I tested all the AI ad generators out there to find the best Creatify AI alternative.
After trying them all, the one that came out on top is Arcads AI.
It turns simple product images into realistic UGC-style AI ads in minutes, and it’s easily the best option right now.
In this post, I will show you why it’s the best AI UGC ad generator right now and why it beats Creatify hands down.
Let’s go!
Disclaimer: This post has affiliate links at no cost to you.
My Results
Before the review, let me quickly show you the results I got with Arcads.
Here’s a simple UGC ad I made:
Here’s an unboxing video I made:
Here’s another UGC ad:
Also, here’s a regular ad that I did too:
Pretty epic, right?
Now, let’s get into a detailed review of the platform.
My Experience
Let me start by showing you what it’s like to use this tool.
#1 Onboarding
To get started, you’ll need to sign up first.
But right after signing up, you’ll need to pay to start using it.
I think this is a big miss.
But at the same time, I get it. This kind of tech is expensive to run, and they probably wouldn’t be profitable if they offered a free trial. That’s just my guess, but I don’t see any other reason not to let users try it first.
I’ve also noticed this is common with most AI ad generators. None of the good ones offer a free trial.
#2 Dashboard
Still, once you’ve signed up, you can start creating projects right from your dashboard.
#3 Script-Writing
To make UGC ads, all you need is a script.
You can write one yourself or use ChatGPT to help with it.
Then, send your script to Arcads using the chat feature.
However, make sure to check all the options for different types of ad videos, voices, and AI models.
For example, I started by making a traditional ad using this prompt:
Ever wish your tennis tee looked good off the court too?
Most tennis shirts scream, ‘I just left practice.’ Not exactly what you want when you’re grabbing coffee after a match.
This one’s different — it’s built for the game, but looks clean enough for brunch, errands, or just chilling courtside.
Serve style and comfort. Tap the link and get yours now.
#4 Sending Product Images
You can also send an image of your product to the AI.
That way, it knows what your product looks like and can include it in the video.
Then hit send and wait.
One thing that bothered me was that the AI didn’t say how long it would take to finish the ad.
After waiting a few minutes, it was finally done, but for longer or more detailed ads, it might take more time.
If there’s high demand, the servers can also get crowded, which might slow things down a bit.
Here you can see how good an alternative this tool is for Creatify AI.
#5 Example Result
Here’s the first ad I made, completely with AI:
I really like how this turned out.
It feels real, sounds natural, and came out just the way I wanted.
It’s only a bit short. I noticed I used 8 seconds when I could’ve gone up to 12.
#6 UGC Ads
Now let’s move on to the UGC side of Arcads, which is the main reason we’re here.
To do that, select the Talking Actors feature from the list.
There’s a big list of TikTok and Reels-style actors you can pick from.
The filters make it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for.
I picked Thomas as my actor.
I hit send and waited a few minutes for the ad to generate again.
Here’s my result:
That looks amazing. It feels just like one of those viral TikToks.
The only downside with this mode is that you can’t, for example, place a product in the person’s hands while they’re talking.
Other than that, this is a really impressive piece of tech.
Upgrade After Upgrade…
One thing that did annoy me was that the cheaper $100–$200 plans are very limited.
For example, if you want to use a Pro AI actor, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan. Most of the AI actors are in that category, unfortunately.
Here’s what the pricing looks like:
I wasn’t a fan of this part. Especially since there’s no way to test those features first.
Without any kind of trial, I’d have to spend over $2,000 just to see if there’s something worth using. The more I think about it, the more I dislike that.
Also, the $100 plan only gives you around 10–20 videos per month. That’s not much, especially since you usually need a few tries to get the perfect one.
Still, for UGC ads, it’s pretty solid. Most of the time, the AI gets it right within a couple of attempts — but that still works out to roughly $50 per video.
Creating an Ad: Step-by-Step Guide
In the earlier examples, the AI-generated UGC ads looked great, but something was missing — edits and b-roll.
Right now, it’s just a person talking, which gets boring fast.
You could record the same thing on your phone in 30 seconds without paying hundreds of dollars or waiting for the AI to render it.
That kind of video is hard to watch all the way through. It also doesn’t make sense to talk about a product that never shows up on screen.
So, we need something more.
In this part, I’ll show you how I created an ad from scratch that’s more than just a talking head.
To make your UGC ads stand out, Arcads includes two helpful features — Unboxing POV and Show Your App.
Let’s use these to create a UGC ad for this smartwatch:
First, let’s write a script that follows this format:
Hook → Problem → Solution → Benefits → CTA
I’ll just ask ChatGPT to handle it for me.
Here’s the script it came up with:
Why do most smartwatches look like computers strapped to your wrist?
I wanted something that actually looked good — then I found the Pulse Pro.
It’s sleek, titanium, with a leather loop band with a bright and clean screen.
It tracks everything, lasts a week on one charge, and still looks like a real watch.
It’s affordable! Just click the link to buy it.
That looks good! Let’s go with it.
Now I’ll add that script into the view.
By the way, I recommend turning on the “Add Speech Emotion” feature. It makes your script sound more natural and lively.
Instead of speaking in a flat tone, the AI will use those expression styles and read each line with the right emotion.
Now, let’s pick an actor.
I’m going with Verity for this ad:
Then let’s generate the UGC ad.
Here’s what I got back:
As you can see, it looks realistic, but it’s a bit boring.
Now let’s use the Unboxing POV and Show Your App features to make it stand out.
The Unboxing POV feature lets you upload an image of your product, and the AI creates a video of the actor unboxing it.
To use it, select “Unboxing POV” from the list and drop your product image into the view:
Then pick a template.
This lets you set the scene for where the unboxing takes place.
Then just hit send and wait.
Here’s what I got:
As you can see, it’s pretty well-made and edited in a modern unboxing style.
There are a few small flaws, though.
For example, when the actor picks up the watch, it’s missing the wristband.
The good thing is you don’t have to use every part of it. I’ll show you how to work around that in a second.
Now, there’s one more thing we can do to make the ad more interesting — the Show Your App feature.
In this mode, the AI actor shows the product’s landing page on their phone to the camera.
To use it, just select “Show Your App” from the list.
Pick the same actor you used before, then choose the app show mode you want to use.
Then hit send and wait.
Here’s the result I got for my watch:
Awesome!
Now we just need to combine these three videos into one.
You can do this with any simple free video editor. (It’s a bit annoying that Arcads doesn’t let you do this directly.)
To edit it properly, drop the main UGC ad clip onto the timeline first. Then add the unboxing and app scenes on top.
Place the unboxing clip right when the actor first mentions the product.
Then place the landing page scene at the end, when the actor talks about buying it.
Here’s what my video editor timeline looks like:
I also trimmed a lot of the unboxing video since most of it was unnecessary or boring. I kept only the parts that mattered. The original clip was around 15 seconds, and I kept about 3–4 seconds of it.
Feel free to make edits like this so your final ad flows better and makes sense.
Here’s my finished result:
Looks way better than the original clip, right?
So that’s how you make UGC ads with Arcads.
It’s already a pretty cool tool, and I can definitely see brands getting a lot of use out of it. It also saves both time and money on ads like this.
That said, it’s not perfect yet.
I wish you didn’t have to leave the app to do simple edits.
And it would be great if there were more ways for the actors to actually show the products.
Right now, you can’t even make the actor hold the product in their hands.
But now, let’s recap this review into the core features, pros, cons, and alternatives.
Key Features
Let’s recap the core features of Arcads AI:
- Turn any script into a video ad using AI actors
- Pick from over 300 avatars with different looks and styles
- Add your own voice or use text-to-speech
- Create multiple ad versions at once
- Adjust voice speed, tone, and emotion
- Supports multiple languages
Pros
- Super fast to make videos
- Much cheaper than hiring UGC creators
- Nice variety of actors and voice options
- Looks realistic enough for TikTok or Reels
- Lets you test lots of versions quickly
- Lip-sync and audio quality are solid
Cons
- Some features don’t always work as shown
- Limited options for showing real products
- No built-in video editor
- A few voices still sound slightly robotic
- Pricing is high, and there’s no free trial
- Feels a bit like it’s still in beta — not everything runs smoothly
Pricing
You won’t find the pricing listed on the homepage, but it shows up once you start signing up.
- Starter Plan: €100 per month
- Creator (Popular) Plan: €200 per month
- Pro Plan: Custom pricing (contact them for details)
Also, keep in mind that if you want to use the PRO models, you’ll need to upgrade to even higher-tier plans that aren’t shown on this pricing page.
Here’s what those plans look like:
Why Arcads Over Creatify AI?
Arcads is better than Creatify AI if your main goal is to make UGC-style ads fast.
It focuses only on this type of ad, so it’s simple to use and perfect for quick testing. You can create several versions in minutes and see what works best.
Creatify AI is great too, but it’s more of a general video ad tool with editing and extra steps. Arcads skips all that and gets you straight to results.
If you want speed, realistic actors, and short social ads that look like real UGC, Arcads is the better choice.
Benefits of Using AI for UGC Ads
The biggest benefit of AI-generated UGC ads is how fast they are to make.
You can create and test multiple versions in minutes instead of waiting weeks for human creators.
It’s also much cheaper since you don’t need to hire anyone or shoot new footage. Once your script is ready, each video costs almost nothing to produce.
AI also keeps your brand consistent. Every video follows the same tone, message, and style, without different creators interpreting it their own way.
Testing is easier, too. You can change a few lines or visuals and instantly see which version performs best.
And since tools like Arcads support many languages, it’s easy to make localized versions for different markets.
To Take Home
Arcads.ai is one of the best tools right now for creating UGC-style ads fast.
It’s not perfect, but it can save you a lot of time and money if you use it the right way.
If you want to scale your ads, test new hooks, or try creative angles before hiring real creators, Arcads is worth checking out.
You can use it to build quick test campaigns, find what performs best, and then hand those winning ideas over to your team to take them further.
If you’re looking for alternatives, check this post.