Explainer videos have become a staple in the digital landscape, offering businesses a concise means to convey their product's benefits, a complex process, or even a brand's story. 

These short — often animated — videos transform intricate concepts into digestible and engaging visuals. Meaning that businesses can effectively reach and educate their audience in a fraction of the time.

From companies like Dropbox trying to simplify the idea of cloud storage for the average user, and Duolingo showcasing how their language learning app can be fun, explainer videos shine for their ability to make complicated ideas relatable.

But before you consider adding one to your marketing toolkit, a very important question remains: what is the cost of an explainer video? 

From bitesize clips to minute-long productions, let's check out the numbers.

The Cost of an Explainer Video Comes Down to…

Unfortunately, there is no one answer to what the cost of an explainer video might be.

Why’s that? Well, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider before taking the plunge, such as the following:

• How long is your video going to be?
• Will the video be fully animated or live action?
• Does the explainer video require additional motion graphics?
• Do you want to pay extra fees for a specific type of music?
• How quickly do you need the explainer video to be completed?
• Do you need different versions of the video? For example, a vertical video for social media and a horizontal video for Youtube and websites?

The answers to all of these questions will determine how much you need to pay for a completed explainer video that looks good, sounds great, and gets your audience engaged and informed.

The Cost of an Explainer Video

Let’s say it like it is: creating an explainer video is an investment. This is especially true if you’re not familiar with any of the technical aspects that go into making one — which means you need to hire the right people for the job.

Whether you’re teaming up with a videographer, working with an animator, or hiring a voice over artist for an extra oomph, here’s how much you can expect to spend while putting together an explainer video:

1. Videographer + Actor/Presenter

If you’re going to make a live action explainer video, you’re going to need to hire two main roles: someone to film and someone to stand in front of a camera. 

In terms of a videographer, their costs can vary based on their experience, portfolio, and equipment. Generally, you can expect to pay between $75 to $350 per hour, or anywhere between $700 to $2,000+ per day of filming.

The same goes for hiring an actor (if there will be storytelling involved) or presenter. Depending on their level of experience and reputation, the hourly, daily, or per-project rate of compensation can fluctuate significantly.

2. Animator

Alternatively, if you're leaning towards an animated explainer video, an animator becomes pivotal. An skilled animator can make your video come to life with moving graphics. Not only will they help you create compelling visuals, but they can also match the animations with the voice, highlight the main points, and make sure everything flows well. 

Depending on how experienced they are and the details you want in your video, the going rate for an animator can fall anywhere between $50 and $3000 per minute of animation. 

If your video needs special animations or detailed graphics — such as 3D, for example — it might cost more.

3. Voice Artist

The narrator in your video is crucial. They’re the one who will ultimately be in charge of setting the tone and making the message as clear as possible. And, if you’re working with animations, they’ll also be the ones who technically bring your character to life.

And if you feel like you’re not very experienced with this, don’t worry — a good voice artist will know how to use their voice to match what the video needs. 

In terms of rates, you can expect to pay between $50 to $200 for less experienced voice actors, and roughly $200 to $500 for top voice artists.

4. Editor

Once all of the other pieces of the puzzle are ready, an editor can come in to put everything together and deliver the final result. As a key player in the post-production process, they’ll make sure to match the voice with the video, adjust the timing, add any sound effects, and make sure that everything runs smoothly from start to end.

By turning all the different parts into one complete video, video editors ensure consistency and a polished finish.

Depending on their experience and the details of the project, their price can range from $40 to $150 an hour for an intermediate video editor, and anywhere from $180 and up for an experienced editor and producer.

Plus, if the video requires any special editing or sound effects, it might be on the higher end of that range.

A Higher Price Tag Can Make All the Difference

As you can see, the cost of an explainer video can vary greatly depending on what you want in terms of quality, details, and expertise. But great results require great investments sometimes — and it's often worth every penny.

Trying to cut corners or “do it for less” might mean compromising on quality, losing potential engagement, or even conveying the wrong message. 

You know what they say, right? “You get what you pay for”.

Getting the Help You Need to Create an Explainer Video

In today's digital world, creating an explainer video is simpler than ever. Online platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are brimming with talented individuals who specialize in various aspects of video creation — from animation to scriptwriting, editing, and beyond. Additionally, these platforms also offer a wide range of pricing, which means you can find someone that fits your budget.

On the other hand, if you're aiming for top-tier quality combined with expert marketing insights, professional agencies are the go-to. Working with an agency means you're not just paying for a video, but also tapping into their reservoir of marketing insights, comprehensive resources, and a dedicated team that ensures every aspect of the video is perfect. Their expertise can guide you from concept to completion, ensuring your video resonates with your target audience and achieves its intended goal.

Lastly, if you're curious and want to try creating a video yourself, user-friendly tools like Animaker and Biteable will help you put together a basic version of an explainer video. Don’t take these for granted — nothing beats a professionally-made video! 

Weighing the Worth of Explainer Videos

When it comes to the cost of an explainer video, there are a lot of factors that come into play. So whether it’s hiring top talent or choosing premium animations, it might seem daunting to invest so much money into a piece of content that lasts just a few minutes. However, what might be difficult to initially grasp is that, with explainer videos, there's always more value beneath the surface.

And, in most cases, the return on investment, boost in brand visibility, heightened audience engagement, and potential surge in conversions often makes the initial spend well worth it.

Are you thinking about creating an explainer video for your business? Academy Voices’ impressive roster of voice-over talent can be your ally in making a lasting impact. With talented artists who understand your brand's voice and convey your message powerfully, our goal is to help you amplify your story.

Reach out to our team today to learn more about how you can work with one of our artists to bring a project to life.