How Much Does Animation Cost?

January 15, 2021 /

Animation can be a truly magical way to get your message across. It is the perfect way to engage your audience and present information in a clear and entertaining way. There are so many different styles of animation that you can tap into, from infographics and character animation to explainer videos and telling stories with exciting, out-of-this-world characters and visuals. 

But how much does animation cost? If you’ve been sending out requests for quotes for animation, you’ve likely received a wide range of prices. So how do you know what you should expect to pay to receive a great looking final video? The bottom line is that this is a tricky question to answer. There are many factors involved that can impact the cost of animation. In this post, we’ll walk you through some of the key factors that can influence animated video production cost and show you some examples in various price ranges so you can know what to expect.

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Animation Costs

With so many factors involved that can impact the final price, it’s not easy to nail down an average cost for animation. Two videos of the same length could have wildly different prices depending on the style of animation being used, how fluid and refined the animation looks, and the level of expertise of the artist working on the spot. That said, here are some basic price ranges you can expect for a one-minute animated video:

- $3,000-$7,000 Per Minute. Videos in this price range would be considered low budget. You should expect to get some very simple 2D animation. Animation at this level is very basic, the fluidity of the movements are often a little jerky looking, and the characters unrefined. The artist may use stock elements to keep costs low. Be aware that, for projects with smaller budgets, the studio may not offer services like scripting, voice over and music. Those might be considered add on costs.

- $10,000-$20,000 Per Minute. This price range is the minimum for a professionally produced animated video. At this rate, the animation studio will deliver scripting, voice over, art direction, character animation, advanced transitions, and more.

- $20,000-$50,000 Per Minute. In this range, animation studios will deliver high quality videos that can incorporate more advanced animation effects. This is also the price range where 3D animation begins to become feasible.

- $50,000-$100,000+ Per Minute. Around $50,000 is when you can begin to expect broadcast quality production values. These projects hold nothing back, with the studios often providing full animation services from concept development and scripting to 2D/3D animation, advanced lighting effects, and more.

Scroll down to see some visual examples of animated videos in various price ranges from Creative Humans!

Key Factors Influencing Animation Cost

As we mentioned, there are many factors involved that influence the final cost of your animation project. Let’s take a look:

1. Animation Style

The style of animation is another important consideration when determining cost. The more time consuming and refined the animation, the more expensive it is going to cost you. Here’s what you need to know:

- 2D Animation. 2D animation is generally going to be the most affordable style of animation offered. It’s less time consuming than stop motion or 3D animation. Within 2D animation, typography and graphic vector style is more affordable, while shaded or character hand-inked animation is more costly. 

- Illustration. Illustration is a visual explanation of a text. The designer will take your script and  interpretation of a text in his/her vision. An illustrator often produces the imagery themselves as opposed to a graphic designer who will use  other  tools such as images, graphic forms, and words to relay her message to the viewer. 

- Motion Graphics (Typography and Animated Logos). This style can be both 2D and 3D, and you'll see examples everywhere in commercials, explainer videos, sporting events, the news and other TV productions. Character animation is generally outside the scope of motion graphics, but many of the core animation principles apply to motion graphics too.

- Infographics. Infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. This style is often used to help break down big data and make it more easily understood. Financial institutions and government agencies are often a fan of this style of work.

- Stop Motion Animation (Claymation, Cutouts, Action Figures, Puppets). Stop motion is a fun and playful way to tell your story. It involves the artist taking physical items, like toys for example, and moving them and photographing them frame by frame. The costs will vary based upon what is being animated. For instance, if the item needs to be built from scratch out of clay, that will cost more than if the item is pre-built, like a toy race car or a cutout of an image. The price to produce a stop motion video can range from anywhere from 15k-150k. See examples here.

- 3D Animation. 3D animation is a very impressive style of animation. The good news is that as the technology behind the animation has been improving, the costs have been dropping. Simple product renderings are less expensive, while character models and Disney/Pixar style 3D animation run on the high end. The price to produce an animated 3D video can range from anywhere from 10k-300k. See examples here.

2. Services Requested

Many professional animation studios will offer services beyond simply animating your video. These may include:

- Concepting & Strategy. Do you have an idea for your video already, or will you be relying on the studio to produce the concept and strategy for your project? 

- Scripting & Storyboarding. Do you have a script, or does it need to be written? If not, that can add to the cost of your video. Similarly, storyboarding can be a resource-intensive task requiring the involvement of a creative director, concept artist, and illustrators.

- Voice Over. Professional voice talent and recording will add to your video cost. Of course, you always want to ensure your videos will feature high quality audio.

- Music & Sound Effects. Creating custom soundtracks or purchasing rights to music can be costly. If you’re hoping to save money, ask your studio about your stock music and sound effect options.

Depending on where you are in the production process, you may or may not need some of these services. Of course, the more services requested from the animation studio, the greater the ultimate cost of your video.

3. Video Length & Timeline

The length of your video also will greatly impact the price. Keep in mind that most animation projects are priced by the second. The longer your video, the more expensive it will become. The shorter it is, the less expensive it will be.

In addition to the length of your video, another factor that can impact animation cost is your timeline or expected deadline. The tighter your requested turnaround, the more expensive your video can become—especially if you need the studio to rush the project faster than their typical turnaround time.

4. Revisions

While most studios will have some revisions priced into the project, change requests beyond key stages in your project will likely add to your cost:

- Concepting, Scripting & Audio. Requesting changes after scripting and voice over work has been completed will increase the cost of your video, as voice over talent will need to be brought back to perform the new script.

- Animatics, Styleframes & Characters. Likewise, requesting changes after styleframes and character models have been finalized will increase your cost.

- Production. At this stage, all concepting and styling should be finalized. The animation studio will be actively illustrating your assets. Asset change requests at this stage can increase the cost of your video prior to animation.

The further along you are in the production process when you request changes, the more costly your revisions can be. If possible, ensure you are happy with a script before moving forward with voiceover. The same goes for character concepts and styleframes. Once production begins, it will be more costly for you to make changes.

Examples from Creative Humans

To help you visualize animation cost in various price ranges, here are some examples from vetted studios within the Creative Humans network:

$9,000 - $12,000

 

$10,000 - $15,000

 

$10,000 - $15,000

 

$12,000 - $16,000

 

$25,000 - $30,000

 

$32,000 - $51,000

 

$30,000 - $50,000

 

$30,000 - $50,000

 

$60,000 - $72,000

 

$75,000 - $85,000

 

$185,000 - $205,000

 

Let’s Get Started

We hope this animation cost guide has helped you define your budget for your project. Whether you have an idea or need help concepting your animated video, you can find the right talent at Creative Humans. We’ve brought the world’s best animation studios and freelancers together in one place.

Creative Humans makes it easy to find and hire top video production studios and freelancers. Create a Free Account to get started.