Explainer Video for SaaS: The 2025 Playbook Every Founder Needs (With 10 Killer Examples)
By Adam petty
Explainer Video for SaaS: What Is It & Why Should You Care?
An explainer video for SaaS is a short, story-driven animation or live-action clip (usually 60–90 seconds) that shows how your cloud software solves a painful, expensive, or time-sucking problem. Think of it as your elevator pitch on espresso—caffeinated visuals, crystal-clear messaging, and a punchy call-to-action that nudges viewers to sign up, book a demo, or at least remember your name when the budget gods smile.
Why do you need one? Because the average visitor to your landing page will bounce in 8 seconds if they don’t “get it” NNGroup, 2024. A tight explainer video for SaaS can:
- Slash support tickets by 34 % (Wistia, 2023).
- Lift free-to-paid conversion by up to 80 % (Vidico case study).
- Shorten your sales cycle because prospects arrive pre-sold.
Still not convinced? Flowjam, a studio that’s produced launch videos for 300+ YC startups, reports that 72 % of founders who added an explainer to their seed-round deck closed their round faster. (Yep, that’s a shameless plug—but it’s also true.)
Ready to level-up? Grab your coffee and let’s roll.
Contents
Benefits of Explainer Videos for SaaS (Beyond “It Looks Cool”)
Key Elements of an Effective SaaS Explainer Video
Best Practices for Creating a SaaS Explainer Video
10 Explainer Videos for SaaS That Absolutely Nailed It
How to Choose the Right Explainer Video Company for Your SaaS
Explainer Video for SaaS Checklist (Save & Steal)
FAQ: Explainer Video for SaaS
Ready to Press Record?
Benefits of Explainer Videos for SaaS (Beyond “It Looks Cool”)
✅ Translate Complex Features into “Aha!” Moments
Your AI-driven, API-first, SOC-2-compliant middleware might feel sexy to you. To prospects, it’s alphabet soup. A well-scripted explainer video for SaaS turns “feature lists” into problem → solution → outcome stories in under two minutes.
✅ Boost Conversion Rates Across the Funnel
- Top-of-funnel ads: Facebook and YouTube CPA drops 19 % on average when the ad is a video Wordstream, 2024.
- Landing pages: SaaS companies using video see 12 % higher sign-up rates (Unbounce).
- Email sequences: Adding the word “video” in subject lines lifts open rates by 6 % (HubSpot).
✅ Accelerate User Onboarding & Reduce Churn
Post-signup, the same video repurposed as an in-app tooltip can cut Day-7 churn by 23 % (Appcues, 2023). Less “how do I…?” = more “wow, this is useful.”
Key Elements of an Effective SaaS Explainer Video
1. Scriptwriting & Messaging
Keep the classic PAS formula: Pain, Agitate, Solution.
- Pain: “Spreadsheets weren’t built to run a 50-person remote team.”
- Agitate: Show the chaos—missed deadlines, Slack rage, finance side-eye.
- Solution: Your SaaS appears like a Marvel hero.
Pro tip: Write for the skim-reader. Short sentences. Punchy verbs. One idea per frame.
2. Visual Style & Branding
Match your product vibe.
- B2B fintech? Clean 2D motion graphics, navy & electric-green palette.
- PLG dev-tool? Code-window screencast mixed with playful 3D emoji explosions.
3. Animation & Motion Graphics
- Rule of 3s: No single shot longer than 3 seconds.
- Micro-interactions: Hover states, button clicks—tiny details that scream “this product is alive!”
4. Voiceover & Sound Design
- Voice: Conversational, gender-neutral, mid-30s energy.
- Music: Subtle build-up; crescendo at the reveal.
- SFX: Subtle whoosh for transitions, cash-register “ding” when ROI hits.
5. Call-to-Action
End on one CTA: “Start free today” or “Book a 15-min demo.” Multiple CTAs = zero CTAs. Nielsen Norman Group.
Best Practices for Creating a SaaS Explainer Video
✅ Keep it under 90 seconds. The sweet spot is 60–75 seconds for cold traffic.
✅ Storyboard for mobile first. 70 % of B2B buyers research on their phone (Google, 2024).
✅ Front-load the value prop. Mention your core benefit in the first 8 seconds.
✅ Use captions. 85 % of social videos are watched on mute.
✅ A/B test thumbnails. A smiling face vs. product dashboard can swing CTR by 12 %.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Packing every feature—viewers remember three things max.
❌ Choosing style over substance. A Pixar-level animation with weak messaging still flops.
❌ DIY-ing when you hate being on camera. Your future investors will see that flop-sweat.
10 Explainer Videos for SaaS That Absolutely Nailed It
(All screenshots are linked to the original source so you can binge-watch later.)
1. Vidico – Spotify CTA Cards
Style: Minimal 2D motion graphics
Why it works: Solves a new problem (podcast ad CTAs) in 38 seconds, uses Spotify-green brand palette, and ends with a single action verb: “Try.”
2. Square for Retail – Vidico
Style: Mixed-media (live-action + UI screencast)
Takeaway: Personalizes the pain—“Like you, your retail business is unique”—before showing the tech fix.
3. Airwallex – Vidico
Style: 2.5D isometric animation
Gem moment: Visualizes cross-border payments as tiny planes flying over a globe—chefs-kiss.
4. Dropbox – Blue Carrot
Style: Classic 2D
Lesson: Zero text on screen, yet everyone understands sync in 60 seconds. Proof that visual metaphors > buzzwords.
5. Asana – Blue Carrot
Style: UI screencast + upbeat VO
Key insight: Shows the “before” (messy email threads) and “after” (Asana board) split-screen. Instant empathy.
6. Bloom Money – Kasra Design
Style: Hand-drawn cel animation
Why it pops: Targets under-banked communities with warm, hand-drawn characters—diversity done right.
7. Rivet – PING Studio
Style: Clean 3D
Highlight: Transforms boring healthcare A/R data into sleek, translucent blocks—like Minecraft for revenue teams.
8. JivoChat – Flat Vector
Style: Minimalist 2D
Sneaky smart: Uses color-coded chat bubbles to differentiate channels—no UI screenshots needed.
9. Discord – Panic
Style: Humor-driven screencast
Easter egg: A dog pops out behind a server list. Meme culture meets product demo.
10. Shopify “Do Your Thing” – Shopify Studios
Style: Live-action + UI overlay
Magic: Warm, sun-kissed color grading makes ecommerce feel human, not transactional.
How to Choose the Right Explainer Video Company for Your SaaS
1. Portfolio Fit
Look for at least three SaaS projects in their reel. Bonus points if they’ve worked in your vertical (fintech, dev-tools, healthtech).
2. Process Transparency
Ask for a Gantt chart or Notion board. You want weekly check-ins, not radio silence.
3. Pricing Sweet Spot
- 2D animation: $5 k–$8 k
- 3D or mixed-media: $10 k–$15 k
- Rush delivery add-on: +30 % (Flowjam offers this, FYI.)
4. Revision Policy
Unlimited revisions = peace of mind. Anything capped at “2 rounds” is a red flag.
5. Reviews & Results
Ask for metrics, not just testimonials. “Lifted trial-to-paid by 27 %” beats “They were nice to work with.”
Quick plug: If you’re hunting for a studio that checks all five boxes, Flowjam’s portfolio is stacked with YC alumni who closed Series A after dropping a launch video. Just sayin’.
Explainer Video for SaaS Checklist (Save & Steal)
✅ Define ONE core problem your SaaS solves
✅ Write a 150-word script using PAS framework
✅ Pick a visual style that matches your brand
✅ Storyboard for mobile (9:16 safe zones)
✅ Record VO with a dynamic range mic (Shure MV7 is solid)
✅ Add burned-in captions (use Rev or Descript)
✅ End with a single CTA button & vanity URL
✅ Upload to Wistia or Vimeo for chapter markers
✅ Repurpose for TikTok Ads (cut 15-sec teaser)
✅ Embed above the fold on your landing page
✅ Track play-rate & sign-up correlation in GA4
FAQ: Explainer Video for SaaS
1. How long should an explainer video for SaaS be?
60–90 seconds for cold traffic; up to 2 minutes if your product is enterprise-grade complex.
2. How much does a SaaS explainer video cost?
$5 k–$15 k for 2D/3D animation. Add-ons like rush delivery or multiple aspect ratios can bump it 20–30 %.
3. Can I use stock assets to save budget?
Sure, but custom characters & branded UI mockups convert 22 % better (Vidico A/B test, 2024).
4. Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
Agencies give you a full stack (script, design, sound) under one roof and usually hit deadlines faster. Freelancers can work if you have an in-house creative lead.
5. What’s the ROI timeline?
Most SaaS teams see measurable lift in sign-ups within 30 days of launching the video on their homepage.
Ready to Press Record?
Creating an explainer video for SaaS isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s the fastest way to cut through the noise, convert skeptical visitors, and make investors lean forward in their Zoom squares.
If your Notion board still says “explainer video – Q3 maybe,” move it to “this week.” And if you’d rather spend that time closing deals, grab a slot on Adam’s calendar at Flowjam and let the pros handle the pixels.
Now cue the dramatic music and hit export. Your future users are waiting.
