Wondering how much a good quality custom explainer video costs? In this article we explain our explainer video costs and factors that affect production costs.
The cost of an explainer video can vary based on several factors. A professionally produced explainer video usually starts at an average of $5,000, depending on the animation studio, their location, animation style, length, complexity, script support, voiceover, revisions, and production quality.
Most 60-second custom animated explainer videos from a North American studio fall between $5,000 and $15,000, while more detailed character animation, 3D animation, or premium brand films can start anywhere around $25,000 or more.
Ai generated explainer videos are cheap but don’t work for many reasons. I would not recommend them because you have very little to no control of final outcome, but that’s a subject for another day.
This guide breaks down what you can expect at each price point, what affects the final quote, and how to choose the right budget for your goals.
Explainer video costs vary based on style, length, production quality, script support, animation complexity, voiceover, and revisions. Here’s a simple breakdown of what different budget levels usually include.
Some of the factors that affect production costs include the animation style, video length, location of the studio, and production quality of the video. While production quality can be subjective, there’s a clear difference between a polished, visually refined video and one that feels bare-bones because little care went into the graphics or animation.
The entry level explainer video is best for basic introductory videos that use minimalist graphics and animation. Based on the studio, entry level videos use motion graphics or whiteboard style animation. This also covers creating quick short form videos for social media and online Ads.
The standard explainer video is best for businesses that need a polished story-driven video to explain what they do, simplify a complex idea, or promote a product. At Creamy, most of our explainer videos start at $5,000 for a professionally produced video that uses motion graphics.
At this price point, projects often include:
Full service production — from concept development through final animation, in around 6 weeks
Scriptwriting and storyboarding — structured to maintain attention and communicate the message clearly
Polished animation — clean, professional motion-graphics style visuals
Voiceover and audio finishing — professional narration and sound design for a refined final result.
With this package, Creamy helps shape your message from the ground up. We work through the concept, script, storyboard, visual direction, animation style, voiceover, sound design, and final delivery so the video feels polished, purposeful, and easy to understand.
A premium explainer may include richer scene design, custom characters, advanced motion graphics, detailed product visuals, 3D elements, multiple deliverables, or campaign-ready versions for your website, sales team, social media, and paid ads.
Premium explainer videos typically combine strong storytelling with high-end visuals to capture attention, communicate clearly, and strengthen brand perception.
Common differentiators at this level often include:
Above is a quick 90 second video explaining our animation production process. This is a simple but well polished process, from discovery, to storyboarding, design, and animation.
STEP #1: Define the video strategy and write the script.
STEP #2: Create storyboard sketches that map out the story, scene by scene.
STEP #3: Finalize the visual design and prepare all assets for animation.
STEP #4: Animate the scenes, bringing graphics, characters, and key elements to life.
STEP #5: Add music and sound effects, then deliver a high-quality final video file (often in HD or 4K).
We like to be transparent. Here’s what goes into your video’s cost — and why:
At Creamy, our motion graphics style videos start from $3,000 per finished minute. At this budget we can create an entry level motion graphics style video. See what simplistic and standard in our complexity of visuals section.
Custom 2D animation requires a larger and more skilled team to execute. Budgets start from $5,000 per minute, with each additional minute 50-80 percent of the price.
If you need a 3D animation, stop-motion, or mixed-media animation, you’ll need a budget of at least $8,500. The final costs depend on the production quality you need, from basic to well polished graphics and animation. Whiteboard animation is less complex (and cheaper) than 3D character animation. The style you choose plays a big role in your final quote.
A 60–90 second video hits the sweet spot. Need more? Great — just keep in mind that every extra second adds production time, voiceover recording, and animation work.
Most animation studios quote in 30- or 60-second blocks, and doubling the length may add 30–80 % of the one-minute rate because scripting, VO, and animation scale almost linearly.
A 60-second 2D explainer video will always cost less than a similar 3D character animation video. We’ll help you choose what makes sense for your goals and budget.
TIP: Unless it compromises your message, aim to keep the core content under 90 seconds. Drop-off curves steepen sharply after 90 seconds.
Your message needs to be clear, compelling, and visual. Crafting that takes real expertise — especially when your video is doing the heavy lifting for product demos, investor pitches, or onboarding.
Frame-by-frame character animation is time-consuming and requires highly skilled animators, while basic flat animation needs smaller teams and less studio time. Scene count, character complexity, and camera moves determine the number of illustration frames.
The industry standard is 2 consolidated rounds, while at Creamy Explainers we provide 3 revisions per milestone after script approval. For some studios every extra round typically tacks on US $500–$1,000 and may push back delivery by several days.
Avoid additional charges by signing off scripts before storyboards—late script tweaks will require voice-over changes and may affect the storyboard and animation.
North American studios bill US $100–$250 per production hour (crew + equipment); Eastern European or Asian teams run 30–50 % less but may require more oversight across time zones.
Want a seasoned British narrator? Or someone local who brings personality to your product? We have a wide range of voice talent across tones and languages.
Professional voice-overs in English range from US $150–$500+, depending on experience, union status, and usage rights. Multilingual campaigns: add US $150+ per minute for translated VO; full lip-sync dubbing can reach US $150+ per minute.
Royalty-free scores run US $20–$200, while commercial tracks need sync licenses that jump to US $5,000–$50,000 if aired on TV or used in paid ads. Custom background music adds to production costs but does avoid ongoing royalties.
Standard delivery is 4–8 weeks for most studios, depending on the factors above. Rush projects are possible. But to do it right, a full cycle takes 4–6 weeks. Faster means more resources — and a bit more budget.
Compressing the schedule to less than 3 weeks often incurs a 15–30 % rush premium to cover overtime and parallel pipelines.
Closed captions add to the overall cost, which varies by studio. Audio descriptions for visually impaired audiences can be manually added or as an SRT file. Subtitle and translation costs also depend on the production company.
Q: How much does a 60-second explainer cost in North America?
A: Many projects fall between $5,000–$11,000, depending on style, complexity, and production quality.
Q: What’s the average turnaround time?
A: A common industry timeline is around 6 weeks, though some teams can deliver faster (often 3–5 weeks) depending on scope and approvals.
Q: Do companies charge per second after the first minute?
A: Often, yes. Additional length is commonly priced in increments (for example, per extra 15–30 seconds) and may cost roughly 60–80% of the base one-minute rate, depending on content density and animation demands.
Q: How long does production take?
A: Typical production ranges from 4–6 weeks, influenced by complexity, stakeholder availability, and the number of review cycles. Tight deadlines are sometimes possible with a streamlined scope and rapid approvals.
Q: Are revisions included in the price?
A: Usually. Many packages include 2–3 rounds of revisions at key milestones, with additional rounds handled as a scoped add-on.
Q: Do professional teams offer multilingual voiceovers?
A: Many do. Multilingual narration and localization (including translated on-screen text) are commonly available as an add-on service.
Q: Do I own the final video?
A: In many cases, clients receive full rights to the final deliverables. Licensing terms can vary, so it’s best to confirm usage rights for voiceover, music, and any third-party assets.
Q: What if I don’t like the first draft?
A: Most teams manage this through early alignment during script and storyboard stages, then use revision rounds to address feedback and reduce surprises before full animation is completed.
The cost of each explainer video is fully transparent—set only by the creative talent and production timeline your project needs.
Pick from flexible, three-tier packages that fit bootstrap budgets or broadcast-quality ambitions, with no hidden fees. Whether you’re a startup stretching every dollar or a global brand investing for impact, you get the same award-winning team and a dedicated producer guiding every frame.
Tell us your budget today, and we’ll craft a proposal that maximizes results, not spending.
