Buying a SaaS explainer video
Eight straight answers about cost, schedule, script length, revisions and ownership. Written for people about to commission a film, including the parts most studios prefer not to publish.
What a SaaS explainer video costs
We checked 52 studios: half publish no price, and 60-second explainers are listed from $1,000 to $13,000 (median $3,000). What drives the number, and what a quote should include.
How long an explainer video takes
Twenty working days from kickoff to delivery, stage by stage. What actually causes delay, and the one thing that controls the date.
How many words fit in 60 seconds
About 140 to 160 words at natural voiceover pace. Word counts for 15, 30, 60 and 90 seconds, and why a shorter script is harder to write.
How many revisions you should get
Unlimited revisions before animation begins, two rounds after. Why the stage matters more than the count, and what to check in a contract.
Who owns the source files
You should own the project file, compositions and assets outright on final payment. What source files actually are, and why some studios withhold them.
Cutdowns vs separate films
A cutdown is an edit of the main film from the same approved storyboard. A separate film has its own script and board. When each is the right purchase.
What you need to supply
Product access, brand assets and one named approver. The complete list, why each matters, and what happens when one is missing.
Animated explainer vs screen recording
They do different jobs at different funnel stages. A comparison across audience, length, shelf life and cost, and how the two work together.
Want one of these made?
Published prices, a fixed date in the agreement, and the script approved before anything animates.