Pricing and quotation guide
Animated explainer video production cost
Explainer video costs depend most on the finished length and the illustration style. Every second must be illustrated and animated, so a ninety-second explainer costs more than a sixty-second one in the same style, and detailed characters cost more per second than icons and shapes. Script writing, voice-over, music, captions, extra versions and foreign languages add to the total. Staged pricing, with script and storyboard first, lets you see the plan before committing to animation.
This guide covers cost drivers, styles and lengths, pricing approaches, voice and music, comparing quotes and judging value.
Illustrative diagram
What drives explainer cost
- Length
- More seconds to illustrate and animate.
- Style
- Detailed characters cost more than icons.
- Script
- Writing from scratch adds a stage.
- Voice and music
- Fees and licences vary by use.
- Versions and languages
- Each adds production and checking.
Costs paid to third parties (separate from our fees)
- Voice-over artist
- Music licence
- Translation
- Media spend if used in ads
Ask for a style frame before accepting a quote, so the style priced is the style you get.
Length and style compared
| Explainer | Relative cost |
|---|---|
| Sixty seconds, icons and text | Lower |
| Sixty seconds, flat illustration with characters | Moderate |
| Ninety seconds, detailed characters | Higher |
| Any length, plus foreign-language versions | Higher again |
How explainers are priced
Fixed project
Suits you when
- Length and style agreed
Watch out for
- Rounds per stage
- Voice and music included
Staged
Suits you when
- You want to see the plan first
Watch out for
- Price of each stage
Series rate
Suits you when
- Several explainers in one style
Watch out for
- Savings after the first
Length and the script
Trimming the script is the simplest way to reduce cost. Each sentence adds seconds that must be designed and animated. A focused sixty-second explainer may serve better than a ninety-second one that tries to cover everything; detail can go in separate videos or on your website.
Voice-over and music
Voice-over fees depend on the artist, the length and the use: a licence for a website may cost less than one for broadcast or paid ads. Music licences vary similarly. Pin down every planned use before quotes, and check what the licence includes.
Example: staged pricing for a software start-up
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A start-up wants an explainer but is unsure about length and style.
- Stage one, priced separately, covers script, two style frames and a storyboard.
- With the plan approved, stage two quotes animation, voice-over and captions.
- A silent social cut is added as a small extra.
What this shows: The start-up committed to animation only after seeing the plan. This example is illustrative.
Comparing quotes
Check finished length, style, script writing, voice-over and its licence, music and its licence, captions, versions, languages, revision rounds at each stage, turnaround and source files. Two quotes for 'a ninety-second explainer' may differ widely in what they include.
Judging the value
An explainer that is used on your homepage, in sales and at events for a year or more repays its cost through clearer conversations and fewer basic questions. Consider how long the content will stay accurate; services that change often may need updates, so source files matter. Note where the video is used.
Keeping the cost down
Write a tight script, choose a simpler style that suits your brand, agree uses before licensing voice and music, plan versions at storyboard stage and avoid changes after animation starts. Agree uses before casting the voice.
Foreign-language versions
Each language needs a translated script, a new voice-over, re-timed scenes where translated speech runs longer and translated captions and on-screen text. Plan layouts with room for longer words if other languages are likely.
Revision rounds
Agree rounds at each stage. Changes to the script after voice recording, or to style after animation starts, are the most expensive kinds of change. Gather all comments first.
Style and cost
Icons and simple shapes animate quickly. Flat illustration with characters takes more time, because characters need drawing in several poses and their movement must look natural. Detailed or three-dimensional styles take longest. Seeing the same scene in two styles, with a price for each, helps you choose what suits your budget and audience.
Versions
A silent captioned version for social feeds, a short teaser or square and vertical versions each add some work. Planned at the storyboard stage, they cost less than adapting the finished video later.
Source files
Ask whether illustration and project files are included. They make later updates, such as a changed price or new feature, much cheaper than starting again.
Questions about animated explainer video production cost
What affects explainer video cost?
Length, style, script, voice and music, versions and languages.
Does length matter most?
Length and style together drive much of the cost.
Is narration part of the explainer price?
Check; fees and licences may be separate.
Can explainer costs be paid in stages?
Script and storyboard priced first, animation after.
Do translations cost much?
Each language adds voice, timing and captions.
How can we reduce the cost?
Tight script, simpler style and early approvals.
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