Explainer video rates
Transparent Pricing
Other firms in this space try to size you up, get your contact info, etc. before giving you a quote. Not us. We believe in delivering marketing and explainer video pricing with total transparency. It’s better for you, it’s better for us. The pricing in the table below applies to all the work and style you can view on the Portfolio page.
The only exceptions to the explainer video pricing below would be jobs that require more complex animation techniques, extensive 3D modeling broadcast TV work (with extra licensing fees required by voice over artists), or live-action productions. These are quoted on a case-by-case basis.
On a slightly tighter budget? Check out our AI video services or consider going with our Unlimited Yearly Plan.
How much does an explainer video cost? A custom 60-second animated explainer from Gisteo costs $3,500 to $5,000: $3,500 if you bring the script (Just Animate!), $4,000 for our Full-Service package, or $5,000 if you need it fast (VIP Fast Pass). Each additional 30 seconds is $500, pro-rated. AI avatar videos start at $1,000 and AI cinematic videos at $3,500. For context, explainer videos across the industry range from about $1,000 with freelancers to $50,000+ at premium studios.
Just Animate!
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Already have a script? Provide your fully approved script with storyboard cues, and we’ll bring it to life! Perfect for agencies or in-house teams.
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Payment terms: 50% upfront, 50% upon completion OR pay upfront and receive a 15% discount
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EACH PROJECT INCLUDES:
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Full key-frame storyboard
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Voice over
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Illustration & animation
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Music & sound effects
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Unlimited revisions (within each stage)
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Billing for overages is pro-rated, based on 30 second increments
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10 second free buffer included
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Average turnaround time: 3-4 weeks (more for videos >2 min.)
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All projects backed by a money-back guarantee
Full-Service
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Our classic "soup to nuts" package. We handle everything from concept to completion, with all the bells and whistles included. This is Gisteo’s most popular offering for individual projects.
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Payment terms: 50% upfront, 50% upon completion OR pay upfront and receive a 15% discount
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EACH PROJECT INCLUDES:
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Discovery
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Script development
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Full key-frame storyboard
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Voice over
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Illustration & animation
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Music & sound effects
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Unlimited revisions (within each stage)
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Billing for overages is pro-rated, based on 30 second increments
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10 second free buffer included
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Average turnaround time: 5-6 weeks (more for videos >2 min.)
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All projects backed by a money-back guarantee
VIP Fast Pass
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Like our Full-Service package—just faster. We lose sleep, beg our spouses for mercy, and you get lightning-speed results!
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Payment terms: 50% upfront, 50% upon completion OR pay upfront and receive a 15% discount
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EACH PROJECT INCLUDES:
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Discovery
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Script development
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Storyboard (time permitting)
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Voice over
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Illustration & animation
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Music & sound effects
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Unlimited revisions (within each stage)
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Billing for overages is pro-rated, based on 30 second increments
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10 second free buffer included
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Average turnaround time: 2-3 weeks (more for videos >2 min.)
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All projects backed by a money-back guarantee
Unlimited
Yearly Subscription-
An “all you can eat” video creation plan for a full year. Let us become your video marketing agency for all you video content needs.
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Everything included
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Any style, any length. No extra fees for longer videos
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Finish one video, start the next- all year long
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Any use case: social media videos, explainers, training videos, cinematic AI productions and much more
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Free cutdown versions (15 seconds, 30 seconds etc.), source files and versions with multiple layouts (9:16, 16:9, 1:1)
Explainer video cost by length
Our packages cover the first 60 seconds (plus a free 10-second buffer). Longer videos add $500 per 30 seconds, pro-rated. No surprises.
| Package | Up to 60 sec | 90 sec | 2 min | 3 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just Animate! | $3,500 | $4,000 | $4,500 | $5,500 |
| Full-Service | $4,000 | $4,500 | $5,000 | $6,000 |
| VIP Fast Pass | $5,000 | $5,500 | $6,000 | $7,000 |
| AI Avatar | $1,500 (30 sec: $1,000) | $2,000 | $2,500 | $3,500 |
Pay upfront and save 15%. AI cinematic videos start at $3,500 for 60–90 seconds and are quoted per project. Making lots of videos? The Unlimited plan covers any length for $20K/yr.
What’s included, and what other studios charge extra for
Many quotes look cheap until the add-ons show up. Here’s what’s typically billed separately elsewhere, and how we handle it:
| Often billed as an extra | Typical add-on cost elsewhere | At Gisteo |
|---|---|---|
| Scriptwriting | $300–$1,500 | Included (Full-Service & VIP) |
| Storyboard | $500–$2,000 | Included |
| Professional voiceover | $300–$1,500 | Included |
| Music & sound effects | $30–$3,000 | Included |
| Extra revision rounds | $200–$800 per round | Unlimited revisions within each stage |
| Running a few seconds long | Billed per second | 10-second free buffer |
| Rush delivery | $500–$3,000+ | VIP Fast Pass (2–3 weeks) |
| Source files | $500–$2,000 | Buy-out from $500, or included with Unlimited |
| Social cutdowns & extra aspect ratios | $300–$800 per format | Included with Unlimited |
Typical add-on costs are market ranges, not quotes from any specific studio.
What affects the price of an explainer video?
- Length. Every extra 30 seconds means more script, voiceover and animation.
- Who writes the script. Bring an approved script and save $500 with Just Animate!
- Style and complexity. 2D and motion graphics are covered by our packages. Heavy 3D, broadcast TV licensing or live action are quoted separately.
- Turnaround. Need it in 2–3 weeks instead of 5–6? That’s the VIP Fast Pass.
- Volume. Making several videos a year? The Unlimited plan usually beats paying per project.
- AI vs. custom animation. AI production can cut cost and time for the right projects (see AI video services).
Pricing last updated: September 2026.
100% money-back guarantee
We’re so confident that you’ll love our work that every custom project is covered by a money-back guarantee. If you’re not fully satisfied with our work at any stage from start to finish, we’ll refund you the full fee. It’s that simple.
Pricing- FAQ
If you pay for a video and you’re not fully satisfied at the end of the project when we send you the video to review online (or at any time while we’re building out the script, storyboard etc.), we’ll refund the full price paid. It’s that simple. Once the video is approved and the final video file is sent, however, there are no refunds.
Honestly, this never happens and we wouldn’t be able to be in business for 12+ years if we made it a habit of letting clients down :). We’re confident in what we do and we have a proven process, so this money-back guarantee is just one more assurance that we offer.
Note: due to the (still) inherent imperfections of AI technology, high subscription + token fees and elements that could be out of our control, this guarantee does not apply to our AI video productions.
We pride ourselves on our fixed, transparent explainer video pricing but we’ll listen to your pitch if you’ve got one. We look for “win-win” relationships so if you have something you can offer in return for a discount like huge exposure, a special mention to a large audience on LinkedIn or Slack, access to a network of great contacts, etc. we’ll be more inclined to consider your proposal.
No, not normally, but we do offer discounts via our Gisteo Unlimited annual plan if you plan on doing multiple project over the course of a year. If you have a significantly longer single video that you need to produce, we’re open to exploring a price break (also discussed in a later FAQ).
Yep. It sounds like you need our Gisteo Unlimited yearly plan!
Not directly, but as a long-standing PayPal Merchant, we can offer you interest-free financing (via PayPal) if the total bill is paid in 6 months. For more information, click here.
Gisteo is a lean operation. We don’t have a secretary or excessive overhead which can lead to bloated explainer video pricing. We prefer to keep things streamlined and pass those savings on to our clients. In addition, we get a ton of repeat business and referrals so we don’t need to inflate our pricing to offset massive marketing costs.
Strange but true…but we get this question as often as the above one. Explainer video pricing fluctuates so wildly in this industry that prospective customers are left scratching their heads. We deliver a high-quality product at a fair price. We firmly believe that Gisteo offers the best value-for-money proposition on the market. If you are looking for a “dirt cheap” solution, that is not us. You may want to check out Fiverr or a cheap freelance site…but remember: you often get what you pay for.
It’s simple. Say you plan on doing a 60 second explainer video. Ultimately, the running time extends a bit and the final video is 68 seconds. Other companies will charge you religiously (and handsomely) for every extra second. Not Gisteo. We keep it simple and fair. We’ll round down as long as it’s within the “buffer zone.” Those extra seconds are free of charge. If it goes beyond the 10 second buffer, we will apply the full, pro-rated fee based on the normal $500 per each additional 30 second increment.
Perhaps, especially if it incorporates B-roll video footage or is lighter on animation. We can discuss in detail during our consultation call and we’ll see what we can do.
We’re very fair and flexible on revisions. Simply put, we do not change on any revisions made within each stage.
Our projects follow a sequential order, meaning that we don’t embark on the next stage of the process until you’ve given your feedback and approval on the current stage. This approach help ensure that we have frequent touch-points and no unpleasant surprises. We do this because our goal is the same as yours: to create a compelling video. If you’re pleased with the result, we know you’ll speak favorably of us to all your friends and contacts when they ask “who made your video?” We’d much rather have a new Gisteo evangelist out there in the world than to tick you off by “nickeling and diming” you to death over a few extra changes.
Well….yes. Every now and then, we come across a “special” client who will cross the line a bit when it comes to requesting excessive revisions.
This is especially problematic when the revisions arise after a particular stage (script, storyboard, voice over…) has been approved. In these extreme cases, we may request an additional fee to cover extra or labor-intensive revisions. It’s kind of like calling a technical foul in basketball and we don’t like to do it. When it happens, it’s dealt with on a case-by-case basis and we always try to be as fair as possible.
Upon completion, you’ll receive a link to download your video file (normally in .mp4 format). The video is yours to use however you would like. As a policy, we do not provide the actual source files for standalone video projects. A buy-out fee (starting at $500) depending on length is available on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, our Gisteo Unlimited plan includes source files for every video at no extra fee.
At Gisteo, $3,500–$5,000 depending on the package: $3,500 (you provide the script), $4,000 (Full-Service, our most popular) or $5,000 (VIP Fast Pass). Pay upfront and save 15%.
$4,000–$5,500 with our packages: the 60-second price plus $500 for the extra 30 seconds. Most 90-second scripts run about 220–230 words (see our 90 second explainer videos page).
You’re paying for very different things. Low-cost options usually mean templates, little strategy and extra fees for revisions. Premium studios charge for large teams, complex 3D or broadcast work. We sit in between: custom work, a proven process and one transparent price. The biggest driver of results isn’t budget, it’s the script.
Usually, yes. Our AI avatar videos start at $1,000 and AI cinematic videos at $3,500, and they’re faster to produce. Custom animation still wins for character-driven stories and detailed brand illustration. Not sure which fits? We’ll tell you honestly on a free consultation call.