Are you in search of the perfect logo for your company? You’re probably trying to figure out how much you should set aside in your budget for logo design.
After all, great design requires an investment. Either an investment of money, if you’re hiring a designer, or an investment of time and effort, if you’re designing it yourself.
Of course, the answer to “How much does it cost to design a logo?” will vary pretty widely. And the ultimate cost depends on a number of factors. As you get ready to find the source of your ideal logo design, it’s a good idea to start out with a clear picture of what you want your logo to say about your company. Make a checklist of what you’re looking for, and be ready to stick to it in order to find the perfect design
for your brand.
There Are Logos For Free
Before you get too deeply involved in worrying about how your perfect logo will impact your budget, there’s another option to consider: the free option.
Automated logo design websites like DIY logo makers offer run of the mill logo templates that anybody can download time and again. They’re easy to use, and can be ideal for small business owners who don’t have the budget to pay a designer, or the expertise to design a logo themselves.
Logos and graphics from sites like these are designed to be user friendly for new business owners. They offer vector images, which is vital for a versatile logo. You can search by business type or color, and can customize the logo for details like business name.
Even if you decide to pursue other options for your company, taking the time to search through your free logo choices can be very helpful to set some parameters on what you are looking for — and what you’re not. You may even find a free logo that just needs a few tweaks in order to become the perfect representative of your company.
Overall, if you look elsewhere than free logo sites, you can expect to pay at least 100 dollars to have someone design your logo for you. Some estimates say that the average range is between $300 and $1000 dollars.
Factors To Consider In Budgeting For Logo Design
As you start the ball rolling with your logo design, remember that your designer of choice will need more than just a check for services rendered. To get the best logo designed for your company, it’s a good idea to work up a creative brief, including details on the type of company, the brand personality, values the brand is founded on, and any notes on the creative aesthetic that you’re seeking.
In addition to this, take some time to look for creative inspiration. Investigate the logos of brands you like and admire, research the logos of your competition, and pinpoint some details that you like — and anything that you don’t — in order to help your designer hit it out of the park on the first try.
The more time and effort you’re willing to invest in the creative brief, the greater the likelihood that you’ll end up with an effective, perfectly tailored logo.
That being said, you can also find graphic designers who are willing to work with the bare minimum — but you might get what you pay for, in the end.
Other factors that play into the overall cost of a logo design include:
Location
If you’re working with local designers, the cost of their services may vary depending on the area in which you live. Big cities areas, like New York and Los Angeles, are more likely to be home to higher-end designers; on the other hand, if your home is in a little town in the midwest, for example, you may find a small-town designer who is willing to work for less.
Experience
Obviously, just like with any other type of hire, you pay more for experienced workers. If your designer of choice has a significant work history with plenty of effective designs in her portfolio, you can expect to pay more. If you’re willing to work with a newbie, they may charge less in order to gain experience. If the designer you’re considering says that they have experience but seem to be lowballing you, take this into consideration. They may not have as much professional experience as they claim. On the other hand, design is a skill — if your designer doesn’t have a lot of experience and charges less but provides an excellent final product, be a good reference for them. Your recognition of their work will make up the difference for the discounted price tag, and you may find that you want to work with them again later on when you need a rebrand.
Virtual vs. in-person
It’s more likely that designers that are able to meet with you and discuss your project will charge more, especially if they run a brick and mortar business. They’ll likely have more overhead, and charge more to cover their costs. That being said, they’re more likely to be available to work with you in case changes need to be made to the design later on down the line. And if your company is launching in your hometown, there’s also a certain respect and fondness that goes along with choosing to hire local talent; this may help to enhance your image right out of the gate.
Type of designer
You can choose a professional design firm, opt to work with a freelancer, open it up to crowdsourcing, or even do it yourself. The overall cost will vary with each one.
Professional Design Costs
Starting with the option of finding a professional design firm to handle your logo design for you, we see a big range in pricing. Some design firms offer simple logo design starting at around $199, with packages including other branding materials causing the price to go up.
However, taking a look at design history shows that some logos and the concurrent branding cost thousands and thousands of dollars!
Of course, if you’re starting a small business, you likely have a limited budget and don’t want to pour thousands — or even a thousand — of dollars into your logo.
And there’s really no reason why you should have to. The important thing with choosing a designer is to pay a reasonable amount for good work — it should be a good deal for both you and the designer. Keep that in mind as you’re shopping for professional designers. Or you could skip the firms altogether and look to other sources.
Crowdsourcing Your Logo Design
Other options for designing a great logo include crowdsourcing logo design contests, and hiring freelancers.
Crowdsourcing your logo gives you the opportunity to search through multiple designs that have been put together expressly for your brand. However, with crowdsourcing, you often lack the ability to provide a creative brief or extensive details to ensure that you get the logo you really want. Crowdsourcing often focuses on quantity over quality.
However, if you go that route, there’s still a chance that you might find a reasonably-priced option that really suits your brand. Crowdsourcing cost depends on the site you use, but you can expect anywhere from $100-$300 dollars for a design.
Popular crowdsourcing sites may charge a fee for the client who uploads a design request. And they usually have a set amount to be paid for the winning design.
However, many crowdsourcing design sites also take a cut from the award for the chosen design, which means that the designer likely isn’t getting paid as much as you might think. Crowdsourcing can be a good start for a designer, but you’re somewhat less likely to find an excellent design through the sites simply because a great designer will look to use her skills elsewhere. And you won’t have the chance to develop a working relationship with your logo designer, which cuts out the possibility of them continuing to design for you in other areas or in the case of a rebrand.
Finding A Freelancer
Freelancing, on the other hand, gives you more relative control, not to mention more direct communication with your designer. Sites like Fiverr and Upwork let you post your design jobs and then interview applicants to see who seems most likely to suit your style.
The freelance option may also end up being a great deal cheaper than other options — but remember, like we said earlier, you often get exactly what you paid for. And not only that, but remember that the designers you’re working with are putting in hard work to create something for your brand. Try to offer them a reasonable amount for their effort.
You can find freelancers who work for an hourly rate, ranging anywhere from 15 bucks to hundreds of dollars per hour. Or you can locate a freelancer who is willing to charge a flat rate for the finished design.
Make sure to work your criteria into your contract, and do your best to be reasonable with the freelancer. If he or she doesn’t seem to be communicative or on the same page before you sign the contract, it’s best to look elsewhere.
DIY Logo Design
But professional firms, crowdsourcing, and freelancers aren’t your only resources for logo design. You could also decide to design your logo yourself.
If you have experience with graphic design, then you probably have a good idea of how long it may take you to put together a logo. You may have design software already, or you can choose to purchase it.
You can also find free software, like Inkscape, that allows you to create vector designs that can be used for your logo.
A word of caution here, though — designing a logo may seem more simple than it actually is! Simple logos are a smart choice, but it takes a good eye, a lot of research, and careful planning to create a logo that is truly effective for your brand.
Giving DIY design a shot is definitely worth it — you never know until you try, after all. But keep in mind that you may need to include another option in order to get the best result. Don’t let that discourage you from sketching out ideas for your logo, however. Your DIY efforts may be a vital part of the development process.
Logo Design Resources
Whether you’ve decided to go the free design route, hire a firm, crowdsource your logo, find a freelancer, or just do it yourself, there are a plethora of free and paid resources out there for logo design. Logo design is one journey that no one has to do alone.
Here are a few helpful resources that will assist you on your quest for the perfect logo design, regardless of your budget.
How Much Will Your Logo Cost?
Ultimately, the cost of logo design depends on a huge range of factors that vary from business to business. Overall, you can expect to pay at least $100 dollars to have someone design your logo for you. Choosing a DIY design will be a matter of time and effort rather than monetary investment. And, of course, there’s always the free logo design option.
When deciding what source to use for your logo design, remember that the ultimate goal is not just to have a logo — it’s to have a well-designed, effective logo that is perfect for your brand. And that is worth the investment!
In the end, it’s up to you how much you want to invest in your brand identity. Regardless of which path you choose, stick with it and keep going until you develop an effective logo for your business.
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