ShowKit vs Arcade
A code-owned Arcade alternative
ShowKit builds portable HTML demos with Claude Code or Codex. Arcade combines demos, video, narration, and visual production.
Short answer
Choose the canonical output first
Choose ShowKit when HTML is the source of truth and you want the files.
Choose Arcade for demos, video, narration, translations, and campaign production.
Feature comparison
ShowKit vs Arcade
Compare creation, editing, ownership, hosting, and price.
| Decision area | ShowKit | Arcade |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Your coding agent turns a supported product flow into a guided HTML demo, then checks the result. | Capture with Arcade's browser extension, desktop app, Figma plugin, or media upload. Free includes one published demo and video. |
| Editing | Edit the demo content and theme in files, then rebuild and check it. ShowKit has no visual editor. | Edit voiceovers, video, translations, branching, calls to action, forms, and brand controls in one workspace. |
| Ownership | You keep the HTML, CSS, player, demo content, and local assets. | Managed in Arcade. Growth lists MP4 and GIF exports. The official pricing page does not list raw static HTML export. |
| Hosting | Publish up to 3 active demos free at demos.showkit.sqncs.com, or host the exported folder on any static host. A local preview stays local. | Publish through Arcade. Enterprise lists custom domains, share links, offline access, and HTML capture. |
| Price | Local creation and self-hosting are free under MIT. A free ShowKit account includes 3 active hosted demos. | Free is $0 with one published demo and one published video. Growth is $42.50 per month per seat on annual billing. Enterprise is custom. |
| Best fit | Teams that treat a guided HTML demo as code and want local builds, Git review, and static hosting. | Marketing teams producing demos, video, narration, and campaign assets in one workspace. |
Which team should choose each tool?
Choose ShowKit when
You want semantic HTML demo files that can ship with your own site.
A coding agent already handles feature work, copy revisions, and QA.
You do not need video generation, AI credits, or a hosted content studio.
Choose Arcade when
Your launch program needs interactive demos and video from the same tool.
AI voiceovers, translations, branching, CTAs, forms, and brand kits matter now.
Marketing needs browser, desktop, Figma, and media capture without a code workflow.
Honest tradeoff
When Arcade is the better choice
Choose Arcade when launches need video, voiceovers, translations, branching, forms, and campaign assets from one workspace. ShowKit focuses on interactive HTML and does not generate video.
Workflow difference
What changes when you choose ShowKit
ShowKit keeps a guided HTML demo as the source of truth. Ask Claude Code or Codex to refresh it as the product changes. Arcade fits better when video, narration, or social content is the main output.
How to use ShowKit
Start with the product flow you want to show
Paste this into Claude Code or Codex. It adds the ShowKit skill, then asks for the product URL or open flow.
The skill asks before changing an existing project, adding Playwright, or publishing a checked demo.
Ready to share?
Publish the checked version
Your coding agent fills in the version hash. The command connects your account when needed and returns a hosted URL. Up to 3 active demos are free.
Frequently asked questions
No. Start with a supported product URL or existing product files. A codebase helps when you want repeatable updates through Playwright or CI, but it is optional.
Yes. ShowKit exports a static HTML demo with CSS, player code, demo content, and local assets. You can publish that folder on any static host. Opening a local preview does not publish it.
No. ShowKit's primary output is a guided interactive HTML demo. Arcade is the better fit when AI video, voiceover, GIF, MP4, and visual generation are required outputs.
Arcade's current official pricing lists HTML capture on Enterprise. ShowKit builds supported HTML demo scenes locally as part of its open-source workflow.
ShowKit local creation and self-hosting are free under MIT, and a free account includes 3 active hosted demos. Arcade has a $0 Free plan with one published demo and video. Its current annual Growth price is $42.50 per month per seat, and Enterprise is custom.
Comparison sources
Reviewed August 5, 2026. Competitor plans change, so confirm current terms before purchasing. Missing export details are reported as unknown, not impossible.