How much does an explainer video cost?

Typical agency quotes for a 2D animated explainer run $1,500–$5,000 per finished minute.* Doing it yourself in a template editor costs less money and more time. Here is how both compare with briefing an AI director in one sentence.

Make one in 15 minutes

Studio vs DIY vs Explainers.

Question	Animation studio or agency	DIY template editor	Explainers
Who writes the script	A scriptwriter, from your briefing call and notes	You do	The director writes it from your one sentence; you edit the storyboard
Who makes the art	Illustrators and animators, custom for you	You arrange stock templates, characters and icons	Painted or drawn for this film, in one of 23 full art directions
Voice and music	A hired voice actor; licensed or composed music	Your own recording or a stock voice; stock music	Narration in 11 voices, a score composed to the scenes, sound effects
Time to a finished film	Usually weeks	Hours to days of your own time	About 15 minutes, with one pause to approve the storyboard
Changes	Usually a set number of revision rounds	You make every change yourself	Ask in chat or pin a note to a moment; every version is kept
Languages	Each language is a new recording and edit	Each language is a new edit	24 languages, narrated and captioned
Cost	Typical agency quotes: $1,500–$5,000 per finished minute*	A subscription, plus your time	Real films have cost roughly $5–$12 of model spend each

* Estimate based on typical agency quotes, not a quote from any agency. Model spend is what the AI services cost to make the film.

What drives the price.

Length

Studios price by the finished minute, because every second has to be written, drawn, animated and voiced.

Style

Painted, character-led or 3D looks take a studio longer than flat shapes and type. With Explainers you pick from 23 full art directions, or let the director choose.

Script and voice

A writer, a narrator and a composer are three separate jobs. Explainers does all three in the same run.

Revisions

Every round of changes is more studio time. With Explainers a change is a chat message, and every version is kept.

Languages and formats

Each extra language or a vertical cut is another edit. Explainers narrates in 24 languages and can make a 9:16 take of any film.

When a studio is still the right call.

If you are making one flagship brand film, have the budget and the weeks, and want a team to sit with you through every frame, hire a great studio. If you need a film for every lesson, feature, policy or talk, and you need it today, Explainers is built for that. Watch the sample films or browse the styles and judge for yourself.

Questions

How much does a 60-second explainer video cost?

At typical agency rates for 2D animated explainers, $1,500–$5,000 per finished minute, a 60-second film lands in that range before extra languages or revision rounds. With Explainers, real films have cost roughly $5–$12 of model spend each; “How does a rainbow form?” cost $6.88.

Why do studio explainer videos cost so much?

A studio film is the work of several people: a scriptwriter, an illustrator, an animator, a voice actor and a composer or music licence, plus a producer running the rounds of feedback. Length, the complexity of the style and the number of revisions drive the price.

Is an AI explainer as good as a studio one?

For a flagship brand film with a big budget, a great studio is still hard to beat. For lessons, product explainers, training and talks, where you need many films, fast, Explainers gets close: every film is written for its brief, a critic model must score the cut 8 out of 10 before you see it, and you approve the storyboard first.

What does “model spend” mean?

It is what the AI services cost to make the film: the writing, the art, the narration, the music and the rendering. It is not a quote for what a plan costs.

One sentence is enough.

Describe your topic, approve the storyboard, and get a narrated, animated film in about 15 minutes.

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