Guide
What does an animated series or explainer cost? AI vs hiring an animator
Short answer
Hiring it out costs about $500 to $3,000 per finished minute with a freelancer and $3,000 to $10,000 per minute with an animation studio, according to one video agency’s 2026 price guide. In StudioRam a finished minute is about 8 to 10 scenes, which is about $32 to $40 at the 15-scene pack price, before any scenes you redo. The difference is that you write and direct every scene yourself.
What freelancers and studios charge
| Option | Typical price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance animator | $500 to $3,000 per finished minute | Vidico, May 2026 |
| Specialist animation studio | $3,000 to $10,000 per finished minute | Vidico, May 2026 |
| 60-second 2D explainer from a studio | $2,500 to $10,000 | Vidico, May 2026 |
| Animator on a salary (US) | Median $102,030 a year, or $49.06 an hour (May 2025) | US Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Vidico is a video production agency, so these are its own ranges, and quotes for the same brief can differ a lot. The salary figure is for special effects artists and animators in the US.
What it costs in StudioRam
You pay per scene. A scene is one continuous shot of up to 8 seconds (about 6 is typical), and each scene you animate uses one scene credit.
| Option | Price | Per scene | About one finished minute (8 to 10 scenes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First scene | Free, no card | Free | One scene only, watermarked |
| 1 scene | $5.99 | $5.99 | $48 to $60 |
| 5-scene pack | $24.99 | $5.00 | $40 to $50 |
| 15-scene pack | $59.99 | $4.00 | $32 to $40 |
| Creator plan | $29 a month | About $2.42 (12 scenes a month; 15 in the first month) | 12 scenes is about 72 to 96 seconds of video a month |
Packs never expire. The Creator plan renews monthly and you can cancel anytime.
A worked example: one five-minute episode
- Length: five minutes is 300 seconds, so roughly 40 to 50 scenes at 6 to 8 seconds each.
- In StudioRam: about $160 to $200 at the 15-scene pack price ($4.00 a scene), plus the scenes you redo.
- Time: each scene takes 2 to 5 minutes to make, so plan on a few hours of making scenes, plus your own time writing and checking them.
- Hiring it out at the rates above: about $2,500 to $15,000 with a freelancer, or $15,000 to $50,000 with a studio.
Which one should you pick?
Hire a freelancer or a studio when you need a polished brand film with a look you can specify exactly, delivery above 720p, rounds of revisions handled for you, or you simply want someone else to do the work.
Use StudioRam when you want to make a series yourself, keep the same character across many scenes, and pay by the scene. The output is 720p, and you direct every scene.
Questions
Do scene credits expire?
Scene packs never expire. The Creator plan is monthly, and you can cancel anytime.
Does a redo cost extra?
Each time you animate a scene it uses one scene credit, so budget a few extra scenes for the ones you redo.
Is there a free trial?
Your first scene is free, with no card. It is watermarked.
Can I use the videos commercially?
Yes. The Terms license the videos to you for personal and commercial use, within the content rules.
Sources
- Vidico, “How much does an explainer video cost?”, published 29 May 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Special Effects Artists and Animators, pay as of May 2025, page updated 27 August 2026.
- StudioRam prices: studioram.app/pricing, checked 14 October 2026.
The free scene needs no card. It is watermarked; paid scenes are not.