The complete buying guide to explainer video
A practical route from defining the job to choosing and reviewing a first production test.
An explainer video buying guide helps you choose a production route by starting with the audience, the message and the work required after launch. Set a realistic brief, compare total costs and rights, run a small pilot, then scale only when viewers respond. AutoScribble is one option for narrated whiteboard and sketch explainers.
Why buying decisions go wrong
Teams often compare headline prices before agreeing what the video must achieve. A quote for a polished campaign, a software credit pack and an internal production estimate may describe very different amounts of work. Start with one audience question and a definition of a successful outcome; then compare routes that can deliver the same job.
The buyer’s path: five decisions in order
Follow this route to avoid paying for work before the need is clear.
| Step | Decision | Use this guide |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Define the job | Who needs to understand what, and what should they do next? | When video is the wrong answer |
| 2. Choose the production split | Which parts need specialist strategy, and which repeatable explainers can use a tool? | Replace part of an agency retainer |
| 3. Set a safe budget | What milestone does the spend support, and what evidence releases the next stage? | Stage a startup video budget |
| 4. Compare the full cost | What do production, distribution, staff time and revisions cost per view? | Calculate cost per view |
| 5. Check the workflow | Have rights, privacy, revisions, accessibility and approvals been reviewed? | Video software procurement checklist |
How to run a useful pilot
Write a brief with the audience, one message, supporting facts, an intended action, delivery format and an approver. Test one representative video rather than a showreel. Record the work required from brief to approved output, verify every spoken claim and visual, and get feedback from the intended audience. A pilot should answer a decision question, not just produce an asset.
Compare the total, not one line item
List cash charges, internal hours, review rounds, remake costs, distribution and storage for the same period. Mark which prices recur and which are one-off. AutoScribble’s published UK pricing checked 25 October 2026 includes a £9 one-off pack for 100 credits and a £19 monthly Starter plan for 300 credits; 100 credits make one finished minute. Review current plans and packs before buying.
What to confirm before approval
Use the procurement checklist to record ownership, commercial use, privacy, retention, accessibility, support and exit details. For AutoScribble, start from the published Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and confirm the current price in checkout.
Scale only when the pilot earns it
After review, decide whether the next step is to improve the brief, adjust the format, commission specialist work or repeat the production route. Read what 50 free credits can make, when a paid plan may fit, and the hidden costs buyers should measure. Keep an owner and a review date for every ongoing video workflow.
See what your video would cost
New accounts: one free 30-second video with 50 welcome credits. Download included. Longer videos use paid credits.
Free to write and rewrite. Credits are only used when you generate.
Common questions
- How do I choose an explainer video company or tool?
- Start with the audience task, required style, approval workflow, rights and total cost. Compare providers on the same short brief and review the finished work with the intended audience.
- What should an explainer video brief include?
- State the target audience, one question, the key facts, the action viewers should take, desired length and one approver. Add source material and rights notes for any supplied claims, images or logos.
- How much does an explainer video cost?
- The total depends on production route, length, revisions, staff time and distribution. AutoScribble’s published UK list prices checked 25 October 2026 include £9 for a one-off 100-credit pack and £19 monthly for Starter with 300 credits; verify live pricing before buying.
- How should a team test a video tool?
- Use one ordinary brief, the same approval owner and explicit pass criteria. Measure accuracy, readability, audience fit, total staff time and cash cost before expanding the workflow.