bing Skip to main content

How Much Does an Explainer Video Cost in 2024?

A title graphic reads "How Much Does an Explainer Video Cost in 2024" on a red and turquoise background made up with Next Day Animations logos. A whiteboard hand drawn figure is in the foreground, daydreaming about an explainre video.

It can be hard to know whether an investment in video will pay off.

Sure, with the right marketing strategy, we’ve seen donations to organizations spike and new sales leads pour in. In fact, we wrote a piece recently about how one of our videos closed a $45M Deal.

But, we also know it can feel like a gamble cloaked in a mystery every time.

How much will it cost to create an explainer video?

Will I have to pay extra for what I need? 

Will I get a return on my investment?

Fear not! We’re here to cut through the confusion – just like explainer videos do:

Prefer video to long blocks of text? (We do!)  Check out our animation on Explainer Video Pricing.

Why is there such a range in pricing for animated videos?

You might be wondering why your google search for animated video pricing returned a range from $500 to $50k. Not helpful, Google!

Animations are no different than any other product. That is, you could always attempt to make it at home for a fraction of the cost. Alternatively, you could hire the world’s experts to do it for you – at the world’s expert price.

The first step when thinking about pricing is to consider not only your financial budget, but your budget of time.

Check out this video to get a detailed look into our studio’s multi-step video production process.

There’s a lot that goes into making a video––distilling the message, scripting, recording voice over, drawing your fabulous characters, animating, a couple rounds of edits to make your video absolutely PERFECT…and, of course, final rendering and file delivery. 

Some studios (ahem…this one!) even offer additional services post wrap, like a launch consultation to offer our best practices around successful distribution and video roll-out.

So when you’re paying more, it’s because you want a higher level of artistry––aka more hours that illustrators, animators, and writers are spending with you to make your video an exceptional success.

Show Me the Money: How much does an explainer video cost?

Allow us to break down our recipe for pricing by looking at 4 different factors:

Length: The longer the video, the more hours involved for illustrators and animators.

Timeline: Tighter turnarounds mean more resources are required. On average, animations take four weeks to produce, but rush timelines are available. 

Style: More complex characters and more complicated animation (like stop motion or 3D) call for more time and attention.

Quantity: Discounts apply for projects that require several videos to tell their story.

Some video projects are better suited to be broken up into a video series, and that’s why we offer a discount on projects with 4 videos or more.

Click here to see more from our series of fire-prevention videos created with Smokey Bear.

The bottom line is that your video price depends greatly on your vision. Our studio is committed to building a package that fits your budget and brand, and we understand that pricing matters when making your decision.

That’s why our client advisors are available every day to provide a concrete quote for your planning. Contact us today for a personalized quote based on your project idea!

Will I get a return on my investment if I buy an explainer video?

For many companies – especially two of our favorite groups to partner with, small businesses and nonprofits – cost AND time are both major considerations.

Fortunately, a well-produced explainer video can continue to support your organization for years upon years. Animation is easy to update and re-format, allowing you to use the video anywhere you need it. Our studio specializes in providing accessibility features, translations, and alternate versions to reach specific audiences.

Furthermore, our studio proudly partners with clients beyond final file delivery. Our Partnership Director is dedicated to supporting your video roll-out, and even offers complimentary launch consultation calls to help brainstorm how to get the biggest impact from your video.

Our clients continue to share the positive impact of their projects, and the many ways they’ve been able to put their videos to work for their mission. In fact, over 50% of our projects are with repeat clients. 

Connect with our client advisors today.

Get Started

Read our blog about pitching an explainer video to your team.

A quote reads "This was one of the most pleasureable, cost-effective, and sustainable projects and investments I have been a part of." Jasmin Lucy, Chief HR Officer, Arc of San Diego; the quote is accompanied by a headshot of Jasmin Lucy