unboxing and Product Showcase. It runs on credits: Starter 8,000 a month, enough for about 10 talking-actor videos (800 credits each), with prices shown only after sign-up (around €100 a month for Starter, per a third-party reading). There's no free plan, only a 3-day trial with a card. Choose it when a realistic person is the ad. If your product should be the star, Klaivo, our product, builds each shot from your product photo and starts at $29 a month.
Disclosure: Klaivo is our product and an Arcads competitor. Arcads' plans, credit costs and trial terms below come from its own help center, read on 24 October 2026; euro prices come from a third-party reading, because Arcads shows them only in the app. We haven't run a paid test of Arcads, so we don't rate its output.
What is Arcads?
Arcads started as a script-to-AI-actor tool: you paste a script, pick an actor, and get a creator-style video of that person saying it. In 2026 it has become a broader AI ad platform. According to its help center, every plan includes:
- Talking actors: 1,000+ AI actors based on real performers who consented and are paid; they speak 74 languages with accents, and Translate Video offers 176 language options.
- Video and image models: Seedance 2.5 (default), Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 Pro and 4K, MiniMax H3, Wan 3.0, Grok and others, plus Nano Banana, GPT Image and Seedream for images (100 free images a day on paid plans).
- Tools: Unboxing POV, Product Showcase, Replace or Animate Actor, captions, an AI video editor, and Mark, an AI agent, plus an MCP for Claude.
- Creator and above: Workflows (chaining tools on a canvas), background removal, AI captions.
- Pro and above: public API, team seats, custom actors, ElevenLabs voices, free voice cloning.
Arcads pricing and credits in 2026
| Plan | Credits per month | About how many actor videos | Unused credits | At the limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 8,000 | 10 | Reset each cycle | Generation stops |
| Creator | 16,000 | 20 | Reset each cycle | Generation stops |
| Pro | 48,000 | 60 | Roll over, no expiry | Extra usage billed |
| Scale | 96,000 | 120 | Roll over | Extra usage billed |
| Business | 192,000 | 240 | Roll over | Extra usage billed |
Source: How does Arcads pricing work?, 24 October 2026. Yearly billing is 20% off. Euro prices appear only in the app; a third-party reading on 6 October 2026 found Starter at €100 and Creator at €200 a month (Novoads). Arcads notes it "tests new pricing from time to time".
What things cost. From the same help page:
| Generation | Credits |
|---|---|
| Arcads 1.0 talking-actor video, up to 2 minutes | 800 |
| Audio-Driven or OmniHuman 1.5 | 800 per started minute |
| Veo 3.1 clip, 8 seconds | 800 |
| Seedance 2.5, 5 seconds, 720p or 1080p | 210 or 520 |
| Kling 3.0 Pro, 5 or 10 seconds | 240 or 400 |
| Custom actor (Pro and above) | 1,600, once |
| Translate Video | 240 per started 30 seconds, per language |
| Unboxing POV | 400 |
| Trim, stitch, resize, text overlay | 0 |
Failed generations are refunded automatically, and the Generate button shows the cost first.
The free trial. 72 hours, 1,000 credits (about one actor video), all features unlocked, card required but not charged. You get a reminder 24 hours before the end; after 72 hours the Starter monthly plan starts automatically unless you cancel (How the free trial works).
Pros
- The most convincing AI actors. Lip-sync, gestures and eye contact are why teams pay for Arcads.
- A flat price per actor video. 800 credits whether the take lasts 15 seconds or 2 minutes, so longer testimonials don't cost more.
- 74 languages for actors and 176 for translation: strong for multi-market testing.
- A real workspace since 3.0. Models, tools, Workflows and an agent in one balance of credits.
- Credits roll over from Pro, with no cap or expiry.
Cons
- No public prices. You see them only after creating an account.
- The trial converts automatically, and cancelling during it ends access immediately.
- Starter and Creator credits reset monthly and are lost on cancellation.
- Short ads aren't cheaper. A 15-second hook costs the same 800 credits as a 2-minute video, which adds up when you test many short hooks.
- You mostly bring the script. Mark can help, but there's no product-URL-to-ad flow on its homepage.
Who Arcads is for
- Good fit: UGC and testimonial ads where a realistic person is the angle; multi-language campaigns; agencies on Pro or above who need seats, API and rollover.
- Less good fit: small stores testing many short hooks on a tight budget; products that sell by being shown rather than described.
Klaivo vs Arcads
The two tools take opposite creative angles: Arcads puts a person at the centre; Klaivo puts your product at the centre.
Where Arcads is ahead
- AI actors: a library of 1,000+ and custom actors. Klaivo has no reusable presenters.
- Languages: 74 for actors and 176 for translation.
- Breadth of tools: Workflows, an agent, an API and team seats on Pro.
Where Klaivo differs
- Your product is the star. Klaivo generates each shot from your own product photo (image-to-video), so the item on screen is the one you ship.
- The script is written for you. Paste a product URL and you get a product sheet and a clip-by-clip script you can edit before paying.
- Motion design ads: kinetic typography around your product cut out, with voiceover, captions and music, in a few minutes; the first 3 are free with no card.
- Public, lower entry price: $29 a month for 100 credits, paid credits that never expire, and a free way in without a card.
| Klaivo | Arcads | |
|---|---|---|
| Creative angle | Product-led ad | AI actor to camera |
| Product URL → full ad | ✅ | ❌ not on its homepage |
| Writes the script | ✅ editable clip by clip | ⚠️ you bring it, or ask Mark |
| Your product photo → video | ✅ | ⚠️ Product Showcase, Unboxing |
| AI actors | ❌ | ✅ 1,000+, custom on Pro |
| Video models | ✅ 19 | ✅ Seedance, Veo, Kling, Wan and more |
| Motion design ads | ✅ 3 free, no card | Not listed |
| Languages | Voiceover in your chosen language | 74 (actors), 176 (translation) |
| Credits | Paid credits never expire | Reset monthly on Starter and Creator |
| Public prices | ✅ | ❌ |
| Free way in | ✅ 3 motion ads + 3 analyses, no card | ⚠️ 3-day trial, card |
| Entry price | $29/mo | ~€100/mo (third-party) |
Checked 24 October 2026 on klaivo.co/pricing and Arcads' help center.
Choose Arcads when a realistic human presenter is the ad. Choose Klaivo when the product should carry the ad, you want the script written from your page, and a lower, public entry price. Many teams run both angles as separate tests.
See also Arcads alternatives, Arcads vs Creatify and Klaivo pricing.
FAQ
Is Arcads worth it?
If a realistic AI person is your ad angle, yes: its actors are the most convincing in the category, and since 3.0 it bundles models and tools in one credit balance. If you mainly test short product hooks, the flat 800 credits per actor video and hidden prices make it expensive to start.
How much does Arcads cost?
Arcads shows prices only in the app. Plans include 8,000 (Starter), 16,000 (Creator), 48,000 (Pro), 96,000 (Scale) or 192,000 (Business) credits a month, 20% off yearly. A third-party reading on 6 October 2026 found Starter at €100 and Creator at €200 a month.
How many videos do you get on Arcads Starter?
About 10 talking-actor videos a month: Starter has 8,000 credits and an Arcads 1.0 actor video (up to 2 minutes) costs 800. Model clips cost less or more depending on the model, from 210 credits for a 5-second Seedance 2.5 clip at 720p to 800 for an 8-second Veo 3.1 clip.
Is Arcads free?
No. There's a 3-day trial with 1,000 credits and a card on file; after 72 hours the Starter monthly plan starts unless you cancel.
Do Arcads credits roll over?
Only on Pro, Scale and Business, with no cap or expiry. Starter and Creator credits reset each cycle, and unused credits are lost if you cancel.
Is Klaivo cheaper than Arcads?
To start, yes: Klaivo is $29 a month with public prices and a free way in without a card, against about €100 a month for Arcads Starter after a 3-day trial. They don't make the same ads, though: Klaivo is product-led, Arcads actor-led.