Most businesses prefer 1-minute animation videos for their marketing needs, but the animated video production cost isn’t as straightforward as you think. In the following article, we provide you with insights to help you understand how the animated video price is decided and the best place to get it.
The most widely used video content for marketing and promotional purposes by companies are short videos that last around 60 seconds. One may simply think that it will be a straightforward transaction between the brand and the video creator. However, several factors are taken into consideration before the final price is decided for a 1-minute animation video clip.
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The price of animated video depends on several factors. For example, 2D animations cost much less than 3D animations. Also, complex topics require more work, and the location of your animator affects the price.
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The DIY route is cheap but limited. Free tools cost under $100, but you’ll get basic, template-based results that might not impress.
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Freelancers can be hit or miss, costing anywhere from $50 to $2,000, depending on their skills. However, you may need to hire extras for voice-overs or scripts.
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Mid-range studios offer the best value for your money. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $25,000 for professional teams that can handle everything in-house.
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High-end agencies are probably excessive unless you’re creating the next Pixar film. Spending $25,000+ on a simple business video doesn’t make sense.
How Much Does it Cost to Make an Animation? Key Factors Influencing the Cost
First of all, there are tons of video and animation producers out there, each with a different pricing policy. No two video producers may have the same method for deciding on an asking price for their work. Therefore, the 60 second animation cost won’t be the same as you move across sources.
Meanwhile, they all orient around similar considerations. These factors include:
- Animation Style
2D animation video cost are far less expensive compared to 3D. This is true for most cases. Unless the client needs 3D for some special requirements, they often always go for the former.
Other styles like whiteboard, Motion Graphics, paper animation, and many others are available— all differing in video animation pricing.
- Topic and Video Complexity
The more complicated an idea for an animated video is, the more time it requires, and therefore, the pricier it will be. This is because the designers will spend more hours researching when preparing the script, which will add to the cost. However, video complexity depends on the business type, buyer journey stage, and maturity level of this industry.
Also, complex topics and concepts mean more characters, resources, and assets for production.
- Video Length
In general, the longer the video, the more costly it will be, but again, a fact relative to the kind of animation and concept complication.
For instance, a 30 second promotional video in 3D animation that has some intricate art is going to be costlier than its simple equivalent in 2D at 1 minute. It is, therefore, majorly considered with videos of the same style or method used in production.
- Production Duration
The longer it is, the more 1-minute animation cost per minute. It’s why most production services try to fashion the pricing around a production time that can work with the client’s budget. Feedback duration and client revisions also extend the production time.
- Creator’s Location
The animated video price will be higher if the video creators are based in a high-wage environment. However, those producers who are in low-wage environments charge less. Of course, this might go in tandem with the quality of the output.
- Content Rights
Some use copyrighted in-video content, such as pictures, videos, sounds, etc., for which they must pay permission money. But if the assets used are free in your video, then it doesn’t come at a factor in price.
- Creator’s Reputation
Now, should you call a video production company of excellent reputation and marketability—one has to be wary of the price. Fortunately, very high standards are matched to compensate for their higher charges. Companies and individuals with lesser reputations or experience charge less.
- Customizations and Extra Services
Customized videos are more expensive as they are designed from the ground up, and generic versions work with a template and lack originality. Again, the price of a 1-minute animation will be less if the producer doesn’t include extra services like script, concept art, voiceover, language translation, storyboard, and illustration.
The Average Cost to Produce an Animated Video (Per Minute) Depends on How It’s Made.
Keeping all of these factors in mind, let one not forget that different levels of producers would be charging differently against the production of a 1-minute animation video.
Free Tools ($0 to $100)
Sometimes, you can do this animation yourself using free tools downloaded online. It saves you the cost. Sometimes, it may be an amateur user using the same free tools with low-end quality.
However, note that free tools are limited in production and will not give you anything beyond the generic template designs they can afford.
When working on payment, you are sure to spend more time and effort. If you do not spend a dime, you take it for granted and in the end, you may not come up with a satisfying result.
Online Freelancer Content Creators ($50 to $2,000)
You can easily find freelancers online to produce your 60-second animation video. They exist at different professional levels. For this reason, the price range for cost to produce an animated video varies according to the level of expertise.
From the lowest price range, including people with basic animation designing skills, to the people with more experience and prowess with animation complexities, the price increases as you go higher.
Of course, not all freelancers can handle extra services; most of them only do the production. You may have to hire scriptwriters, storyboard artists, and even voiceover actors or, sometimes, illustrators in case you need their services.
Small Studios: $1,000 to $2,000
These studios mainly consist of two to three professionals. They are usually quite experienced in running animation production at every level, and when they can’t, they’ll outsource to other partner studios while factoring the charge into your final payment.
Most studios can’t do multiple jobs at a time due to their limited number of team members. As such, they tend to take a longer time to produce the projects. However, their high skill level and professional work ethic make them worth it.
Video Production Agencies for Animated Explainers ($3,000 – $25,000)
Such high-value agencies will compensate for their prices by assigning a fully-fledged team to provide quality animation video service packages.
They are the best option for medium-scale companies that require superior quality but cannot afford professional studios.
Video production companies are not just animation studios but also scriptwriters, illustrators, sound designers, and account managers.
Moreover, they have schedules that enable them to plan your work by the timelines and set up their deliverable by visiting each of your needs during customization.
Production at such levels allows a high degree of say in how the final result turns out. They work hard to ensure your 1-minute-long animated video is up to par and just the way you want it to be.
Full-Service Animation Agencies ($25,000–$100,000)
These agencies are fully involved in complex animation works, like those seen in movie animations. While the quality of their work is very high, they are not the right choice for you, especially if you are simply looking to create a short 60-second animation video for your business. Their wide range of work types and super-high price tags mean that quality can be over the head, and you’ll spend way more than you can afford.
As a summing up, here are typical price ranges for 1-minute animations:
- Low-budget: $500 – $1,500 (basic 2D, simple motion graphics)
- Mid-range: $1,500 – $7,000 (custom 2D animations, moderate complexity)
- High-end/full-service agencies: $7,000 – $100,000+ (3D animations, complex projects).
Investing in Quality Animation Pays Off
Now that you have some knowledge of video animation pricing and its underlying factors, you can be tempted to ask where to find the best place for a 1-minute animation video production.
But it really shouldn’t be a difficult question. Why? Since your goal is to find the best one that works within your budget, you can streamline your search and choices accordingly.
Among the many possibilities listed, explainer video production companies are the best options for 1-minute animation videos. While many such agencies exist out there, Zelios Agency stands as just the perfect fit for such tasks.
Select the video type that aligns with your marketing objectives, and receive an immediate high-level estimate of the production cost.
