A logo is a critical design asset to invest in for your business, organization, or brand. However, the cost of creating a logo can vary greatly depending on a number of factors. For example, the logo designer’s skill and experience or the type of service provider chosen.
To give you a ballpark figure:
- DIY logo generators and logo design contests typically cost between $0–$500 to use or host, while freelance designers may charge anywhere from $15–$200 per hour.
- Mid-range logo design packages from designers or agencies range from $399 to $1699, while high-end packages can cost up to $100,000+.
- On average, expect to pay between $300 and $700 for a professional, custom logo design.
We’ve compiled this in-depth guide to help you understand the exact factors affecting logo pricing.
What Factors Affect Logo Design Pricing?
When looking for a high-quality logo designer or researching logo design tools, you’ve likely requested quotes and viewed pricing. In doing so, you may have noticed a disparity in fees from one agency, freelancer, or platform to the next. Why is this the case?
Various factors result in a discrepancy in cost, including the designer’s skill levels, location, and design process. Listed below are the main reasons one platform or logo designer may charge you more than another. Or vice versa.
- Design team & tools: Logo generation tools are often low-cost or free because you can generate a logo yourself using the provided software. In contrast, outsourcing your logo creation to a freelance designer or design team costs more because you pay for their time and expertise. However, you also get a high-quality, custom logo that a logo generator would be unlikely to produce.
- The design process: Even someone inexperienced in design can create a logo using user-friendly generator software. However, the traditional approach of creating a personalized logo is much more complex and time-consuming. That extra market research, sketching, and even creating a unique font costs extra.
- Experience & knowledge: Graphic design – including logo creation – requires an advanced knowledge of the tools of the trade, as well as art and composition. Graphic designers study and spend years honing their craft in the industry, charging more as they upskill.
- Designer’s talent: Besides technical know-how, some logo designers have talent. They may rise to fame or prominence in the industry as a result. However, expect to wait and pay more for a talented or famous designer – especially if they know their worth.
- The designer’s location: When selecting a logo designer or agency, their location is a factor, especially when hiring online. A designer situated in a city or country with a higher cost of living – such as New York or Switzerland – is likely to charge more. After all, they must make more to maintain a similar quality of life.
- Logo type: New businesses are often looking to get a logo designed from scratch. In comparison, existing companies may want their logo redesigned. Either way, the process may cost more or less, depending on how long or complex the design or redesign is.
Why is there a perception that logo design is expensive?
Distilling the essence of a business or a brand into a simple logo is a skill and time-consuming. As such, logo design can be very pricey, easily ranging into thousands of dollars. Many of the top brands and companies have paid similarly high amounts to get a professional, unique logo created by branding agencies. However, contrary to common perception, you can also get a decent logo for much less.
What’s generally included in the logo design price?
Agencies and individual designers will bill you according to their set hourly or per-project fees. These costs account for the hours taken and wages of the designer or team members assigned to the task. Plus, any additional business operation costs like rent, electricity, software, hardware, and tools.
The generation of various file formats, types, and variations of your logo should also be included in the price. Similarly, logo design tools may cost a set fee, depending on the services you utilize. But, their pricing is calculated slightly differently, as the software is generally provided online. The company aims to recoup its outlay on software design by hosting the software as a service (SaaS) online instead.
Extra logo design costs to consider
Though often included in your design, a designer may bill for re-works of a design – especially if the requested edits are excessive. In order to display your logo on non-commercial and commercial items and advertising, you may also need to purchase font or clip-art licenses.
Aside from the logo design itself, consider additional complementary assets you can purchase from a designer, agency, or platform:
- A branding or style guide – to help create on-brand graphics and collateral.
- Matching stationery featuring your logo – to give out to customers and employees.
- Business cards – for marketing your business to your network.
- Additional requested unique logo file types – for use in print, online, and elsewhere.
Where to Get a Logo Designed
Choice 1: Create your own logo
Creating your own logo is by far the cheapest method. You can do it completely free with a tool like GIMP if you have some graphic design skills. Conversely, you can use a paid tool, such as Adobe Illustrator. Regardless of which tool you choose, if you want to create a logo yourself in vector-based software, you will need to know how to use that software, and you need some graphic design basics, which can take months to learn.
- GIMP: GIMP is a free and open-source image editing software that can be used for logo design. It offers a wide range of tools for editing and manipulating images, including vector graphics. It can be used as a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
- Sketch: Sketch is a vector graphics editor and digital design tool primarily used for creating user interfaces, mobile and web interfaces, and icons. It is a popular choice for designers working on digital products and has a wide range of features for creating logos.
- Adobe Illustrator: Adobe Illustrator is a professional vector graphics software that is widely used by designers to create logos, illustrations, and other graphics. It offers a wide range of tools and features for creating logos and is considered the industry standard for vector graphics design.
- Vectr: Vectr is a free vector graphics editor that runs in a web browser. It offers a simple design and intuitive interface and allows you to create logos, icons, and other vector graphics with ease. It is a great tool for beginners or those who want to create logos without spending money on expensive software.
- Canva: Canva is a graphic design tool that allows you to create a wide range of designs, including logos, posters, flyers, and social media graphics. It is a user-friendly tool that does not require any design skills, and it offers a wide range of templates, icons, and design elements to help you create a professional-looking logo.
Price: $0–$20/month
Duration: 1 hour to several days
Skill required: Advanced logo design and software skills
Choice 2: Modify a free or paid logo template
Choosing to modify a free or paid logo template can be a great option for creating a professional-looking logo for your brand. You can begin by finding a template that you like and making adjustments to things like the design, colors, and typography to make it unique to your business. However, before you choose a template, make sure it’s fully customizable and that you have the right design software or tools to make the changes you need. And most importantly, double-check that the template you choose isn’t already being used by another company to avoid any legal issues.
You can find professional and pre-vetted logo templates at:
- Envato Elements is a subscription-based platform where you can access a wide variety of logo templates and design elements. ($16.50/month)
- Creative Market is an online marketplace where you can find logo templates and other design assets created by independent creators. ($2–$80+/template)
- Adobe Express is a design tool that offers pre-designed templates, including logos, that you can customize to fit your brand. ($9.99/month)
- Canva is an easy-to-use graphic design tool that offers a wide variety of logo templates that can be customized to fit your brand. ($9.95/month)
- GraphicRiver is an online marketplace where you can find a wide variety of logo templates and other design assets created by independent designers. ($3–$1,000+/template)
Price: $16.50/month; $3–$1,000+/template
Duration: 30 minutes to 3 hours
Skill required: Intermediate logo design and software skills
Choice 3: Use an online logo maker
Logo makers are online tools that automate logo creation, some even with the help of an AI algorithm. All you do is input your company name, a slogan if you have one, preferred colors, layout, and fonts, and the logo makers create dozens of logo designs based on those requirements. It’s a relatively affordable option to get professional logos, although the customization options are limited.
- Looka is overall the best logo maker, powered by AI to design innovative logos that fit your instructions. In addition to the logo, you can also get 300+ ready-to-go designs, which are a part of a branding package. The largest subscription also comes with a website. ($96 or $192/yr;
$20 or $65 one-time) - Tailor Brands is similar to Looka but more comprehensive. It doesn’t only handle your logo designs, but they also help you create an LLC, opens a bank account for you, and handles insurance and bookkeeping. ($2.50–$49.99/month)
Price: $2.50–$49.99/month; $20–$100+/logo
Duration: 2–30 minutes
Skill required: None
Choice 4: Host a logo design contest
Crowdsourced logo design platforms are not the cheapest, but they are the best when you lack inspiration. For a fixed price, you create a contest to which dozens of designers can apply their ideas for logos. Based on your preferences, you can then choose your favorite.
- 99designs is our number one choice for crowdsourced design, and it’s also the best choice for crowdsourced logo design. For between $299 and $1,199, you will get up to 90 logo concepts from professional designers.
- DesignCrowd is a worthy 99designs alternative, costing roughly the same for logo design. The main difference is that you get more designs from lower-quality designers.
- DesignHill is similar to 99designs in every aspect and is definitely worth considering; however, it performs worse than 99designs in every aspect.
Price: $250–$1,299+ per logo contest
Duration: 1 to 14 days
Skill required: None
Choice 5: Hire a freelancer to design your logo
You can cut out the middleman and hire a freelance logo designer yourself. As a result, you may pay less (or more) for a logo, but you will spend more time vetting designers. The best places to hire logo designers include:
- Toptal is by far the best marketplace to hire freelance logo designers, thanks to the stringent vetting process. It’s a little bit more costly than Fiverr and Upwork, but you also get experienced designers. The hourly rates range from $80 to $160.
- Dribbble is a marketplace where designers showcase their portfolios, so you can pick the one you like best. You can also post jobs, which cost $9.99. Experienced freelancers’ hourly rates range from $20 to $200+.
- Fiverr is not a place we’d go for professional logo design, but it’s a good place to get affordable logos. You will spend a lot of time vetting the freelancers, though. $5 to $1,000+ per design project.
- Upwork is like Fiverr but a little bit better. Still, it’s full of low-quality frauds posing as professional logo designers. The hourly rates range from $5 to $100+.
- Freelancer is a double-edged sword. There are not many good designers left there anymore, but if you’re lucky, you might find one. $5 to $50 per hour.
Price: $5–$200+/hour
Duration: 3 to 30 days
Skill required: None
Choice 6: Outsource your logo design to an agency
The most expensive option is to outsource logo design to a logo design agency. Generally, design studios deliver the best results, but such logos often cost $10,000 and even over $1 mil. A much more affordable option is unlimited graphic design services, which are ideal if you have ongoing graphic design needs—and since you need a new logo, you probably do.
- Awesomic is the best unlimited graphic design service, which offers logo design and branding with the Pro plan ($1,995/mo) or higher. Awesomic is also one of the few sites where you can get the source files for your logo during the trial. The trial lasts for 7 days and costs $7. After it ends, you can cancel and ask for the source files, and you’ll get them at a significantly discounted price.
- ManyPixels is a highly undervalued unlimited design service capable of producing highly professional designs. It’s much cheaper than Awesomic for logos because you can get them even with the Advanced plan ($439/mo).
Price: $400–$2,000+/month
Duration: 1 to 7 days
Skill required: None
What is a good budget for a logo?
Spending around $300 or more is advised for professional businesses and brands looking to grow. If you plan to display your logo prominently – especially on commercialized content and products – even more care should be taken to ensure the logo is on-point.
Either way, aim to spend a little more getting your logo just right. After all, your logo will be on almost every single design asset your company produces in the future. Plus, it will be difficult to change it dramatically after your brand or company becomes recognizable. At least without confusing your customers.
Which is the best logo design option for me?
If you have $100 or less to spend, a logo generator or contest is your best bet. Note that neither may yield the best quality or expected results, though. So, if you only have a small budget to burn, you may actually want to consider going all out and hiring a designer instead. There are a number of freelance designers who charge reasonable rates for logo design.
That said, consider spending a little more on a logo if you can. If your budget is higher – around $300 or more – you may be able to afford an agency or a more renowned logo designer. They’re more likely to get the design right the first time. In general, agencies and freelancers will work with you to perfect a logo, too, offering a number of revisions.
Beyond a budget, time constraints may be an issue for you. If you’re very pressed for time, a logo generator is the fastest. But you could also specify that you need a quicker turnaround for your agency or designer. They may be open to speeding up the process for free or in exchange for a bump up in fee.
Note that a logo generator may only provide you with the basic file types (JPG, PNG, raster), too. As these formats are unsuitable for editing later or scaling, the money and time you save now may cost you later. It can be incredibly costly and time-consuming for a graphic designer to re-create a vector logo or design from a simple image or raster file.
What to Look For in a Logo Design?
For those unfamiliar with logo design, it may be challenging to differentiate a good logo design from the rest. From aesthetic to technical, there are a few factors to consider. Here are the most critical ones.
Aesthetics
The top-ranking logos catch your eye while still being simple. A combination of clean design balanced composition and is key to an aesthetically-pleasing logo. Not only should you be able to quickly determine what the logo is about, but it’s near-perfect in its execution.
On-Brand
A logo must be recognizable and personal, acting as an unmistakable emblem for a business or a brand. From the colors to the overall feel of the logo, it should emanate you. If it just looks good but doesn’t quite capture you, it might need to go back to the drawing board.
Uniqueness
Just like your business and branding, your logo should be 100% unique. From the font used to any integrated imagery (and edits to both), these elements must blend to create a one-of-a-kind logo.
Quality
A quality logo design is clean, smooth, and technically perfect. Look for faults like excessive pixelation, unattractive color combinations or gradients, and uneven text, lines, and spaces. These issues need to be ironed out before the logo is ready to use online or in print.
Formats
A logo is a digital asset that can come in a variety of formats and variations. Generally, a logo should be created in a vector program like Adobe Illustrator, which ensures it can scale without pixelation. From a vector file, the logo can then easily be adapted into various other formats, including raster files.
Generally, you can expect to receive one or more of these deliverables with the average logo design package:
- The original logo design file – to use for future tweaks, edits, and redesigns.
- An EPS/vector logo file – for scaling on large assets and graphics without pixelation.
- A JPG/raster logo file – ideal for use as an icon or image online, where an opaque background is necessary (online or in print or for placing on smaller items).
- A PNG logo file – with a transparent background for overlaying on basic documents.
- Color variations of your logo – suitable for light, dark, and colored backgrounds.
- Multiple color mode versions – for print (RGB), online (CMYK), or both (Pantone).
You will likely need some or all of these formats and variations for use in different projects. EPS logos can be used on billboards and posters. PNG files can be used on company letterheads. And JPGS or your logo can be used as profile pictures on social media platforms. And so on.
Each designer or tool offers specific deliverables, so be sure to ask before you buy. Also, don’t be afraid to chat with them about where you need to place your logo. So, they can assist with generating the correct logo formats and guiding you on how best to use any provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a logo usually cost?
The cost of a logo design can vary from $2 to $2500+, with higher-end firms usually charging anywhere from around $50,000 to $100,000+. Factors such as whether the logo was created in-house or by a professional designer can affect the price.
How much should you charge for a logo?
The cost of a logo design can vary greatly, from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars. For small businesses and startups, a good logo design should cost between $300–$1300. DIY design can be as low as $2, while working with a graphic designer or agency can range from $300–$900. Graphic designers typically charge an average of $25 per hour, but most don’t charge on an hourly basis rather a fixed price. Higher-end firms usually charge anywhere from around $50,000 to $100,000+.
How much should I pay for a simple logo?
A simple logo design typically costs around $100, though the cost can range from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars. DIY design can cost as little as $2, while working with a graphic designer or agency can cost between $300 and $900. Freelance graphic designers usually charge between $50 and $50,000 for a logo, while higher-end firms may charge up to $100,000+.
How much should a freelancer charge for a logo?
Freelance logo design rates can range from $100 to $5,000 depending on the designer’s experience and the type of brands they work with. Logo design packages typically include a brief consultation and can cost between $300–$900. A midrange logo design contest can cost around $300-$2500. Graphic designers usually charge a fixed price rather than an hourly rate, with an average of $25 per hour. For a logo design project, this could amount to roughly $500–$550 for 10–11 hours of work.
About your guide
Matic Broz is a multifaceted creative professional, with experience as a photographer, graphic designer, and business owner. He has a decade of experience in helping other creatives improve their craft and start their own businesses. His writing and research have been featured in notable publications such as The Guardian, PetaPixel, and USA Today. Additionally, his scientific research has been recognized with a cover feature in the prestigious MDPI-owned journal. In his leisure time, he enjoys photography, hiking, and spending time with dogs. Read more
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