July 8, 2021
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From logo, app, and web design to print materials, here’s a graphic design pricing list for 2021. Know what you can expect to pay from a variety of channels.
Graphic design is expensive because the process of getting you the design you need requires time, skills, and talent. Most people, especially those new to the design scene, think designing a logo is just slapping an image and adding a few letters here and there.
Graphic design isn’t just sitting down in front of the computer and creating something. It involves years of research, study, and experience. Additionally, top-caliber designers that create winning designs are hard to come by.
There is no definitive answer to the question as there are several factors involved. It can be as low as $5 or as high as thousands of dollars. The following are the main points considered when pricing graphic design:
There are many more considerations, but mainly, it will depend on who is doing the calculations. A freelance graphic designer will price differently than a design agency.
Again, this is based on several factors. Below are the ways graphic design is priced:
Hourly: this is where you pay a designer for the time they spent creating your design. So, if a designer charges $25 per hour and takes them 4 hours to do it, you’ll pay $100.
Project-based: per-project work regardless of time spent on it.
Retainer or contract: you agree on a pre-negotiated price for either a set amount of time or deliverables.
The following are the different types of designers that charge using the pricing above:
Hourly: individual graphic designers
Project-based: designers from Fiverr, 99designs, Upwork, and other online job portals
Retainer or contract: design agencies that offer creative services for their clients
While these designers can do the work for you, there are also downsides to each. Here are a few pros and cons of each type:
Pros: a designer will dedicate his time solely to your project. You’ll be assured of quality because the design isn’t rushed.
Cons: this can be expensive and can take a longer time than most channels.
Pros: online marketplaces can offer a diverse range of talents. You can choose the most suitable designer with the best price.
Cons: there is a chance that a freelancer will have more than one client, which can divide their attention, or worst, abandon your project.
Pros: with a design agency, you’re assured of quality and a wide array of talents.
Con: this is the most expensive route among all three.
Designs and designers come in different pricing. Here are a few of the most common projects that require a graphic designer and their corresponding rates:
Hourly: Logo designs usually take about 13 to 15 hours to make. At approximately $25-30 per hour, depending on the designer’s skill level, a logo will cost around $350 up to $2,000.
Project-based: A typical freelancer will charge anywhere between $5 and over $800 for a single logo design.
Retainer or contract: A design agency can charge up to $2,500 per logo design.
Hourly: A skilled web designer can ask for a $75 per hour rate. This amount can reach anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.
Project-based: While some freelancers can charge a $500 rate, the price can go anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000 or more for a comprehensive web design.
Retainer or contract: Expect to pay a minimum of $10,000 to over $100,000 if you get an agency to design your website for you.
Hourly: Email templates take about 2 to 3 hours to make. So for a graphic designer with a $25 per hour rate to create one for you, you’ll pay about $50 to $75.
Project-based: For freelancers, the rate of an email design can range from $5 to over $1,000.
Retainer or contract: Agencies in the US typically charge $85 to $100, so an email design can cost $255 to $300.
Hourly: Depending on the skill level of the illustrator, the cheapest being $25 to $50 per hour, the costliest is at $100 or more. The more complex your illustration is, the longer it will take to get it done.
Project-based: Illustration rates can vary, but usually, you’ll find a freelancer asking for a $10 rate while the highly skilled can ask for more than $200 per project.
Retainer or contract: There is no detailed list of agency prices when it comes to illustrations. Several factors are at play, but a reasonable estimate would be $250 to $500 for spot illustrations that can go up as high as $3,500 for a larger image.
Hourly: A reasonably skilled graphic designer can finish a flyer design in 2 to 3 hours at an average rate of $25 per hour.
Project-based: Expect to pay a minimum of $10 that can go up to $100 per flyer design.
Retainer or contract: Agencies can charge anywhere between $300 to $900 per flyer design.
Hourly: An average rate of $25 per hour for an ad design depends on the complexity of the design and the designer’s skill level.
Project-based: Freelancers can ask for $300 to $900 rates for an ad design.
Retainer or contract: Charges for ad design vary depending on several factors. Expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $2,500 per ad design.
Hourly: Designers specializing in product packaging may charge $30 to $50 per hour.
Project-based: Freelancer rates can start at $10 up to $1,000.
Retainer or contract: Cost can depend on the size and complexity, but typically, a small agency charges $10,000 while a larger one can ask for a $50,000 price.
Hourly: On average, a graphic designer can charge $25 per hour for a social media design that can take around 1 to 2 hours to make.
Project-based: You will pay anywhere between $5 and $20 per social media design from a freelancer.
Retainer or contract: Agencies can charge packages for social media design that can cost from $50 to $650.
Hourly: Again, the average rate is at $25 per hour, but web designers charge more, the average being $75 per hour.
Project-based: Price starts at $15 and can go up to $350.
Retainer or contract: Expect to pay anywhere between $500 to $1,200 for a landing page design, up to $3,000 if development services are included.
Hourly: The median hourly rate for a graphic designer is $25. It can take an hour or more to finish a set, depending on how many icons it has.
Project-based: Get a complete set of icon designs for as low as $5 and can get as high as $800
Retainer or contract: A set of 12 icons can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500.
Hourly: Graphic designers that specialize in infographics can charge up to $40 per hour. The length of time to complete one depends on how complex the information is.
Project-based: Expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $250 per infographic design.
Retainer or contract: A lower-end agency can charge between $500 to $1500 for one infographic. A more prominent agency can ask for $4650 up to $7250.
Hourly: Depending on the designer’s skill level, a tri-fold brochure can cost between $150 up to $900.
Project-based: Pay as low as $20 for the same tri-fold brochure, but high-end freelancers can charge up to $600.
Retainer or contract: Expect to pay between $500 to $1,600 for a tri-fold brochure design.
Hourly: Pay anywhere from $25 per hour up to $300 for the more experienced designer, taking one to two hours for one design.
Project-based: Merch design can go as cheap as $5 per design and reach up to $200.
Retainer or contract: Design studios can charge between $450 up to $750 per t-shirt design.
Choosing which platform to get your graphic design from depends on your requirements. From DIY to unlimited graphic design, there are many options available to business owners and marketers. If you need a constant supply of design, a design agency may be your best bet.
If a logo design is all you need, it may be the wiser choice to find a freelance graphic designer to do it. On the other hand, a contract or retainer may be just what you need if you have a complex and time-consuming project. Assessing your needs can help guide you in making a decision.
Now that you have an idea of what and where to get graphic design, let’s discuss revisions. Revisions are crucial to getting the exact design you want and need. Each design channel has its own rules and processes for making revisions.
While revision costs depend on the channel, it boils down to two main processes. The first is to build revisions into the fee structure, and the other is to charge extra for them. Before getting into any design transaction, the best you can do is discuss this thoroughly to avoid issues.
If you find that the options listed in this graphic design pricing list do not quite answer your needs, there is an alternative. It is in the form of an unlimited graphic design service. This is the business model where you can request as many designs as you need for a fixed monthly rate.
These companies have a team of graphic designers that can do a wide variety of design work. They are vetted, trained, and are sure never to abandon your project. Most of these offer no contracts, which means you can always opt out if your workload gets lighter.
The best thing about these services is that they also include unlimited revisions in your subscription fee. You no longer have to worry about paying extra for your edits.
