How Much Does an Explainer Video Cost?
At Animation Explainers, the typical explainer video price is $6,000 to $35,000+. What your film costs within that range depends on length, style, how custom the visuals are, how many versions you need and how many people have to sign it off.
Ask three studios for a price and you’ll get three different answers, because explainer budgets really do swing with scope. This guide shows what moves the price up or down, what a proper quote should include, and how to brief us so the number you get back is one you can plan around. Still deciding on the format? Start with what is an explainer video or our explainer videos guide.
The short answer: explainer video price at Animation Explainers
Our explainer videos typically run from $6,000 to $35,000+ for a finished film: script, storyboard, design, voiceover, music, animation and delivery files.
- Toward the lower end: a 60-second film in clean 2D or whiteboard, one language, a locked message and one decision-maker.
- Mid-band: custom characters and scenes, a product UI sequence, several cutdowns or aspect ratios.
- Toward the top, or beyond: 3D, medical and scientific work, cinematic footage-led films, multi-language campaigns and series.
We don’t publish fixed packages. Two “60-second explainers” can be very different jobs, so we quote against your brief. The band is there so you can tell early whether a studio film fits your budget.
What actually drives explainer video cost
Think of price as a stack of decisions rather than one sticker.
Length
Longer scripts mean more storyboard frames, more animation, more voiceover and more to review. For most marketing explainers we recommend 60 to 90 seconds: enough room for the story, with the cost kept in check. More on how long an explainer video should be.
Style and complexity
Style matters, but density matters more. A simple 3D turntable can cost less than a busy 2D film full of characters and scene changes. As a rule of thumb, clean 2D and whiteboard sit lower, while bespoke 3D, medical and cinematic work sit higher. Not sure which style suits your product? Our explainer video guide compares each one.
Custom vs template vs AI
Template builders, stock kits and AI tools keep the cash cost low. You pay for it in sameness, limited ownership and a finish that can struggle in a brand review or a sales call. Custom work costs more because every asset is built for your brand, which also makes later edits and localisation cleaner.
Script, stakeholders, voiceover, revisions and channels
A clear brief and one decision-maker move fast. A committee of reviewers adds rounds, and rounds cost time even when the style is simple. Professional voiceover, music and sound design are part of a finished film. Extra languages mean extra voiceover and text versions, and every extra channel (homepage, paid social, trade show screen) can add cutdowns, captions and aspect ratios.
Explainer video price by style
Where each style usually sits inside our band. These are relative positions, not package prices.
| Style | Typical position in the $6,000–$35,000+ band | Notes |
| Whiteboard | Lower part of the band | Clean, educational, step by step. See whiteboard animation |
| Clean 2D | Lower to mid | The workhorse for software and services |
| Motion graphics and UI | Mid, depending on design density | Strong for dashboards, data and product screens |
| Character-heavy or illustrative 2D | Mid to upper | More drawing and more scenes |
| Footage-led hybrid | Upper | Real-world footage with animated UI and labels |
| Custom 3D | Upper, or beyond | Modelling, lighting and rendering. See 3D animation |
| Medical and scientific | Upper, or beyond | Accuracy, specialist review and custom assets. See medical animation videos |
Every style and when to use it: animation styles.
60-second explainer video cost (and why 30 seconds isn’t half)
A minute is the yardstick most people use, so it’s the question we hear most. At Animation Explainers, a 60-second explainer sits inside the same $6,000 to $35,000+ band. Style and density move the number more than the stopwatch does:
- A calm 60-second whiteboard film with a locked script in one language sits toward the lower end.
- A packed 60-second 2D film with custom scenes, a UI sequence and social cutdowns sits higher.
- A 60-second medical or 3D film with specialist review sits at the top of the band, or beyond.
60 vs 90 seconds: all else being equal, 90 seconds costs more because there are more shots, more design and more to review. It isn’t simply half as much again, because discovery, scripting, style frames and casting are shared.
A 30-second film is not half the price of a 60-second one. Most pre-production is fixed: discovery, script, style, storyboard, voice casting and project management. Cutting runtime saves animation seconds, not the thinking. A cutdown from a finished master is efficient. A brand-new standalone 30-second film is a small project, not half a project. More on 30-second explainer videos.
What’s included in an explainer video quote
A professional quote should read like a production plan, not one line that says “60s video”. If it can’t answer “what am I actually buying?”, ask more questions.
| Included | What to check |
| Discovery and creative brief | Goal, audience, key message and CTA agreed in writing |
| Scriptwriting | Who writes it, and whether there’s a sign-off before anything is drawn |
| Storyboard and style frames | You should see the film before it moves |
| Custom design | Characters, scenes, icons and UI built for your brand, not swapped for stock |
| Professional voiceover | Casting, direction and recording; extra languages priced up front |
| Music and sound design | Licensed music and sound effects |
| Animation | Timed to the voiceover and music |
| Review rounds | How many, at which stages. Ours: three rounds, one each at script, storyboard and animation |
| Delivery files | Master, cutdowns, aspect ratios and captions, listed by name |
| Usage and ownership | Who owns the rights to the finished film. With us, you do |
At Animation Explainers every project includes the full pipeline above: we don’t sell script-only or animation-only work. That includes three rounds of revisions, one at each stage: script, storyboard and animation, licensed music, and ownership of the rights to your finished film. If you’re comparing studios, our explainer video company page explains how we work and who we work with.
What "cheap" often leaves out: message strategy, custom characters (stock or AI mash-ups instead), professional voiceover, time for stakeholder feedback before animation locks, and captions and usage rights in writing.
DIY vs AI tools vs freelancer vs studio
| Route | Typical cash outlay | What you get | Best for |
| DIY software | Below the studio band: subscriptions plus your team’s time | Templates and limited motion; your learning curve | Tests, internal drafts |
| AI or template tools | Below the studio band | Fast first drafts; a generic look that dates quickly | Moodboards, social experiments, internal comms |
| Freelancer | Usually below or at the low end of the studio band | Individual craft; quality and continuity vary | Narrow briefs with a trusted specialist |
| Specialist studio (Animation Explainers) | $6,000 to $35,000+ | Script, storyboard, design, voiceover, animation and project management in one team | Homepage and launch films, B2B products, medical, multi-stakeholder brands |
DIY is fine for drafts but rarely the right face for a homepage. AI and template tools are useful for thinking out loud, not for the asset your sales and legal teams have to stand behind. Freelancers can be excellent if you trust the portfolio and lock the IP, but one person may also have to write, cast and manage the project. A studio costs more because you’re buying a process, and that matters when marketing, product and legal all sign off.
How to keep the price in the band without cutting quality
You don’t beat a quote by deleting craft. You beat it by cutting waste.
- One idea per video. A second message is a second film (or a demo), not “one more scene”.
- Approve the script before anything is drawn. Animation is the most expensive place to discover you meant a different story.
- Consolidate feedback. One reviewer, or one set of merged notes per round.
- Lock the brand rules early. Colours, fonts, logo use and product screens at kickoff.
- Plan cutdowns at the script stage. A 15-second social edit built into the plan costs far less than one invented afterwards.
- Reuse in a series. A shared design system means each film after the first is quicker to make. For larger contracts we offer minute bundles where economies of scale allow discounting; we discuss those on a call only.
- Pick the style for the message, not the trend. Clean 2D explains most software brilliantly. Save 3D for things that need to be seen in 3D.
What moves a film up the band: three examples
The films below show the kinds of scope that push a project toward the top of the band. We don’t publish individual project fees.
Enbio: a footage-and-animation mix for space engineering. A surface-engineering company working in the space sector. The film mixes licensed stock, footage the client provided and our animation. Blending several sources into one film adds editing and design hours.
ISA: cinematic and footage-led. A three-minute film for a computer and network security firm. Longer runtime and a cinematic, footage-led look sit higher in the band than a 60-second 2D explainer.
Intel 471: a series, not a one-off. One visual system across a numbered series of threat-intelligence explainers. A series costs more in total, but the design system is built once and reused.
More work: our portfolio. For product-led briefs see product demo videos, for software teams see SaaS explainer videos, and for medtech and healthcare see medical animation videos.
How to brief us for an accurate quote
Send us these and we can come back with a scope and a price that fits (or tell you honestly if it doesn’t):
- Goal: what the viewer should do after watching.
- Audience: who they are and how much they already know.
- Length and channels: where the film will live, and any cutdowns, captions or aspect ratios.
- Style: references you like and dislike.
- Languages: voiceover and on-screen text versions.
- Timeline: your launch date and any hard constraints.
- Sign-off: who reviews and approves at each stage.
We reply with a written scope (length, style, deliverables, review stages and languages) and one price against it. How we run each stage is on our animation process page. Ready now? Book a call.
FAQ
How much does an explainer video cost?
At Animation Explainers, an explainer video typically costs between $6,000 and $35,000+. Where you land depends on length, style, how custom the visuals are, voiceover and language versions, review rounds and timeline. We quote against your brief rather than selling fixed packages.
What is the typical explainer video price for a 60-second film?
A 60-second explainer sits inside the same $6,000 to $35,000+ band. A calm whiteboard or clean 2D minute sits toward the lower end. A dense 2D minute with custom scenes and cutdowns sits higher, and a 60-second 3D or medical film sits at the top of the band or beyond.
Why is the price range so wide?
Because a simple whiteboard film and a custom 3D medical film are different jobs. Script complexity, the number of unique scenes, 2D vs 3D, review cycles, languages and deliverables all change the amount of work, even at the same runtime.
Does a 30-second explainer cost half as much as a 60-second one?
No. Discovery, scripting, style frames, storyboard, voice casting and project management are mostly fixed, so a shorter film saves animation time, not the thinking. A cutdown from a finished master is efficient. A brand-new 30-second film is a small project, not half a project.
How much does an explainer video cost per minute?
Per-minute pricing is misleading for explainers, because so much of the work happens before any animation and doesn’t scale with runtime. We price the whole film, from brief to final files, within our $6,000 to $35,000+ band. For larger contracts we offer minute bundles where economies of scale allow discounting; we discuss those on a call only.
What’s included in the price?
Every Animation Explainers project includes discovery, scriptwriting, storyboard and style frames, custom design, professional voiceover, licensed music and sound design, animation, three rounds of revisions, one at each stage: script, storyboard and animation, and delivery of the master plus agreed cutdowns. You don’t need to hire a writer or voice artist separately.
Who owns the video, and how many revisions are included?
You own the rights to your finished film. Every project includes three rounds of revisions, one at each stage: script, storyboard and animation.
Is an AI or template explainer video good enough?
For internal drafts, early tests and quick social experiments, often yes. For a homepage, launch or sales film that represents a B2B brand, a custom film usually ages better and is far easier for sales and legal to stand behind.
Freelancer or studio: which is better value?
A freelancer can be good value for a narrow, well-defined brief if you trust their portfolio and lock the IP in writing. A studio costs more but brings writers, designers, animators, voice casting and project management in one team, which matters when several stakeholders sign off or the subject is technical or regulated.
Why do 3D, medical and product demo videos cost more?
3D needs modelling, lighting and rendering. Medical work needs accuracy and specialist review. Product demos need your real interface or hardware rebuilt accurately. All three tend to sit higher in the band. See medical animation videos and product demo videos.
How do I get a quote from Animation Explainers?
Send us your goal, audience, target length, channels, style references, languages, timeline and who signs off. We’ll reply with a written scope and one price against it. Book a call to start.
Get a scoped quote
Price only makes sense against a brief. Tell us what you’re explaining, who needs to understand it and where the film will live, and we’ll recommend a style and length and quote the real scope.
Book a call · See our portfolio · Read about our process
How much does an explainer video cost?
At Animation Explainers, an explainer video typically costs between $6,000 and $35,000+. Where you land depends on length, style, how custom the visuals are, voiceover and language versions, review rounds and timeline. We quote against your brief rather than selling fixed packages.
What is the typical explainer video price for a 60-second film?
A 60-second explainer sits inside the same $6,000 to $35,000+ band. A calm whiteboard or clean 2D minute sits toward the lower end. A dense 2D minute with custom scenes and cutdowns sits higher, and a 60-second 3D or medical film sits at the top of the band or beyond.
Why is the price range so wide?
Because a simple whiteboard film and a custom 3D medical film are different jobs. Script complexity, the number of unique scenes, 2D vs 3D, review cycles, languages and deliverables all change the amount of work, even at the same runtime.
Does a 30-second explainer cost half as much as a 60-second one?
No. Discovery, scripting, style frames, storyboard, voice casting and project management are mostly fixed, so a shorter film saves animation time, not the thinking. A cutdown from a finished master is efficient. A brand-new 30-second film is a small project, not half a project.
How much does an explainer video cost per minute?
Per-minute pricing is misleading for explainers, because so much of the work happens before any animation and doesn’t scale with runtime. We price the whole film, from brief to final files, within our $6,000 to $35,000+ band. For larger contracts we offer minute bundles where economies of scale allow discounting; we discuss those on a call only.
What’s included in the price?
Every Animation Explainers project includes discovery, scriptwriting, storyboard and style frames, custom design, professional voiceover, licensed music and sound design, animation, three rounds of revisions, one at each stage: script, storyboard and animation, and delivery of the master plus agreed cutdowns. You don’t need to hire a writer or voice artist separately.
Who owns the video, and how many revisions are included?
You own the rights to your finished film. Every project includes three rounds of revisions, one at each stage: script, storyboard and animation.
Is an AI or template explainer video good enough?
For internal drafts, early tests and quick social experiments, often yes. For a homepage, launch or sales film that represents a B2B brand, a custom film usually ages better and is far easier for sales and legal to stand behind.
Freelancer or studio: which is better value?
A freelancer can be good value for a narrow, well-defined brief if you trust their portfolio and lock the IP in writing. A studio costs more but brings writers, designers, animators, voice casting and project management in one team, which matters when several stakeholders sign off or the subject is technical or regulated.
Why do 3D, medical and product demo videos cost more?
3D needs modelling, lighting and rendering. Medical work needs accuracy and specialist review. Product demos need your real interface or hardware rebuilt accurately. All three tend to sit higher in the band. See medical animation videos and product demo videos.
How do I get a quote from Animation Explainers?
Send us your goal, audience, target length, channels, style references, languages, timeline and who signs off. We’ll reply with a written scope and one price against it. Book a call to start.
