You’re using an older browser version. Update to the latest version of Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge for the best site experience.

20 Best Explainer Video Software for Animated Explainers [2024]

27 minutes
35006 views
Explainer Video Software

Table of Contents

A robust tool for recording explainer videos
Download for free

What are explainer videos?

Explainer videos focus on explaining a product, service, or concept in a short, concise manner. As such, they’re often used in online marketing to demonstrate how something works or what a company does.

Explainers can be live-action videos, cartoons with animated characters, or illustrated whiteboard stories. Companies often post them on their websites or social media channels to engage and educate audiences. They also help promote your business and boost conversions.

Explainer videos provide a valuable advantage for businesses looking to improve their marketing performance or create engaging training content. And with the right tool, they’re super simple to make.

We’ve rounded up the 20 best explainer video software on the market for 2024. To help you choose the right tool for your business needs, we’ve also categorized them by use case. 

After completing this guide, you’ll know which software is the best in class for each of the following categories:

Live-Action Explainer Video Software

Live-action explainer videos show real-life situations with actual people. This helps engage your audience and establish a connection. Live-action explainers can be simple talking-head videos with annotations or short movies with a plot.

To create a live-action video, you’ll need a camera and video editing software. Some of the tools we’ve compiled in this list use three options at once: they allow you to record, edit, and share videos. Check out our shortlist and find a solution that meets your requirements.

1. iSpring Suite

The best full-fledged studio for creating live-action explainer videos
in the familiar PowerPoint interface

OS: Windows

iSpring Suite Explainer Video Software

iSpring Suite is a PowerPoint-based authoring software that includes tools for creating online courses, quizzes, and conversation simulations. It also has a professional video studio that makes video production a breeze. 

Although the toolkit is more focused on producing eLearning content, with the iSpring video studio, you can also put together explainer videos. You can create screencasts, record webcam videos, or take a ready-made live-action video and enhance it with images, infographics, PowerPoint slides, and captions. The studio also makes it easy to mix videos and support them with music or a voice-over.

What’s more, you can create a presentation explaining your product or service in PowerPoint and turn it into an explainer video with iSpring Suite. This tool preserves all PowerPoint effects and transitions. As such, it’s one of the quickest ways to create engaging marketing videos to keep up with industry needs.

Key features

  • Can record the screen, and a webcam, and create picture-in-picture videos
  • Has a multi-track timeline for video editing
  • Adds images, visual hints, and captions
  • Creates smooth scene transitions
  • Includes a text-to-speech tool
  • No time limits for recording

Pros

  • Intuitive interface and simple PowerPoint design
  • Multilingual support
  • Easy to export in various file formats
  • Integrated with iSpring Learn LMS to provide detailed analytics
  • World-class support and training
  • Suitable for diverse scenarios (customer education, sales, employee training, etc.)
  • Extensive character library and pre-built templates

Cons

  • Built-in features possibly unnecessary for very basic explainer videos
  • Originally designed for training videos – may not align with all video creation needs
  • Few complex animation effects and transitions
  • No live streaming option

Pricing

 $970/year. Free 14-day trial

2. Camtasia

A robust tool for creating explainer video tutorials quickly

OS: Windows and Mac

Camtasia Explainer Video Software

Camtasia can be helpful both for screen capturing and webcam recording. It also provides basic editing options for polishing videos. As with iSpring, you can use a webcam or a ready-made recording for your explainer video, and make it more engaging by adding eye-catching titles, annotations, effects, and more. To support a video with music, you can choose a track from Camtasia’s library of royalty-free music or upload your own audio.

Key features

  • Has preset customizable video templates
  • Comes with a library of royalty-free music and sound effects
  • Has a simple drag-and-drop editor
  • Provides a variety of transitions and animations
  • Adds quizzes and interactivity to videos
  • Has a green screen function

Pros

  • Add quizzes and assessments
    to videos
  • Comprehensive asset library and music selection
  • Rich features, including multi-track editing, annotations, and callouts
  • Active community of users
  • Compresses live-action videos into very small file sizes
  • Mobile support

Cons

  • Limited animation capabilities
  • Focuses more on editing than screen recording capabilities
  • The microphone picks up background noise in audio recordings
  • Slow rendering times with large videos
  • Minimal customer support

Pricing

 $299.99. Free 30-day trial.

3. Soapbox

The best extension for Google Chrome for rapid explainer video creation
for marketing needs

OS: Windows and Mac

Soapbox Explainer Video Software

Soapbox is a Google Chrome extension that enables you to record, edit, and share videos quickly and easily. To create an explainer video, you can make a talking-head-style recording with your webcam and complement it with text, images, slides, and other videos.

Key features

  • Can record a screen, a webcam, or both
  • Has an easy-to-use video trimmer
  • Comes with a service for hosting and sharing videos
  • Allows collaboration on videos
  • Integrates with analytics, marketing, and other tools

Pros

  • Simple to use interface
  • Versatile video presentation options
  • Useful for sales and marketing teams
  • Features for managing meetings, agenda-sharing, and notetaking
  • Option to show a full or split-screen video

Cons

  • Stability issues
  • The editing tool is clunky and lacks advanced features
  • Time-consuming editing process
  • Limited range of integrations
  • No option for surveys

Pricing

There’s a free limited plan. The paid version starts at $19/month (annual billing).

4. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best software for professional explainer videos and film editing

OS: Windows and Mac

Adobe Premieere Pro Explainer Video Software

Adobe Premiere Pro is a leading video editing toolkit used by professionals for creating films, video clips, and documentaries. You can also use it to make explainer videos. 

To do that, you need to upload a previously recorded video and do some editing. The toolkit enables you to do more than basic editing, including compositing, layering, tilting, motion graphics, and sound design. You can also edit the footage in any modern format – from 8K to virtual reality.

Key features

  • Can create animated motion graphics
  • Has a set of advanced features for video editing
  • Allows for audio editing and sound effects
  • Provides access to the Adobe Stock library
  • Integrates with Photoshop, After Effects, and a collaboration service – Frame.io

Pros

  • Advanced editing capabilities
  • Ideal high-resolution videos
  • World-class user experience
  • Abundance of features, templates, filters, and effects
  • Comprehensive tutorials and guides available
  • Large community for assistance and tips

Cons

  • Steep learning curve, more suitable for teams with previous video editing experience
  • Requires a separate recording tool for video creation
  • High RAM usage and slow exporting
  • No light version for simple editing jobs
  • Needs better integration with Adobe After Effects for advanced graphics

Pricing

 $239.88/year. Free 30-day trial.

Animated Explainer Video Software

Animated explainer videos illustrate a product, service, or concept using moving graphics. With graphic elements, you can create a memorable story and explain abstract or complex concepts. 

5. Vyond

The best tool for creating animated explainer videos with characters

OS: Web-based

Vyond Explainer Video Software

Vyond is a fast online tool for creating animated explainer videos with professional output. It has everything you need to tell a compelling story beautifully and visually with an explainer video. The software offers an extremely rich library of pre-made scenes, characters, objects, and audio tracks. To make your video even more engaging, you can use dialog, lip-syncs, and realistic movements.

Key features:

  • Includes hundreds of pre-made video templates and assets
  • Provides unlimited customization options
  • Has an automatic lip-sync function
  • Has a built-in text-to-speech tool
  • Includes a version history tool for quick editing

Pros

  • Create both whiteboard and cartoon-style videos
  • Excellent automation features
  • Characters can have multiple expressions or actions
  • Extensive library of templates, characters, and props
  • Helpful tutorial videos
  • Spotlight on other users’ videos for idea-sharing

Cons

  • Only suitable for certain use cases
  • Limited customization options for the camera pan feature
  • The character library lacks back and side views and diverse skin tones
  • Best for short videos; becomes clunky after a certain number of scenes
  • No feature for naming objects in the timeline
  • No closed captioning feature

Pricing

From $49/month or $299/year per seat. Free 14-day trial.

6. Powtoon

A video creation tool for corporate use with many animation styles

OS: Web-based 

Powtoon Explainer Video Software

Powtoon is a comprehensive online platform for visual communication that allows you to create various types of video content. It has a strong animation tool and hundreds of templates and characters for creating animated explainer videos. 

You can easily create an animated explainer video without the need for specific skills, external help, or overspending. Among the animation styles that Powtoon offers are cartoons, infographics, sketches, and whiteboard doodles.

Key features

  • Comes with a library of video templates, animation, characters, and footage
  • Provides vast customization features for characters
  • Includes an extensive selection of soundtracks
  • Adds videos, images, GIFs, and voice-overs
  • Integrates with YouTube, Facebook, Wistia, HubSpot, and more

Pros

  • Fun and user-friendly
  • Impressive asset library
  • Diverse character options and templates
  • Create animations without previous experience
  • Wide selection of background music
  • Autosave feature

Cons

  • Lacks tools to facilitate micro-editing
  • No voice-over option
  • Many scenes and customization options are only available on higher-priced plans
  • No text-to-speech engine, which impacts accessibility
  • Technical help is limited compared to other explainer video apps
  • Basic screen recorder

Pricing

There’s a free plan. The paid version starts at $15/month (annual billing). 

7. Animaker

Animated presentations for enterprises

OS: Web-based 

Animaker Explainer Video Software

Animaker is online animation video-making software with drag-and-drop functionality. With 6 different video styles, including infographics, 2.5D, and typography, and 120 types of animations, it lets you create beautiful explanatory videos. The app is home to an extensive collection of characters, charts, and icons, as well as sound and visual effects, which can help you spice things up. With Animaker, you can create vertically optimized videos that fit on a mobile screen correctly.

Key features

  • Has tons of professionally made templates
  • Comes with ready-to-go animated characters, properties, backgrounds, icons, images, videos, and more
  • Includes a character builder
  • Has an auto lip-sync tool
  • Lets you to animate objects in a click

Pros

  • Customizable character builder
  • Extensive selection of templates
  • Comprehensive range of editing tools and animation styles
  • Integrations with other Animaker tools
  • Helpful tutorial videos for easy mastery
  • Extremely flexible subtitling styles

Cons

  • Can’t change body size for custom characters
  • No auto-save feature
  • Limited templates and scenes for diverse business scenarios
  • Syncing problems when downloading videos
  • Limited soundtrack options

Pricing

There’s a free plan. The paid version starts at $12.50/month (annual billing).

8. Wideo

A platform for creating animated marketing videos

OS: Web-based

Wideo Explainev Video Software

Wideo is another web-based app for creating, editing, and sharing animated explainer videos in an intuitive manner. It offers 100+ templates that are fully customizable, over 1,300 images, and 50+ music tracks. 

In addition, you can use your own objects instead of the standard ones provided in the library.

Key features

  • Comes with hundreds of brandable video templates
  • Has a wide range of images, object styles, animations, and soundtracks
  • Allows the creation of both simple and complex animations with ease
  • Can create horizontal, square, and vertical videos
  • Provides comfortable and agile video editing

Pros

  • Simple drag-and-drop feature
  • Intuitive timeline
  • Range of customizable templates
  • Granular animation features offer flexibility
  • Ability to edit scenes one by one
  • Template sizes for multiple social media channels

Cons

  • No customizable characters
  • Learning curve to master animation features
  • The basic plan offers limited template and sound options
  • One-minute cap with the Basic plan
  • Scores low on technical support

Pricing

From $19/month (annual billing). Free 7-day trial.

9. Explaindio

Specially designed for explainer video animation

OS: Windows and Mac

Explaindio Explainer Video Software

Explaindio is a robust tool that allows you to bring together 2D and 3D animations, sketch elements, and full-motion videos. You can easily create explainer videos by combining pre-made text animations, animated scenes, characters, and audio tracks to get the look and story you want.

Key features

  • Comes with pre-made video, image, and doodle object animations
  • Provides access to over a million stock photos and videos
  • Includes ready-made characters
  • Offers full multi-timeline editing
  • Provides different export options: horizontal, vertical, and square

Pros

  • Broad selection of custom transitions and on-screen effects
  • Create full-motion videos, 2D and 3D animations, doodle sketches, and hybrid videos
  • Work on videos without an Internet connection
  • Integration with Pixabay
  • Multiple export options
  • Simple drag-and-drop design

Cons

  • Overcrowded interface
  • Customer education needs improvement
  • Glitches when using the audio and 3D features
  • Inflexible payment options

Pricing

From $37/month (5 users included).

10. Cinema 4D

Animation software for professional use

OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

Cinema 4D Explainer Video SOftware

Although Cinema 4D is widely regarded as a professional software for 3D animation, it also allows you to create 2D animations with greater control. The Sketch and Toon tool applies flat shading with a single click and helps your graphics appear in 2D. Cinema 4D has a gentle learning curve and provides an extensive library of preset scenes, materials, and objects.

Key features

  • Provides a broad selection of interactive modeling tools
  • Offers a wide range of character animation tools
  • Has great capabilities for rendering
  • Provides access to libraries of preset contents
  • Integrates with Adobe Illustrator and After Effects

Pros

  • Exceptional for dynamic animations and the creation of 3D objects
  • Extensive features, including visual effects, modeling, and rendering
  • Top-quality rendering
  • Community users share plug-ins, tutorials, and templates
  • Integrates with a wide range of tools
  • Proactive support team

Cons

  • Designed for professional video editors – steep learning curve
  • Larger price tag than other tools
  • Limited tab management feature
  • Integration with Redshift needs work
  • UV mapping interface needs improvement

Pricing

$59.91/month (annual billing).

Whiteboard Explainer Video Software

Whiteboard explainer videos are a specific type of animated video wherein pictures appear to be hand drawn on a whiteboard. The script is presented as a third-person narration or a use case that supports the story that is told through the drawing.

We’ve compiled the most popular tools that can help you get started making your whiteboard animation explainer videos quickly. See which one meets your needs!

11. Sparkol VideoScribe

Best whiteboard explainer video software with professional-looking
sketches for beginners

OS: Windows and Mac

Sparkol VideoScribe Explainer Video Software

Sparkol VideoScribe lets you create hand-drawn whiteboard explainer videos with no design or technical know-how. With the large built-in library of images and an easy-to-use timeline with drag-and-drop functionality, you can make videos in a snap. VideoScribe also has a great audio library, with around 200 tracks to choose from.

Key features

  • Has a hand-drawn animated illustration library
  • Provides access to an ever-expanding template library
  • Offers multiple image and text animation options
  • Can record voice-overs
  • Has a royalty-free music collection

Pros

  • Available offline
  • Broad selection of custom templates, drawing hands, pens, and erasers
  • Rich features including animation controls
  • Built-in voice-over tool
  • Allows the creation of a range of video sizes
  • Excellent support and resource documentation

Cons

  • Not as quick or secure as cloud-based software
  • Lacks branding features
  • Only able to create whiteboard explainer videos
  • Slow rendering speeds
  • Lacks modern music tracks
  • Unable to record in mp4 format

Pricing

From $15 per user/month (annual billing). Free 7-day trial.

12. MySimpleShow 

Automated creation of whiteboard doodles

OS: Web-based

MySimpleShow  Explainer Video Software

MySimpleShow creates whiteboard doodles. You know those videos with a hand dragging different elements across the screen and swiping them away? That’s exactly what this explainer video app does. 

This is a simple online tool with a unique explainer engine. Just choose a storyline template for your topic, write a story, and the software will offer you a selection of characters, objects, and animations that you can use to build your video. You can also add your own voice-over.

Key features

  • Includes thousands of simple illustrations 
  • Features Explainer Engine, which generates a storyboard
  • Provides the most relevant storyline templates
  • Can record voice-overs
  • Has a text-to-speech tool

Pros

  • Simple drag-and-drop design
  • Discounts for educational institutions
  • Breaks down each step of the video creation process
  • Built-in scriptwriting feature
  • Audio capture capabilities
  • Explainer engine automatically generates storyboards

Cons

  • Lacks pre-designed templates
  • Limited color options
  • Higher price point than similar tools
  • Needs more music options, storylines, and illustration styles
  • Lacks AI voice narration in languages other than English

Pricing

From $79/month (annual billing). Free trial.

13. Raw Shorts

Intuitive animation software for creating video sketches for free

OS: Web-based, Mac

Raw Shorts Explainer Video Software

Raw Shorts is an online whiteboard animation software with a drag-and-drop interface. You can create an explainer video even if you have no animation skills. All you have to do is choose ready-made templates, graphics, and characters and add media and text. 

Raw Shorts stands out from other tools thanks to its specific transitions and animations. You can apply these to each element, not just the classic “drawn by hand” whiteboard style.

Key features

  • Has a simple drag-and-drop video builder
  • Offers thousands of whiteboard-style templates, graphics, and characters
  • Allows you to add your own media, transitions, effects, and audio
  • Can convert text documents to video with the power of AI
  • Allows team collaboration on videos

Pros

  • Versatile features for creating various video types
  • Text-to-video feature converts documents into animated videos
  • Ability to blend data with videos
  • Animated charts
  • Excellent AI Automation features
  • Direct export options

Cons

  • Font editing needs improvement
  • Autosave unreliable at times
  • Slow rendering process
  • Lagging issues slow the creation time
  • Issues with exporting larger videos
  • Limited control over voice timing

Pricing

There’s a free plan. The paid version starts at $20/month (annual billing). 7-day free trial.

14. Doodly

Automated customizable doodles for every niche

OS: Windows and Mac

Doodly Explainer Video Software

If you want a cool explainer video with marker or pen drawing sketches, you can create it yourself with Doodly

To make a video, you can use doodle images drawn by Doodly’s professional graphic artists or upload your own images. The tool will automatically draw the image for you. You can also record your voice-over audio directly within Doodly and sync it to your sketch with ease.

Key features

  • Has a unique technology that allows you to draw any images that you upload 
  • Provides thousands of custom-drawn whiteboard doodle images
  • Offers an extensive selection of male and female hand types
  • Includes royalty-free audio music tracks
  • Can record voice-overs and easily sync them with doodle sketches

Pros

  • Can install software on multiple computers
  • Export videos in different sizes and resolutions
  • Good selection of pre-set scenes
  • Drag-and-drop feature for quick creation times
  • High-quality whiteboard doodle images
  • Wide selection of add-on features

Cons

  • Lacks customization options for the preset animations
  • Basic plan is very limited
  • Preview feature needs improvement
  • Editor could be better – no option for editing individual assets
  • No option to export color videos with the Basic plan
  • Limited export options

Pricing

From $490/year.

Explainer Video Slideshow Software

Explainer video slideshow software allows you to create explainer videos by combining photos and ready-made clips. These apps usually come with basic video and photo editing tools so you can enhance your slideshows. 

This review covers quite a few programs that can help you make an explainer video in a snap.

15. Animoto 

Best explainer video slideshow software for creating
social media videos with cool templates

OS: Cloud-based

Animoto Explainer Video Software

Animoto is a tool for creating slideshows with music for video marketing purposes. You can create explainer videos simply by dragging and dropping your own images and video clips into pre-built templates. The tool allows you to quickly adjust colors, fonts, music, and more to customize your video.

Key features

  • Comes with a large variety of video templates
  • Has a built-in library of photos, video clips, graphics, and songs
  • Provides great customization capabilities
  • Can create square, landscape, and vertical videos
  • Lets you gather, review, and implement time-stamped feedback

Pros

  • Uses less RAM memory
  • The free plan offers most standard features
  • Small learning curve
  • Good selection of custom templates
  • Integration with Getty’s image library
  • Create explainer videos in different aspect ratios
  • Character limit on slides prevents the creation of cluttered videos

Cons

  • Online video builder can lag
    at times
  • Image library only available with the Premium plan
  • No advanced animation features
  • Users have limited editing control over individual elements
  • Limited text placement options
  • Needs a greater variety of templates

Pricing

From $8/month (annual billing). Free 14-day trial.

16. Wave.video

A huge collection of stock videos to pull from.

OS: Cloud-based

Wave.video Explainer Video Software

Wave.video is a simple but robust video-making solution with the largest stock video and image library around – approximately 300 million videos. You can use a ready-made template or upload your own video clip.

In addition, you can customize it by adding text and a logo, setting custom colors and fonts, and applying branded video filters. Stickers and GIFs can make your explainer video even more engaging.

Key features

  • Offers a wide range of video and audio editing tools
  • Includes an image editor for creating thumbnails, lower thirds, and overlays 
  • Comes with ready-to-go video and audio clips, photos, and pictures
  • Allows live streaming
  • Enables you to store, host, embed, and distribute your videos

Pros

  • Huge library of videos and images
  • Wide range of transition options
  • Impressive zoom feature
  • Active Facebook community
  • Streaming capabilities
  • Great customer support

Cons

  • Templates lack variety
  • Limited editing features for music soundtracks
  • Needs more training tutorials and FAQs
  • Slow rendering times
  • Stock image library only available for paid plans

Pricing

There’s a free plan. The paid version starts at $24/month (billed as $281/year).

17. Biteable

Best for easy video creation and customization for corporate needs

OS: Web-based

Biteable Explainer Video Software

With Biteable, you can turn your photos and videos into beautiful explainer videos. This online tool offers hundreds of ready-to-use templates. Depending on your audience and brand, you can choose between tech, professional, humorous, and a host of other styles. To personalize your video, you can add pictures, text, and music, and integrate your brand colors.

Key features

  • Comes with 1.8 million images, clips, and templates
  • Offers advanced controls for animations, audio, and timing
  • Includes a library of premium tracks
  • Provides great customization capabilities
  • Has an analytics tool for tracking views, view duration, and viewer location

Pros

  • Option for a one-month subscription
  • Easy-to-customize pre-made templates
  • Integrates with Shutterstock
  • Ability to publish HD videos directly to YouTube
  • Refund available after 14 days if unhappy with the product
  • Responsive customer support

Cons

  • Limited functionality
  • No built-in voice-over tool
  • Limited editing options
  • Needs improved control of the timing between scenes
  • No option to upload your own fonts
  • Issues with crashing and lagging

Pricing

Has a free version. The paid plan starts at $49/month (yearly billing).

Interactive Explainer Video Software

Interactive videos allow the viewer to interact with the content and even control it as if playing a video game. They can click on objects on the screen, answer questions, and even buy products, all within the video. This entirely transforms the viewer’s experience by making it more fun and engaging.

See how Maybelline New York uses interactive videos to demonstrate how its products can enhance women’s natural beauty. This is more than just an explainer video; it explains how the product works and teaches customers how to use it properly. 

Here are three software tools that will help you create a fully immersive experience for your customers.

18. Vimeo Create

The best interactive explainer video software with a huge template library 

OS: Cloud-basedVimeo

Vimeo provides accessible online video editing tools for creators who want to make adjustments to their videos efficiently. Through Vimeo Create, users can choose from a variety of templates or start from scratch. 

The platform allows for customization with graphics, stock footage, and more. Additionally, the one-take video creation and editing feature streamlines the process. This lets users refine videos by editing the transcript and removing filler words and pauses with a single click.

Key features

  • Offers a free online video editing option for Vimeo members
  • Provides a selection of 500 professionally designed templates suitable for various purposes
  • Features an intelligent video editor that simplifies the creation of polished videos
  • Allows for the inclusion of a personalized brand kit
  • Provides access to a wealth of informative resources from industry professionals and experts within the Vimeo community

Pros

  • Auto-expiring links functionality
  • AI script generator feature
  • Text-based video editor tool
  • Well-stocked asset and music library
  • Enables ad-free viewing
  • Post videos on multiple social media platforms
  • Analytics to track performance

Cons

  • Limited external integrations
  • Upload times are slow on a mobile device
  • Needs more editing options for audio tracks
  • Slow response times from the support team
  • Better customer training and documentation needed
  • The team function needs work

Pricing

A single-use plan – $12 per month (annual billing).

19. Kaltura

A full-fledged platform for video creation, hosting, and broadcasting

OS: Cloud-based

Kaltura Explainer Video Software

Kaltura Video Portal is a cloud-based tool for turnkey video creation and management for corporate and commercial use. It enables users to create, edit, and enhance videos easily with various interactive content and activities. 

With Kaltura, you can add clickable elements, hotspots, and branching structures to your videos. This allows you to put the user at the center of the experience, letting them choose the path of their content.

Key features

  • Offers a wide range of video creation and editing tools
  • Can add captions, on-screen questions, hotspots, and more
  • Provides great capabilities for content management
  • Allows in-depth analytics
  • Has integrations with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.

Pros

  • Open-source – extensive customization options
  • An impressive array of screen capture capabilities
  • Kaltura Classroom enables recording directly in an LMS
  • Transcode video assets into multiple file types
  • Closed captions feature
  • Robust 508-compliant video players
  • Integrations with various third-party tools

Cons

  • Open-source platform – longer setup times
  • Limited video creation tools
  • Admin interface isn’t intuitive
  • Compatibility issues with certain browsers
  • MediaSpace video management needs improvement
  • Basic video editing capabilities

Pricing

Upon request. A free trial is available.

20. Brightcove

Online video platform with a marketing focus

OS: SaaS

Brightcove interface

Brightcove focuses on video marketing resources to improve viewership. This platform offers consulting, strategy, and design services. Brightcove provides various features to support marketing, analytics, viewership, advertising, and other aspects of video content delivery.

Key features

  • Viewer-facing video portals for content display
  • Integration with professional tools like MAP and CRMs
  • Server-side ad insertion to bypass ad blockers
  • Advanced video analytics
  • Reliable content delivery

Pros

  • You can build a client-facing video library
  • Powerful analytics
  • Live streaming tool
  • Keyword tagging feature to organize content
  • Online resources, tutorials, and documentation to master the tool
  • Responsive customer support team

Cons

  • Designed primarily to host videos – lacks advanced video editing tools
  • Needs a more simplified folder structure to store videos
  • Long importing times for large videos
  • Analytics are difficult to read and extract
  • Steep learning curve 

Pricing

Upon request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here we’ll answer the most common questions about explainer videos and the software for creating them.

What makes a good explainer video?

A good explainer video should communicate your message to the customer clearly. That way, you provide them with an understanding of your mission, product, or service. More importantly, it will showcase what you offer and how this can be of value to them. 

For maximum impact, a great explainer video should:

  • Address a customer’s pain points.
  • Focus on the benefits for the user.
  • Show a product or service in action.
  • Explain a new feature or your unique service in simple terms.
  • Follow the KISS principle (keep it short and sweet).
  • Be entertaining.

How can you choose the best explainer video software?

If you’re looking for an explainer video maker, chances are you’re going to create videos without hiring a professional videographer. If that’s the case and you don’t have any experience in video production, opt for an easy-to-use tool that has a low learning curve. That way, you can make professional videos with a minimum of effort. 

Another important factor to consider is the type of explainer video you’re planning to create. For example: talking-head videos with annotations, animated videos with fun characters and graphic elements, interactive videos with hotspots and quizzes, or a simple slideshow. 

After you decide on the type of explainer video, you’ll need to create a shortlist of relevant, easy-to-use solutions. Then, analyze what features they offer to see if they would fulfill your needs. This will help you narrow down your list. Finally, check out their user reviews and see the software in action with a free trial. Then, choose the one that’s the best fit.

How do you make a winning explainer video?

Follow these eight best practices to make live-action and animated explainer videos that pop.

  • Understand your target audience. Choose the tone that will address them best.
  • Develop your script with care. It should consist of an opening, a climax, and a close with a punch. Don’t make it wordy – up to 160 words is appropriate for a 1-minute video. 
  • Add a human touch. Create a main character or use a speaker to make the video more credible and engaging. 
  • Make a storyboard. This is a sequence of brief sketches that will display how you imagine your future video and help to plan the scenes.
  • Pay attention to the rules of shot composition. Use the Rule of Thirds to position the primary subject correctly and capture the viewer’s attention. 
  • Choose a suitable setting. Make sure your location is quiet, has adequate lighting, and you place the product where viewers expect to see it.

To Sum Up

All the tools covered in this article are great for creating explainer videos. Whether you want to make whiteboard explainers, cartoon videos, or slideshows, there’s a solution out there for you. The key is to select the option that best suits your needs, your content plan, and your budget. 

It’s also a good idea to pick a video format that’s versatile enough to cover a wide range of business needs. For instance, live-action explainer videos might provide a more all-round solution than animated or whiteboard explainers. 

Once you’ve made this decision, experiment with the trial version or start on the free plan to get a feel for the app.

Download a free 14-day trial of iSpring Suite to start making engaging explainer videos today.

Useful Resources

iSpring Suite

Fast course authoring toolkit

Create online courses and assessments in record time.

Fast course authoring toolkit