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The short answer is 60 to 90 seconds for most uses. The useful answer depends on where the video runs and what the viewer needs to understand, and the data below shows why.
By
Larry Mutenda
Most explainer videos should run 60 to 90 seconds. That range is not arbitrary: it is long enough to set up a problem, introduce a product, and land one clear message, and short enough that a first-time viewer will actually finish it.
But runtime should be an output of the job, not a target you write toward. A paid ad wants 15 to 30 seconds. A homepage explainer wants 60 to 90. A detailed onboarding or training video can justify two to three minutes. This guide gives you a length for each use, backed by the runtimes of videos we have actually produced.
How long should an explainer video be? For most uses, 60 to 90 seconds. Across the explainer videos in our own portfolio, the median runtime is 1:15 and 82% run under two minutes. Paid ads should be shorter (15 to 30 seconds); onboarding and training can run longer.
These are the real runtime bands from the explainer videos on our examples page. Nearly three-quarters fall between one and two minutes.
| Runtime band | Share of our portfolio | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1:00 | 12% | Ads, teasers, single-promise products |
| 1:01 to 1:30 | 41% | The default explainer |
| 1:31 to 2:00 | 31% | Multi-step products, regulated categories |
| Over 2:00 | 16% | Enterprise, training, instructional |
Sixty to ninety seconds of narration is roughly 150 to 220 words. That is enough space for one idea explained properly: the problem, your product as the answer, how it works in two or three beats, and a clear next step. Push much past two minutes and completion rates fall sharply, especially for viewers who do not know your brand yet.
This is why the single most common runtime band in our portfolio is 1:01 to 1:30. It is long enough to be clear and short enough to hold attention from a cold audience.
The right length depends far more on placement than on your product. The same core story usually needs different cuts for different homes.
Format influences length too. A motion-graphics social cut is naturally short. A 3D technical walkthrough or a multi-step software explainer needs more room to breathe. See the full format breakdown on our types of explainer videos page. As a rough guide: simpler visual styles and single-message products trend shorter, while technical, regulated, or multi-feature products trend longer.
Length matters less to cost than most people expect. Scene count and animation complexity drive the price far more than duration. A 90-second video built from six simple scenes can cost less than a 60-second video packed with twenty detailed ones.
So do not try to save money by cutting runtime at the expense of clarity. A video that is too short to make its point is the most expensive kind, because it does not work. For how pricing actually breaks down, see our explainer video cost guide.
Work in this order:
For most uses, 60 to 90 seconds. That is enough to explain the problem, introduce the product, and end with a call to action, while still holding a first-time viewer’s attention. In our own portfolio the median is 1:15 and 82% run under two minutes.
60 to 90 seconds. The homepage is where a full explainer belongs: enough time for problem, solution, and a clear next step, without losing viewers who are seeing your product for the first time.
15 to 30 seconds. A paid ad teases one promise and drives one action rather than explaining everything. Plan this as a cutdown of your main explainer, scoped alongside the master video.
Not necessarily. Scene count and animation complexity drive cost far more than duration. A short video packed with detailed scenes can cost more than a longer one built from simple ones.
Roughly 150 words. Narration runs about 150 words per minute of finished video, so a 60 to 90 second explainer is usually 150 to 220 words, which is room for one idea explained well.
Larry is the founder and Chief Storyteller at Creamy Animation, founded in 2009. He leads a team that creates story-driven videos for businesses and nonprofits. 15+ years in video strategy and production, specializing in SaaS, B2B, and nonprofit storytelling. A marketer, designer, and animator, Larry has overseen the production of more than 1,500 videos for Fujitsu, Logitech, Warner Brothers, NFL, Blockdaemon, Astronomer, Canonical, and 370+ others.
For Larry, God is first, and everything else is a blessing that comes from serving Him. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife and three kids, playing the piano, or pursuing his filmmaking side hustle.Â
