7 Best Explainer Video Software in 2025 (Tried & Tested)

The best explainer video maker by category:

• Best for AI avatar explainer videos: Synthesia
• Best for 2D animated explainer videos: Vyond
• Best for 3D animated explainer videos: Create Studio
• Best for whiteboard explainer videos: VideoScribe
• Best for stop-motion explainer videos: Stop Motion Studio
• Best for kinetic typography explainer videos: Filmora
• Best for screencast explainer videos: Loom

Which explainer video software you choose will largely depend on the type of explainer video you want to create, so lets first go over the main types.

Be sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to create an explainer video before you get started on your video.

What are the main types of explainer videos?

Live action

A live-action explainer video uses real people, settings, and props to demonstrate a product, service, or concept. This style builds trust and creates a personal connection with the audience, making it ideal for showcasing tangible products, company culture, or human-centered stories. It often involves professional filming, editing, and scripting for a polished look.

AI Avatar

An AI avatar explainer video features a digital character generated using artificial intelligence. These AI avatars deliver the message in a lifelike, customizable, and scalable way. It’s a cost-effective and efficient option for creating professional-looking videos with AI tools that removes the need for live actors or extensive production setups.

2D animated

A 2D animated explainer video uses flat, two-dimensional graphics to convey a story or explain a concept. It’s characterized by its simplicity and versatility, making it ideal for engaging audiences and breaking down complex ideas in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand way.

3D animated

A 3D animated explainer video uses three-dimensional visuals to create realistic or stylized representations of objects, characters, or environments. This style adds depth and detail, making it ideal for showcasing products, demonstrating complex processes, or creating immersive storytelling experiences. It’s especially effective for industries like technology, engineering, and architecture.

Whiteboard explainer

A whiteboard explainer video is a type of animation where illustrations and text are drawn on a whiteboard or white background, often accompanied by narration. It mimics the effect of someone teaching by drawing, making it highly engaging and effective for explaining complex concepts in a simple, visual way.

Stop-motion animated

A stop-motion animated explainer video is created by capturing a series of individual photos of physical objects or scenes, moving them slightly between each shot. When played in sequence, these images create the illusion of motion. This technique gives the video a unique, handcrafted feel, often used to convey creativity, charm, or authenticity.

Kinetic typography

A kinetic typography explainer video focuses on animated text to convey a message or tell a story. The text moves, transforms, and interacts dynamically with the screen, often synchronized with music or narration. This style is highly effective for emphasizing key points and creating an energetic, attention-grabbing presentation.

Screencast

A screencast explainer video is a recording of a computer or device screen, often paired with voiceover narration, to demonstrate how software, websites, or digital tools work. It’s an effective and straightforward way to guide viewers through processes or features step-by-step.

You can also check out our more detailed guide to the different types of explainer videos.

The best explainer video software by use case

Be‎st for AI avatar explainer videos: Synthesia

Pros:

• Ease of use: Intuitive interface, no video production expertise required.
• Speed: Ability to create polished explainer videos in under an hour.
• Real-time collaboration: Enables teams to review, edit, and provide feedback on videos simultaneously.
• Realistic AI avatars: Wide selection of realistic, customizable AI avatars. with natural lip-syncing and body language. You can also have your own avatar created.
• Broad language support: Supports over 140 languages, accents, and dialects.
• Extensive customization: Options for branding, background tweaks, text overlays, and animated graphics.
• AI script generation: Synthesia offers an AI script generator tool.
• AI screen recording: Synthesia's integrated AI screen recorder lets you easily record your screen and add it to your video.
• Wide variety of templates: You can start creating your explainer videos from scratch or use one of the 60+ customizable templates. There’s also an extensive library of cloneable video examples.

Cons:

• Limited animation options: Not suitable for detailed animations or complex motion graphics.

Pricing:

• Free: $0/month – Includes 3 minutes of video, 9 AI avatars (plus 2 stock avatars), and basic features in 140+ languages.
• Starter: $29/month – Offers 10 minutes of video, 125+ AI avatars (plus 3 personal avatars), commenting, an avatar builder, and sharing options.
• Creator: $89/month – Provides 30 minutes of video, 180+ AI avatars (plus 5 personal avatars), team collaboration, custom fonts, and a branded video page.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing – Includes unlimited video minutes, 230+ AI avatars (plus unlimited personal avatars), advanced collaboration, 1-click translation, and priority support with custom features.

My Experience with Synthesia:

Synthesia is a great tool for creating polished explainer videos with AI avatars. I was able to quickly produce an engaging explainer video by simply typing in a script. The avatars are realistic, and the platform ensures a professional output, which is perfect for explaining complex ideas in a simple, approachable format. While it offers less customization than some other tools, its efficiency and quality make it a top choice for explainer content.

Try the AI explainer video maker by Synthesia to get started.

Be‎st for 2D animated explainer videos: Vyond

Pros:

• Extensive library of pre-designed assets and characters.
• Easy drag-and-drop functionality.
• Robust customization options for character design and movements.

Cons:

• Relatively steep learning curve for beginners.
• Expensive pricing tiers compared to competitors.

Pricing:

• Essential: $49/month – 720p exports, Character Creator, Vyond Studio, videos with Vyond watermark
• Premium: $89/month – 1080p exports, no Vyond watermark, animated GIFs, customizable aspect ratios.
• Professional: $179/month/user – All Premium features plus Shutterstock integration, video translation, and asset organization.
• Enterprise/Agency: Custom pricing – Adds collaboration features, brand management, AI voices, and unlimited rights transfers.

Vyond offers a 14-day free trial.

My Experience with Vyond:

I found Vyond to be a powerhouse for creating lively 2D animations. The flexibility in character design and scene creation allowed me to craft engaging explainer videos for marketing campaigns. The learning curve took some time to overcome, but the results were well worth the effort. It’s an excellent tool for 2D animation.

Be‎st for 3D animated explainer videos: Create Studio

Pros:

• High-quality 3D animations with a professional finish.
• Simple interface suitable for beginners and pros alike.
• A variety of ready-to-use templates and characters.
• One-time payment option available.

Cons:

• Limited advanced animation customization.
• Fewer 3D character options compared to niche tools.

Pricing:

• Standard ($27/month): Includes unlimited video exports, 50 characters, 50 templates, the Lightning Video Builder, and commercial use. Lacks AI background removal, text-to-speech, and monthly updates.
• Platinum ($37/month): Adds 100 characters, 500 templates, AI background removal, text-to-speech, and monthly updates for characters, templates, and scene packs.
• All Access ($47/month): Offers 300+ characters, 800+ templates, and additional monthly updates, making it the most comprehensive option.

My Experience with Create Studio:

Creating a 3D animated explainer video with Create Studio felt seamless. The templates made it easy to get started, and the rendering quality was excellent. While it may not offer Pixar-level animation control, it’s perfect for creating quick, visually impressive 3D content for explainer videos.

Be‎st for whiteboard explainer videos: VideoScribe

Pros:

• Intuitive interface designed specifically for whiteboard animations.
• Vast library of hand-drawn illustrations and icons.
• Easy-to-use timeline for precise animation control.
• Affordable pricing compared to alternatives.

Cons:

• Limited design flexibility for advanced users.
• Can feel repetitive for more complex storytelling.

Pricing:

• Free (US$0): 7-day trial with 3 video downloads, 5-minute video length, access to 750k images/icons, and watermarked videos.
• Plus (US$42/month): Unlimited downloads, 15-minute video length, 5 million images/icons, no watermarks, custom fonts, and preview links.
• Pro (US$63/month): Everything in Plus, plus reseller rights and access to additional training bundles for professionals.

My Experience with VideoScribe:

VideoScribe is a fantastic tool for whiteboard animation enthusiasts and it let me quickly create an engaging explainer video. The hand-drawn effects added a charming, personal touch. However, advanced users might find its features somewhat limited for storytelling with varied styles.

Be‎st for stop-motion explainer videos: Stop Motion Studio

5. Best for Stop-Motion Explainer Videos: Stop Motion Studio

Pros:

• Unique focus on stop-motion animation.
• Compatible with multiple platforms, including mobile devices.
• Easy integration with DSLR cameras.
• Affordable for individuals and hobbyists.

Cons:

• Requires more effort and patience compared to other tools.
• Limited pre-designed assets.

Pricing:

• $5 for mobile apps; desktop versions start at $10.

My Experience with Stop Motion Studio:

Creating a stop-motion explainer video was both fun and challenging. The app’s features, like onion-skinning and timeline editing, made the process manageable. While it takes time and effort to achieve a polished result, the unique and captivating outcome is worth it for creative explainer video projects.

Be‎st for kinetic typography explainer videos: Filmora

Pros:

• Extensive library of pre-built text animations and effects.
• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface ideal for beginners.
• Advanced editing features like motion tracking and keyframing.
• Wide range of export options, including 4K resolution.

Cons:

• Some advanced features are locked behind a paywall.
• Occasional rendering lags with complex projects.

Pricing:

• Annual: Priced at $49.99 per year, this subscription provides continuous updates and access to all features, including AI tools and a vast library of creative assets
• Perpetual: A one-time payment of $79.99 grants lifetime access to the current version of Filmora, including all features and creative assets, without future updates
• Cross-Platform: For $59.99 per year, this plan allows use across multiple devices (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS) with access to all features and updates
• Team & Business: Tailored for organizations, these plans offer multi-user control, volume discounts, and additional business-oriented features. Pricing varies based on the number of users and specific requirements

My Experience with Filmora:

Filmora exceeded my expectations for creating kinetic typography explainer videos. Its built-in text effects made it easy to add dynamic, eye-catching animations to my video. The motion tracking feature allowed me to sync text with moving objects effortlessly. While it’s not as specialized as dedicated text-animation tools, Filmora’s versatility and ease of use make it a great all-around choice for kinetic typography.

Be‎st for screencast explainer videos: Loom

Pros:

• Seamless screen recording and sharing.
• Lightweight and easy to use.
• Instant cloud saving with link sharing.
• Perfect for team collaborations and tutorials.

Cons:

• Limited editing tools.
• Free plan comes with a five-minute video limit.

Pricing:

• Starter (Free): Includes 25 videos, 5-minute recording limit, screen recording with cam bubble, transcriptions in 50+ languages, and basic engagement features like comments and emoji reactions.
• Business ($15/user/month): Unlimited videos and recording time, basic waveform editing, Loom branding removal, and video upload/download capabilities.
• Business + AI ($20/user/month): Adds AI-powered features like filler word and silence removal, auto-titles, summaries, and chapters

My Experience with Loom:

Loom made creating a screencast explainer video straightforward. While its editing features are minimal, its simplicity and efficiency are its greatest strengths.

1. Synthesia - best explainer video software for videos with AI avatars

Ok, this type of explainer video is fairly new.

I’m talking about explainer videos that feature a realistic human presenter (a talking head) who’s actually an AI avatar.

It’s a great way to humanize your explainer video without having to record anyone, as the AI avatars only need your text input.

What is the best video software to use for this type of video?

Synthesia.

It’s an AI video generation platform that uses AI presenters based on real people – and you can also have your own avatar created.

It's super user-friendly, even if you've never edited a video before, and it supports over 130 languages and accents.

You can currently choose from over 140 diverse AI avatars, and they’re constantly adding more.

Here's how it looks:

How does it work?

First, you need a script, which you can type in the editor, paste, or generate with the integrated AI text generator.

Then, you choose an avatar, edit your video, and it will be generated in just a few minutes. 📹

You can also record your screen and upload your own branded assets to make your explainer video on-brand.

Here's a short product tour:

Discover Synthesia in 4 minutes | Product Tour

Top features

• 140+ AI avatars: You can choose from a wide range of AI avatars, including different ages, styles, and attitudes. You can even make them wink, nod, and frown.
• 130+ languages and accents: The avatars can speak more than 120 languages in various accents and tones. All you have to do is provide the script.
• AI script generation: If you’re not into writing, you can generate your script with AI directly within the tool. You define the parameters and have it generated in seconds.
• Screen recording: If you want to demonstrate a process or show something specific, you can use the screen recorder without having to leave Synthesia.
• Collaboration features: You can collaborate with the team in workspaces, comment on explainer videos in the making, and edit them together.
• Examples and templates: You can start creating your explainer videos from scratch or use one of the 60+ customizable templates. There’s also an extensive library of cloneable video examples made entirely with Synthesia.

We're using Synthesia to create product demo videos that add the more interactive AI avatar element, which has shown to significantly improve our engagement metrics. We're particularly impressed by the ease of use of their platform and the wealth of different AI actors we can use to diversify our videos. - Ulrik S. on G2

Pricing

• Free demo
• Free plan
• Starter plan: $29/month
• Creator plan: $67/month
• Enterprise plan: custom prices

Find out more about pricing options and features here.

2. PowToon - best explainer video software for animated videos

If you think cartoons are for kids… you might be wrong.

In fact, adults love them too!

Animated explainer videos are so effective due to their ability to simplify complex information through engaging visuals and audio.

They also offer the versatility to be customized and include fun and engaging animated characters and scenarios to keep viewers' attention.

Best explainer video software for animated videos?

Powtoon.

The tool makes it incredibly easy to create explainer videos and is a comprehensive solution for DIY videos. 🎨

I especially like their “character builder” feature – it offers numerous possibilities for creating animated characters that align with your brand. You can customize their clothes, skin tone, hairstyle, accessories, and more.

How does it work?

To make an animated video in Powtoon, start by choosing a template or creating a new project from scratch.

Then, add scenes, characters, props, and text to your project, and animate them using the drag-and-drop editor and timeline.

And voila – your video is ready!

Powtoon Product Demo

• Customizable character builder: The animated characters can be tailored with unlimited clothing combinations, skin tones, hairstyles, and accessories.
• Powtoon capture feature: Your screen, webcam, or both can be recorded with PowToon’s capture feature to enhance your animated videos.
• Over 40 templates: More than 40 explainer video templates are available for various use cases, which can be beneficial if you're not a designer.‍
• Collaboration capability: You can team up with others on your video presentations to share ideas and foster creativity

This web-based program allows users to create individual unique characters, provides a variety of backgrounds, stock video and photos and music. It also provides a ton of different movements for the characters and unique characteristics that can build a specific scene you're looking for. - Gillian W. on G2

Pricing

• Lite plan: $50/month for 5 exports per month
• Professional plan: $190/month for unlimited premium exports

3. VideoScribe - best software tool for whiteboard explainer videos

Whiteboard videos are another awesome option for creating explainer videos.

I'm talking about those hand-drawn videos where something is quickly drawn in front of your eyes. ✍️

They use a visually captivating technique that makes complicated information simple to understand.

Quick drawing and erasing on a whiteboard helps viewers remember and retain the material better – and it’s a super effective way of grabbing attention.

I’ve checked out different whiteboard animation tools, and VideoScribe seems like the best option.

It's designed specifically for making whiteboard videos, so it offers a wide range of customization tools and also allows you to upload your own assets.

How does it work?

To make a whiteboard explainer video in VideoScribe, begin by selecting a background and adding images and text to your project.

Then, use the software's hand-drawn animation feature to create a whiteboard explainer video.

You can create it based on scenes or a timeline (I prefer scenes as they’re easier to use). 😉

You can see how it works in this short video:

VideoScribe Product Demo

Top features

• Library of professional video templates: Fully customizable templates for different explainer videos.
• A diverse range of drawing hands, pens and erasers: This allows you to create explainer videos in distinct styles, or use a mixture of styles within a single video.
• Different aspect ratios: VideoScribe offers a range of different video sizes (16:9, 1:1, 19:6) for different distribution channels.‍
• Voiceover recording tools: You can record a voiceover directly in the software or import it from your computer.

Thanks to Videoscribe I have made a number of whiteboard videos. They are very funny and people get attention. I have made videos to explain how something works in the company, also to demonstrate a new product and many times a dedication to my parents or a relative. - Danny V. on Capterra

Pricing

• Free trial
• Monthly plan: €39/month
• Annual plan: €17/month

4. Runway - best video editor for live action explainers

Live action explainers can be really fun to watch.

They are a powerful way to showcase real people, products, and processes, and create an emotional connection with the audience.

But unlike other mediums, live action explainer videos cannot be fully digitized (yet). 🎞

That means you still need to properly edit the footage once it’s filmed, and this requires a good video editor that will turn your video into a nice explainer.

For that, I’d suggest you to use Runway.ml.

It’s a comprehensive, professional video editing software that allows you to edit live-action videos.

Plus, you can also generate entirely new video content with its integrated AI-powered solutions.

How does it work?

To edit a video with Runway, simply upload your video file to the platform, and use the intuitive editing tools to trim, cut, add effects, and enhance the footage. ✂️

You can also take advantage of the AI tools to automate certain aspects of the video creation process:

Runway Product Demo

Top features

• Integrated video generator: Using Gen-2, a multimodal AI system, you can generate novel video content from text, images, or video clips.
• Eraser: You can erase objects from your videos with a simple brush stroke.
• Background remover: You can remove the background from any video with a single click.
• Numerous filters and effects: From slow-motion to VHS style to colorization, Runway offers many options to change the visual style of your video.
• Real-time collaboration: You can share assets and projects, and collaborate with your team in real-time.

I’ve done a shot in five minutes, which normally would have taken me five hours. You're not going through it frame by frame, you're just tapping a couple of things and it's done. - Ryan M.

Pricing

• Starter plan: free
• Pro plan: $15/month
• Team plan: $35/month

5. Loom - best software for screencast videos

Sometimes, the easiest way to explain something is to simply share your screen while you demonstrate a process.

Such explainer videos are also known as screencast videos. 🖥

They are especially great for software tutorials, product demos, and instructional videos.

But sharing just a screen can be a bit boring, and adding a recording of yourself explaining step-by-step processes can be a nice addition.

And for that, the best explainer video software in my opinion is Loom.

How does it work?

With Loom, you can start recording your screen using either their desktop app or Chrome extension.

Record your screen and camera, and take as many takes as it takes. 🗣

Once recorded, you can share the video with a link and keep the conversation going using reactions and time-stamped comments.

Loom video presentations

Top features

• Screen recorder: Obviously a must-have feature for screencast explainer videos – it allows you to easily record your screen, camera, or both.
• Engagement insights: Get insights into the effectiveness of your explainer videos by seeing who watched your video, how long they watched it, and monitor CTA performance.‍
• Rich reactions: Enable comments and reactions with emojis to receive feedback on your explainer video, which can help you improve the content.

Instead of writing a long email to share an idea or a solution, I can use the Loom system to record thoughts and illustrate the ideas. The Loom system is also great for documenting systems and sharing them with others to follow a step-by-step process. - Kenneth P. on G2

Pricing

• Starter plan: Free
• Business plan: $8/month
• Enterprise plan: Custom prices

Time to choose your explainer video software now!

So there you have it – a list of tools that can help you create stunning explainer videos in different styles. 😊

These are some of the best explainer video software tools out there, but the choice really depends on your specific needs and preferences.

The good news is that most of them offer a free trial or demo, so you can try them out before committing.

And now that you've (hopefully) found your perfect fit, it's time to start creating videos. 📹

Try this AI explainer video maker by Synthesia to get started.