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AI explainer video generator for your documents, notes and recordings

Upload dense material and say who needs to understand it. Scholarly writes a short narrated explanation from that material, with slides, chapters and captions.

Make my explainer videoSee video lectures

Free to start. No credit card required.

Used by 200,000+ learners

An explainer video in Scholarly with chapter markers, a summary and an AI chat panel

Quick answer

What is an AI explainer video generator?

An AI explainer video generator turns a source or an idea into a short narrated video that explains one thing to a specific audience. Scholarly works from material you already have. It reads your document, notes or recording, writes the explanation from that content, and builds slides and visuals around the narration. It does not film a presenter or record your screen.

  • Input: a PDF, Word or PowerPoint file, notes, pasted text, a web or YouTube link, or an audio or video recording.
  • Output: a narrated video with chapters, captions, a synced transcript and question checkpoints.
  • Length: about 2 minutes on the Free plan, a target of up to 45 minutes on paid plans, or a 30 to 45 second Short video.
  • Free plan: one lifetime AI Creation Credit, enough for one explainer in 720p with the Scholarly logo, watched in Scholarly and shared by link.
  • Paid plans: 1080p, MP4 download, and up to 10 sources per video on Premium or 20 on Laureate.

Updated November 2026

See it in action

Two videos made from source documents

A hand-drawn lecture and a vertical Short. Scholarly generated both from a source document.

Illustrated lectureFull-length, hand-drawn
47-second ShortVertical, subtitled

How it works

How to make an explainer video from your own material

Three steps from a dense file to a video your audience can follow.

  1. 01

    Add the material

    Upload the PDF, deck, notes or recording that holds the detail, or paste a link or text. For a long PDF, choose the page range or the sections the explainer should cover.

  2. 02

    Say who it is for

    Use the instructions box to name the audience and the one thing they should understand, for example Explain like I'm new to this or Keep it short and focused. Then pick a style, a voice and a language.

  3. 03

    Check it and share it

    A short explainer is usually ready in about 3 to 12 minutes. Read the transcript against your source, then share a link, embed the video on a page, or download the MP4 on a paid plan.

Who it is for

Explainers for students, customers and new hires

The source can stay the same. The instructions decide who the explanation is written for.

Students

Turn a hard chapter, a paper or lecture notes into a short walkthrough of one concept. The Questions tab checks understanding, and the same video can become flashcards or a quiz.

Customers

Turn a product guide, a policy or a report into a plain explanation. Place it on a help page with the embed code, which plays for anyone on that page, or download the MP4 on a paid plan.

New hires

Turn a handbook section or a procedure into a short orientation video. On a paid Teams workspace, Owners and Admins can see how many teammates opened and finished a shared lecture.

Explainer styles

Pick the kind of explainer that fits the topic

All six styles are available on the Free plan. Short video is a switch that works with every style.

Standard

Editorial slides with thoughtful animation. It also produces a companion slide deck.

Standard Fast

Designed slides with less animation and less waiting. This is the default style.

Illustrated

Rich artwork and lively narration, with captions shown on paper strips.

Maths Lecture

Equations and diagrams explained step by step.

Doodles

Hand-drawn characters on a clean white canvas.

Freestyle

A custom visual approach chosen for your topic.

Three of these have their own pages: hand-drawn explainer videos, Freestyle explainer videos and maths animation videos.

Explainer, lecture or Short

Choose the length that fits the job

All three come from the same creator. They differ in how much they cover.

Explainer

A few minutes on one idea for a specific audience. Set a short target length and name the audience in the instructions.

Lecture

A whole topic taught in chapters, with a target length of up to 45 minutes on paid plans.

Short video

A focused 30 to 45 second portrait video for a single point.

For a full topic, use the AI lecture generator. For a phone-sized clip, use the short video generator. If the wording is already written, use script to video.

Start with a file

Upload the document you want explained

Choose a file and sign up. It opens in the video creator with your file attached.

Upload Your Document

Upload any document, slides, notes, or article and we'll turn it into a narrated AI video lecture. You can also drag and drop a file here. You'll be redirected to register.

Your files are securely processed by Scholarly's advanced AI.

Getting it right

How to keep an explainer short and accurate

A good explainer covers one idea, so give Scholarly less to work with. Select the pages or sections that matter instead of the whole file, and say in the instructions what the viewer should understand by the end.

The narration is written from your material. The finished page has a Sources tab and a transcript that follows the video, so you can read what was said against the original before anyone else sees it. If the exact wording matters, write the script yourself and have it narrated as written.

Length is a target. On paid plans the video aims for the length you set and comes out shorter when the source runs out of material. The Free plan's video is about 2 minutes, which is enough room for one concept.

This is not a product demo tool. There is no screen or webcam recording, no on-screen presenter and no stock footage. It explains what is in your documents with generated slides and visuals.

FAQ

AI explainer video questions

Can I make an explainer video from a PDF or my notes?

Yes. Upload a PDF, Word or PowerPoint file, notes, an image, or an audio or video recording, or paste text or a web or YouTube link. Scholarly writes the explanation from that material. The Free plan takes one source per video, Premium up to 10 and Laureate up to 20.

Can I make an explainer without showing my face or using an avatar?

Yes. A Scholarly explainer is narrated slides and visuals. Nobody appears on camera, and there are no avatars or talking-head presenters. You pick a narrator voice and can listen to a preview first.

How long should an explainer video be?

Long enough for one idea. The Free plan makes a video of about 2 minutes. On paid plans you set a target length of up to 45 minutes, and the video comes out shorter when the source runs out of material. For a single point, the Short video switch makes a 30 to 45 second portrait video.

Can I get a whiteboard or hand-drawn style?

Yes. Doodles draws hand-drawn characters on a clean white canvas, and Illustrated uses rich artwork with captions on paper strips. The other styles are Standard, Standard Fast, Maths Lecture and Freestyle.

Is there a free AI explainer video maker?

Scholarly is free to start with no card. The Free plan includes one lifetime AI Creation Credit, which makes one explainer of about 2 minutes in 720p with the Scholarly logo. You watch it in Scholarly and share it by link. Downloads, 1080p and longer videos are on paid plans.

Can I edit the script after the video is generated?

Not line by line. There is no timeline or scene editor. While the video is being made, you can send requests in the Ask for a change thread. Afterwards you can make a new version in another style, voice or language. To control every word, write the script yourself and turn on Use my script as written.

Does it add captions?

Yes. The player has a captions switch, and the transcript follows the video. The Illustrated style also shows captions in the picture. On paid plans the export pack includes caption files in .srt and .vtt.

Can I make the same explainer in another language?

Yes. Narration, captions and on-screen text can be generated in 70+ output languages and regional variants, and the source can be in a different language from the video. A finished explainer can also be narrated again in another language as a new version, from one AI Creation Credit.

How do I share an explainer with customers or new hires?

Share a link, and viewers sign in with a free account to watch. To play it without an account, make the link public with no password and paste the embed code into a course page or an internal wiki. Paid plans can also download the MP4. There is no SCORM export.

Can it make product demo videos from screen recordings?

No. Scholarly does not record your screen or webcam and does not edit footage. An uploaded recording is read through its transcript and used as source material for a new narrated explainer.

Pricing

Start free and upgrade for longer explainers

The Free plan makes one explainer of about 2 minutes. Paid plans add target lengths up to 45 minutes, 1080p, MP4 downloads and more sources per video.

Make my explainer videoSee video lectures
Sample lecture

What one video lecture gets

Free makes a lecture of about 2 minutes in 720p with the Scholarly logo, to watch in Scholarly. Premium and Laureate make lectures up to 45 minutes in 1080p that you can download as an MP4, with the logo off if you choose.

Pricing shown in USD by default. Local currency may be available in app or at checkout.

Compare plans

Image creation · Beta

Shared across Image Studio and chat. Separate from AI Creation Credits. Free images are lifetime and do not reset. Paid allowances reset weekly without rollover. Limits may change during beta.

Free
2 lifetime
Premium
40/week
Laureate
80/week

AI chat

Premium and Laureate include unlimited AI chat on Auto. Chat starts on Best, and premium models such as GPT 6.1 Sol, Claude Sonnet 5.5, and Claude Opus 5.5 draw on a weekly premium usage allowance; when it runs out, chat keeps going on Auto until it resets. Chat never spends AI Creation Credits.

Free
3 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited

Premium chat models (Best)

Chat answers on Best, the strongest model, by default. Premium models draw on a weekly allowance that resets every Monday at 00:00 UTC; long threads, large files, background tasks, and Claude Opus 5.5 use it faster. When it runs out, chat keeps going on Auto until the reset.

Free
Not included
Premium
Weekly usage
Laureate
4× weekly usage

AI Creation Credits

AI Creation Credits cover videos, slides, documents, and other AI creations. Most models use 1 credit, a few use 2, and Frontier models use 2, 3, or 4. Image Studio and chat images have a separate weekly allowance.

Free
1 total
Premium
15/week
Laureate
80/week

Podcast length

Free episodes are about 2 minutes. Paid plans can set a target length up to 60 minutes.

Free
About 2 minutes
Premium
Up to 60 minutes
Laureate
Up to 60 minutes

Video lecture length

Free lectures with a length control are about 2 minutes. Paid plans can set a target up to 45 minutes. Short uses its own short video format.

Free
About 2 minutes
Premium
Up to 45 minutes
Laureate
Up to 45 minutes

Video lecture resolution

Free
720p
Premium
1080p
Laureate
1080p

Download lectures as MP4

Free
-
Premium
Included
Laureate
Included

Scholarly logo on lectures

Free
Always on
Premium
Your choice
Laureate
Your choice

File uploads

Free
1 total (8MB)
Premium
Unlimited (300MB)
Laureate
Unlimited (1 GB each)

PDF to flashcards

Free
32 pages
Premium
1000 pages
Laureate
3000 pages

Sources per creation

Free
Up to 1
Premium
Up to 10
Laureate
Up to 20

Practice questions

Free
5 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited

Practice exams

Free
1 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited

Voice mode

Free
5 min total
Premium
2 hr/day
Laureate
12 hr/day

Autocomplete

Free
500 words total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited

Export to Anki

Free
-
Premium
Included
Laureate
Included

Support

Free
Standard
Premium
Priority
Laureate
Priority

What customers say

Scholarly has enhanced the quality of notes and questions I administer to my tutees. Insightful, to the point.

TD Georgas

TD Georgas

Tutor

I have very good experience with Scholarly it summarise me scientific text in hovel academic level with citation. I use this for any therapeutic area . It is great and useful tool.

Diana

Diana

Scholarly user

Scholarly has been a valuable tool for my studies. The AI-generated flashcards and intuitive features make organising and retaining information much easier.

Briana

Briana

Scholarly user

This app is great for studying for big test. Drop your PDF's in the system and it'll do the trick. You can organise it specifically for your needs.

Kelvin

Kelvin

Scholarly user

Your questions, answered

Is Scholarly free to use?

Yes! The free plan includes core study tools with lifetime allowances: 3 AI Chat messages, 500 autocomplete words, 5 quiz questions, 5 voice minutes, 1 practice exam, one free AI Creation Credit total, and 1 file upload. These allowances do not reset. Image Studio and chat also share 2 lifetime images during beta; this separate Free allowance does not reset and may change. Upgrade to Premium for 15 AI Creation Credits per week and unlimited uploads.

What uses my free AI Creation Credits?

AI Creation Credits are shared across flashcards, podcasts, videos, slides, AI Documents, Deep Research, and the Transcribe tool. The selected model determines the credit cost. Recording a meeting does not use an AI Creation Credit. Transcript and notes are included, up to 10 hours on paid plans.

Can I cancel any time?

Absolutely. There are no contracts or commitments. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings, and you'll keep access until the end of your billing period.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe. Pricing is displayed in USD by default, but local currency is available in the app.

Can I use Scholarly with a class or school?

Yes. For a school or organisation-wide rollout, contact us at hello@scholarly.so and we'll help you find the right setup.

What happens when I hit a free plan limit?

You'll see a prompt to upgrade. Your existing work is never lost. Limits only apply to new actions. Most Free allowances are lifetime limits. The separate beta image allowance includes 2 lifetime images on Free with no reset, 40 per week on Premium, and 80 per week on Laureate. Limits may change during beta. Premium includes 15 AI Creation Credits per week, podcasts up to 60 minutes, video lectures up to 45 minutes, unlimited uploads, chat, autocomplete, quizzes, and exams, plus more daily voice time.