Your logo is the first impression that you give to your potential and existing customers. It is the start of your marketing story and should evoke emotions like joy, trust, and admiration, giving you brand recognition among the audience. An aesthetically-pleasing logo can attract more customers, and a poorly designed one can drive them back. With that in mind, the first question that arises is how much does a logo design cost?
In 2001, oil giant BP redesigned its logo, which cost the company a whopping $4.6mn! Well-known brands spend millions and sometimes billions to have a distinct and attractive logo, which can give them a memorable brand identity. Nike, on the other hand, got its logo designed for just $35! A logo, therefore, can cost you from a few dollars to even millions depending on the designers you hire.
If you are a startup, thinking of getting a logo designed, here is all that you need to know about the logo design cost.
Hourly Rates:
A lot of designers charge hourly rates from the clients. The rate generally depends on the below factors:
- Professional status like a student, freelancers, design studios, etc.
- Time factor
- Reputation
- Concepts and revisions
- Size of the company
- Experience
- Location
So, what hourly rates should you pay for a logo design?
- Students - Students who are learning designing, lack experience, and don’t have that level of understanding of the elements needed to create a logo. They can be creative, but take a longer duration in reaching the final design. Their rates are minimal ranging from $20 to $60 per hour.
- Freelancers - Freelance logo designers can offer their services at lower rates as they don’t have many overheads. They would generally ask for something between $60 to $120 per hour.
- Design Studios - Design studios have their own teams whose creativity, knowledge, and experience are used in the design process. These people are generally highly qualified and experienced to produce ingenious and high-quality designs, needing minimal alterations from the clients’ side. These design studios, therefore, charge higher rates ranging from $80 to $250 per hour.
Flat Fees:
Many design firms will ask for flat fees to deliver a logo design. Below are the fixed fees that you can be charged, based on the option you choose:
- Logo Maker:
The most cost-effective method of logo designing is making it yourself. If you don’t know designing, you can use a logo generator. It can cost you around $10 to $50 but will give you only a generic icon and font options. If you expect an exceptionally well-designed logo, your purpose might not be fulfilled. Even if you have knowledge of logo design, you can just get an ordinary logo. However, if you have budget constraints, this can be a good option for you.
- Freelancers:
There are many freelancers in the market who can design a logo for you under $300. You will have to think about the efforts they put into the designing process to ensure that your logo is of high-quality. Otherwise, you will get a generic logo just like the one you make yourself.
If you can spend more, i.e., between $300 to $800, you can look for freelancers who have limited experience. You can view their portfolios to see their previous work. They will give you a detailed break down of the process and cost of the project. To design your logo, they will make proper market research, take your inputs for colors, fonts, style, symbols, etc., and create several variations for you to choose your favorite. This will be a good option if you have a clear vision, knowledge, and experience of giving feedback and time to work with them.
If you want more support in getting your logo designed, and don’t have much time to give for iterations, you will have to spend in the range of $800 to $2000. These services will be highly professional, and there will be experienced designers.
- Logo Maker:
Design Agencies:
If you are willing to pay more, you can work with a design agency, which means spending $1000+.
Design agencies can deliver a unique and creative logo as they conduct thorough market research and competitor analysis to help you stand out in the crowd. These agencies have creative and experienced teams who take a systematic approach to your project from all angles. They create many design concepts and help you choose the best one which truly represents your brand, and communicates your values and brand message. They will even help you in creating a brand strategy, and sometimes even brand names and taglines, depending on the cost.
One of the biggest hurdles of hiring a design agency is cost, and, therefore, don’t fit into the budget of small brands. Sometimes the cost can go up to millions of dollars for big brands. Similar to freelancers, you should consider the portfolio, testimonial, reputation, working style, and reviews of the agencies before hiring them.
Conclusion
There is no average price for logo design because your brand is unique. You pay for the strategy and expertise that goes behind the creation of such a logo. The process of logo design demands a combination of research, strategic thinking, and design excellence, which varies completely. Therefore, logo prices vary depending on whom you are choosing for your business. Even after your logo turns out to be successful, you will have to spend for rebranding, if required, costing you even more.
