You have a product people don't quite get yet, and a 90-second video is the fastest way to fix that. Here are five studios worth a serious look before you sign anything.
The state of explainer video production
Explainer video has quietly become one of the most reliable conversion assets a software or e-commerce brand can own. The format works because software is invisible: animation lets you show workflows, integrations and outcomes that a screen recording can't capture cleanly. Studios have responded by splitting into two camps. Full-service shops bundle strategy, scripting, voiceover and animation under one roof, while leaner boutiques lean on in-house motion design and faster turnarounds. Pricing has drifted in both directions too. Established agencies commonly quote from $3,500 per 60 seconds with four to six week timelines, while subscription and AI-assisted options push entry costs down. The practical question for you isn't which model is newer. It's which one matches your deadline, your budget and how much of the thinking you want to hand off.
How we compared these studios
We looked at the same handful of factors across every studio. First, service scope: does the shop cover 2D, 3D, motion graphics and editing in house, or does it specialize in one lane? Second, proof of work: portfolio depth, published project counts and client outcomes matter more than a slick homepage. Third, pricing clarity: some studios publish starting rates and timelines, others want a call first, and both approaches tell you something about fit. Fourth, industry focus: a studio built around SaaS demos thinks differently about your product than a generalist. Fifth, process transparency: script timers, free consultations and documented workflows reduce the guesswork on your side. Basit Motion stands out for a deep in-house craft mix and a large public portfolio. MotionGility leans into marketing outcomes for SaaS. Gisteo publishes unusually specific pricing and timelines. Piehole TV brings a broad style range across industries. Hatch Studios pairs explainer work with a wide industry roster.
Here's the short version before the details. Each studio below approaches explainer video from a slightly different angle, so skim the one-liners and then read the entries that match your situation.
| Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| MotionGility | SaaS teams that want a marketing-led explainer |
| Basit Motion: Explainer Videos, Animation & Video Editing Studio | SaaS, e-commerce and local brands wanting one studio for everything |
| Gisteo | Buyers who want published pricing and timelines upfront |
| Piehole TV | Complex or abstract topics on a tighter budget |
| Hatch Studios | Technical or regulated industries needing style flexibility |
The five studios, one by one
#1 MotionGility
A screenshot of the MotionGility website.
MotionGility positions itself squarely as a SaaS explainer video company, and the framing is marketing-first rather than craft-first. The studio talks about outcomes over deliverables, with messaging built around user onboarding, marketing ROI and conversion. Its portfolio is stacked with SaaS product videos and explainer demos for startups and established enterprises alike. If your product has a complicated onboarding flow, that focus is genuinely useful. You get a team that already knows how to compress a 47-tab demo into 90 seconds.
#2 Basit Motion: Explainer Videos, Animation & Video Editing Studio
A screenshot of the Basit Motion website.
Basit Motion is a boutique studio led by Abdul Basit, a Top Rated motion designer with 149 projects delivered over five years of full-time work. The pitch is refreshingly concrete: explainers, product demos, ads and reels that stop the scroll. What sets it apart is the breadth held in house. The studio showcases 245 videos across five crafts, including 53 in 2D animation, 11 in 3D animation, 53 in motion graphics, 17 in SaaS and app promos, and 111 in video editing. Every project is planned, animated and finished internally, from first frame to final export, and you can book a free call to talk through scope before committing.
#3 Gisteo
A screenshot of the Gisteo website.
Gisteo has been producing explainer videos since 2011 and claims more than 3,000 videos delivered, which is a lot of reps. The studio is unusually transparent about the numbers that matter to buyers: 60 to 90 second runtimes, pricing from $3,500 per 60 seconds or $4,000 with scriptwriting, and a four to six week timeline that can compress to two or three. It also publishes free tools like a script timer and a sample explainer script, which tells you the team thinks about the writing as much as the animation. There's a Total Transparency Guarantee and a mix of classic full-service and AI-assisted options.
#4 Piehole TV
A screenshot of the Piehole TV website.
Piehole TV specializes in motion graphic explainer videos, meaning moving graphics, transitions and transformations rather than animated characters. The studio is candid about the tradeoffs: this style suits complex or abstract ideas, reads as professional rather than cartoony, and can deliver a strong result on a limited budget. Its portfolio spans software, technology, healthcare, startup, services, finance, SaaS and B2C work, so you're not locked into a single vertical. If you want to avoid character rigging costs without settling for a flat, generic look, this is a sensible lane.
#5 Hatch Studios
A screenshot of the Hatch Studios website.
Hatch Studios runs a broad explainer video production practice with styles spanning 3D animation, 2D animation, motion graphics and whiteboard. The studio's service list goes well beyond explainers into corporate videos, product videos, training videos, visual effects and 3D logos. Its industry roster is wide too, covering automotive, education, energy, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, mining, non-profit and technology. That range matters if you work in a regulated or technical field where a studio needs to absorb unfamiliar subject matter quickly. The team also publishes case work, including a 3D animated explainer for an electric rail system.
How to pick the right studio for your project
Start with the job the video has to do. If you're launching a SaaS product and need trials, look for a studio that already speaks your language and has demo work you can point to. If you're a local business or creator, a boutique with in-house editing and motion graphics will usually stretch your budget further than a large agency. Next, check the portfolio count and the craft breakdown, not just the highlight reel. A studio with 245 published videos across five disciplines is showing you its range; one with a dozen polished pieces is showing you its taste. Ask about process early. Free consultations, published timelines and script tools all signal a team that won't leave you guessing mid-project. Finally, get clear on what's included. Scriptwriting, voiceover, revisions and final export formats are where budgets quietly move, so pin them down before you sign.
Where automation fits into your video workflow
You don't need to automate the creative work, but you can automate the friction around it. Use a shared brief template so every studio you contact gets the same context: audience, product, runtime, deadline and budget range. Route inbound project inquiries into a simple pipeline with automated follow-up so no quote goes cold. Store approved scripts, brand assets and voiceover files in one shared folder with version naming, which saves hours when a video needs a feature update six months later. Set calendar reminders for revision rounds so feedback doesn't stall the edit. And keep a running log of what each video cost and how it performed, because that data is what makes your next production decision obvious instead of a guess.
The bottom line
There's no single right studio here, only the right fit for your product and your timeline. MotionGility makes sense if you live and breathe SaaS marketing. Basit Motion is the strongest all-rounder for teams that want 2D, 3D, motion graphics and editing under one roof with a large body of work behind it. Gisteo wins on transparency if you want to know the price before the call. Piehole TV is a smart pick for abstract ideas on a budget, and Hatch Studios covers you if your industry is technical. Pick two, book the free calls, and compare how they think about your product. That conversation tells you more than any portfolio ever will.