How much does an explainer video cost? Well, there is no definite answer to this question because it depends on a variety of things such as duration, style, technique, and of course, the video maker.
To have a full understanding of explainer video pricing, we conducted a survey and analyzed the work and prices of more than 50 explainer video agencies, 30 freelancers, 12 online video maker software, and 30 marketing agencies.
Along with the cost of explainer videos, we specifically focused on the following factors:
- Production quality
- Content customization
And guess what? We stumble upon plenty of enthralling findings.
Do you want to know about them? Keep reading this blog to find out what interesting things we have discovered.
An Overview: How Much Does An Explainer Video Cost?
Well, there are four major paths you can choose for an explainer video cost:
- Use an online video maker, which can cost you around $50 to $500.
- Another way to get your explainer video project done is to hire a freelancer. However, the cost will vary from person to person.
- Then the best option (according to us) is to hire an explainer video company. For the whole project, it will cost you around $2000 to $5000, which is a great deal, isn’t it?
- And lastly, if you’re filthy rich, you can go for a marketing agency, which can cost you a bomb (around $15,000 to $100,000).
The ball is in your hand. Whichever option you find suitable, you can go for it. However, don’t decide at this moment.
Keep reading our blog and learn more about explainer video pricing before making the final decision.
How To Find The Right Cost Of An Explainer Video
Video production costs should be inquired about at the outset. Why so? Because everyone is very possessive about their hard-earned money.
However, there are a plethora of factors that go into determining the cost. This might sound like a deflection, but I’m not trying to hide anything. Hold on a second, please, and stay with me.
If you randomly ask, “How much does an explainer video cost,” you’ll get a generic answer. It’s just like asking, “How much does a smartphone cost?”
You’ll be told, “Anywhere from $500 to a couple of hundred grand.”
Well, that’s not the answer you’re looking for, right?
For example, if you’re buying a smartphone, you’ll need a lot more details. What’s the resolution? Battery timings? Camera quality?
All such questions and plenty more will be taken into account if you want an accurate answer. And none of these questions matter that much except:
“Does it fall in my budget?”
- What’s your budget?
- What information must be communicated?
- How long should the explainer video be?
- What visual style (what sort of explainer video) are you planning to use?
- Do you require distinct modifications for various platforms (e.g., social media, landing page, and boardroom presentation)?
- What’s the deadline?
- Do you require many videos, and if so, would each require a unique style?
- Do you require a marketing strategy?
If you can answer the above set of questions accurately, you’ll be able to obtain a far more accurate answer and perhaps even determine the approximate cost of your explainer video.
The Four Options For Making An Explainer Video (Pricing Options)
You can choose any one of the options for the production of your explainer video.
Below, I will break down each option, so it will be much easier to understand the options and which one is the best for your brand.
Option #1: Online Explainer Video Maker ($50 – $500)
Well, the first option we have is to use online video-making software. Even though it’s a viable option but quite limited.
It’s really only applicable to one sort of circumstance — namely if you’re a lone entrepreneur with limited financial resources but plenty of time.
You’ll need the time since, while the platform provides easy tools and stock video, you’ll still need to write your own screenplay and come up with creative ways to convey your message.
With online video makers, you end up with a product that appears professional only to viewers who aren’t professionals.
As opposed to one of those Facebook videos “celebrating five years of the anniversary” that just inserts personal photographs into a pre-existing framework.
You are unlikely to receive content that is tailored to your brand, message, or marketing strategy. You can trademark your video by customizing the typefaces, text animation, and color palettes.
That said, this is an excellent choice, and we cannot completely rule it out if, once again, your budget does not allow for a family supper out. Additionally, you should allow time to develop and revise a script, experiment with some concepts, and experiment with the online video platform to see what you can create.
Here are some popular online video makers you must try out:
- Animaker
- Biteable
- Moovly
- Rocketium
- Spark
- Animatron
- Animoto
- Wideo
- Renderforest
- Motionden
Option #2: Hire a freelancer (The cost varies)
This second alternative is another possibility in exceptional circumstances.
While you would not want to create your full video this way, if you only want to create a portion of it, hiring freelancers is an option. But you shouldn’t, honestly.
Now you must be wondering,
“Why should I not hire freelancers to get my video project done?”
For starters, you’ll wind up spending far more than you would if you worked with a video production business and had your whole explainer video developed in-house.
Freelancers charge 4x more than what a production business or agency staff would ordinarily charge for the same task.
They’re hustling for every engagement, the business is rarely consistent, and even the finest talent might spend weeks or months without employment.
Additionally, there are many problems associated with freelancers, such as dealing with clients who refuse to pay, forcing you to take legal action against them after more than a year of attempting to collect.
And this is not the only issue people come across when working with freelancers, and there are many others such as:
- Finding and hiring the talented individuals
- Getting everyone on the same page
- Aligning their schedules
If you think you have the competence and, most importantly, patience, then my friend, you can go for this option.
Popular platforms for finding and hiring explainer video makers:
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Freelancer
- Guru
- Videopixie
- PeoplePerHour
Option #3: Hiring an explainer video production company ($2000 to $5000)
Imagine a world where your whole explainer video is developed exclusively for your company and delivers the message you wish to give out.
That is what your third option provides — a full-service experience from the initial consultation to the final product.
Do you remember earlier I discussed the challenges you might face when hiring a team of freelancers? Well, there are many recompences of hiring an explainer video production company to counter that:
With an experienced explainer video production company, you’ll be able to view their portfolio and gauge the level of quality you’ll receive.
You receive a whole team of pros with extensive expertise working collaboratively. There will be far less work on your end.
You’ll have a project manager with whom you can communicate at any time, and it will be easier for you to keep a close eye on your project.
You can be confident that the utmost representation of your brand is being produced.
This is the most cost-effective choice for the majority of organizations wanting to invest in an explainer video. You can get your hands on a remarkable piece of work, and not just this. You can promote your video content at an affordable price.
Option #4: Hiring a top-notch marketing agency to avail full-services ($15,000 to $100,000)
The key difference between this and option 3 is you’ll be not just getting video production services but a whole team who’ll be making a profound video marketing strategy for your business. Plus they will be working to help you maximize your ROI through your explainer video.
But there’s a catch here, any idea?
Well, they are not even the ones who create the video. Sometimes they outsource the entire production process to video production companies like ours. Usually, this happens when the agency’s workload is excessive, or they don’t have expertise in any particular video style.
But you know what, this actually happens all the time.
So here comes the main question, “Why should I choose this option when I could save money and directly go to a video production company?”
The answer is very straightforward – additional benefits (video marketing).
It’s really hard to find companies that are not just producing explainer videos but also offering video marketing services.
We are here at your service for those looking for such an option.
We are more than an animated explainer video company; we are video strategists. We not only create engaging explainer videos, but we also make a foolproof plan to make it a success for your business.
Here, take a look at one of our incredible creations:
Now that you’re aware of your four possibilities, you should have a clearer sense of which one will work best for your brand. To conclude, I’d want to touch on a couple of additional points that can be of great help in this regard.
So, let’s move on.
The Explainer Video Cost Per Minute: An In-depth Analysis
We all know that one of the most crucial pricing factors in video production is length. People are always confused about how long a video should be. Before diving deep into the process, you first need to determine the length of your video.
Now let’s move to the cost of an explainer video.
There’s a secret formula to this that you deeply need to understand – the cost of short videos is relatively more; the lesser the time frame, the more the cost will be.
Here’s why.
If you’re making a 15 seconds video, you still have to do the same amount of work, such as discovering the brand, creating a style for the video, developing a concept, and creating a story.
On the other hand, longer videos are cheaper because all the concept and research work has already been done, and the only expense you have to pay for is the production cost.
Pricing of a 30-second explainer video
A high-quality animated explainer video with a duration of 30 seconds costs between $2000 and $4500, depending on the style and the required revisions. If you are on a tight budget, don’t go for 3D animation; instead, go for traditional animation.
See More Examples:
Pricing of a 60-second (1-minute) explainer video
Based on the nature, style, and complexity of your project, the cost of creating a one-minute custom explainer video ranges from $3500 to $5500. A low-quality video costs as little as $500 to $2500 from online video makers and freelancers.
Pricing of 90-second explainer video
Animation production expenses per second are generally lower for lengthier videos. An animated explainer video with a runtime of 90 seconds will run you between $4200 and $5500.
Videos longer than two minutes, on the other hand, might be a flop if they are not produced in a professional manner. For more than a minute, you should take extra precautionary measures.
How Video Style Affects Video Production Cost?
Well, it’s all about the energy, effort, and time it takes to create assets for the video. Creating assets for a 3D explainer video is a challenging and complex task. Since you need to add an extra dimension, it takes more money and time at every stage.
Even the final rendering can take up to days. So, it’s better to go for simpler video styles such as 2D motion graphics. To add a little more sparkle to your video, you can add a few 3D elements to the video. We believe this is a less time-consuming and beneficial approach.
Live-Action Video Production Cost vs. Animated Explainer Video Cost
Either of those can cost anywhere from $500 to $90,000. A clear winner or loser is not to be found here.
Everything hinges on the style and caliber of the production, which is especially true when it comes to animation.
Start with your video’s goals, budget, and the media outlets it will appear on if you’re having trouble deciding on a style.
If your budget is really limited, you can simply record your video on a mobile phone or build a screencast video with your own voice. It’s better to have anything than nothing at all. Simply be professional and address any queries your consumers can have in this situation.
In order to receive a high-quality, personalized video at a reasonable price, you should choose an animated video if your budget is less than $5000.
Cost Of Animated Explainer Video
As we know, animators often use 2D and 3D animation techniques commonly. However, the price varies for your explainer video according to the technique.
How much does a 2D animated explainer video cost?
The cost per minute of a one-minute 2D animation explainer video can range from $4500 to $9500, depending on the complexity—the price drops from $3500 to $4000 for every extra minute of production. If you want something one-of-a-kind, a budget of $5500 is a reasonable place to start.
How much does a 3D animated explainer video cost?
It might cost more than $50,000 to produce a single 60-second 3D animation explanation video. There are a lot of price differences in 3D animation, and even the tiniest details may add up to a lot of money. It’s impossible to estimate the cost of a project without a storyboard or a clear brief.
How much does a cheap explainer video cost?
Previously, we did a comprehensive study based on extensive research on the subject of inexpensive explainer or corporate videos, which you can see here.
Overall, you should be aware that an inexpensive explainer video can range in price from $5 to $1500, but their eventual return on investment (ROI) can be detrimental to your brand and time. So, you must keep in mind that you get what you pay for.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this has cleared up a lot of the questions you have related to explainer video pricing and why the prices can vary so widely.
But that’s just the beginning. Suppose you’re planning to hire expert explainer video producers to avail explainer video services. In that case, you should properly search the market because it’s quite saturated, and it’s difficult to determine who is the perfect choice.
If you are still searching, we are here to help! BuzzFlick is a professional explainer video company offering par-excellent explainer video services at a reasonable cost. Our competent team of animators and video producers not only creates a video but makes a masterpiece for your business to make it stand out in the market.
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An animation enthusiast who enjoys explaining complex animation techniques, mediums, and videos. Her love for animated films drives her. In her spare time, she enjoys watching animated films from Pixar, Disney, and Illumination productions.
