Do you want Santa talking to your child from the North Pole, or Santa caught on camera in your own living room? Portable North Pole (PNP) makes personalized Santa messages filmed in Santa's village, plus calls and stories, with a free trial and paid options. HoHo Cam! makes one thing: security-camera-style footage of Santa leaving gifts by your tree and saying your child's name, for a one-time $19. Many families could happily use both.
Full disclosure: we make HoHo Cam!, so we're not neutral. We're not affiliated with Portable North Pole. Everything about PNP on this page comes from its own website, read on October 18, 2026: portablenorthpole.com/en and portablenorthpole.com/en/premium. Details can change, so check there before you buy.
Side by side
| Feature | Portable North Pole | HoHo Cam! |
|---|---|---|
| Where Santa appears | Santa's village, with filmed footage of Santa | Your own room, made from your photo, in a night-vision security-camera style |
| What gets personalized | Your child's name, age, photos, good behaviour and more (PNP says some messages have over 20 personalizations) | Your room, and your child's first name, spoken by Santa and shown on a name card |
| What else you get | Phone calls from Santa, live “Talk to Santa” chats, bedtime stories, birthday videos | Just the camera video: one big “he was here” moment |
| How you pay | Free trial video; a single Premium video or call (one-time payment, active for a year); or the Magic Pass, a yearly subscription that renews automatically unless you cancel. Prices vary by country | One-time payment: $19 single video, $39 pack of 4 videos. No subscription |
| When it's ready | Most experiences ready within minutes | Within 48 hours, by email, checked before delivery. Order by December 21 for delivery by December 23 |
| Languages | 6: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish and German | English or Spanish |
| Where you use it | In the browser and the free iOS and Android app | You get an HD video file to keep and play on any phone, tablet or TV |
| Can you buy it now? | Yes | Not yet: orders open November 2026 (waitlist now) |
When Portable North Pole is the better pick
- You want Santa talking directly to your child about their year, with lots of details.
- You'd like several moments through December: calls, stories and messages.
- You want to start free, or you need a language other than English or Spanish.
- You need it today.
When HoHo Cam! is the better pick
- You want proof Santa came to your house: footage of him in your own living room, by your own tree.
- Your child wants to “catch Santa on camera” this year.
- You prefer one payment and no subscription.
- You'd like a done-for-you video that's checked before delivery. See what the footage looks like.
Can you use both?
Yes, and they fit together nicely. A message from the North Pole in early December builds the story (“Santa knows you've been kind!”), and the camera footage on Christmas morning shows he really came. For more on the different kinds of Santa videos, see personalized Santa videos and our guide to choosing a Santa video.
Catch Santa for $19See all packs
HoHo Cam! orders open in November 2026. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when they open. No payment and no photo needed now, just an adult's email.
Packs and prices
Single video
Santa visits your living room and says your child's name.
Pack of 4 videos
Each child gets their own video with their own name.
Orders open November 2026. Order by Dec 21 for delivery by Dec 23. Compare what's in each pack · Join the waitlist
🔒 Download your video and keep it — it's yours forever. To protect your family's privacy, we delete your photo 30 days after delivery and remove your video from our servers after 60 days. Your download link expires then, so save your copy.
AI disclosure: Santa, his motion and his voice are created with AI video and voice tools. The security-camera look is a creative effect, not real CCTV footage, and we're not affiliated with any camera brand. Every video carries a small “AI” label and is checked before delivery.
Questions parents ask
Is Portable North Pole a subscription?
It can be. Its Magic Pass is a yearly subscription that renews automatically unless you cancel. PNP also sells single Premium videos and calls as one-time payments, and offers a free trial video. Prices vary by country (per portablenorthpole.com, read October 18, 2026).
Is HoHo Cam! a subscription?
No. You pay once: $19 for a single video or $39 for a pack of 4 videos, one per child for up to 4 children.
Which feels more real to a child?
They tell different stories. Portable North Pole shows Santa's world and Santa talking to your child. HoHo Cam! shows Santa in your own home, which works well as proof that he came. Both are made with video effects; every HoHo Cam! video carries a small “AI” label.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many families like a message before Christmas and the camera footage on Christmas morning.
Which is better for Spanish-speaking families?
Both offer Spanish. Portable North Pole lists 6 languages, including Spanish. HoHo Cam! videos are made in English or Spanish.
Is HoHo Cam! part of Portable North Pole?
No. HoHo Cam! is a separate, independent product and isn't affiliated with Portable North Pole.