AI UGC Pricing Comparison 2026: What Each Platform Actually Costs
AI UGC tools promise cheap video creation. But the real cost per video depends on plan structure, credit systems, and feature gating. We checked the public pricing pages for five platforms on April 2, 2026 and calculated the actual cost per video at each tier.
Methodology
We visited each platform's public pricing page on April 2, 2026. We recorded the cheapest paid plan, calculated the number of videos included, and divided the monthly price by the number of videos to get cost per video. For credit-based platforms, we used the default credit allocation and standard video length. No promotional pricing or annual discounts were used. All prices are in USD.
Last verified: April 2, 2026. Pricing may have changed since this analysis.
agent-media starts at $39/mo with transparent per-second pricing. No credit expiry on purchased packs. See the full breakdown on the pricing page.
Cost per video: side-by-side comparison
This table shows the lowest paid plan on each platform and the effective cost per video. Lower is better.
| Platform | Plan | Monthly | Videos | Cost/Video | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| agent-media | Creator | $39 | ~13 (10s each) | ~$3.00 | 10s (15s on Pro) |
| MakeUGC | Startup | $49 | 5 videos | ~$9.80 | 25s |
| Arcads | Product | $110 | ~10 videos | ~$11.00 | Up to 60s |
| Creatify | Creator | $59 | Credit-based (varies) | Varies by length | Up to 60s |
| HeyGen | Creator | $29 | Credit-based (3 credits) | ~$9.67 per credit | Up to 5 min |
Sources: agent-media, MakeUGC, Arcads, Creatify, HeyGen. Last verified: April 2, 2026.
The math: 25 videos per month
Suppose you need 25 short UGC videos per month for ad testing. Here is what that costs on each platform, based on their published pricing.
agent-media
Pro plan at $69/mo gives you 6,900 credits. Each 10s video costs 300 credits. That is 23 videos. Add a $39 credit pack for 13 more. Total: ~$108/mo for 36 videos. Cost per video: ~$3.00.
MakeUGC
Startup plan ($49/mo) gives you 5 videos. To reach 25, you need at least the Scale plan at $149/mo for 20 videos, then upgrade again. Approximate cost: $149-249/mo. Cost per video: $6.00-$10.00.
Arcads
Product plan ($110/mo) includes roughly 10 videos. You would need the Growth plan at $250/mo for 25+ videos. Cost per video: ~$10.00.
Creatify
Credit-based. The Creator plan ($59/mo) provides limited credits. Generating 25 videos likely requires the Business plan. Cost varies by video length and features used.
HeyGen
Creator plan ($29/mo) gives 3 credits. To generate 25 videos, you need the Business plan at $89/mo (30 credits). Cost per video: ~$2.97 per credit, but each video may cost multiple credits depending on length.
All calculations based on pricing pages as of April 2, 2026. Actual costs may differ based on video length, plan changes, and feature usage.
What's included: feature breakdown
Price per video is only part of the equation. What you get for that price varies significantly across platforms.
| Feature | agent-media | MakeUGC | Arcads | Creatify | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLI tool | |||||
| REST API | Enterprise | ||||
| AI script generation | |||||
| Subtitle styles | 17 styles | Limited | Limited | Limited | Basic |
| B-roll generation | |||||
| Pay-as-you-go credits | |||||
| Credits never expire | N/A | N/A | |||
| Custom avatar cloning | |||||
| Product-in-hand | |||||
| Web-based editor | Dashboard | Full editor | Full editor | Full editor | Full editor |
Feature availability based on each platform's public documentation and pricing pages. Last verified: April 2, 2026.
Hidden costs to watch for
The sticker price is not always the real price. Several platforms have pricing structures that increase your actual cost beyond the monthly fee.
Monthly credit expiry
Affects: HeyGen, Creatify
Unused credits expire at the end of each billing cycle. If you buy 10 credits and use 6, you lose 4.
Overage pricing
Affects: MakeUGC, Arcads
Generating more videos than your plan includes means upgrading to the next tier. No per-video top-up option.
Feature gating by plan
Affects: HeyGen, Arcads, Creatify
API access, custom avatars, and advanced features are often locked behind higher-tier plans. The cheapest plan may not include what you need.
Per-seat pricing
Affects: HeyGen, Creatify
Team features require additional per-seat charges. A 5-person team can double or triple the effective monthly cost.
Export limitations
Affects: Various
Some platforms watermark output on lower tiers or limit export resolution. Check the fine print before committing.
agent-media uses transparent per-second pricing: 30 credits per second of video. Monthly plan credits reset each cycle, but purchased credit packs never expire. No per-seat charges. No feature gating between plans (CLI, API, and all 17 subtitle styles are available on every plan). Check the pricing page for full details.
When other platforms are the better choice
No single tool wins every scenario. Here is where each competitor has a genuine advantage.
MakeUGC
Best web-based editor and product-in-hand feature. If you need avatars physically holding your product, MakeUGC is the only option that does this well.
agent-media: agent-media focuses on script-to-video speed via CLI and API. If you prefer a visual editor over a terminal, MakeUGC has a stronger web experience.
Arcads
Largest actor library (1,000+ actors claimed). Good for teams that need maximum visual variety across campaigns.
agent-media: agent-media has 200 actors with multiple variant looks per actor. Fewer total actors, but each one comes with outfit and background options.
HeyGen
Long-form video support (up to 5 minutes) and avatar cloning. Best for enterprise teams creating training content or long explainer videos.
agent-media: agent-media maxes at 15 seconds (30s in PIP mode). Built for short-form social content, not long-form.
Creatify
URL-to-video feature that scrapes product pages and generates ads automatically. Good for e-commerce teams with large catalogs.
agent-media: agent-media has AI script generation from product descriptions, but does not auto-scrape URLs. You provide the script or product info.
Verdict: who wins at each volume
The best platform depends on how many videos you need and how you create them.
| Volume | Best option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 videos/mo | HeyGen or agent-media | HeyGen Creator is $29/mo for 3 credits. agent-media Creator is $39/mo for ~13 videos. Both are affordable at low volume. |
| 10-25 videos/mo | agent-media | At $3/video with transparent pricing, agent-media is the cheapest option for moderate volume. No plan-hopping required. |
| 25-50 videos/mo | agent-media | Pro Plus ($129/mo) covers 43 videos at 10s each. Competitors cost $250+ for similar volume. |
| 50+ videos/mo | agent-media + credit packs | Top-up with $39 credit packs that never expire. No forced tier upgrade. Scale linearly at ~$3/video. |
| Long-form (2-5 min) | HeyGen | agent-media is capped at 15s. For long-form training or explainer content, HeyGen supports up to 5 minutes. |
TL;DR
- Cheapest per video: agent-media at ~$3.00 per 10s video across all plans.
- Best for high volume: agent-media. Credit packs never expire, and pricing scales linearly.
- Best web editor: MakeUGC. Strongest browser-based workflow.
- Best for long-form: HeyGen. Up to 5-minute videos.
- Most actors: Arcads. 1,000+ actors claimed.
- Most hidden costs: Credit-based platforms with monthly expiry and feature gating.
Try agent-media at $3 per video
Transparent pricing. No credit expiry on purchased packs. CLI, API, and web dashboard included on every plan.