How much does a demo video cost?
Real prices, from doing it yourself to a studio.
Short answer
Anywhere from a few dollars to several thousand. Making it yourself costs software and your time, one founder paid a freelancer about $1,000, and my studio starts at $2,000. A tool like Dranic sits in between: free to try, or $15 for one video.
I run Dranic Studio, which makes launch videos for startups like Cosine, a Y Combinator company. I also make Dranic, which lets you make one yourself. So I know both prices well. Here’s what each option costs, what you get, and when it’s worth it.
What does each option cost?
It depends on who does the work. Here’s the range, from cheapest to most. Each number says where it comes from.
- 01Make it yourself: software, plus your timeAfter Effects alone is $22.99 a month on a yearly plan. One maker on Product Hunt made a launch video in about 3 hours. Your first will take longer.
- 02A tool like Dranic: from $15Free to try. $15 once for one video up to 40 seconds. For as many as you like, Pro is $19 a month, or $15 a month paid yearly.
- 03A freelancer: around $1,000On Product Hunt, a founder said a 90-second launch video cost about $1,000. Prices vary a lot with skill and length.
- 04A studio like mine: from $2,000My studio starts at $2,000 for up to a minute, and $3,500 with 3D. A project usually takes 3 to 4 weeks.
Is making it yourself really free?
No. It costs you in four ways:
- Software. After Effects alone is $22.99 a month on a yearly plan. Many other tools charge monthly too.
- Learning. Your first video means learning the tool before you make anything.
- Hours. Planning, making and redoing parts. At $50 an hour, 10 hours is $500.
- A weak start. If it takes 20 seconds to get to the point, people leave, whoever made it.
What do you get when you pay a studio?
Someone else does the whole job. At my studio, that means:
- the script and the story
- your app’s screens, animated
- licensed music and sound effects
- a 4K file
- on the higher prices, 3D phones and scenes, a custom opening and a 3D logo
The price mostly follows length, 3D and sound. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks.
When is a studio worth it?
When the video has a big job to do.
- Worth it: a funded launch, a big announcement, or one video for your homepage all year. Cosine’s 3.0 launch was one of those.
- Not yet: while your product still changes every week. A finished video is hard to change, so you’d pay again to update it.
How do I hire a freelancer without wasting money?
Be clear before you start. A clear brief gets you a better video and fewer surprises:
- Say in one line what your product does and who it’s for.
- Pick the three screens that matter most.
- Say how long it should be and where it will play.
- Ask to see a product video they’ve made before.
- Agree on how many rounds of changes are included.
- Make sure you get the final file and the right to use it anywhere.
Where does a tool like Dranic fit?
In between. You make the video yourself, but you don’t animate anything. It costs a lot less than a studio, and you can change it whenever your product changes.
Free to try, no card needed.
Questions people also ask
Why do explainer videos cost so much?
Because most of the work is done by hand. Someone writes the script, builds every scene, animates it and adds music and sound. Then they change it until you’re happy.
Is $1,000 a fair price for a short video?
It can be. Ask what’s included: the script, the rounds of changes, music and sound, and the final file. Two quotes for the same length can cover very different work.
What’s the cheapest way that still looks good?
Keep it short and show your real product. A 15 to 30-second video with a strong start needs much less than a long one. Make it yourself in a tool that does the motion for you, like Dranic, which is free to try.
Sources
- After Effects plansAdobe, read 3 Nov 2026. The maker’s own price page.
- Packages and pricesDranic Studio, read 3 Nov 2026. My own studio’s prices.
- How do you make your Product Hunt launch video?Product Hunt discussion, about 2025. Founders’ own stories.