This is one of the most frequent questions I receive. But, trying to answer this question without specific details is very difficult to answer.
So the next question I usually get is, “What’s the ballpark cost for designing a logo?” This depends, as every project is unique. The cost of a logo is going to be different depending on the requirements, the size of the business, and much more. A huge international company has much different needs than a small local business. For this reason, I have clients fill out a branding and design questionnaire before starting any project.
The cost of a professional logo design depends on who you decide to work with. There is no average logo design cost, and no set logo design price.
But, to answering the question, here are some logo design price ranges. These are just “ballpark” figures:
To understand the value of quality logo design you must understand three things:
This will help you to appreciate the value of a quality logo design.
A logo is a graphic symbol that is used to identify a company, product or service. It’s usable across a multitude of platforms and is completely unique. It stands out among competitors.
There are many benefits to having a high-quality logo for your business. When you decide that you want to start a business, you want to do everything you can, to give it a strong chance of being successful.
The right logo can be beneficial towards that goal for these reasons:
Make a great first impression. Our memories tend to work in a way where we remember an image first and then a name, which explains why we can remember someone’s face but not their name. Having a strong logo that stands out is essential to making sure you stand out from your competitors. The best logos stay in the memory banks of people, and can help create repeat business.
A logo can provide a sense of uniformity and also make a huge impact on the reputation of your brand. A timeless and classic logo will provide your business with brand authenticity and can make your business look trustworthy, reliable, and professional even if you’ve only been in business a short time.
The logo for your business should be able to reveal the essence of your brand. It gives your business an identity. A design that represents your business is vital to customers being able to know what you do. The design should be representative of the brand as a whole.
If you look at almost any marketplace, the number of different brands can be staggering. This is why a high-quality logo can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. With online marketing becoming more important as well as effective, a visually impressive logo that sits well on your site, social media, and marketing materials will make a huge difference in your business’ professionalism and advertising capabilities.
When you decide that it’s time for you to have a logo designed for your business, you will have many options to choose from. The biggest difference between the options, other than cost, is the process that the graphic designer goes through when creating your logo. This process ensures that the logo can stand the test of time, and is aligned with your business goals.
Meet with client for further briefing on the project to discuss timing and the next steps. This meeting provides an opportunity to share insights, ideas and perspectives.
I will learn everything I can about your business. I want to know your positioning, strategies and challenges. I need to know who your competitors are, and what your goals are. Before we begin the creative development it is important for me to immerse myself in your business until I understand the whole picture.
Now that I know your business I can start with the creative development. Based on your goals, branding, and the desired outcome, I will develop a broad range of design candidates. I will refine these concepts and begin developing the artwork.
I am proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite® that assists in creating the design concepts. I'll work on the Mechanical Artwork until it's presentable. The agreed upon number of design pathways will be presented.
I will present the design pathways by providing you with high-quality digital files. My thinking and objectives behind the designs will be explained in detail. From this presentation, you will choose a design pathway you want to move forward with, and develop.
I will then develop the chosen pathway until it meets all of the client’s needs and expectations. The client will be provided with quality digital presentations of each mechanical for the chosen design pathway approval.
Based on the chosen design and any modifications, we will refine the final production artwork. After all revisions are made and the project has final approval, the mechanical artwork will be prepped for print, or online publishing.
Whether it's a digital or print design I'm ready to deliver the final project. By now all the plans for distributing the product should be in place. All efforts have led to this moment of unveiling. The end result is another happy client.
You can put the costs of logo design into 3 categories: budget, mid-range and high-end.
These budget options are mostly for those people who may just be starting out and not have the capital they need yet to have a logo designed professionally. If you’re serious about your business, you need to spend some time developing a budget for your business plan so you can afford a quality logo, because these routes may actually do more harm than good. You’ll generally get some clip art from an inexperienced designer.
The cheapest logo you’ll ever use is the one you make yourself. If you have some graphic design ability, you may be able to use one of these sites to create a suitable logo, but I recommend leaving designing to a professional. These sites limit what you can do, with generic icons and fonts.
Sites such UpWork and Fiverr offer graphic design services at an approved to price point. You’re mostly working with ‘offshore designers’ or hobbyists. You post the job, explain the parameters of what you are looking for and hope for the best. While there may be some quality designers on these sites, the designs are notorious for being plagiarized, so be careful. If you’re paying $20 for a logo, how much time are they actually investing in your project?
A logo contest is where you let different designers know what you are looking for and many designers present mockups of the logo for you to choose. Only one winner is awarded a “prize”. For this reason, the quality is extremely low. These “designers” do not invest time into the project and often plagiarize to cut corners.
This is typically where most small to mid-sized business owners should be looking for a quality logo design. If you do the proper research, you’ll get good quality work and it won’t destroy your budget.
Building a relationship with your designer is a great way to ensure you get what you need and there’s no better way to do this than by working directly with a freelancer. With freelance though, the amount of experience can affect the cost and quality of the work. You must vet their portfolio and testimonials before making a decision.
A small design studio keeps things tight, which means you can utilize a small selection of designers at an effective price point. You generally work with a point of contact vs. directly with the designers.
Prices can range from $5000 – $30,000+
A mid-sized agencies have quality work, but it comes with more overhead, as they need to hire managers, creative directors, and multiple designers to work on the project.
Prices can range from $5000 – $50,000+
Logo creation that is priced in this range, generally provide their clients with much more than just a logo. They are more of an encapsulation of your brand as a whole and will provide a much more extensive process than any other option.
You’ll get a quality logo created for your business, but with an agency, they will conduct in-depth market research and competitor analysis to determine how your brand can stand out in the market. You’ll have creative teams work on your project from every angle, ensuring success at a sometimes, very high price point.
Large international branding projects often go into the multi-millions.
Design is an investment and it will pay off for many years to come. If you can’t afford a professional logo design right away, consider these options:
“If you think good design is expensive, you should see the cost of bad design.”
Like any industry, there are scam artists out there and they can hurt the rest of those trying to do things the right way and provide a valuable service.
This can make some wary of working with a quality freelance graphic designer, thinking that they will take the money and run, or worse, provide plagiarized work.
They may seem like a good option at an incredibly cheap rate and there is a reason why. A $5 logo is not going to be worth the headache and in many cases, could be a plagiarized copy.
This is a good way to steer clear of people stealing designs and search engines are able to see the contents of graphics and and match it from the internet.
Who your designer has worked with in the past can tell you a lot about their work and expertise.
These are a few things you should take into account when choosing a logo designer.
Your logo is not your brand… Your logo is just the tip of the iceberg. Contact me to take your logo and brand to the next level.
