How much does an explainer video cost?

Written by Action Animation · A Manchester explainer video studio · Updated July 2026

The short answer: a professionally produced animated explainer video in the UK typically starts from around £5,000 for a 90-second animation. Where it goes from there depends on length, animation style and how much of the heavy lifting (script, storyboard, voiceover) you want the studio to do.

If you’re researching explainer videos for the first time, “how much does it cost?” is almost always the first question — and the honest answer is “it depends”. But that’s a frustrating answer, so this guide breaks down exactly what you’re paying for, what moves the price up or down, and how to make sure the money you spend is an investment rather than a cost.

Explainer video cost at a glance

At Action, a 90-second animated explainer video starts from around £5,000. That’s the figure to keep in your head when you’re budgeting — everything below explains what sits behind it.

What do you actually get for £5,000+?

A common mistake is comparing prices as if every “explainer video” is the same product. It isn’t. A proper explainer video price usually includes far more than the animation itself:

• Script writing and review — often the single biggest factor in whether a video works. A good studio helps you write it or reviews yours to make sure it’s tight.
• Storyboarding and a visual concept — planning the visuals so there are no expensive surprises later.
• Bespoke design and illustration — artwork made for your brand, not pulled from a stock library everyone else is using.
• Animation — the actual motion, timing and craft that makes it feel alive.
• Professional voiceover and sound design — audio that does as much work as the visuals.
• Revisions — structured rounds of feedback so you land on something you’re genuinely happy with.

When you see a video advertised for a few hundred pounds, it’s almost always missing several of these. Usually it’s a template with your logo dropped in — which brings us to the most important part of this whole guide.

What makes an explainer video cost more (or less)?

Three factors move the price more than anything else:

1. Length

A 30-second animation costs less than a 3-minute one — but not proportionally. The bulk of the work (script, concept, design, setting up the style) happens regardless of runtime. As a rule of thumb, the ideal explainer is around 90 seconds anyway, because audiences start switching off beyond that.

2. Animation style

This is the big one. Simple motion-graphics and kinetic typography sit at the more affordable end. Detailed character animation, bespoke illustration, 3D, or sci-fi UI animation all take significantly more time to produce — and time is what you’re paying for.

3. How finished your brief is

If you arrive with a locked script, brand guidelines and a clear idea, there’s less for the studio to build. If you need help shaping the whole thing from a rough idea — which is completely normal — that’s more hands-on work, and it’s reflected in the price.

How long does an explainer video take to make?

For a typical animated explainer, expect 4 to 6 weeks from kick-off to final delivery. That covers scripting, storyboarding, design, animation and revision rounds. Rushing any of those stages is usually where cheap videos go wrong — and where expensive re-dos come from.

Why the cheapest explainer video is rarely the cheapest

Here’s the thing most price guides won’t tell you.

A good animated explainer video is an investment that, when done right, can still be relevant in 10 years.

Think about that. A £5,000 video that still represents your brand accurately a decade from now costs you £500 a year. A £500 template video that looks dated, generic and off-brand within six months — and that you quietly stop sharing — cost you the whole £500 and the opportunity it was supposed to create.

The biggest fear brands have when commissioning animation is wasting budget on a studio that doesn’t understand the brief and delivers something generic. That fear is well founded — but the solution isn’t to spend less. It’s to spend it with people who will get the brief right the first time, build something bespoke to your brand, and make it last. Cheap and generic is the expensive option in disguise.

Is an explainer video worth it?

An explainer video earns its place when it does a job your other content can’t: taking something complex — a product, a service, an idea — and making it instantly understandable, in a format people will actually watch and share. A single good explainer can sit on your homepage, run in ad campaigns, open sales decks and live on your socials for years. Measured over that lifespan, it’s one of the better-value assets a marketing team can commission.

How much does an explainer video cost — quick FAQ

How much does a 90-second explainer video cost in the UK?

A professionally produced 90-second animated explainer typically starts from around £5,000. Simpler styles can be less; character animation, longer runtimes and multiple videos cost more.

Why do explainer videos cost so much?

You’re not just paying for animation. The price covers scriptwriting, storyboarding, bespoke design, voiceover, sound design and revision rounds — plus the experience to get the message right. Template videos skip most of that, which is why they’re cheap and rarely last.

How long does it take to make an explainer video?

Usually 4 to 6 weeks from kick-off to delivery, covering script, storyboard, design, animation and revisions.

Are cheap explainer videos worth it?

Occasionally, for a very short-lived, low-stakes need. But for anything representing your brand, a cheap generic video usually dates fast and gets quietly retired — making it more expensive per year of use than a bespoke one built to last.

How much does an explainer video cost in Manchester?

Pricing is the same wherever you’re based — from around £5,000 for a 90-second animation. As a Manchester-based explainer video company, we work with clients across the UK and worldwide.