Elf Yourself and its alternatives, compared
For the free, original cartoon version, the ElfYourself app puts up to 5 faces on dancing elves, with a different free dance each day; most dances cost $0.99 or come with a Season Pass that renews every year. For a real AI video where the people in your photo become the dancing elves, Cirrela lets you watch the whole 8-second video free first, with our mark, then $4.99 once to keep it; it takes 1 to 4 adults or a pet, never a child. Kavel AI does the whole family in one photo, children included, at $9.99, and Fotor's page says its elf video is free with no watermark.
Cirrela publishes this page and sells one of the videos in it. We did not test each service ourselves.
The pick for each need
Free, cartoon, with up to 5 faces: ElfYourself
The original, as an app for iPhone and Android: your faces on dancing cartoon elves, with a different free dance every day.
Watch out: Most dances are paid ($0.99 each, or all of them from $4.99), the free version shows ads, and the Season Pass renews every year until cancelled.
The real thing, watched before you pay: Cirrela
Your photo of 1 to 4 adults, or of a pet, becomes an 8-second video where they dance as elves in gold glitter, faces kept, with music. Watch the whole video free with our mark; $4.99 once to keep and send it. Nothing renews.
Watch out: Never a child: a check refuses any photo where someone could be under 18. The free one carries our mark and doesn't download.
Free download, no watermark: Fotor
Upload a photo, press generate, download a dancing elf clip; its elf page says it is free and watermark-free.
Watch out: The page doesn't say how long the clip is, how many people fit, or whether the elf looks real or cartoon.
The whole family from one photo, children included: Kavel AI
Everyone in one family photo becomes an elf in a 10-second vertical clip, the dog too. $9.99 once.
Watch out: No free try on its page.
E-cards for every holiday: JibJab
Faces on animated characters, elf cards included, for every occasion of the year.
Watch out: A membership: $36 a year, $24 for six months, or $6.99 a month in the app. JibJab is not the maker of ElfYourself.
What each one is, who can be in it, and what it costs
| Seller | What it is | Who can be in it | Free | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cirrela | A real AI video: the people in your photo dance as elves, faces kept, with music (8 s) | 1 to 4 adults, or a pet; never a child | The whole video to watch, with our mark (free account) | $4.99 once, nothing renews |
| ElfYourself | Your faces on cartoon elves (app) | Up to 5 faces | Some dances, a different one each day; with ads | $0.99 a dance; all dances $4.99 to $7.99; Season Pass $6.99, renews yearly (App Store) |
| JibJab | Your face on animated elves, as e-cards | Not stated | A few cards and the app's GIFs | $36 a year, $24 for 6 months, or $6.99 a month in the app |
| Fotor | A dancing elf clip from one photo | Not stated | Its elf page says free, without watermark | Not stated on the elf page |
| Christmas Dance AI | A real AI video of one dancer | One adult, or a dog or cat | Not stated | From $4.99 |
| Kavel AI | A real AI video: everyone in one photo as elves (10 s) | Everyone in the photo, children included | No free video | $9.99 once for one video |
Prices as each page or store listing showed them, in US dollars, before tax. "Not stated": the page we read didn't say.
Common questions
Is Elf Yourself free in 2026?
Partly. Its store listings say some dances are free, with a different free one each day, and most must be bought: $0.99 a dance, all dances from $4.99 to $7.99, or a Season Pass that renews every year. The free version shows ads.
Is Elf Yourself made by JibJab?
No. The App Store and Google Play list Magic Mirror LLC as its developer. JibJab is another company that makes its own elf e-cards, with a membership.
How do I make a real AI elf video of myself, not a cartoon?
Upload a photo to one of the AI tools: Cirrela turns 1 to 4 adults or a pet into dancing elves in 8 seconds, free to watch with our mark and $4.99 once to keep; Kavel AI does the whole family for $9.99; Christmas Dance AI starts at $4.99 for one dancer.
Can children be in the video?
Not at Cirrela: a check refuses any photo where someone could be under 18, and its Santa videos say a child's name instead, without a photo. Kavel AI's page says a child's photo works, and ElfYourself puts any face on its cartoon elves.