Short answer: explainer video cost for a 60-second animated video runs from about $500 for AI-generated packages to $3,500 to $7,500 at mid-market studios, judging by prices sellers published on October 4, 2026. New York agencies often set minimum projects of $5,000 to $10,000 or more. At Morneto, videos of up to 60 seconds start from $250.
Last updated October 4, 2026. We read each seller’s pricing page that day. Sellers are described by type, and prices change, so treat every figure as a dated example, not a quote.
Most guides on explainer video cost come from studios that sell the work, so they tend to quote their own band. This guide lines up what more than 20 sellers and pricing guides published on one day, from marketplace gigs to New York agencies. We also make these videos ourselves, so the last part shows what goes into the price from the inside.
What does an explainer video cost in 2026?
Expect a range, not one number. The table shows what each type of seller published for a finished video of about 60 seconds:
| Who makes it | Published price for about 60 seconds | What the price usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance gigs on a large marketplace | Starting packages of $5 to $325, median $60 | A few seconds of animation, not a finished 60-second video |
| AI-generated packages | About $500 to $1,500 | An AI voice or AI presenter, template motion and two revision rounds |
| Budget and package studios, often producing outside the US | $1,000 to $3,500 | Script, voice-over, music and 2D motion graphics in a fixed package |
| Mid-market studios | $3,500 to $7,500 | A custom style, a professional voice-over, revision rounds per stage and often the source files |
| Established studios | $6,000 to $15,000 or more per finished minute | Custom illustration or character animation by a larger team |
| New York agencies on a large directory | Minimum projects mostly of $5,000 to $10,000 or more; one at $1,000 and one at $25,000 or more | The smallest project the agency accepts, not a video price |
| Morneto | From $250 for up to 60 seconds | Script, style frames, motion graphics, voice-over and captions |
In addition, one survey helps with the middle of the market. In July 2026, a US animation studio collected 61 usable quotes for a custom 60-second animated explainer. They ran from $2,800 to $27,000, with a median of $9,680. However, that brief asked for a fully custom animated explainer, and a studio that sells that work ran the survey, so treat it as the custom end of the market.
What do New York agencies charge?
On a large agency directory, New York motion-graphics agencies list hourly rates of $100 to $149, the same band the directory reports for most video agencies overall, and some list $150 to $300. What stands out is the minimum. Most of them set a minimum project of $5,000 or $10,000, whatever the length, although one starts at $1,000.
A New York production guide from September 2026 also prices the parts one by one. It lists motion graphics at $2,000 to $15,000, a voice-over at $500 to $3,000 and captions at $200 to $500 per finished video. However, these are parts of filmed productions, so they show what each part can cost, not what a whole explainer costs.
Still, not every New York price is high. A studio marketing itself to New York businesses listed $2,500 for a standard 60-second video. Its $5,000 plan covered 60 to 90 seconds, plus short cutdowns and the source files. In short, compare what each price includes before you compare the totals.
What drives explainer video cost up or down?
Six things move most quotes. Each one is also a decision you can make before you ask for a price:
- Length. Studios that publish prices per length add about $500 to $1,500 for every extra 30 seconds.
- Style. Motion graphics with animated type, icons and screens cost less than drawn characters or 3D. One cost guide puts 60 seconds of motion graphics at $1,500 to $6,000.
- The script. One studio charges $500 less when you bring your own script. Another lists scriptwriting at $500 per minute.
- The voice. Published voice-over prices run from $50 to $500 for a basic read to $1,000 to $5,000 for professional or union talent.
- Revisions. Many packages include two rounds per stage. A New York guide prices each extra round at $500 to $1,500.
- Rush and extras. One studio adds 25 to 50 percent for rush work. Social cutdowns, vertical versions and source files often cost extra, too.
What do 30 seconds or 2 minutes cost?
Shorter is cheaper, but explainer video cost does not fall in proportion. Much of the work, such as the script, the style and the voice, happens once, whatever the length. For example, one US studio published $1,000 for a 30-second AI presenter video and $1,500 for 60 seconds. A London studio listed $3,480 for 30 seconds and $5,140 for 60 seconds.
Longer videos, on the other hand, grow in steps. The same US studio charges $4,000 for 60 seconds of its full-service package, $4,500 for 90 seconds and $5,000 for two minutes. As a rule, a first explainer rarely needs more than 60 seconds, since that is long enough for one problem, one answer and one next step. Our guide to what an explainer video is covers the five common types and the right length.
What does an explainer video cost at Morneto?
At Morneto, an animated explainer video of up to 60 seconds starts from $250. We fix the exact price in writing against an agreed scope before any work starts. That same scope prices longer videos, extra versions and rush delivery.
In addition, every video comes with the same parts:
- A written script with one message and one next step, which you approve before design starts.
- Style frames in your colors and type, which you approve before animation starts.
- Motion graphics: animated type, icons and screens from your own website or app.
- A voice-over that reads the approved script, plus burned-in captions for people who watch on mute.
- A 1920 x 1080 MP4 file and a poster image.
For example, we made four of these videos for our own site, from 39 to 81 seconds long. On each page, the video file loads only when someone presses play, behind a poster image, so it does not slow the page down. You can watch all four on our animated explainer video production page, and the rest of our published prices sit on one pricing page.
If your brand needs work before the video, our branding agency in New York handles that, too. Our guide to what logo design costs in New York covers that side of the budget.
What should an explainer video quote include?
A low explainer video cost is only good value if the quote covers the parts you need. Before you sign, check that it names each of these:
- The length in seconds, and the price of every extra 30 seconds.
- Who writes the script, and how many script rounds you get.
- The voice: AI, a stock voice or a voice actor, and in which language.
- Captions, so the video still works with the sound off.
- Revision rounds per stage, and the price of an extra round.
- Files and use: the formats you receive and where you may use the video.
Also check the versions. Google Business Profile, for example, accepts videos of up to 30 seconds, as Google’s Business Profile video guidelines state. So a 60-second explainer needs a separate cutdown there. Finally, it helps to know how fixed-price, retainer and hourly quotes differ before you compare offers.
When you are ready, send us a short brief and we will reply with a written scope and a fixed price.
Common questions about explainer video cost
How much does a 30-second animated video cost?
Two studios we read on October 4, 2026 publish a 30-second price: $1,000 for an AI presenter video and $3,480 at a London studio. Because the script and style take the same work at any length, 30 seconds rarely costs half of 60.
How much should I pay for an explainer video?
For a small business, a scripted 60-second motion-graphics video with a voice-over and captions is a sensible first project. Mid-market studios published $3,500 to $7,500 for that. At Morneto, videos of up to 60 seconds start from $250.
Can AI create an explainer video?
AI tools can draft a script, generate a voice and animate templates, and AI packages started at about $500. However, someone still has to choose the one message, match your brand and check every claim before the video goes live.
Why is animation expensive?
Every second is designed and timed, so the cost follows the hours. Simple motion graphics need fewer hours than drawn characters or 3D, which is why they sit at the low end of explainer video cost.
How long does an explainer video take to make?
Published timelines we read ran from a few days for AI packages to 12 weeks for premium studio packages. The written scope should name the delivery date before any work starts.
