Portable North Pole alternatives
Short answer
If Portable North Pole (single Premium video US$11.99, or a US$19.99 first-year Magic Pass subscription) is more than you need, the main alternatives are HohoClip ($4.99 per video or $9.99 for three, free name preview, no photos, no subscription), Custom Santa Video (free cartoon video; £7.99/$9.99 premium) and SantaCard ($1.99/video, min. 2). PNP is still the better choice if you want phone calls, live chat, stories or filmed Santa footage.
Last updated November 1, 2026. Written by the HohoClip team; we make one of the products compared here.
PNP vs alternatives
| Service | Free option | Paid price | What you provide | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HohoClip | Free watermarked preview where Santa says the child's name; free printable Letter from Santa and Nice List certificate. | $4.99 one video, $9.99 for 3 ($3.33 each). One-time, no subscription. | Text-only form: name, age, town, interests, proud moment, wish, who it's from; name pronunciation check. No photos. | Original fictional storybook Santa in 3 scenes; 10 voice/language options; tone, length and music; HD MP4 + share page; delivered within 24h or refunded. |
| Portable North Pole (PNP) | Free trial Santa video (PNP says free trials are usually available up to December 19) and a free birthday video. | Single Premium video US$11.99; Magic Pass annual subscription US$19.99 for the first year (auto-renews). PNP notes prices vary by country. | Form with child's name, age, details and photos. | Filmed Santa and North Pole village footage, plus phone calls, live 'Talk to Santa' chat and audio bedtime stories; web and iOS/Android app. |
| Custom Santa Video | Free cartoon Santa video that says the child's name and one detail; no card, ready in about two minutes. | Premium video £7.99 / $9.99 / €8.99 one-off (one video). | Text details (name, age, interests, achievement, wish); no photo upload. | Choice of Santa, US or UK voice, tone, length and music; portrait video ready in about 10–15 minutes; iPhone app. |
| Synthesia Santa | Free Santa video from a template (Classic, Selfie or Working Santa), emailed to you. | Free campaign page; Synthesia's main product is a business AI-video platform with its own plans. | You type the script Santa says (any of 140+ languages). | AI avatar Santa reading your script; delivered by email. |
| CreatorKit AI Santa | Per CreatorKit's FAQ, free videos are given to about 20% of users, decided after you enter your email. | Paid for other users; price not shown on the page before entering an email. | Pick a template (kids, joke, custom) and type the message; optional AI 'Generate draft'. | AI Santa video emailed in about 7 minutes; many languages. |
| SantaCard | No free video listed on the pricing section. | $1.99 per video, minimum order of 2 videos ($3.98). | Type any message; AI message assistant. | AI voice and Santa video in about 1 minute; 29 languages; 5 audio edits per video; 5 music choices; download. |
When Portable North Pole is the better choice
- You want more than a video: scheduled phone calls, live "Talk to Santa", audio bedtime stories, a season-long "Journey".
- You prefer filmed Santa and North Pole footage over an animated character.
- You want an iOS/Android app and to reuse it every year.
When an alternative fits better
- You only need one or a few videos and don't want an annual auto-renewal: HohoClip is $4.99 one-off, or $9.99 for three kids.
- You don't want to upload family photos: HohoClip is text-only and never accepts photos of children.
- Free: Custom Santa Video's free cartoon Santa says the name — see our free options guide.
- Cheapest paid: SantaCard at $1.99 per video (2-video minimum), where you write the message.
Switching tips
If your child already loves PNP, mixing is fine: use PNP's free trial before December 19 and a one-off video elsewhere for a cousin or grandparent's message. If you hold a Magic Pass you don't plan to use next year, PNP says you can cancel any time from your account.
Hear Santa say your child's name, free
Type their details (no photos), get a free watermarked preview, then unlock the full video for $4.99 (or 3 for $9.99).
Make my free previewFAQ
How much does Portable North Pole cost?
On November 1, 2026 PNP's site listed a single Premium Santa video at US$11.99 and the Magic Pass (annual, auto-renewing) at US$19.99 for the first year; PNP says prices vary by country. A free trial video is usually available until December 19.
What is a cheaper alternative to Portable North Pole?
SantaCard ($1.99 per video, minimum 2), HohoClip ($4.99, or $9.99 for three, with a free name preview) and Custom Santa Video (free cartoon video; £7.99/$9.99 premium) all cost less than a PNP Premium video and none require a subscription.
Is there a Portable North Pole alternative without a subscription?
Yes. HohoClip, Custom Santa Video and SantaCard are one-time purchases. PNP also sells single Premium videos without the Magic Pass.
Source: portablenorthpole.com and each alternative's site, read on November 1, 2026. HohoClip is not affiliated with Portable North Pole.