How Much Does a Logo Design Cost? | VistaPrint US (2024)

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

A logo is an essential part of any brand’s identity—it’s often the first thing a potential customer will see, and it’s critical to use a logo that stands out from the competition. But how much should a logo design cost? As with all business spending, you want to weigh the cost of logo design against the quality and value you will gain.

Hiring a professional designer or design firm helps ensure that your final logo design will be distinctive and communicate your brand’s message. Like with any service, there is a variety of logo design price points and packages, and it’s important to understand what you’re getting—or not getting—for your money.

How much does logo design cost?

The cost of a logo design isanywhere from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars, but if you’re a small business or startup looking forquality design, a good logo design should costbetween $300-$1300.

Logo design prices can vary, for instance, the price of a logo design depends on the quality and who created it. Take a look at your budget and let us help you decide the best way to spend based on your needs.

Low cost: under $300 USD

Logomaker

The cheapest option for getting a logo is to make it yourself. If you’re a trained designer and know your way around Illustrator well, there ya go. If you’re not, that leads you to use a logomaker.

While logo generators are the cheapest option ($0 to use the service and $10-$50 to purchase your design), theyonly offer limited, generic icon and font options. If you go this route and you have a fairly honed design aesthetic, you might get a usable (if generic) logo. If you don’t have a design eye or training, you may end up with something that feels just a little off.

Logo makers generate hundreds of concepts based on the name and industry of your business. Image via Logomaker by VistaPrint

You may find freelancers who are willing to give you a logo for under $300. It may be a great deal, but like with all great deals, you should ask yourself why you’re getting it… If it’s because you did a favor for the designer’s mom, then score one for you! If you found them on an anonymous website, it’s not unlikely they’re going to give you something as generic as you could have made yourself. (Or the design could be stolen!)

Midrange: $300-$2500 USD

If you have a few hundred to a few thousand dollars in your budget, you’ve hit the sweet spot for logo design cost: you’re probably going to get a pretty good design, and won’t have to break the bank.

Within this logo design price range, you have two options for getting a design: working with a freelancer or a logo design contest.

And we know: there’s a big difference between $300 and $2000. Don’t worry, we’ve made sure to break down why and when you’ll want to pay more.

Freelance designer

Using a freelance designer can be a great experience—you get an expert customizing your logo based on your feedback. However, there is a very wide range of experience, which means a broad spectrum of cost and quality of work. It’s important to vet prospective designers if you want to work one-on-one. Viewing their portfolios and testimonials is imperative, and getting a direct referral from someone you trust is even better.

via Behance

When choosing a freelancer, you’ll want to consider:

1. how they bill (hourly vs. per project)
2. how much experience do they have

Generally, you’re going to get a higher quote from someone who has a proven track record. They will also give you a detailed breakdown of what you get for your money (or how long they anticipate your project to take).

via Behance

If you’re looking to spend $300-$800 you will likely be working with a less experienced graphic designer. This can be great if you have a clear vision, experience giving feedback on design work and time to work out the kinks. If you’re looking for more support in getting what you want, and you don’t have hours to spend going back and forth, you should probably consider spending in the $800-$2000 range.

Logo contest

Combining the stability of flat fee pricing with a wide range of design options for your logos, a logo design contest commissionsmultiple design ideas from a global community of designers, giving you dozens of unique ideas for your company’s logo. During the contest (which typically takes one to two weeks to complete), you have the opportunity to interact with designers and give feedback on different versions of their designs, so you can help shape the end product.

by deea ♥ for malhana via 99designs by Vista.

by -NLDesign- for Burger Joint via 99designs by Vista.

by ludibes for Flytanium via 99designs by Vista.

One of VistaPrint’s design services, 99designs by Vista, has logo packages ranging from $299 to $1299, so a business on any budget can invest in a professionally designed logo.

Like with freelancers, you can get a good logo design for any price, but if you pay more it will be easier to do so. When you pay more, the prize for the winning designer is bigger, too. More experienced designers participate in your contest, so you get more high-quality designs to choose from. For example, 99designs by Vista’s Gold and Platinum packages have an account manager to help streamline the design process by assisting you in writing creative briefs and giving your designers feedback.

High end: $2,500+ USD

When you buy a logo design you end up with… a logo! But if you’re willing and able to pay more, you can get more. Usually, this means working with a design agency. Which also means a price tag that could go up to $10,000 or more.

Design Agencies

A professional design or branding agency is another option for getting your logo designed and often includes a top-to-bottom branding package for the cost. Design agencies often conduct market research and competitor analysis to figure out how your brand can stand out in a good way. Agencies employ creative teams that will approach your project from all angles, ensuring thorough work that is backed up with business data.

via Pentagram

Of course, one of the biggest hurdles to hiring a design agency is the cost. Brand identity packages (which include a logo) start at about $10,000 with an agency and are typically out of budget for small business owners. Additionally, not all agencies are created equal. As with hiring a freelance designer, you should do your research into their work, style and client satisfaction.

For more information about different logo design options, check out this post on the best way to get a logo designed. Be sure to read how to create a brand style guideto get started on defining your brand, which will help you develop a great logo with your designer.

Want to learn more about logo design? Learn how to design a logo.

What do I get for my money?

Regardless of what direction you choose for your logo design project, it’s important that you know exactly what you should be getting for your money. Whether you opt to hire a freelance designer, launch a design contest, spring for an agency or take the DIY route, make sure that the following checklist is a part of your agreement:

• Your final logo design in multiple formats
  • High-resolution, vector format for printing
  • Web-optimized format for website, social media and other digital needs
• Full legal copyright
  • This ensures that your logo design is exclusively yours

Author: Marianne Kipp

This article was originally published in 2016. It has been updated with new examples and information.