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Falling Behind on Video Production?
Or Need Design Support for Product Launches?
The SaaS explainer video cost per minute falls anywhere between $1,000- $2,500 if you get it done from a freelancer. If you hire an expert video agency, the rates would go beyond $10,000.
You see, the cost of an explainer video shifts dramatically based on who you hire.
A lot of our clients come to us after exploring explainer video pricing from various vendors, these are the prices that they share on our discovery calls:
| Production Tier | Explainer video cost per minute |
|---|---|
| Freelancer | $950 – $2,500 |
| Good SaaS video agency | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| Premium US agency | $10,000 – $20,000+ |
Explainer Video Cost with ContentBeta:
ContentBeta is a subscription-based creative production partner for B2B SaaS and AI product companies.
With our Launch Sprint plan ($2,000, one time, 25 credits), you can get one 30-second animated explainer video, with two rounds of revisions and a senior art director to look after the scope of the project. We deliver this video within 8-10 days.
In addition to who you hire, the explainer video rates are also influenced by variables such as length of the video, scripting, type of animations, custom storyboards, revisions, production, voiceovers, exports, and video formats.
These variables widen the cost range making it impossible to have one right answer for how much does an explainer video costs.
In this article we break down pricing multipliers and costs of explainer videos based on different types, so you can figure out an option that works best for you.
Explainer videos are generally 60-90 seconds long. However, there’s a growing prominence of short 15-second explainers, designed to grab the attention of users on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
A minute-long custom animated explainer video costs anywhere between $3,000-$10,000. However, explainer video rates for 3D animated explainers can go beyond $25,000, as it requires more rendering time, specialist motion artists, and detailed asset building.
A lot of video agencies take 3-8 weeks to produce an explainer video end-to-end. However, ContentBeta is known for its quick turnaround, we deliver 15-second explainer videos within 8-10 days, the first draft is usually ready within 24-48 hours.
We help B2B, SaaS and AI product teams ship on-brand videos without fresh hiring, for launches, campaigns and sales.
The cost of a (2D) animated explainer video is extremely different from what you would pay for a simple screencast explainer.
Some explainer video companies may charge 20%-30% extra of the quoted price for a rushed delivery, while some companies might charge you for extra revision rounds.
If you think the cost of a custom animated explainer video is entirely dependent on the length of the video, you are only partly correct. There are multiple factors that affect the explainer video pricing to different extent.
Understanding those pricing multipliers will help you map your video strategies:
| Factor | Impact on explainer video price |
|---|---|
| Type of explainer video (animation, live action, screencast) | Very high |
| Length of an explainer video | Medium |
| Accelerated turnaround | High |
| Product complexity | High |
| Scripting | Medium |
| Voiceovers and the number of language versions | High |
| Music licensing (Depending on the geographical reach of the video) | Low-medium |
| Different platform adaptations | Medium |
| Multiple deliverables in one order (Pricing is usually lowered when a company needs a series of explainer videos) | Medium |
| UI recreation | High |
An explainer video simplifies a complex concept like cybersecurity, AI, and SaaS features through animations, flowcharts, motion graphics, screencasts, typographies, and live action.
What makes these videos the core of SaaS products is their narrative and storytelling approach.
Each explainer video category comes with a different cost, complexity, motion graphics, and editing style. Let’s explore the five most popular ones.
Need something like this for your product?
Animated explainer videos translate complex concepts like multi-step workflows, invisible infrastructure, or technical processes into visually engaging narratives.
These videos combine visual elements, voiceovers, and motion to communicate abstract ideas efficiently. They work best for products where the concept needs explaining before the interface makes sense.
These videos are generally 30 seconds long. However, even the 90 second explainer videos have great engagement.
In fact, according to Wistia’s State of Video report, for the software and technology industry, a 1-3 minute video has the highest engagement rate – up to 48%.
As long as your videos are designed to engage and educate viewers, you are going to see ROI on your explainer video investments.
| Animation type | Definition | When to choose | Timeline | Animated explainer video cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2D vector animation | Uses flat illustrations and motion to visually simplify an idea | Products with abstract workflows, early-stage awareness, top-of-funnel campaigns | 3-4 weeks | $1,000-$3,000 for a 15-second video |
| 3D animation | Adds depth and texture to objects, making them look extremely real | Demonstrating technical products, architectural concepts, or complex visualisations like physical simulations | 6-10 weeks | $1,200-$4,500 for a 15-second video |
| Whiteboard explainer videos | Explains complex concepts through illustrations, flowcharts, diagrams, and annotations on a whiteboard | Step-by-step process explainers, educational content, onboarding flows | 2-3 weeks | $3,000-$4,500 for a one-minute video |
| Motion graphics | Uses shapes and text to communicate complex ideas without decorative elements | Explaining concepts like blockchain or ML where simplicity and clarity matter more than visual flair | 2-3 weeks | $2,000-$3,500 for a one-minute video |
Animated explainer videos are one of our most in-demand services. We have created explainer videos for top brands like Sendbird, Inven, Pismo, Drugbank, Thales, and more.
Want to discuss your explainer video needs? Book a free discovery call now.
Your product has changed, but your explainer video hasn’t kept up?
Live-action explainer videos feature real people (such as customers, employees, or paid actors) in real environments to convey a message or build a narrative.
These videos are undeniably the sharpest ones to build trust and authenticity as a brand. However, these videos are production-heavy. You are coordinating actors, locations, lighting, cameras, and post-production, which makes it the most resource-intensive format on this list.
| Type | Description | When to use? |
|---|---|---|
| Skit/narrative videos | Short fictional scenarios where characters experience a problem your product solves | When you want to drive relatability and connection through humour and storytelling. Selling feature isn’t a priority here |
| Talking Head | The CEO, CTO, or person with a higher managerial stake explaining what the product does | Mostly used in startup explainer videos where stakes are high and credibility builds with top leadership voices |
| UGC videos | Casual, unscripted-feeling videos shot by real users or creators talking about the product | When you want to reach top-of-funnel audiences searching for use-case-specific solutions |
Explainer video price for low production live action falls anywhere between $3,000-$5,000. Most of this budget goes into scripting, editing, colour grading, and sound mixing.
Need something like this for your product?
Factors like location rentals, actors, lighting and camera equipment influence the explainer video cost for such high production. Such video costs $25,000-$100,000 depending on shoot complexity and duration.
Screencast explainer videos record your actual product interface to show buyers exactly how the product (and particular features) works in real time. They are how-to videos for tech and SaaS products.
Low production, easy to produce, and perfect for demonstrating complex UI workflows. These videos are paired with audio narration to guide users and explain specific features in detail.
Screencasts have the most affordable B2B saas explainer video cost per minute. Editing around 30 minutes of rough screen recording footage can cost less than $480.
There are AI product video makers like VideoMule that lets you create screencast videos easily, right from your browser, with AI scripting, professional voiceovers, and even AI-assisted editing.
However, that will consume your time and resources, you have to make a lot of tweaks to make the voiceover sound not like AI, get the right motions and transitions, and even get the script right. A lot of work, right?
Let the experts handle it for you.
Get in touch with ContentBeta and we will create your screencast explainer video without you lifting a finger. Book a call now.
These videos use animated text in different sizes, motion, and timing to deliver an important message. They create a sense of urgency and energy with punchy music and bold backgrounds. Very short, typically between 10-15 seconds, and designed to create strong brand recall.
A kinetic explainer video cost anywhere from $ 2000 to $ 4,500, depending on its length, animation complexity, and amount of custom typeface work involved.
Check our SaaS explainer examples to understand how we work in different SaaS domains.
Hybrid explainers blend more than one format in a single video. This could include combinations like:
You get some of the best explainer videos when you blend different formats. You get more creative freedom over visual elements while you can experiment with different styles without spending a bomb.
Depending on which two formats you combine and how much custom work each requires, such explainer videos cost between $2,500-$4,000.
Even after finalising the explainer video rates with your video production company, the final bill may not match what was quoted.
Add in a couple of extra revisions or ask for a source file, and the numbers shift quickly. Here are a few hidden costs that may impact your explainer video prices.
| Hidden cost | Description | Impact on final bill |
|---|---|---|
| Revision overcharges | Most contracts include 2 revision rounds. Each additional round can cost $200-$500 | +10-20% |
| Source file ownership | Many agencies deliver only the final MP4. Accessing After Effects or Cinema 4D project files costs extra, or is withheld entirely | +10-25% |
| Voiceover licensing | Professional human VO via Voice123 or Voices.com costs $300-$600 per video. AI-generated VO via ElevenLabs runs $30-$80 | +5-15% |
| Music licensing | Stock music from platforms like Musicbed or Artlist runs $200-$500 per track annually. Custom compositions cost significantly more | +3-10% |
| Social format exports | 1:1 and 9:16 cuts for LinkedIn and Instagram are often priced as separate deliverables outside the base contract | +5-10% |
| UI recreation | Custom-built versions of your product interface for animated explainers are billed separately by most agencies | +15-25% |
| Captions and subtitles | Often assumed to be included, but they cost extra for every minute | +5-10% |
| Scripting and strategy | Strategic changes, changes in script/ language/ concepts, can cost significantly more | +10-20% |
When you choose ContentBeta, you have an exact understanding of where your credits will be used. The subscription model directly addresses several of these hidden costs:
You would be intimidated if you need more credits than are available in your pilot plan. And the unused ones? It will always roll forward to the next month.
If yours is a growing SaaS brand with multiple use cases, placing your bets on one hero explainer video isn’t the smartest move.
A 90-second animated explainer on your homepage cannot do the job a 15-second kinetic typography clip does on a LinkedIn ad. And neither can it replace a screencast that walks a hesitant buyer through your actual UI.
You need a proper video marketing strategy that helps buyers understand your product at every stage they encounter it.
ContentBeta’s SaaS focused creative team is equipped to deliver exactly that. Whether you need a series of explainers breaking down complex features into small tutorials or 3D motion graphic videos explaining a new feature launch, our SaaS-experienced creative team can deliver that.
We have delivered over 3,400+ video projects to date, and we deliver within 8-10 days.
Book a free discovery call now so we can discuss your explainer video project.
We help B2B, SaaS and AI product teams ship on-brand videos without fresh hiring, for launches, campaigns and sales.
Rishabh Pugalia, CMO/Co-founder, ContentBeta. He advises B2B SaaS companies on brand visibility & product adoption through video & design. He believes in AI-assisted, human-in-the-loop workflows for scaling marketing ops.
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