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Not all explainer videos are the same. The style you choose changes how your message lands, how much it costs, and how long it takes to make. This guide breaks down the 10 main types of explainer video, what each is best for, roughly how long and how much it runs, and a real example of our work in that style, so you can pick the right one for your product and budget.
By
Larry Mutenda
What are the main types of explainer video? The main types of explainer video are 2D animation, motion graphics, whiteboard animation, 3D animation, screencast or software demo, live-action hybrid, app or product walkthrough, kinetic typography, stop-motion, and cut-out. Most business explainers are 2D animation or motion graphics, which balance clarity, speed, and cost.
Each type below includes what it is, what it is best for, a typical length and cost range, and where relevant an example from our own work. For pricing specifics by style and length, see our explainer video cost guide.
Explainer video types vary on three axes: how they are made (animation versus live footage), how much they cost, and how long they take. Animated types like 2D and motion graphics are the most flexible and affordable for business use. 3D, stop-motion, and live-action sit at the higher end.
Goal: a homepage explainer, a product demo, and a fundraising film call for different styles. Budget: 2D and motion graphics stretch furthest, while 3D and stop-motion cost more. Timeline: animation is predictable, while stop-motion and live-action need more lead time. Brand fit: the style should match how your brand looks and feels.
A quick side by side of the 10 types, with what each is best for, a typical length, and a relative cost. Dollar signs show relative cost, where one is most affordable and three is premium.
| # | Type | Best for | Typical length | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2D Animation | Homepage explainers, product stories | 60-90s | $$ |
| 2 | Whiteboard | Education, step-by-step, training | 60-120s | $ |
| 3 | 3D Animation | Products, engineering, medical | 60-120s | $$$ |
| 4 | Screencast / Software Demo | SaaS onboarding, feature demos | 60-180s | $ |
| 5 | Live-Action Hybrid | Brand films, testimonials | 60-120s | $$$ |
| 6 | App / Product Walkthrough | Apps, product launches, onboarding | 30-90s | $$ |
| 7 | Kinetic Typography | Promos, social, brand statements | 30-60s | $ |
| 8 | Motion Graphics | SaaS, fintech, data-driven messages | 45-90s | $$ |
| 9 | Stop-Motion | Distinctive brand and social craft | 30-60s | $$$ |
| 10 | Cut-Out | Playful, satire, quick social | 30-90s | $ |
$ = most affordable, $$$ = premium. See our cost guide for dollar ranges.
Jump to a type: 1. 2D Animation · 2. Whiteboard Animation · 3. 3D Animation · 4. Screencast / Software Demo · 5. Live-Action Hybrid · 6. App / Product Walkthrough · 7. Kinetic Typography · 8. Motion Graphics · 9. Stop-Motion · 10. Cut-Out Animation
2D animation uses flat, illustrated characters and scenes to tell a story. It is the workhorse of explainer video: flexible, on-brand, and quick to produce. Best for: homepage explainers, product stories, nonprofit and training videos. Typical length: 60 to 90 seconds. Relative cost: $$. Example from our work: Makers Making Change.
Whiteboard animation shows a hand drawing the story on a white background. It is simple, affordable, and good at walking through a process step by step. Best for: education, complex or technical topics, internal training. Typical length: 60 to 120 seconds. Relative cost: $. Example: AMSSA.
3D animation adds depth, volume, and realism. It shines when you need to show a physical product, a mechanism, or an environment. Best for: product visualization, engineering, medical, architecture. Typical length: 60 to 120 seconds. Relative cost: $$$. Example: Contruent.
A screencast records the real product interface, often with animation and voiceover layered on top, to show software in action. Best for: SaaS onboarding, feature demos, how-to guides. Typical length: 60 to 180 seconds. Relative cost: $. Example: TestBox.
A live-action hybrid combines real footage with animation and motion graphics, blending human warmth with the clarity of animation. Best for: brand films, testimonials, real-world products. Typical length: 60 to 120 seconds. Relative cost: $$$. Example: MTG Traders.
An app or product walkthrough shows how a specific app or tool works, often animating the real interface. It doubles as an app store preview. Best for: mobile apps, product launches, onboarding. Typical length: 30 to 90 seconds. Relative cost: $$. Example: Assist IQ.
Kinetic typography animates the words themselves, syncing text to a voiceover or music so the message is carried by language rather than characters. Letters scale, slide, and snap in time with the audio, which keeps a viewer reading and listening at once. It is one of the fastest and most affordable explainer styles to produce, because there are no characters to design or rig, and it adapts easily to vertical social cuts.
Best for: promos, quotes, launch teasers, social clips, and brand statements where the script is the star. Typical length: 30 to 60 seconds. Relative cost: $. Watch out for: without strong sound design and pacing it can feel flat, so the audio track matters as much as the type.
Example shown: a kinetic typography book trailer from the YouAreNotSoSmart channel.
Motion graphics animate text, icons, shapes, and data rather than characters. They make abstract or technical ideas feel clear and modern. Best for: SaaS, fintech, and B2B products, and any data-driven message. Typical length: 45 to 90 seconds. Relative cost: $$. Example: Augmentt.
Stop-motion animates physical objects photographed one frame at a time, giving a handmade, tactile look that is almost impossible to fake with digital tools. Because every frame is a real photograph of a real object, the style carries a craft and warmth that makes brands stand out, which is why it is used for distinctive ad and social work. It is the most production-heavy style on this list: it needs physical sets, models, lighting, and long shoot days, so it costs more and takes longer than animation done on a computer.
Best for: distinctive brand films, food and product ads, and social content where the craft itself is part of the message. Typical length: 30 to 60 seconds. Relative cost: $$$. It is a specialty choice rather than an everyday explainer format.
Example shown: Back to the Start, produced by Nexus Studios for Chipotle.
Cut-out animation moves flat, jointed shapes like digital paper puppets, sliding and rotating pre-built parts instead of redrawing every frame. That makes it fast and economical while keeping a bold, graphic, slightly playful look that reads well on small screens. It sits between full 2D animation and motion graphics: more character than motion graphics, less labor than frame-by-frame 2D. Modern cut-out is built in software, so revisions and social cut-downs are quick to turn around.
Best for: playful stories, satire, editorial explainers, and quick-turnaround social content. Typical length: 30 to 90 seconds. Relative cost: $. Watch out for: movement can look stiff if the rigs are simple, so it suits stylized rather than realistic stories.
Example shown: The Miracle of Flight by Terry Gilliam.
A homepage explainer, a product demo, and an awareness film each call for a different style. Decide the job first, and the style follows.
Abstract or software products suit motion graphics and screencast. Physical products and mechanisms suit 3D. People-first stories suit 2D or live-action.
2D, motion graphics, whiteboard, kinetic typography, and cut-out are the most affordable and fastest. 3D, stop-motion, and live-action cost more and take longer. Set the budget and timeline before the style, and the shortlist narrows itself.
Whatever the type, most explainers work best between 60 and 90 seconds. Let the message set the length, not the style.
The main types are 2D animation, motion graphics, whiteboard, 3D, screencast or software demo, live-action hybrid, app or product walkthrough, kinetic typography, stop-motion, and cut-out. 2D and motion graphics are the most common for business.
There is no single best type. 2D animation and motion graphics suit most business needs, 3D suits physical products, whiteboard suits step-by-step teaching, and live-action suits people-first stories. Match the type to your goal, product, and budget.
Cost depends mostly on the type and length. 2D, motion graphics, and whiteboard are the most affordable, while 3D, stop-motion, and live-action cost more. See our explainer video cost guide for current ranges.
Most explainer videos work best between 60 and 90 seconds. Shorter cuts of 30 seconds suit social and ads, while a complex or technical topic can justify two to three minutes.
Whiteboard, cut-out, and kinetic typography are usually the most affordable, followed by 2D animation and motion graphics. 3D, stop-motion, and live-action sit at the higher end.
For most businesses, start with 2D animation or motion graphics: they are flexible, on-brand, affordable, and fast. Move to 3D, live-action, or stop-motion only when your product or story genuinely calls for it.
The type of explainer video you choose should follow your goal, your product, and your budget, not the other way around. For most companies, 2D animation or motion graphics is the safe, effective starting point. When you are ready, we can help you pick the right style and produce it.
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
