Ijharul Islam
A professionally produced 60-second explainer video typically costs a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars in 2026. Published examples: one studio lists fixed prices of $2,400 to $5,500 for 60 seconds of 2D or 2.5D animation, and another studio's guide puts most 60-second animated explainers at $2,500 to $10,000, with 3D and full-service agencies above that. Doing it yourself with stock footage and AI voice costs a software subscription plus your time.
More on this topic: Video marketing, every guide in one place.
Price ranges online vary wildly, and most come from studios selling explainers. This guide uses only figures we could read on a named page in October 2026, says who published them, and shows what actually drives the price.
The short answer
Expect roughly $2,400-$5,500 for 60 seconds at a fixed-price animation studio (Broadcast2World's list), $2,500-$10,000 for most studio-made 60-second animated explainers and $5,000-$25,000+ for 3D or live action (Vidico's guide), and more at full-service agencies. DIY with stock footage, an AI voice and captions costs a monthly tool plan plus your time. Length, style, revisions and languages move the price most.
Key takeaways
- Most published studio prices for a 60-second animated explainer fall between about $2,400 and $10,000; 3D, character animation and live action cost more.
- Every extra 30 seconds adds a lot: one studio's list charges $750 to $1,500 per extra 30 seconds.
- The script is the cheapest part to get right and the most expensive to fix late.
- DIY and AI tools trade money for time and polish; they suit internal, social and test videos.
- Sources here are studios with an interest in the numbers; get two or three quotes for your brief.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
How much does an explainer video cost? Published prices
| Source (October 2026) | What it says | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast2World price list | 60 seconds: $2,400 (whiteboard, flat infographic), $3,500 (character, 2D mixed media), $5,500 (2.5D character, 3D infographic); each extra 30 s $750-$1,500; 3D product animation from $4,500 | An explainer studio, its own prices |
| Broadcast2World estimate of US studios | 60 seconds: about $10,000-$15,000 basic, $15,000-$25,000 premium, $25,000+ advanced | Same studio, estimated from other studios' listed rates |
| Vidico guide (May 2026) | 60 seconds from a professional studio: $2,500-$10,000; 2 minutes: $5,000-$20,000 | A video production company |
| Vidico, by style (60 s) | Whiteboard $1,500-$5,000; motion graphics $1,500-$6,000; 2D $2,500-$10,000; 3D $5,000-$25,000+; live action $5,000-$20,000+ | Same |
| Vidico, by provider | Freelancers $500-$3,000 per minute; specialised studios $3,000-$10,000 per minute; full-service agencies $10,000-$50,000+ | Same |
These are the providers' own figures, and the two don't always agree; Vidico's page itself gives slightly different agency ranges in different sections. Treat them as orientation and get quotes for your exact brief.
What drives the price of an explainer video
| Factor | Cheaper | More expensive |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 30-60 seconds | 2+ minutes |
| Style | Whiteboard, motion graphics, screen recording | Character animation, 3D, live action with actors |
| Script | You supply a tested script | Studio researches and writes it |
| Voiceover | AI voice or in-house | Professional actor, several languages |
| Music | Stock library | Custom score |
| Revisions | Two rounds included | Open-ended changes |
| Versions | One 16:9 cut | 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 cuts, several languages |
| Turnaround | Standard | Rush |
Length is the simplest lever. A 90-second brief that can be told in 60 seconds saves money and usually works better; see how many words fit a given length. A 60-second explainer is about 150 words of voiceover.
Studio vs freelancer vs DIY: which to choose
A studio or agency
Choose a studio for a homepage or launch video that many people will see for years, when you need custom illustration in your brand style, or when nobody in-house can write a script. Ask what's included: script, storyboard, voice, music licence, revisions and the source files. Custom explainer videos: what you get and how to brief one has a brief template and the questions to ask.
A freelancer
Freelancers suit a defined job (animating a script you've written, in a style you've chosen). Prices vary most here. Check a portfolio in the exact style you want and agree the number of revisions upfront.
Do it yourself, with or without AI
DIY suits internal training, social clips, feature updates and tests of a message before you pay a studio. The main costs are a tool plan and your time. For the process, see how to make an explainer video and how to make a product demo video; for tools and their prices, explainer video makers compared.
What a DIY explainer costs with QuickVeed
QuickVeed is our product, so weigh this accordingly. It doesn't make custom character animation; it covers the voice, presenter, footage and captions parts of a DIY explainer. Prices as of October 2026:
| Part | QuickVeed tool | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Voiceover (60 s, about 900 characters) | AI voice generator | About 7-23 credits, depending on the model (7-25 credits per 1,000 characters) |
| Presenter intro (up to 30 s) | AI avatars | From 10 credits per 10 seconds; P-Video Avatar, which speaks a typed script, 63 per 10 s |
| Cutaway shots | AI video generator | From 20 credits for a short clip; a 5-second Kling v3 clip at 720p is 210 |
| Captions on a 1-minute video | auto subtitles | 5 credits (2 transcript + 3 burn-in minimum) |
Plans are $18, $42 or $114 a month with 1,000, 2,500 or 6,000 credits, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits and no card. Screen recordings for software explainers are free with the browser screen recorder. For AI-generated cutaways, how to generate B-roll with AI has prompts and costs; for presenter tools from other vendors, see HeyGen alternatives.
How to keep explainer costs down
- Write and test the script first. Read it to three customers. Changing words after animation starts is the most expensive revision.
- Cut to 60 seconds. One question, one answer, one call to action.
- Pick a simpler style (motion graphics or screen recording) for software, where the product is the hero.
- Ask for all aspect ratios in the quote, not as a later change.
- Translate with subtitles first. Dubbing or re-voicing per language costs more; what video dubbing costs compares the options.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 60-second explainer video cost?
Published studio prices run from about $2,400 to $10,000 for most 60-second animated explainers in 2026, with 3D, character animation and agencies going well above that.
How much does an explainer video cost per minute?
One production company's 2026 guide puts freelancers at about $500-$3,000 per minute and specialised studios at $3,000-$10,000 per minute. Longer videos usually cost a little less per minute.
Why are explainer videos so expensive?
Custom script, storyboard, illustration, animation, voice and revisions each take skilled hours. Style and length drive most of the price.
Can I make an explainer video for free?
Yes, with a screen recorder, a free editor and your own voice. Paid tools add AI voices, presenters and captions.
Is an AI explainer video as good as a studio one?
Not for custom animation or brand storytelling. For product updates, training and social clips it can be good enough, and much cheaper.
How long does it take to make an explainer video?
Studios typically quote a few weeks for script, storyboard, animation and revisions; a DIY video can take a day or two.
Try it with your own video
Test your explainer script as a quick DIY video before you commission the full production. Describe the video or paste your script, pick a voice, and judge the first draft for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
