Is there a free alternative to Heads Up!?
Yes. CardYard Charades is free to start in any browser, with a timer, themed word lists and family-safe or adult audiences.
Heads Up! alternative
A free Heads Up! alternative that runs in your browser.
Heads Up! is a phone game where one player guesses the word on the screen while friends act it out. CardYard Charades plays the same way without an app download: open the page, pick a theme, set the timer and pass the phone.
Choose your game
Pick a game. Start playing.
Start with the kind of round your group wants. Every option opens directly into the game. There is no second menu to decode.
A good round, fast
Make the round work.
Parties and family nightsGroups without the appTeachers and team eventsAny phone, tablet or laptop
How they compare
Both games use a timer and a deck of words that friends act out or describe. Heads Up! is an installed app with fixed decks. CardYard Charades runs in any browser, generates new cards on demand, supports custom themes and has family, teen and adult audiences.
No download, no account to start
Nobody needs to install anything, so it works for a guest who just joined the party. Free rounds start immediately; Premium adds more categories and adult decks.
Words you can trust at the table
Choose a family-safe audience for mixed company or switch to adult decks for a late-night group. Use a custom theme for a birthday, trip or inside joke.
Before you start
Questions, answered.
The short version: pick an easy category, set a timer, and let the room do the rest.
Do we need to download an app?
No. CardYard runs on the web page, so any phone, tablet or laptop can host a round.
Is CardYard affiliated with Heads Up!?
No. Heads Up! is a trademark of its owner. CardYard is an independent game site and this page is a factual comparison.
Can we play on a video call?
Yes. The host shares a screen or reads the cards privately to the acting player while others guess.
Ready when the room is.