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How Much Does a Logo Design Cost?

This is one of the most frequent questions we receive. But, trying to answer this question without specific details is very difficult to answer. Here is a breakdown of what we believe to the the value of good logo design in Orange County,CA.

So the next question I usually get is, “What’s the ballpark cost for designing a logo?” This depends, as every project is unique. The cost of a logo is going to be different depending on the requirements, the size of the business, and much more. A huge international company has much different needs than a small local business. For this reason, I have clients fill out a branding and design questionnaire before starting any project.

So, how much does logo design cost?

The cost of a professional logo design depends on who you decide to work with.There is no average logo design cost, and no set logo design price.

But, to answering the question, here are some logo design price ranges. These are just “ballpark” figures:

Budget Logo Design Costs:

  • DIY /  Logo makers: $0 – $50
  • Logo template: $5 – $100
  • Logo Contests / Crowdsourcing: $50 – $500

Mid-Range Logo Design Costs:

  • Offshore Designer: $100 – $250
  • Beginner Freelancer: $100 – $1000
  • Experienced Freelancer: $1000 – $5,000
  • Renowned Freelancer:  $5000 – $15,000
  • Small Design Studio: $5000 – $30,000
  • Mid-Sized Agency: $5000 – $50,000+

High-End Logo Design Costs:

  • Branding Agency: $50,000 – $100,000  (generally includes strategy & global brand identity)
  • Renowned Branding Agency: $100,000 – $1,000,000 + (generally includes strategy & global brand identity)
  • World Famous Designer: $100,000 – $1,000,000+

Why is logo design so valuable?

To understand the value of quality logo design you must understand three things:

  • What is a logo?
  • The Benefits of a quality professional logo.
  • The process of logo design.

This will help you to appreciate the value of a quality logo design. 

What is a logo?

A logo is a graphic symbol that is used to identify a company, product or service. It’s usable across a multitude of platforms and is completely unique.It stands out among competitors.

The Benefits of a QualityProfessional Logo Design

There are many benefits to having a high-quality logo for your business. When you decide that you want to start a business, you want to do everything you can, to give it a strong chance of being successful.

The right logo can be beneficial towards that goal for these reasons:

Brand Recognition

Make a great first impression. Our memories tend to work in a way where we remember an image first and then a name, which explains why we can remember someone’s face but not their name. Having a strong logo that stands out is essential to making sure you stand out from your competitors. The best logos stay in the memory banks of people, and can help create repeat business.

Consistency

A logo can provide a sense of uniformity and also make a huge impact on the reputation of your brand. A timeless and classic logo will provide your business with brand authenticity and can make your business look trustworthy, reliable, and professional even if you’ve only been in business a short time.

Representation

The logo for your business should be able to reveal the essence of your brand. It gives your business an identity. A design that represents your business is vital to customers being able to know what you do. The design should be representative of the brand as a whole.

Beating Your Competition

If you look at almost any marketplace, the number of different brands can be staggering. This is why a high-quality logo can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. With online marketing becoming more important as well as effective, a visually impressive logo that sits well on your site, social media, and marketing materials will make a huge difference in your business’ professionalism and advertising capabilities.

The logo design design process

When you decide that it’s time for you to have a logo designed for your business, you will have many options to choose from. The biggest difference between the options, other than cost, is the process that the graphic designer goes through when creating your logo. This process ensures that the logo can stand the test of time, and is aligned with your business goals.

This is our design process:

Kickoff Meeting

Meet with client for further briefing on the project to discuss timing and the next steps. This meeting provides an opportunity to share insights, ideas and perspectives.

Research

I will learn everything I can about your business. I want to know your positioning, strategies and challenges. I need to know who your competitors are, and what your goals are. Before we begin the creative development it is important for meto immerse myself in your business until I understand the whole picture.

Creative Development

Now that I know your business I can start with the creative development. Based on your goals, branding, and the desired outcome, I will develop a broad range of design candidates. I will refine these concepts and begin developing the artwork.

Mechanical Artwork

I am proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite® that assists in creating the design concepts. I'll work on the Mechanical Artwork until it's presentable. The agreed upon number of design pathways will be presented.

Presentation

I will present the design pathways by providing you with high-quality digital files. My thinking and objectives behind the designs will be explained in detail. From this presentation, you will choose a design pathway you want to move forward with, and develop.

Developmental

I will then develop the chosen pathway until it meets all of the client’s needs and expectations. The client will be provided with quality digital presentations of each mechanical for the chosen design pathway approval.

Final Production

Based on the chosen design and any modifications, we will refine the final production artwork. After all revisions are made and the project has final approval, the mechanical artwork will be prepped for print, or online publishing.

Take it Public

Whether it's a digital or print design I'm ready to deliver the final project. By now all the plans for distributing the product should be in place. All efforts have led to this moment of unveiling. The end result is another happy client.

Let’s look at Logo Design Costs Again

You can put the costs of logo design into 3 categories: budget, mid-range and high-end.

The Budget Logo ($) $0 - $500

These budget options are mostly for those people who may just be starting out and not have the capital they need yet to have a logo designed professionally. If you’re serious about your business, you need to spend some time developing a budget for your business plan so you can afford a quality logo, because these routes may actually do more harm than good. You’ll generally get some clip art from an inexperienced designer.

Free Logo Maker (avoid!)

The cheapest logo you’ll ever use is the one you make yourself. If you have some graphic design ability, you may be able to use one of these sites to create a suitable logo, but I recommend leaving designing to a professional. These sites limit what you can do, with generic icons and fonts.

Cheap Freelance Sites (avoid!)

Sites such UpWork and Fiverr offer graphic design services at an approved to price point. You’re mostly working with ‘offshore designers’ or hobbyists. You post the job, explain the parameters of what you are looking for and hope for the best. While there may be some quality designers on these sites, the designs are notorious for being plagiarized, so be careful. If you’re paying $20 for a logo, how much time are they actually investing in your project?

Logo Contests (avoid!)

A logo contest is where you let different designers know what you are looking for and many designers present mockups of the logo for you to choose. Only one winner is awarded a “prize”. For this reason, the quality is extremely low.These “designers” do not invest time into the project and often plagiarize to cut corners.

Mid-Range Logo Design ($$)

This is typically where most small to mid-sized business owners should be looking for a quality logo design. If you do the proper research, you’ll get good quality work and it won’t destroy your budget.

Freelance designer

Building a relationship with your designer is a great way to ensure you get what you need and there’s no better way to do this than by working directly with a freelancer. With freelance though, the amount of experience can affect the cost and quality of the work. You must vet their portfolio and testimonials before making a decision.

  • Beginner Freelancer: $100 – $1000
  • Experienced Freelancer: $1000 – $5,000
  • Renowned Freelancer: $5000 – $15,000+
Small design studio

As mall design studio keeps things tight, which means you can utilize a smalls election of designers at an effective price point. You generally work with a point of contact vs. directly with the designers.

Price scan range from $5000 – $30,000+

Mid-sized agency

Amid-sized agencies have quality work, but it comes with more overhead, as they need to hire managers, creative directors, and multiple designers to work on the project.

Prices can range from $5000 – $50,000+

High-End Logo Design ($$$)

Logo creation that is priced in this range, generally provide their clients with much more than just a logo. They are more of an encapsulation of your brand asa whole and will provide a much more extensive process than any other option.

Agencies

You’ll get a quality logo created for your business, but with an agency, they will conduct in-depth market research and competitor analysis to determine how yourbrand can stand out in the market. You’ll have creative teams work on yourproject from every angle, ensuring success at a sometimes, very high price point.

  • Branding Agency $50,000 – $100,000+
  • Renown Branding Agency $100,000 – $1,000,000+

Large international branding projects often go into the multi-millions.

What if I can’t afford professional logo design?

Design is an investment and it will pay off for many years to come. If you can’t afford a professional logo design right away, consider these options:

  • Save your money.
  • Apply for funding.
  • Invest more of your own time into the business. Define your brand vision, mission, story, and strategy – then go to your freelancer with something, rather than relying on them for all of the answers.
  • Barter – Swap your product or service for branding services.
  • Ask your designer if they accept payment options.

“If you think good design is expensive, you should see the cost of bad design.”

Tips for a successful logo design

Like any industry, there are scam artists out there and they can hurt the rest of those trying to do things the right way and provide a valuable service.

This can make some wary of working with a quality freelance graphic designer, thinking that they will take the money and run, or worse, provide plagiarized work.

To avoid getting ripped off, here are some easy tips to remember:

Stay off bargain freelancer sites

They may seem like a good option at an incredibly cheap rate and there is a reason why. A $5 logo is not going to be worth the headache and in many cases, could be a plagiarized copy.

Do a reverse image search

This is a good way to steer clear of people stealing designs and search engines are able to see the contents of graphics and and match it from the internet.

Reach out to previous clients

Who your designer has worked with in the past can tell you a lot about their work and expertise.

How to choose a logo designer

These are a few things you should take into account when choosing a logo designer.

  • A strong portfolio
  • Proven success and experience
  • Positive testimonials
  • A thorough design process
  • Awards and published work
  • Price reflective of value
  • Design affiliations
  • Great customer service
  • Business  professionalism
  • Appropriate questions being asked

Your logo is not your brand… Your logo is just the tip of the iceberg. Contact us to take your logo and brand to the next level.

MYDG Studiois a graphic design studio based in Huntington Beach, CA, and serving all of Orange County, CA. We focus on helping you grow your business by developing a brand strategy. We can start by designing a memorable logo.

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