e-Learning Blog

To purchase Vyond, you can buy it directly from the official Vyond website or through a distributor.
The advantages and disadvantages of each will be explained later, but first, here is a summary regarding the pricing.

1-1. Vyond Pricing

1-2. How to Purchase Directly from Vyond Official

The method to purchase from the official site is as follows.

① Create an Account
Access the official Vyond website and click on "Free Trial" at the top of the page. Register your information such as name, email address, and company name to create a Vyond account.
Email verification and password setup, as well as answering a survey, will be required.
Once you create an account, a 14-day free trial period will begin.

②Upgrade to the Full Version
To output videos, you need to upgrade instead of using the trial version. You can start a plan by selecting Annual Pricing or Monthly Pricing. Important notes will be displayed here, so even though it will be in English, make sure to read it carefully.

③ Enter Payment Information
Please re-enter your name, email address, company name, and other information, and enter your payment information.
Vyond is software for English-speaking regions, so you need to read the English text and proceed with the contract during the purchase.
The official payment methods for Vyond are credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal, and JCB is not supported.

Benefits of Purchasing from the Official Site
On the official site, you can contract the Essential plan at a low cost, allowing you to keep expenses down. However, the Essential plan will have a "Vyond" watermark on the videos you create.
If you want to try out the features beyond the free trial period, it is recommended to purchase the Essential plan from the official site.

Disadvantages of Purchasing from the Official Site
The official site only supports English, so those who are not confident in their English skills may feel uneasy during the contract process. Proceed carefully while utilizing machine translation.
Additionally, all support is also in English, so if you are concerned about your English proficiency, it is recommended to purchase from an agency.

1-3. How to Purchase from an Agent and Points for Choosing an Agent

In addition to purchasing directly from the official Vyond site, there is a way to buy Vyond from Japanese distributors that sell it in packages.
The pricing, plans, and the scope and level of support may differ from purchasing directly from the official site. If you go through a domestic distributor, you can receive support in Japanese.
Furthermore, since distributors may also handle other animation video production tools besides Vyond, one of the advantages of utilizing a distributor is that they can suggest the most suitable tools based on your situation.

Points to Consider When Choosing an Agency

・Are there multiple plans available for contract?
Depending on the agency, the plans and durations available for contract may be limited. Since there may be cases where only limited plans can be chosen, let's check if there is an optimal plan that fits the situation you want to use it for.

・Support System
The support system and its robustness when implementing Vyond are important, as well as the support system for maintenance aspects such as updates. Let's emphasize the post-implementation support system to avoid situations where "it has been implemented, but is not being utilized effectively."

・Handling of Animation Video Production Tools Other Than Vyond
Depending on the purpose and content of the animation video you want to create, there may be tools other than Vyond that are more suitable. In such cases, an agency that can flexibly propose and respond after hearing the situation is ideal. Furthermore, depending on the purpose, it may be that content other than animation videos is more appropriate, so a company with a proven track record in producing multiple types of content, such as videos and manuals, is desirable.

・Track Record of Animation Video Production
The introduction of Vyond is merely a means to achieve objectives. To create content that fulfills these objectives, it is necessary to have know-how in educational planning, scenario design, and effect application, all of which are essential for content production. By utilizing agencies with a proven track record in content production, not just tool sales, the quality of the produced content can also be enhanced. Additionally, for companies with overseas branches or foreign companies, the ability to translate content into foreign languages becomes an important criterion for decision-making.

Case Study of Creating Internal Training Content Using Vyond:
＞Using Animation (Vyond) for e-Learning to Clearly Communicate "Contracts" to Employees

1-4. Comparison of Vyond Plans

VVyond is a cloud service specialized in animation production. With an easy-to-use interface similar to PowerPoint, no special skills or experience are required.
Over 1,900 backgrounds, over 1,300 characters, over 14,000 prop illustrations, and over 2,400 actions (character expressions and movements) are pre-prepared, allowing you to create high-quality animated works with storytelling and expressive power depending on how you combine the materials.

The created animations can not only be published as they are, but can also be imported into other tools such as PowerPoint, iSpring, and Articulate Storyline to be used as part of e-learning content.

It supports a variety of applications, allowing for the easy creation of high-quality animated videos for all industries, including marketing, training, and e-learning. Additionally, as a cloud-based service, animations can be created anywhere as long as there is an internet connection. Therefore, it is utilized in various scenes, primarily in business settings, as well as by YouTubers and in educational environments.

Related Articles:
＞What is Vyond? Introducing the Benefits of an Animation Video Production Tool for Business
＞Can Vyond Animations be Used as Teaching Materials? Introducing the Benefits of Using Them in e-Learning and Training

3-1. Features and Benefits of Vyond

Introducing the benefits of animation video production with Vyond.

Easy Operation - No Special Skills or Experience Required
With an easy operation similar to PowerPoint, you can create animated videos without the need for special skills or experience. Simply choose a background template like a PowerPoint slide, arrange the characters and objects provided in the tool, and set your favorite actions from the animation templates for the characters. This allows you to give movement to the characters and create animated videos.

Possible to produce in a short time and at low cost
Generally, producing business-oriented animations requires hiring specialized animation studios or freelancers, which can be expensive. Vyond allows users to create animated videos in a short period and at a low cost, even without prior animation production experience, as it offers a wealth of templates, characters, backgrounds, and sound effects. Its usability is also excellent, and it does not require any special software or hardware, making it accessible even with limited resources, eliminating the need to hire experts, which is a significant advantage for in-house production.

Rich in templates for practical use
Over 1,900 backgrounds, more than 1,300 characters, over 14,000 accessory illustrations, and more than 2,400 actions (character expressions and movements) are pre-prepared for business use. Of course, character customization is also possible.

Original images can also be imported
You can import original images, logos, etc., and customize them freely.

Speech Synthesis Generation
There is a voice generation feature that uses multiple speech synthesis engines. You can easily create animated videos with voiceovers by reading scripts in neural voices that can generate natural speech close to that of a human.

AI Video Generation
Additionally, Vyond features the industry's first AI-powered script and animation video generation function, Vyond Go. With Vyond Go (utilizing ChatGPT), you can set not only prompts but also the mood of the video, streamlining and simplifying the generation process.
It is said that the most challenging part of video creation is starting out, such as considering the story, but by utilizing generative AI, it becomes easier to overcome that barrier.

Related Articles:
＞Vyond Go (AI Video Generation) Tips and Best Practices ① Vyond Go Setup Guidelines
＞Vyond Go (AI Video Generation) Tips and Best Practices ② Vyond Go Case Studies

3-2. Comparison of Vyond and Other Animation Production Software

5 Recommended Animation Production Tools: 1. VideoScribe

VideoScribe is a video editing software that allows you to create whiteboard animations. Whiteboard animation is a technique that turns the process of drawing pictures and text on a whiteboard into a video. The feature comparison is as follows.

Comparison with Vyond: Vyond has a wide range of animations

・Usability: Both tools are easy to master with intuitive usability. You can create animations simply by selecting and placing materials such as images, text, and graphs. On the review site G2 for software, Vyond ranked first in the Easiest To Use in Animation software category, while VideoScribe was unranked (as of 2023).
・Expressiveness: VideoScribe is software specialized in whiteboard animation. Therefore, the only expressive method available is whiteboard animation. On the other hand, Vyond can express two other types of animation in addition to whiteboard animation.
・Operating Environment: VideoScribe requires software installation on a computer to create animations. Vyond is a cloud-based service, allowing you to create animations anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
・Abundant Materials: Vyond offers over 1,300 character templates, more than 14,000 illustrations for props, and a wealth of materials including BGM. VideoScribe provides about 10,000 types of illustration materials.
・Cost: Vyond's Premium plan costs about 90,000 yen per year (as of September 2023). VideoScribe is available for an annual fee of 168 dollars.
・Japanese Font Support: Vyond allows the use of Japanese fonts when creating animations. You can also add your favorite fonts. VideoScribe also supports Japanese fonts, but additional installation is not possible.

5 Recommended Animation Production Tools: 2. Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate is an animation production software from Adobe. It is software that allows you to create 2D animations and interactive content. You can create animations for formats such as HTML5 Canvas and WebGL. It often requires specialized knowledge and skills, making it challenging for beginners. The feature comparison is as follows.

Comparison with Vyond: Vyond requires no specialized knowledge and has a low barrier to entry

・Supports a wide range of platforms: Vyond primarily exports in MP4 (video) format, accommodating a wide range of platforms. In contrast, Adobe Animate primarily exports in HTML format, also supporting a wide range of platforms. It can also create 3D animations.
・Ability to create illustrations: Vyond makes it easy to create characters by adjusting various elements such as eyes, nose, and mouth based on templates. Adobe Animate has drawing capabilities, but illustrations generally need to be created from scratch.
・Usability: Vyond has an intuitive interface that allows for easy mastery. On the other hand, Adobe Animate requires specialized knowledge and skills, making it difficult for beginners.
・Methods of expression: Vyond can create 2D animations based on templates and materials. In contrast, Adobe Animate can create both 2D and 3D animations.
・Pricing: Vyond's Premium plan is approximately 90,000 yen per year (as of September 2023). Adobe Animate's standalone plan is 28,776 yen per year (including tax).

5 Recommended Animation Production Tools: 3. Animaker

Animaker is a tool that allows you to create animated videos in the cloud. This tool comes equipped with various advanced features necessary for video editing, enabling the creation of videos, GIF animations, and live video editing. A comparison of features with Animaker is as follows.

Comparison with Vyond: Vyond is available for commercial use regardless of the plan ・Templates: Vyond offers over 2,000 templates that can be used for various purposes. On the other hand, Animaker also provides a rich selection of over 1,000 templates.
・Library: Vyond has a variety of materials, including over 14,000 prop illustrations. Animaker also offers a vast amount of materials, with over 100 million video and photo assets available.
・Usability: Both tools primarily operate on a drag-and-drop basis, allowing for simple animation creation. According to the software review site G2, Vyond ranks first in the Easiest To Use in Animation software category, while Animaker ranks fourth (2023).
・Pricing: Vyond's Premium plan costs about 90,000 yen per year (as of September 2023). In contrast, Animaker's price is $468 per year, making it more affordable than Vyond. There is also a free plan available, but commercial use requires a business plan.
Top 5 Animation Production Tools: 4. Doodly

Doodly is software that allows you to easily create hand-drawn style animations, such as whiteboard animations. It is a popular video production tool in the United States because it allows for easy creation of whiteboard and chalkboard style videos. The feature comparison is as follows.

Comparison with Vyond: Vyond has a wealth of materials and templates

・Usability: Both tools primarily operate through drag-and-drop, allowing for simple creation of animations. On the software review site G2, Vyond ranks first in the Easiest To Use in Animation software category, while Doodly has no rating (2023).
・Expression methods: Doodly is mainly specialized in creating whiteboard-style or chalkboard-style videos, so it does not have the same range of expression as Vyond. ・Pricing: Vyond's Premium plan is approximately 90,000 yen per year (as of September 2023). On the other hand, Doodly's price is 790 dollars per year, making it cheaper than Vyond.

5 Recommended Animation Production Tools: 5. Powtoon

Powtoon is an online tool for creating presentations and animated videos. This tool is utilized in various fields such as business, education, and marketing. The feature comparison is as follows.

Comparison with Vyond

・Usability: Both tools primarily operate through drag-and-drop, allowing for simple creation of animations. On the software review site G2, Vyond ranks first in the Easiest To Use in Animation software category, while Powtoon ranks fifth (as of 2023).
・Functionality: Vyond is a tool specialized for animation production, while Powtoon can also handle screen recording and live-action video editing in addition to animation. When it comes to animation alone, Vyond is a more powerful tool in terms of the number of templates and customization options.
・Pricing: Vyond's Premium plan costs about 90,000 yen per year (as of September 2023). On the other hand, Powtoon's Professional plan is priced at 840 dollars per year.

3-3. Strengths of Vyond

Service introduction, seminars and study sessions, in-house training, sales activities, PR activities, exhibitions, and more can be utilized in a wide range of scenes.

・Introduction of products and services: Clearly communicate the features and benefits of products and services. Creating visually appealing videos can also enhance customer interest and trust.
・Educational and training content: Educational and training content can be summarized into enjoyable videos. You can freely choose characters and scenes, allowing for the expression of various situations and case studies.
Examples of creating internal training content using Vyond:
＞Using animation (Vyond) for e-learning to clearly convey contracts to employees
・Supplementing presentations and reports: You can create videos as supplements to presentations and reports. Content that is difficult to convey with just data and numbers becomes visually easier to understand when turned into a video.
・Advertising and marketing campaigns: You can produce effective videos for advertising and marketing campaigns. You can also customize stories and messages to suit the target audience.
・Internal communication and team building: Create videos that help with internal communication and team building, facilitating information sharing within the company. These can be used in various scenarios, such as employee introductions, event announcements, feedback, and expressions of gratitude.

With Vyond, you can create meaningful videos in a short time and deploy them quickly, allowing you to maintain a competitive edge in business.

・Adaptable to various business scenes: With a wide range of video patterns and abundant templates, it can be tailored to diverse business scenarios.
・Editable at low cost: Since there is no need for specialized personnel or expensive tools, video production costs can be significantly reduced. Additionally, it allows for in-house video production without relying on external production companies.
・Intuitive operation: Editing can be done easily with intuitive controls. Even beginners can master basic operations in a short time.
・Abundant templates: Numerous preset templates are available, allowing for the quick creation of animated videos. By using these templates, you can simply add and edit the necessary scenes, characters, and items to create original animated videos.
・Original images and photos can also be used: With Vyond, you can upload original images and photos to incorporate into your videos. This allows you to integrate your company's logo and brand colors into the video, emphasizing your corporate identity.

Related Articles:
＞Let's Create Business Animations with Vyond! Reasons and Benefits Recommended for Business, and Challenges Explained

・How many days is the trial period?

It is 14 days. The data from the trial account will be deleted after 30 days.
If you transition to the full version after 30 days, there is no guarantee that the data created with the trial account will be retained.

・What payment methods can be selected?

Payments can be made via bank transfer or invoice settlement.

・Can I add accounts (sheets) that are under contract?

Adding sheets is possible.
The contract cost at the time of addition will be calculated based on the remaining days of the contracted account on a pro-rata basis.

・Will there be any guidance during the contract renewal?

Approximately 90 days in advance, we (Human Science) will provide you with a notice for renewal.

・What are the benefits of purchasing Vyond from Human Science?

You can purchase at the same price as buying directly from Vyond, and it includes an online demo to explain how to use the product, as well as support for inquiries in Japanese regarding product usage.
Furthermore, we have a proven track record in producing e-learning content for a wide range of settings, such as businesses and schools, so by utilizing our content creation services, it is possible to complete video content tailored to your objectives.
Additionally, with over 20 years of experience in translation services, we can also provide multilingual content through translation. Please feel free to contact us for more details.

This time, I have summarized the prices, features, and benefits of animation video production tools. Vyond generally has many features that compensate for the disadvantages of animation video production. Additionally, video production solutions from Human Science can also be utilized. I will introduce the benefits of implementing Vyond through Human Science.

・Enhanced Support

We provide support for procedures before and after purchase, as well as communication with the Vyond provider (in English), and assistance with the proposal and production of educational content based on customer requests.
＞Vyond (Animation Production) Sales

Additionally, we offer multiple training courses for mastering Vyond, as well as operational explanations through web meetings before and after your purchase.
Please feel free to consult us for support in applying for government grants that can provide up to 75% in subsidies.

・We have a wealth of experience in e-learning production. We have many achievements in effective animation production outsourcing, not limited to Vyond, utilizing our know-how.
＞Vyond Animation Production Outsourcing

The enhancement of educational content using animated videos is expected to increase in necessity in the future. In proportion to this, it is anticipated that various animation video production tools will emerge and their functionalities will also improve. The use of AI will also advance. In such a situation, Vyond will be utilized even more as the optimal tool for creating animated teaching materials worldwide. To enable more companies to take advantage of this useful tool, Human Science is starting an agency. There is a 2-week free trial, so please feel free to contact us.

In addition, Human Science offers a variety of services related to educational content, from in-house support for educational content to the production of animation videos and teaching materials, so please feel free to consult with us. We support production using Vyond, as well as various other tools.
＞Human Science: e-Learning Services

Furthermore, Human Science has a wealth of experience in creating manuals for various products and services. Among these, there are many achievements in producing promotional videos and user training content that accompany the manuals. In this way, we can provide one-stop solutions from the proposal and creation of manuals and training texts to the proposal and creation of educational content, so please feel free to consult with us.
＞Human Science: Manual Production Services

＞Moodle Implementation Support and Operations
＞e-Learning Material Production
＞e-Learning Material Translation (Multilingual Support, Localization)