Explainer Video Voice Over: Hiring Guide & Real Costs

You want a video that talks to your customers, not just text they have to read. But the moment you start pricing it out, the questions pile up fast. Who records the voice? Do you need to hire someone separate from the animator, and what does explainer video voice over cost end up looking like once you add it all up?

A voice over is the narrator you hear talking while pictures or animation play on screen. Hiring one alone can run $50 to $1,500 depending on skill and usage rights, but a full video with script, human voice, and animation from a done-for-you service is often cheaper and faster than piecing it together yourself.

What Is a Voice Over and Why Does Your Explainer Video Need One?

A voice over is simply the person talking in your video while pictures or animation play on screen. It's the friendly voice that says "Are you tired of clogged pipes?" while your plumbing van rolls across the screen.

A real human voice builds trust faster than text alone. People connect with tone, pace, and warmth in a way that reading captions just can't match, which is why almost every explainer video uses a spoken script instead of on-screen words only.

Your script length decides how long your voice over needs to be. Most explainer videos run 60 to 90 seconds, which comes out to roughly 150 to 225 words of spoken script (Knowlify). A good script has four simple parts: a hook to grab attention, the problem your customer faces, your solution, and a call to action telling them what to do next (Biteable).

Need an explainer video? See our 30-second explainer offer → We write the script, record the voiceover, and animate it, delivered in 7 days.

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.

How Do I Hire a Voice Over Artist Myself?

You hire a voice over artist by writing your script first, then posting the job on a freelance voice site, picking someone from sample recordings, and confirming rights before they record. It's a process with several steps, and each one takes time.

Step 1: Write or finalize your script

Before anyone can record anything, you need words on a page. Your script should be short, clear, and follow the hook-problem-solution-call to action pattern.

Step 2: Post the job on a freelance voice site

You list your project on a marketplace built for voice talent, describe your tone (friendly, formal, energetic), and set your budget. Expect several artists to apply within a day or two.

Step 3: Review sample recordings and pick an artist

Most artists will send a short sample clip reading part of your script. You'll want to compare a few voices for tone and pacing before you commit.

Step 4: Confirm usage rights and turnaround time

This is the part people forget. A usage license is permission to use a recording on your website, in ads, or on social media, and you need to confirm it in writing before the artist records.

Step 5: Get the file, check it, and ask for fixes if needed

Once you get the recording, you listen for mispronounced words, awkward pauses, or the wrong tone. If something's off, you go back to the artist and ask for a fix, which may cost extra depending on their terms.

All of this is doable, and knowing the real cost ahead of time helps you plan for it. But it's also one more task added to your week, on top of running your business, finding an animator, and stitching the pieces together yourself.

How Much Does Explainer Video Voice Over Cost by Itself?

A voice over hired on its own typically costs $50 to $1,500 or more, depending on the artist's experience, your script length, and what usage rights you need (Yans Media). The price swings a lot based on a few key factors.

A basic non-broadcast license for a 60-second video starts around $150 on quality freelance sites, while higher-end talent on platforms like Voices.com often starts with a $100 minimum bid (Yans Media). A rush fee is an extra charge for a quicker turnaround, and it can add 50% to 100% on top of the normal price if you need the recording fast (Yans Media). If you're working with a full production studio, voice over alone can run $200 to $1,500 per finished minute as just one line item on the invoice (Vidico).

Here's the catch: this price is only for the voice. You still need someone to write the script and someone to animate the video around it, and those are separate costs on top of whatever you pay the voice artist.

How Much Does a Full Explainer Video With Voice Over Cost?

A full explainer video with script, voice over, and animation costs far less when you use a done-for-you service instead of hiring each piece separately. Our 30-second explainer video is $297 one time, and it covers everything so you're not juggling three freelancers and three invoices.

Our 30-second explainer includes a written script, a human voiceover, and full animation, delivered in 7 days, with three rounds of revisions and a money-back guarantee. The 60-second version follows the same process with a longer script and video. If your business needs something bigger, like multiple videos, custom characters, or specific branding, custom and premium video pricing is planned on a free 30-minute call with a fixed quote back to you in 24 hours.

For comparison, a 60-second custom animated explainer from a larger North American studio typically runs $5,000 to $10,000, with premium 3D or character work going even higher (Vidico).

Can I Use AI Voices Instead of a Real Person?

Yes, AI voices are an option, and they're usually cheaper and faster to produce than hiring a person. You type your script, pick a voice, and get a file back in minutes instead of days.

The tradeoff is quality and connection. AI voices have gotten better, but many still sound a little flat on longer scripts, especially when the tone needs to shift between excitement and reassurance. For a business trying to build trust with a new customer, a natural human voice tends to land better because it carries warmth an algorithm can't quite fake yet.

That's why every package we offer uses a real human voiceover, not an AI-generated one. It's a small detail that changes how your video feels to the person watching it.

Real Example: A Plumber Hiring Voice Over vs. Getting a Done-for-You Video

Imagine a plumber named Mike who wants a 30-second video for his homepage explaining why customers should call him instead of a competitor. He has two paths.

Path one: Mike writes his own script (or pays someone to write it), posts a job for a voice artist, waits for samples, picks one, pays for the recording, then finds a separate animator to build the visuals around the audio file. Each step has its own back-and-forth, its own invoice, and its own waiting period. This is where the real explainer video voice over cost adds up, since the voice fee is just one piece of the total bill.

Path two: Mike pays one flat price for our 30-second explainer. He gets a written script, a human voiceover, and full animation, all coordinated together, delivered in 7 days, with three rounds of revisions built in and a money-back guarantee if he's still not happy.

Same outcome, a finished video. But one path is a single price and one deadline, and the other is three moving parts he has to manage himself.

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.

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.

How Long Should My Script and Voice Over Be?

Your script should run about 150 spoken words per minute of finished video, so a 60-second video needs roughly 140 to 160 words (Breadnbeyond). That's shorter than most people expect, about the length of this paragraph and the next two combined.

Shorter is almost always better for small business videos. Your customers are scanning your website, not settling in for a documentary. A tight script that hits the four key parts, hook, problem, solution, call to action, keeps them watching to the end instead of clicking away halfway through (Biteable).

If your first draft runs long, the fix is usually to cut, not to talk faster. A calm, clear pace matters more than cramming in extra details your customer doesn't need yet.

Which Video Style Works Best With Your Voice Over?

The best video style depends on what your business does and how you want to explain it. There are three common styles worth knowing about.

Whiteboard animation is a style where a hand appears to draw simple sketches on screen, and it's a budget-friendly choice that works well for step-by-step teaching, like explaining a repair process or a legal procedure (Pexo). 2D motion graphics is a style that uses flat, colorful shapes and characters, and it fits almost any business, from a dental office to a gym. Live action is real footage of a person or product, and it works well when you want a face customers can recognize, like a coach or a realtor.

A plumber or an accountant explaining a process often does well with whiteboard or 2D. A gym or a coach trying to build a personal connection might lean toward live action or a 2D style with a friendly narrator voice.

What If I Don't Like the Voice or Need Changes?

If you hire a voice over artist on your own and don't like the recording, you'll likely have to pay extra for a re-record, especially if you need it fast. Rush requests alone can add 50% to 100% to the original cost (Yans Media), before any extra fee for redoing the work itself.

With our done-for-you explainer video package, you're not stuck in that position. It includes three rounds of revisions, so if the tone feels off or a line needs adjusting, you ask and we fix it, no extra invoice, and a money-back guarantee stands behind the whole package.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a special license for the voice recording?

Yes, you generally need to confirm a usage license, meaning permission to use the recording on your website, in ads, or on social media. When you hire a freelance artist directly, you have to ask about this yourself before they record. When you use a done-for-you package like ours, the rights to use your video however you need are simply part of what you're paying for.

What is the cheapest way to get a professional voice over?

Hiring a voice artist alone can start as low as $50, but that price usually doesn't include script writing or animation, so your real cost adds up once you bring in those other pieces. Our all-in-one explainer video often ends up cheaper than piecing together a script writer, a voice artist, and an animator separately, especially once you count rush fees or revision charges.

How fast can I get my video done?

A 30-second or 60-second explainer video through our service is delivered in 7 days from when you approve the script. That timeline includes the script, the human voice recording, and the finished animation, all handled together instead of passed between separate freelancers.

Is a human voice over better than AI for customer trust?

A human voice generally carries more warmth and natural tone shifts than an AI-generated voice, which can help a first-time visitor feel more at ease with your business. AI voices are cheaper and faster, but for a video meant to build trust with new customers, a real person's voice tends to connect better.

What industries use explainer videos with voice over most?

Small service businesses like plumbers, dentists, med spas, gyms, roofers, lawyers, accountants, and coaches all commonly use explainer videos to walk new customers through what they offer. The format works well anywhere a business needs to explain a service or process quickly on a homepage or landing page.

The short version

Hiring a voice over artist by itself can cost anywhere from $50 to $1,500, and that price doesn't even include your script or your animation. Once you add those pieces up, along with the time spent managing multiple freelancers, the real explainer video voice over cost and hassle grows fast.

The goal isn't just getting a voice recorded, it's getting a finished video that makes your business look good and gets customers to take action. A 30-second explainer video with a written script, human voiceover, and full animation is priced as shown in the table above, delivered in 7 days, with revisions and a guarantee built in. If your needs are bigger, custom videos start at $1,299 after a short call, with a fixed quote back to you in 24 hours.

Ready to get your own video made? Order your 30-second explainer and have it in 7 days, or book a free call for a custom video 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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