Logos are an important part of any business brand. But how much does a logo design cost?
As a business owner, you want your brand to be recognizable. Part of that is a great logo design. It should be eye-catching, but not too complicated. It needs to be easy to understand, but also encapsulate your business.
That’s why, unless you’re a graphic designer, it’s best to hand off logo making to the professionals.
When you’re budgeting for a logo, there are lots of things to factor in. Check out our guide to logo design cost to get started.
Factors in Logo Design Cost
What are the different things you have to consider when budgeting for a logo? Consider the following:
How will you be using the logo?
You know that you’ll use your logo for a business. But what kind of business are your running? Is it all online? Or do you need the logo for business cards and brochures? How you use your logo will determine part of the logo design cost.
If you’re looking for a high-resolution logo design for your website, then you’ll ask for a raster file. Raster files base their size on pixel grids, which means they have a fixed size. It’s perfect for using on your website, but not much else.
But if you want more flexibility, you want a vector file. Vectors are very flexible, and you can change the size without losing the quality. They’ll have a file extension of .ai, .eps, .svg, or .pdf. While vector files have more flexibility for you, they cost more.
The other thing you must consider is the colors of your logo. You’ll want full-color copies of your logo, along with transparent backgrounds.
What you’re looking for in a logo
Logo design will play a role in how much you pay. At the very least, you want something that is eye-catching but easy to read. The colors should communicate a specific feeling. It should feature your company name as well.
If you’re looking for a simple logo, then the logo design cost will stay in the range of $100-$200. But if you’re already well established and you want something nicer, the cost will be as high as $1,000. This can include custom illustrations and fonts.
Another factor that will affect the cost of a logo is how far you are in the development process. If you already have a good idea of what you want your logo to look like, or you have colors and font, then it may not cost as much. But if you ask the graphic designer to work from scratch, they’ll raise the logo design price.
Extra costs
There are other costs you should consider in your logo design budget.
If you’re looking for an illustration, then you need to budget for an artist. Even if your graphic designer is also an illustrator, that kind of work will cost you about $200 to $500 more.
You also need to think about printing and branding costs. Business cards, social media graphics, and brand guides will all cost extra.
DIY vs. hiring a professional
If you’re a freelancer who’s strapped for cash, then take a crack at logo design. There are plenty of options to make your own logo. You can pay for a design program like Adobe Illustrator or Canva and do it yourself.
But a warning: there’s a reason people get paid to do this. It takes a lot of time and energy to create a decent looking logo. Plus you need to know about visual psychology and branding.
So if you don’t have any money and you need a logo, try to make one yourself. It can be a good place marker until you can afford something nicer.
Tips for Hiring a Logo Designer
When you’ve made the decision to hire a logo designer, the next step is to do the research about who to hire. Here are some things to look out for when you hire a logo designer.
- Read the reviews! You would never buy a product from Amazon without checking the reviews. Why would you blindly pay someone to create an amazing logo for your company?
- Take a look at their portfolio. Some graphic designers have bad experiences with unlimited revisions. This is often accompanied by customer reviews.
- Does this designer work with companies like yours? If so, that’s the one you want! They’ll already be familiar with your needs and your market.
- Some designers who work with marketing firms can also offer you market research. If this is a part of their package deal, ask if you can get a reduced price if you don’t include the marketing.
- Interview several designers. Their logo design cost might be low, but if they’re not on board with your vision then you’re wasting money.
Common Questions to Ask the Designers
When you’re interviewing graphic designers, you’ll want to know what you’re talking about. We’ve listed some common questions you can use in your interviews.
- “What do you include in your price?” In other words, you need to find out exactly what you’re paying for. You should also ask for this information in writing.
- “Are revisions included in the cost?” Some graphic designers have bad experiences with past customers who can’t be pleased. If that’s the case, they might have a revision policy.
- “What file formats will you send me?” Are they sending you vectors or rasters?
- “How many designs can you make for me to choose from?” Most designers will send you many different designs for you to choose from.
- “How does payment work?” There are three different ways to pay a graphic designer, which we’ll cover in a moment. Make sure you specify how much the project will cost and how long it will take.
Common Questions Designers Will Ask You
To prepare you for your interview, here are some of the questions a designer will ask you.
- “What is the name of your company?”
- “What is your company’s business?”
- “Are there are any words in your company name that you want to emphasize?”
- “How are your customers?”
- “What makes your company unique?”
- “Are there colors that you want to include? Or are there any colors you want to avoid?”
- “Are there any logos you like? And why?”
- “What are your ideas for your logo?”
- “How are you going to use this logo?”
- “Are there parts of your old logo that you want to keep?”
Paying for a Logo Design
The way you pay for your logo design will affect the final cost. There are three ways that a graphic designer will charge you for their services.
Pay Per Hour
Creating a great logo takes some time, and that’s why some designers charge by the hour.
The plus side of this is that you’ll only pay for the hours that they work. The downside is that the cost of paying by the hour can be expensive. It can end up costing more than if you’d paid for a preset package.
But if you’re already far along in the development process, then paying by the hour can be a cheaper option.
If you do choose to pay by the hour, make sure that you set clear guidelines upfront. This will help both you and the designer to make a decision about whether to proceed.
Set Rate
Set rates are great for experienced graphic designers. They already know what they need to complete a project, and how long it will take.
Here are some example flat fee logo design costs:
- Professional Agency: $1,000 – $10,000
- Experienced Freelancer: $700 – $3,000
- Overseas Freelancer: $100 – $500
- Student Designer: $100 – $400
Most designers with a set rate will spend a lot of time talking to you about your company and your goals. They’ll ask you things about your goals, your clients, and any concepts you already have in mind.
After this interview, the designer will give you a set price. This will reflect the size of the project, the number of designs, elements involved, and the time it will take.
Packages
Packages are a combination of the different elements of logo design. Like other sales packages, you’ll get a discount on items that cost more individually. These packages cost $300 and upwards.
Logo design packages can include a set number of designs and different file types. It can also include printing, marketing research, and other products.
Ask your designer what they’ll include in the package deal. If you don’t want all the bells and whistles, then you can ask them about how much a single service will cost.
Looking for a Logo Designer?
At Boonle we have a huge network of graphic designers. They’ll work with you to create the perfect logo for your business.
On Boonle, you get to set your own rate and can often find a graphic designer for $150 to $400 to design the logo that you’re dreaming of.
Start interviewing for a logo designer right now, and get your perfect logo.