Video has always been one of the most resource-heavy content formats.
Between equipment rentals, on-site crews, post-production labor, etc., the price tags have rarely been friendly. In 2025, that's changed.
AI tools are now letting creators, startups and marketing teams build solid video content without botching the budget.
What Traditional Video Still Costs
Hiring a freelance videographer can still run $600 to $1,200 a day for shooting and another $60 to $90 an hour for editing.
Agencies usually start at $5,000 for even small projects. Larger campaigns push past $20,000 easily. For companies producing regular content, building an in-house team costs about $150,000 annually (factoring in salaries, equipment, space, etc).
If you want a polished video from an experienced crew, traditional methods still deliver. There is, however, a premium attached.
Where AI Cuts the Price
Tools like Magic Hour, Synthesia, and Runway reduce the time and cost of video production. You can generate a complete video using nothing more than a script and a template.
Monthly plans range from $10 to $100, and you can produce dozens of short videos during that time. Some tools focus on AI avatars for explainers, while others generate entirely new visuals from text prompts.
You'll trade off a bit of flexibility, and there's usually a learning curve in getting the style just right. But in return, you get speed, scale, savings, and so on.
When Each Option Makes Sense
AI works best for high-volume projects. Top examples are training videos, product explainers, social ads, etc. Traditional production still makes sense for anything that needs any of the following:
- emotional depth
- live-action performance
- physical products on screen
The best strategy usually combines the two. Many teams are creating rough edits, B-roll, and even early drafts with AI and then finishing with real footage or polished edits.
Numbers Don't Lie
Companies report saving 70 to 90% on video production by switching to AI platforms. The timeline shrinks from weeks to days, or even hours.
Some have swapped out full agency workflows in favor of internal teams using low-cost tools and seeing a better turnaround.
For creative teams already using digital tools, like an album cover generator, adding AI video to the mix is just a logical next step.
Final Thoughts
AI video platforms won't replace traditional crews across the board. But they are changing the math. You can now produce sharp and usable content without the logistics and the overhead.
Go with AI if you want to publish more videos and reach wider audiences while spending less doing it.
