Explainer Video Company: 8 Questions to Ask First

James Crawford

Published September 17, 20269 min readUpdated September 17, 2026

You're about to spend real money on a video for your business. Maybe it's $500. Maybe it's $8,000. Either way, you want to know what you're getting before you sign anything.

Most explainer video company websites make this hard. They hide prices behind "contact us" forms. They talk about their awards instead of your delivery date. And by the time you find out what's really included, you've already had three calls with a salesperson.

Here's the good news. You don't need to be a video expert to hire one well. You just need to ask the right 8 questions, in the right order, before you pay a deposit. That's what this guide gives you.

Before hiring an explainer video company, ask about fixed price, script approval, real vs. AI voiceover, revision limits, refund policy, style fit for your industry, delivery date in writing, and file ownership. A company that answers all 8 clearly, in writing, is safe to pay.

Why These Questions Matter Before You Sign Anything

Most explainer video company websites do not show real prices, so you end up on a sales call before you know if you can even afford it. That costs you time, and sometimes it costs you a bad contract you didn't fully understand.

Five minutes of questions can save you thousands of dollars and weeks of frustrating back-and-forth. Print the table below, or screenshot it, and bring it to your next call with any video vendor.

Question	Red-Flag Answer	Good Answer
What will this cost?	"Let's hop on a call first"	A written number before you share payment info
Do I approve the script first?	"We'll show you the final video"	"Yes, in writing, before animation starts"
Is the voiceover human?	Vague or no answer	"Here's a sample of the actual voice actor"
How many revisions?	"Unlimited" with no details	A specific number, like 3 rounds
What if I don't like it?	"We don't offer refunds"	A clear refund or redo policy in writing
Will the style fit my industry?	The same template for every client	A style pick based on what you sell
When will I get it?	"A few weeks"	An exact date in writing
Who owns the file?	Only a streaming link	The raw MP4 file with full commercial rights

Need an explainer video? Get a 30-second explainer for $297 → We write the script, record the voiceover and animate it, delivered in 7 days.

Question 1: What Will This Actually Cost, in Writing?

A fair explainer video company will give you a real number before you hand over any payment information, not after a "discovery call." If a company won't quote you a price until you've sat through a sales pitch, that's your first red flag.

Prices in this industry swing wildly. DIY tools can run as low as $99, while enterprise brand films can run $50,000 or more, depending on style and provider. A 60-second custom animated explainer from a North American studio typically costs $5,000 to $10,000, with premium 3D or character work running higher. Studios that use AI-assisted production typically start around $1,500 to $4,000.

That's a huge range, which is exactly why you need the number in writing before you commit to anything.

Question 2: Will I Approve the Script Before You Animate?

You should always get to read and approve the full script before any animation work begins. Animation is expensive and slow to redo, while a script is just words on a page.

A good explainer script usually has four simple parts: a hook that grabs attention, the problem your customer faces, the solution you offer, and a call to action telling them what to do next (Biteable). When you review a script, check that all four parts show up in order.

If a company skips this step and just shows you a finished video, you've lost your best (and cheapest) chance to fix anything that's wrong.

Question 3: Is My Voiceover a Real Person or a Robot?

Ask directly whether your voiceover is a real person or synthetic, because some studios use AI text-to-speech to cut costs without telling you. A human voiceover is a real person recording your script in a studio or home booth, and it almost always sounds warmer and more trustworthy than a synthetic voice.

Text-to-speech has gotten better, but it still tends to sound flat on words that carry emotion, like "pain-free" or "guaranteed." Since your video's voice is often the first impression a customer gets of your business, that flatness matters more than it seems.

Before you pay anything, ask to hear a sample of the actual voice actor who will record your script. If the company can't or won't share one, treat that as a warning sign.

Question 4: How Many Revisions Are Included?

Ask for the exact number of revision rounds in writing, because "unlimited revisions" often has hidden limits buried in the contract. Some companies count each tiny fix as a full revision, then charge extra once you hit an unstated cap.

A fair, common number for a 30 to 60-second video is 3 rounds of revisions. That's usually enough to fix the script, adjust the pacing, and polish small details, without turning into an endless back-and-forth.

Get the number, and any extra fees for going past it, written into your agreement before you pay a deposit.

Question 5: What Happens If I Don't Like the Final Video?

Ask specifically whether you get a refund, a free redo, or nothing at all if you're unhappy with the finished video. A low price means very little if you're stuck with a video you can't use and no way to get your money back.

This is exactly why a written guarantee matters more than a slightly cheaper quote. Our 30-second explainer includes a written script, a human voiceover, full animation, delivery in 7 days, 3 rounds of revisions, and a money-back guarantee. The 60-second version offers the same terms, just a longer runtime.

Before you pay any video company, get their answer to this question in writing, not just a verbal promise on a sales call.

Want something bigger? Book a free 30-minute video call → We plan your custom video with you and send a fixed quote within 24 hours.

Question 6: Will the Style Match My Industry, or Is It One-Size-Fits-All?

Ask to see examples in a style that actually fits your type of business, not just the company's generic portfolio reel. There are three main explainer styles, and each one fits certain businesses better than others.

Whiteboard animation is a budget-friendly style that draws simple line images on a white background. It works well for step-by-step teaching, which makes it a strong fit for professional services like dentists or lawyers explaining a process (Pexo).

2D motion graphics is a style that uses flat, colorful shapes and icons. It's the all-round choice for most small businesses, like a plumber explaining a service.

Live action is a style that uses real video footage of people or products. It works well for gyms or restaurants that want to show real trainers, real food, or a real space.

If an explainer video company pushes the exact same template style on every client regardless of industry, that's a sign they're optimizing for production speed, not your results.

Question 7: How Fast Will I Get It, and Who Owns the File?

Ask for an exact delivery date in writing, not a vague window like "a few weeks." A specific date protects you if the project runs behind and gives you something concrete to hold the company to.

Also confirm who owns the finished file. You want the raw MP4 video file with full commercial rights, meaning you can post it anywhere, run ads with it, and use it forever, not just a streaming link that the company can take down or paywall later.

A kill fee is a charge you pay if you cancel a project early. Before you pay a deposit, check whether the contract mentions a kill fee or an ownership clause, so there are no surprises later.

Which Explainer Video Company Should You Pick?

Pick the explainer video company that answers all 8 questions listed above clearly and in writing, not simply the cheapest one you find. A low price with vague answers usually costs you more time and stress than a slightly higher price with clear terms.

One honest note on video performance: you'll often see claims that video lifts landing-page conversion by 80-86%. That number comes from pre-2020 data and doesn't hold up well today. Real modern results range from a 10% drop when the wrong video runs on the wrong page, up to a 100% lift when the right video runs in the right spot. In one real test, adding an explainer video in a lightbox popup lifted landing-page conversion from 6.5% to 13%. The takeaway isn't that video magically doubles your sales. It's that the right video, placed well, can meaningfully move the needle, and the wrong one can hurt you.

You have two low-risk paths forward. If you want a straightforward, fixed-price video, our 30-second explainer is $297 one-time (normally $497), with a script, human voiceover, animation, 7-day delivery, 3 revisions, and a money-back guarantee. If your project needs something custom, planning starts with a free 30-minute call and a fixed quote in 24 hours, for projects starting at $1,299.

Frequently asked questions

Should I hire a local video company or work with one remotely?

Location rarely matters for explainer videos, since almost the entire process happens over email, video calls, and file sharing. What matters more is whether the company answers the 8 questions above clearly and gives you everything in writing, regardless of where they're based.

Do I need a signed contract before I pay any deposit?

Yes. A signed agreement should spell out price, delivery date, revision count, refund policy, and who owns the final file. Verbal promises on a sales call are not enforceable if something goes wrong later.

Can I ask a video company for past client references?

Yes, and a company confident in its work should be willing to share some. Just remember that references are one data point, not a replacement for getting your own price, timeline, and guarantee in writing.

What if the company misses the delivery date they promised?

Check your contract before you sign it for what happens if the delivery date slips, such as a discount, a refund, or a firm new date. If the contract is silent on this, ask the company to add specific language before you pay anything.

Is a cheaper explainer video ever the smarter choice than an expensive one?

Often, yes, especially for a small business testing video for the first time. A fixed-price, fast-turnaround video, like our 30-second explainer, lets you see how video performs for your business before you commit thousands of dollars to a custom production.

The short version

Hiring an explainer video company doesn't have to feel like a gamble. Ask about price, script approval, real voiceover, revision limits, refund policy, style fit, delivery date, and file ownership, and get every answer in writing before you pay a deposit. A company willing to be clear on all 8 points is one you can trust with your money and your brand.

Your goal isn't to find the cheapest video. It's to find the clearest one, so you know exactly what you're getting and when. Start with our $297 30-second explainer today, or book a free call for a custom quote.

Ready to get your own video made? Order a 30-second explainer for $297 and have it in 7 days, or book a free call if you want a custom video from $1,299.

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