What Is an Explainer Video? Types, Length and Cost

An explainer video is a short video that shows what a product, service or idea does, who it is for and why it matters. Many are animated, because animation can show what a camera can’t: software at work, a process inside a system, an idea. Most of the explainers we make run 40 to 90 seconds.

Below: the main types of explainer videos, what goes into one, how long it should be, where to use it, what it costs and real examples from our studio.

Types of explainer videos

Type	What it looks like	Best for
2D animated	illustrated characters and scenes in motion	most products and services, startups, apps
Motion graphics	shapes, icons, numbers and interface screens	software, data and B2B
Whiteboard	a hand drawing the story on a white surface	training and education
Kinetic typography	words that move with the voiceover	short ads and social posts
Screencast	a recording of the product’s screens with narration	tutorials for existing users
Live action	filmed people and places	physical products, teams and testimonials

Animated explainers are the most flexible, because anything can be drawn: a feature that doesn’t exist yet, a process too small or too big to film, a customer in any country. See 2D animation styles, with real examples.

What goes into an explainer video

1. A script: what the video says, usually 70 to 210 words. Our explainer video script template shows the structure.
2. A storyboard: a sketch of every scene, so you see what the video shows before it is designed.
3. Illustration: characters, backgrounds and screens in your brand.
4. Animation: the designs in motion, timed to the voiceover.
5. Voiceover, music and sound effects: the voice that tells the story and the sound that makes it feel finished. In our explainer packages the voiceover is included, in English, Spanish or other languages on request.

In our studio, steps 1 and 2 are the first stage you approve, illustration is the second and animation the third. Nothing moves until you have seen how it will look.

How long should an explainer video be?

Long enough to explain one idea and no longer. In a set of 18 explainers we made for different industries, 11 run between 40 and 90 seconds and the median is just over a minute. A realtor’s introduction worked in 32 seconds; a policy report for an international network needed almost 3 minutes.

As a rule of thumb from our own videos, the voiceover runs about 140 words per minute, so a 60 second explainer has room for about 140 words.

The structure of a good explainer video

1. The problem: the viewer’s situation, in their words.
2. The solution: your product as the answer, in one sentence.
3. How it works: three steps or three benefits.
4. Proof: one number, result or name people trust.
5. A call to action: one thing to do next.

Yerba: a health explainer that opens with the patient’s problem, a diagnosis that feels overwhelming, before it shows the product. 1:03.

Where to use an explainer video

1. Your home page, where new visitors decide in seconds whether to stay.
2. Landing pages and ads, where one clear message matters most.
3. Sales emails and proposals, so every prospect hears the same explanation.
4. Onboarding, to show new users the first steps.
5. Pitch decks and crowdfunding pages, where investors and backers need to understand the idea in one watch.
6. YouTube and social media, often as shorter cuts of the main video.

5 reasons startups use explainer videos

1. They make a new idea clear. Simplifying the message for a 60 second script forces the team to agree on what the product is.
2. They show what doesn’t exist yet. An animated video can show a product that is still being built, or a feature that is hard to film.
3. They tell the same story every time. Every founder, salesperson and investor email shares one explanation.
4. They work in every channel. One video serves the home page, the pitch deck, social posts and sales emails.
5. They look as professional as the product should feel. A well made video tells customers and investors that the company invests in the details.

How much does an explainer video cost?

Published prices for a 30 second animated explainer range from about £300 to more than £20,000, with an average starting price of £2,960 across 45 agencies (Squideo, 2026). We publish ours: $5 to $20 per second, so a 60 second explainer costs $300, $600 or $1,200. See how much an explainer video costs for the full breakdown.

Explainer video examples

Say After: an app explainer that opens with an emotion everyone knows before it names the product. 1:09.

Carton Cloud: logistics software explained in 56 seconds.

See 18 more, grouped by industry, in our explainer video examples.

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of an explainer video?

To make a product, service or idea clear in a short time, so the viewer understands what it does and takes the next step.

What is the difference between an explainer video and a promo video?

An explainer teaches: it shows how something works and why it matters. A promo sells a moment, like a launch or an offer, and can be much shorter.

Should an explainer video be animated or live action?

Animated when you need to show software, a process, an idea or a product that doesn’t exist yet. Live action when the people or the physical product are the message.

How long does it take to make an explainer video?

With us, delivery starts at 7 days for a 30 second video, counted from the day we have everything we need. Longer videos take longer, and every stage waits for your approval.

What makes a good explainer video?

It opens with the viewer’s problem, explains one idea, shows instead of telling and ends with one clear call to action.

Get your explainer video

Send us your script, a brief or just your website. We reply with a plan and a price for your exact length.

See our animated explainer video services, the SaaS and app explainer videos, compare all our prices or ask us a question. We are rated 4.9 from 1,776 reviews on Fiverr.

Next step: Explainer videos: packages and samples · All prices

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