A Heads Up alternative: clue and guessing games online
Letternerd is not a Heads Up alternative in the charades sense: there is no phone-on-the-forehead game and no acting out. What it has are free guessing games in the browser, where everyone plays on their own phone. The closest is One Clue, where everyone writes a one-word clue and one player guesses the word.
What is Heads Up!
Heads Up! is a party game app from Warner Bros. One player holds the phone to their forehead with a word showing, and everyone else gives clues until they guess it, tilting the phone down for a right answer and up to pass. It has themed decks, lets you make your own, can record a video of the round, and is on iPhone and Android.
Why people look for a Heads Up! alternative
- Your friends are spread across a call or a group chat, and you want everyone playing on their own screen.
- You want a game where everyone answers at once rather than passing one phone around.
- You want something nobody has to install.
Letternerd vs Heads Up!
| Feature | Heads Up! | Letternerd |
|---|---|---|
| How you play | One phone on the guesser’s forehead, the rest give clues | Every player on their own phone |
| Charades and acting | Yes | No |
| Where it runs | iPhone and Android app | Any browser |
| Best setting | Together in one room, or over FaceTime | One room, a video call or a group chat |
| Make your own | Custom decks of words | A whole game from a sentence, your notes or a template |
Which should you pick?
Pick Heads Up! if
- You want real charades: shouting clues, acting things out and laughing at the guesser. Letternerd has nothing like it.
- You are in one room and want a game on one phone with no setup.
- Younger children are playing. Letternerd is for ages 13 and up.
Pick Letternerd if
Pick Letternerd if- Friends are on a video call or in different places, each with their own phone.
- You want word and clue games where everyone plays at once.
- You want quizzes and party games for the rest of the night too.
Heads Up alternative games for when you are apart
These are guessing games, not charades. Each one works when the players are in different places, because nobody has to see anyone else.
- One Clue: everyone writes a one-word clue for the guesser. Matching clues cancel out, so be helpful, not obvious.
- Say It Plainly: explain everyday things in one sentence without the obvious words, and the table checks each other’s, anonymously.
- Emoji Decoder: a film told in a handful of emoji. Which one is it?
- Riddle Me: crack the riddle outright, or let the letters of the hidden answer give it away.
- Voice guess: everyone records the same line, and the room works out whose voice is whose.
- One Clue3–10 players · 12 minEveryone writes a one-word clue for the guesser. Matching clues cancel out, so be helpful, not obvious.
- Say It Plainly3–12 players · 8 minExplain everyday things in one sentence without the obvious words. The table checks each other’s, anonymously.
- Emoji Decoder1–12 players · 4 minA film told in a handful of emoji. Which one is it? Every wrong answer shares a picture with the right one.
- Voice guess3–12 players · 10 minEveryone records the same line. Whose voice is that?
How to play One Clue on a video call
- Start the call, open One Clue and host a room for 3 to 10 players.
- Share the link in the call chat. Everyone joins on their own phone, in the browser.
- Each turn one player is the guesser. Everyone else sees the secret word and writes a one-word clue.
- Matching clues cancel out, so the guesser only sees the clues nobody else thought of.
- A right guess scores for the guesser and for everyone whose clue survived.
Games to play instead of Heads Up!
Free in your browser on any phone or computer. Play alone, or share the room code and everyone joins as a guest.
- One Clue3–10 players · 12 minEveryone writes a one-word clue for the guesser. Matching clues cancel out, so be helpful, not obvious.
- Say It Plainly3–12 players · 8 minExplain everyday things in one sentence without the obvious words. The table checks each other’s, anonymously.
- Emoji Decoder1–12 players · 4 minA film told in a handful of emoji. Which one is it? Every wrong answer shares a picture with the right one.
- Riddle Me1–12 players · 6 minA riddle, and its answer as a hidden word. Crack it outright, or let the letters give it away.
- Voice guess3–12 players · 10 minEveryone records the same line. Whose voice is that?
- Emoji word smash1–12 players · 4 minTwo emoji, one word. Smash them together and guess the word.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free game like Heads Up online?
Not a charades game, but Letternerd has free clue and guessing games in the browser. [One Clue](/g/one-clue) is the closest: everyone clues one guesser with a single word.
Can you play Heads Up on a video call?
The Heads Up! store listing says you can play over FaceTime, with friends watching the guesser’s phone on camera. If you would rather each player had the game on their own screen, use a browser game like Letternerd alongside the call.
Does Letternerd have charades?
No. There is no acting or phone-on-the-forehead game. The nearest games are clue and guessing games such as [One Clue](/g/one-clue) and [Say It Plainly](/g/say-it-plainly).
More games
Other comparisons
See all- Bluffing quiz app for phonesPsych! Outwit Your Friends alternativeLike Psych! Outwit Your Friends? Letternerd has free browser games about reading your friends, plus quizzes, joined with a room code and no download.
- Co-operative one-word clue gameGames like Just OneWant to play a game like Just One online? One Clue on Letternerd: everyone writes a one-word clue for the guesser and matching clues cancel out. Free.
- Drawing and guessing party gameGames like PictionaryLooking for a game like Pictionary online? Sketch guess on Letternerd: everyone draws the same thing on their phone and the room guesses who drew which.
- Group video chat app (closed in 2021)Houseparty alternativeHouseparty closed in 2021. Letternerd brings the games back to any video call: open a link on your phone and play along on Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp.
- Party game packs played on a shared screenJackbox Party Pack alternativeWant free games like Jackbox? Letternerd runs party games in the browser: everyone plays on their own phone, with nothing to buy and no screen to share.
Heads Up! is a trademark of its owner. Letternerd is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them. The comparison describes each product as publicly presented and may change; check their site for the latest.