In the UK, a polished CGI product video generally starts at around £5,000 to £10,000, with short social loops costing less and multi-scene campaign films costing more. The price depends on whether a 3D model already exists, how complex the materials are, the number of shots and the delivery formats.
The length of a video is a poor guide to its price. A simple product rotation and a liquid reveal can both last ten seconds and involve very different amounts of work. This guide sets out typical UK price ranges for 3D product animation and CGI video production, explains what moves a quote up or down, and shows how to get more finished assets from the same budget.
CGI product video prices in the UK at a glance
Most UK CGI product work falls into a handful of formats, and each has its own typical range. Use these figures as a starting point for budgeting, then compare quotes against the same written brief so you are comparing like with like.
- Product stills: from around £500 for a quality product render, rising to £1,500 or more for premium hero imagery.
- Short social loop: the most accessible video format. A single product, one environment and one hero camera move, delivered in vertical format for Instagram, TikTok and paid social.
- Hero product film: a polished CGI product video generally starts around £5,000 to £10,000, depending on complexity, the number of scenes and whether simulations such as liquids or fabric are needed.
- FOOH video: priced mainly by how complex the CGI element is and how tightly it has to match the live footage. A CGI object composited into real street footage for social distribution. Our guide to what FOOH advertising is explains how the format works.
- 3D billboard or DOOH animation: usually above a social video, because the content is built to a specific screen specification, often with social cut-downs.
- Full campaign pack: the largest budget, but the lowest cost per asset. A hero film, social cut-downs in 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9, and a set of stills, all produced from one product model.
These ranges assume a finished, colour-graded result from a specialist studio. Figures vary based on whether 3D modelling is required from scratch, how many revision rounds are included and how many final formats you need. For a wider look at what a CGI product video involves from brief to delivery, see our complete guide.
What drives the cost of a CGI product video
Five things set the price of almost every CGI product video: the 3D model, the materials, the number of shots, the type of animation and the delivery formats. Understanding each one makes it far easier to read a quote and to see where a budget can flex.
The 3D model
Modelling is often the first and largest single line on a quote. If your product already exists as an accurate CAD or 3D file, the studio can start from that and spend its time on look-development instead. If the product has to be built from photographs and physical samples, expect more days of work before animation even begins. The upside is that a well-built model is reusable, which matters for every project that follows.
Materials and look-development
Some surfaces are simply harder to make believable. Clear glass, liquids, brushed and polished metal, gemstones and soft fabric all need careful lighting and shading. Our work for Carrera y Carrera and Maori Jewels shows why jewellery sits at the more demanding end: light interaction on metal and stone translucency have to hold up in close-up.
Number of shots and environments
One product in one clean studio environment is the most efficient brief. Each additional camera set-up, scene or bespoke environment adds modelling, lighting and render time. Richer environments can replace location shoots entirely, but they are not free to build.
Animation and simulation
A smooth camera orbit around a static product is relatively quick. Fluid, particle, cloth and hair simulations take longer to set up, art direct and render. When a brief calls for a serum pouring, a fabric drape or a powder burst, that effect is usually where the extra cost sits.
Delivery formats and versions
A single 9:16 cut for social is cheaper than a full suite of 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 and 16:9 masters, each reframed rather than simply cropped. Colourway variants, language versions and extra cut-downs add time too, though far less than the original build.
3D animation agency vs freelancer vs studio: price and risk
A freelancer usually quotes lowest, a specialist studio sits in the middle, and a large full-service agency adds strategy and account management on top. The right choice depends less on the day rate and more on how much risk your team can carry on deadline, quality and consistency.
- Freelance 3D artist: often the lowest headline price and a good fit for a single, well-defined asset. The risk is capacity: one person covers modelling, lighting, animation, rendering and compositing, so illness, competing work or a tricky simulation can push the deadline.
- Specialist CGI studio: a team that splits the pipeline between specialists and can scale up for a campaign. You pay more than for a single freelancer, but you get predictable timelines, structured feedback rounds and consistent quality across many assets.
- Full-service creative agency: brings strategy, media planning and account management, and often subcontracts the CGI itself to a specialist studio. Expect the highest total cost, with a margin added to the production work.
Whoever you hire, ask for work similar to your product category, a clear breakdown of what is included and who owns the 3D model after the project. Our checklist for hiring a CGI agency and our guide on how to choose a CGI studio cover the questions that prevent expensive surprises.
Is CGI cheaper than a live-action shoot?
CGI is often cheaper than a live-action shoot once you need several assets, several formats or several campaigns from the same product. For a single simple studio shot, a traditional shoot can cost less. The honest comparison is the cost of the complete set of assets you need, not the price of one video.
Live action pays for crew, studio or location, props and post-production every time you shoot. CGI front-loads the cost into the model and look-development, then reuses them. The Boots CGI product campaign is a good example: each product was built once as a photorealistic 3D asset, giving the brand a system that can generate new assets from existing models without additional cost, across digital advertising, e-commerce listings and in-store screens.
CGI also removes physical limits. You can show a product at giant scale on a city street, or a fabric behaving perfectly every take, without permits or reshoots. For a full side-by-side comparison, read CGI vs live action: which is right for your brand campaign. If you are weighing generative tools as well, our article on CGI or AI video explains where each one fits, and our AI video production service covers projects where AI is the right tool.
How to get more from your CGI budget: one model, many assets
The most effective way to lower the cost per asset is to plan the whole year around one product model. Once the model and materials are approved, every new video, still or format variant costs a fraction of the first build.
Plan the asset list before the brief
List every place the product will appear over the next six to twelve months: social, paid ads, product pages, marketplace listings, retail screens and launches. A studio can then build the model and lighting once and schedule the outputs efficiently. Our article on building a seasonal CGI content strategy shows how to map this out.
Build a reusable asset library
Brands with large ranges benefit most. Ulta Beauty received a scalable CGI system that lets new products be added quickly while keeping lighting and materials consistent. Maori Jewels gained the ability to produce new product visuals from existing 3D assets within days rather than weeks. Read more on building a CGI product asset library and on how one 3D model keeps brand visuals consistent.
Get studio and lifestyle versions from one scene
The same model can sit on a clean background for product pages and in a lifestyle environment for social. Our guide to studio renders and lifestyle scenes from one CGI asset explains how to brief both at once. For online retail specifically, see 3D product animation for e-commerce.
Choose formats that earn reach
Some formats work harder for the budget. The Sister's Aroma FOOH campaign generated over 2 million organic views with zero paid spend, and the brand later extended the same CGI language into a 3D billboard and DOOH campaign. If outdoor screens are on your plan, our guide to 3D billboard advertising covers what changes in production, and how to choose a FOOH studio explains what to look for in a partner.
Budget for revisions and timing
Set the core scope, then keep a contingency of 15 to 20 percent for changes. Expect two to three structured feedback rounds in a well-managed production. Rushed timelines attract premium fees, so build production time into your campaign calendar early. Our step-by-step guide to ordering a CGI video walks through each stage, and the business case for CGI shows how to weigh production cost against the media spend it supports.
How to request an accurate quote
The fastest way to an accurate price is a short written brief that answers the questions a studio would otherwise have to guess. Clear briefs produce tighter quotes and fewer change requests later.
- Describe the product and say whether CAD or 3D files exist.
- List the deliverables: lengths, number of videos, stills and aspect ratios.
- Share references for the look, mood and camera style you want.
- Give the deadline and where the content will run.
- Ask for a quote that separates modelling, animation, rendering and post-production, and states the number of revision rounds included.
You can see the range of formats we produce on our services page and in our project archive, from product animation to 2D animation and motion graphics.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 3D product animation cost in the UK?
A polished 3D product animation generally starts around £5,000 to £10,000, depending on complexity. Short social loops cost less, while multi-scene films with simulations cost more. Whether a 3D model already exists is one of the biggest factors.
Why do CGI quotes vary so much?
Quotes vary because studios price different scopes. One quote may include modelling, three formats and three revision rounds, while another covers a single format and one round. Compare the number of shots, environments, formats, revisions and model ownership before comparing the totals.
Is CGI cheaper than live action for product videos?
Often, yes, when you need several assets or plan to reuse the product across campaigns, because the 3D model is built once and reused. For a single simple studio shot, live action can be cheaper. Compare the total cost of every asset you need over the year.
Can I reuse the 3D model later?
Yes, and you should plan for it. An approved model can produce new videos, stills, colourways and formats for later campaigns at a fraction of the first build cost. Agree in writing who owns the model and the project files before the work begins.
Do CGI quotes include VAT?
It depends on the studio. When comparing UK quotes, always check whether prices are shown with or without VAT, as this can change the total by a fifth.
How long does a CGI product video take?
Most CGI product videos take two to three weeks from concept to final files. Multi-scene films, complex simulations or large campaign packs take longer, and building in time early avoids rush fees.
Get a fixed quote for your product
MAD CGI is a London-based studio making AI video and CGI for fashion, beauty and luxury brands. Send us your product and deliverables, and we will come back with a fixed quote and a production timeline. Get a fixed quote for your product.
