Graphic design services have become an indispensable business tool. There are many options available, and one popular choice is Design Pickle. Before deciding on signing up for a plan, learn how the others compare.
What is Design Pickle?
Graphic design services come in different business models. Design Pickle uses the unlimited design and revisions for a flat monthly rate. So, for a fixed rate, you can get as many graphic design assets as you want in a month.
Why Look for Design Pickle Alternatives?
Every business has its pros and cons. While Design Pickle offers quality graphic design work at affordable prices, it isn’t for everyone. Some people find their service expensive, some claim to have issues with their customer service, and various other drawbacks.
If you decide to look the other way, here are seven great alternatives to Design Pickle:
1. 99designs
An online marketplace that connects graphic designers with clients, 99designs is also a platform to hold design contests. You’ll be asked to write a brief describing your project, and you have two options to get your design. You can either hire a single designer from their community of designers or hold a contest and pick your winning design.
The biggest drawback of 99designs is that you won’t be able to see a designer’s portfolio, which could pose a problem if you want to hire someone long-term.
Pricing:
- It varies depending on the project and whatever rates you and your chosen designer decide on.
- A ballpark estimate would be $249 to $599 for a graphic designer’s service, while you can host a contest starting at $199.
Pros:
- You can choose from not hundreds but thousands of designers.
- Its affordability as compared to hiring an in-house designer.
- Fast turnaround time. You can get your designs anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
Cons:
- There is no guarantee that you’ll get as many submissions as you need.
- It can be difficult to find top-notch designers as these are usually the busiest ones.
- There is also the possibility of designers abandoning your project for a better-paying gig.
2. Penji
Having the same business model as Design Pickle, Penji offers unlimited graphic design services. But unlike Design Pickle, Penji has three plans to suit your needs. Along the unlimited graphic design offering comes unlimited revisions, which let you get the exact designs you need.
Like 99designs, Penji has a team of designers with a wide selection of skill sets. The difference is that with Penji, they have thoroughly vetted their designers for quality and trustworthiness.
Pricing:
- Penji’s plans are the Pro, which is at $399 a month, the Team at $499, and the Daytime plan at $999 per month.
Pros:
- Penji offers a 15-day money-back guarantee and lets you cancel your subscription anytime you no longer need their services.
- Their designers are working for them full-time, so the risk of them abandoning your project is practically nil.
- The turnaround time is 24 to 48 hours for the initial draft and 12 to 24 hours for revisions.
Cons:
- If you have only a few design projects each month, the unlimited design service may not be a cost-effective solution.
3. Fiverr
Another online talent marketplace like 99designs is Fiverr. As the name suggests, you can get someone to create a single piece of design for as low as $5. You can post a job listing and wait for prospects to offer you their services or “buy” a gig. This means that you’ll take someone’s offer of “I’ll design you a logo for $10” and go on from there.
However, this type of platform doesn’t guarantee quality and reliability. You may be able to get the cheapest designs from Fiverr, but you aren’t safe from scammers and fake “sellers.” These are the ones who promise you stellar work only to provide you with mediocre results.
Pricing:
- Price starts at $5 but can go higher depending on the project and the freelancer.
Pros:
- It has a wide array of talents and rates to choose from.
- They have a feedback system that allows you to leave negative reviews for unsatisfactory work.
- You can outsource any type of work and find workers for it on the platform.
Cons:
- Unless you’re on their paid plan, Fiverr will not vet for the talents in their pool.
- There is no guarantee of the quality of work and reliability of the freelancers.
4. Canva
If you like to get your hands on DIYing your graphic design, Canva is the best place for you. This is probably the cheapest option, as you can create designs on the site for free. All you need is your imagination and patience to create the design you need for less. On the other hand, there are paid plans that you can avail of if you want more templates and assets.
While doing your designs yourself gets you complete control, using Canva also has its downside. First is the time you’ll be spending on designing, which could take up most of it. Second, since you’ll be using templates for your projects, there is a possibility that you’ll have the same designs as other brands.
Pricing:
- Canva’s Pro plan is at $12.99 per month, while the Enterprise is at $30.
Pros:
- Thousands of templates and other design assets to enhance your designs.
- User-friendly interface that lets you design quickly and with ease.
- You’ll get access to tools such as photo editors and stock photos and images.
Cons:
- Unless you’re super talented with designs, the results may not look professional.
5. Freelancer
A crowdsourcing marketplace website that connects businesses with graphic designers and other types of freelancers. You can post your project and hire a designer from the offers you receive. They have a user base of around 50 million freelance professionals from all over the world, so there are plenty to choose from.
Freelancer is also a platform where you can hold contests much like 99designs. And while this is a quick and cheap way to get freelancers, it also has a reputation of being a haven for scammers.
Pricing:
- Rates vary from freelancer to freelancer but typically start at $10 per hour.
- Contest budget depends on how much you’re willing to put up but can go as high as $1,500.
Pros:
- They have a money-back guarantee for work that you don’t like.
- You’re sure to find a freelancer that will perfectly fit your task at hand.
- The platform allows you to chat with a designer before hiring them.
Cons:
- The site offers no validation processes for both employers and freelancers.
- The customer service is not as responsive and reliable.
6. Design Hill
Having the same business model as 99designs, but unlike Freelancer, Design Hill is geared explicitly towards design professionals. You can hire a designer directly, buy a gig, or hold a contest. You can also post a job and let the graphic design freelancers find you.
The platform boasts of 50,000 designers from all around the globe, so you’re assured of finding the right designer for the job. However, the issues and problems with 99designs, Freelancer, and Fiverr are also inescapable at Design Hill.
Pricing:
- Pricing comes in a variety of plans which is as follows:
- Fast Track: $249
- Standard: $399
- Executive: $699
- Premium: $999
- There are also the One to One Projects that you set your price with.
- Their Logo Maker is priced as follows:
- Basic: $20
- Premium: $65
- Enterprise: $150
Pros:
- They have a free design consultation to help you get the exact design you need.
- They have a money-back guarantee when the design contests produce results that are not to your liking.
- It lets you create polls to ask opinions about the contest results to help you decide.
Cons:
- Too many prospects will try and get your attention which can be overwhelming.
- No assurance of designer reliability and quality.
7. ManyPixels
With the same offer of providing unlimited graphic design service, ManyPixels is more similar to Design Pickle. Like Penji, they provide unlimited design and revisions for a fixed monthly rate. This means that you’ll get to request as many design projects as you need as well as revisions.
They have a 14-day money-back guarantee if you want to try before committing to a subscription. They have no contracts, so you can cancel any time. One major drawback to this type of service is that you’re limited to one designer only, reducing the number of requests you can send.
Pricing:
- They have three available plans: Essentials at $449 a month, Advanced at $549, and Business at $899 per month.
Pros:
- This is an affordable way to get designs.
- No need to worry about the vetting process as they have already done it.
- Unlimited revisions mean you get the suitable designs you need.
Cons:
Unlimited graphic design is only cost-effective if you have many projects to create, otherwise, a freelancer will be enough for one-time projects.
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