How Much Does Graphic Design Cost in 2023?

Designing graphics for websites and other online platforms has become an increasingly popular way to make a living. The cost of online graphic design services has also increased in recent years. Here, we discuss how much online graphic design services cost in the year 2023.

Hourly Costs of Online Graphic Designers

While not every agency pays hourly rates, they can be easily calculated. Here are the approximate hourly rates of designers of different skill levels:

• Entry: $5–$20/hour
• Intermediate: $20–$60/hour
• Professional: $60–$160+/hour

Outsourcing vs In-house

The average graphic designer earns $50,710 in the US. By hiring an in-house designer, you don’t pay them only the wage but also for benefits, their workplace requirements (hardware and software, equipment), and more. So, an in-house designer costs much more than $50K a year.

In addition, you also have to go through the hiring and onboarding process, which either requires weeks of your time or one of your employees. Finally, if you ever decide you don’t need a designer anymore, you must pay them a severance.

On the other hand, outsourcing graphic design is considered cheaper, yet the truth of that statement depends on which agency you pick. Generally, we recommend outsourcing graphic design since it’s cheaper, more flexible, and you can get better results.

The main advantage of outsourcing is getting access to a larger pool of designers. Switching between freelancers or agencies is also easier when you start another project. This way, you can get a new expert. In contrast, you can’t expect one in-house designer to be an expert in every field of graphic design. As a result, you would either have to hire several designers or keep hiring and firing for every task.

Ultimately, it’s much easier to outsource and simply swap out designers you don’t need anymore. Or if you work with an agency, they’ll automatically assign a new designer based on your project.

Freelance vs. Services vs. Crowdsourced

Before we jump into pricing, let us explain what each type of design service means:

• Crowdsourced design services are a newer option that is becoming increasingly popular. These services connect businesses with a large pool of designers from around the world. Their cost is typically based on a per-project basis, and businesses only pay for the designs they choose. In other words, you pay for a project, often called a “contest”, which is then automatically submitted to a pool of designers, who can then choose to participate and submit their concept. You receive some number of designs, usually 30 to 90, and can pick the best one. The price you paid for the contest is then awarded to the winner.
• Freelance marketplaces connect those hiring with freelancers. How you are connected with freelancers varies among platforms, but in any case, the entire project is coordinated by the platform. This way, both you and the freelancer are protected from scams.
• Hours of work bought represent monthly subscriptions that grant you a certain number of creative hours. You can then use those in any way or at any time you would like.
• Unlimited design services are also monthly subscriptions that promote themselves as offering unlimited work, but this isn’t true. The amount of work you can get done depends on several factors, most notably the number of simultaneous tasks, turnaround time, and the number of revisions you ask for.

Online Graphic Design Cost

Brand	Type	Price	What You Get
99designs	Crowdsourced	$299–$1,299	30 to 90 designs
Crowdspring	Crowdsourced	$299–$1,199	20–70 designs
DesignCrowd	Crowdsourced	$59–$779	30 to 170 designs
DesignHill	Crowdsourced	$249–$999	20 to 80 designs
Zillion Designs	Crowdsourced	$274–$1,173	Some number of designs
BestGraphicDesign	Crowdsourced	$1–$99	3 to 10 designs
Toptal	Freelance	$80–$150/hour	Freelancer’s time
Upwork	Freelance	$7–$285/hour	Freelancer’s time
Fiverr	Freelance	$5–$1,000+/project	Freelancer’s time
Bunny Studio ONE	Hours of work	$2,399–$10,119/month	40–120 creative hours; 1–3 days turnaround
Superside	Hours of work	$5,500–$95,000/month	60–1,100 hours of work
Awesomic	Unlimited	$699–$2,490/month	1–2 simult. tasks; 1–3 days turnaround
Kimp	Unlimited	$599–$995/month	2–4 simult. tasks; 1–4 days turnaround
DotYeti	Unlimited	$399–$2,395/month	1–2 simult. tasks; 2 days turnaround
Vecteezy Studio	Unlimited	$1,599–$3,999/month	1 task per day; 2–3 days turnaround
Manypixels	Unlimited	$439–$1,199/month	1–2 simult. tasks; 1–4 days turnaround
Kapa99	Unlimited	$442–$649	1 simult. task; 12 hours to 2 days turnaround
DesignPickle	Unlimited	$499–$995	same day to 2 day turnaround
Penji	Unlimited	$374–$999	same day turnaround
Flocksy	Unlimited	$499–$1,495	fast turnaround
Designed.co	Unlimited	$2,500–$10,000/month	4 to 28 projects per month
DesignCloud	Unlimited	$439–$999/month	1× designer

Pick Cheap or Expensive?

Price often correlates with the quality of a product or a service. Therefore, it’s difficult to compare various agencies, especially when you consider they don’t all offer the same services nor price them in the same manner. So before you pick the cheapest service available, we’d like to propose a different approach: first consider the quality of design you require, and then adjust your budget accordingly.

For example, if you want to create a professional logo or Facebook ad, expecting satisfactory results from an entry-level designer is unreasonable. Thus, you must first adjust your budget. Of course, if you can sacrifice quality for lower costs, go for it.

However, it’s important to remember that investing in a higher-quality service may ultimately save you money in the long run, as it can attract more customers and lead to more business.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the level of experience and expertise of the agency or designer you are considering. A more expensive agency may have a team of experienced designers and a proven track record of delivering high-quality work. In contrast, a cheaper agency may not have the same level of experience or expertise.

In conclusion, while the price is certainly a factor to consider when choosing an agency or designer, it’s important also to consider the quality of the work and the level of experience and expertise of the agency or designer. By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and ultimately choose the best option for your needs and budget.

So, How To Pick Then?

The best way to select the best graphic design service for your project is to consider the value-to-cost ratio. Yet, it’s not something you can calculate, and it differs for every client.

The only way to estimate it accurately is by knowing the agencies’ ins and outs. Since we know you don’t have the time to do that, as it takes months and years of experience, you can rely on our reviews. We have tested, used, and re-tested every graphic design agency.

You can also get in touch with us for a free consultation.

How Much Do Freelance Graphic Designers Charge?

The costs of freelance graphic designers depend on their expertise, task duration, and complexity. Here are the average project costs:

Hourly Rates: $20–$160+/hour

The average hourly rate for a freelance graphic designer ranges from $20 to $160+, depending on experience and expertise. Entry-level designers can charge as little as $5–$20 per hour, while designers with more experience and expertise can charge $20-$160+ per hour.

Some factors that can affect a designer’s hourly rate are the project’s complexity, the time frame required, the number of revisions needed, and whether the designer also offers other services, such as illustrations or web design. When hiring a freelance graphic designer, you should discuss their hourly rate in advance, so there are no surprises later. Once you know the hourly rate, you can negotiate a price acceptable to both.

Logo Design: $150–$1400

A simple logo design may cost as little as $150, while a more complex design may cost up to $1400. It also depends on whether you hire an experienced logo designer or a newbie. Keep in mind that some brands pay hundreds of thousands for logos.

Web & App Design: $80–$50,000

Apps can take weeks or months to develop, costing tens of thousands, while simple landing pages, website icons, buttons, and similar features cost less than $100. There are also WordPress themes and plugins, which cost anywhere from $500 to $10,000+.

Smaller design projects:

• Business & Advertising ($150–$400): Postcards, flyers, print, leaflets, direct mails, album covers, podcasts, infographics, brochures, booklets, pamphlets, wraps, signage, billboards, banners, menus, PowerPoint templates, emails, website headers, resumes, Word templates, and booths.
• Clothing & Merchandise ($170–$200): T-shirts, clothing, apparel, jerseys, merchandise, bags & totes, hats, caps, shopping bags, cups, mugs, and stickers.
• Art & Illustrations ($150–$400): Illustrations (classic, business, website, book), graphics, patterns, cards, invitations, greeting cards, characters, mascots, tattoos, 3D and 3D architectural rendering.
• Packaging & Label ($250–$400): Product, food, retail, and cosmetics packaging, box, wine, beer, beverage, food, and product labels.
• Book & Magazine ($250–$300): Book cover, interior book design, eBook cover, magazine cover, and book layout.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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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