TL;DR: Penji, Design Force, Designity, Graphically, and Undullify are the best creative-as-a-service platforms you can check out. We also discuss how you can choose and what to avoid.
It’s only natural that entrepreneurs would want only the best for their businesses. That’s why they’re always on the lookout for the best, including their choice of creative as a service platform. If you’re one of them, here’s a short list we made to help you decide:
1. Penji
Consistently topping lists of the best, Penji is an excellent option for businesses and marketers looking to ramp up their design game. It has a team of some of the world’s best graphic designers, offers fast turnaround times, and lets you revise all you want. All these and more for a fixed monthly rate.
2. Design Force
A premium creative design service, Design Force offers reliable on-demand design solutions for businesses of all sizes. It serves as your online design team without the high costs of an in-house team or agency. With Design Force, you no longer have to contend with the unpredictability or design delays from working with freelancers.
3. Designity
A virtual creative agency, Designity offers a unique spin on your usual creative as a service model. It assigns a US-based creative director to its clients. This means they will manage a team of vetted creatives to help you craft a wide range of design types. Its creative team is composed of only the best, hiring only the top 3% of US talent.
4. Graphically
Gaining popularity with its fast turnaround and simple processes, Graphically is designed for entrepreneurs, marketers, and startups with constant design needs. Most of its tasks are completed within 24 hours, making it the ideal choice for busy teams. It offers budget-friendly plans while still providing advanced features that larger brands can appreciate.
5. Undullify
One of the most suitable creative as a service platforms for small businesses and startups is Undullify. It focuses on small graphic design projects, which is ideal for those with modest design requirements. If you need a few quick design fixes, Undullify will give them to you in under 30 minutes.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Creative-as-a-Service
Many business owners find choosing the right design service overwhelming. To help you make an informed decision, here are a few critical factors you need to consider before working with one:
- Scope of Work: Determine which project types you'll need most. These can be ad campaigns, branding, illustrations, or social media graphics. Knowing this will help you narrow down your options and find one that fits your needs.
- Frequency of Requests: How often will you request designs? Whether it's daily, weekly, or irregularly.
- Your Budget: Compare subscription fees. While creative-as-a-service is a cost-effective design solution, it's best to find the plan that best fits your requirements.
- Turnaround Speed: See if the creative-as-a-service platform you're eyeing matches their delivery times to your workflow.
- Collaboration Style: Decide if you need a dedicated creative director for consistency or a rotating pool of designers for variety and speed.
Common Red Flags to Watch Out For
Not all creative-as-a-service platforms are made the same. To avoid choosing one that's not right for you, watch out for the following:
- Promising "Unlimited," but delivery is slow: Some providers claim their service is unlimited. It may be true, but they fall short on delivery times, which defeats the purpose. If speed is crucial to your brand, make sure they keep their promise of "unlimited."
- Hidden charges for premium formats: While some will advertise "fixed monthly rates," they will charge you for specialized services like video editing, delivering on premium formats, or complex illustrations. Make sure that the creative service you choose offers transparent pricing.
- Inconsistent brand alignment: Some platforms will assign your account to multiple designers without a creative lead. This results in mismatched styles, which dilutes your brand's consistency.
- Poor communication and collaboration: With limited or no access to project managers or a lack of a dedicated communication channel, you may experience collaboration slowing down. The key to smooth workflows is strong support and clear feedback loops.
Checklist for First-Time Users
Now that you know what to look for and watch out for, here's a quick checklist to help you tie it all down and fit the best creative-as-a-service platform for your business:
- Check its trial period or money-back guarantee: Choose a provider that offers a way to test their service first before committing. A free trial or a refund policy will give you confidence before signing up.
- Get a clear scope of what "unlimited requests" are: Read the fine print first. Many will say their service is unlimited, but in reality, they have set limits on speed or complexity.
- Review their portfolio: Check their previous work to help you get a good grasp of what they can really do for you.
- Cancellation policies: Check how easy it is to pause or cancel your subscription. Don't fall into a subscription plan you can't get out of when you no longer need the service.
FAQs
Is working with a creative-as-a-service better than hiring a freelancer?
This depends on your design needs. Freelancers are excellent if you only need one-off projects. For ongoing design support, a graphic design subscription service is a better option.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Most providers do allow you to cancel anytime, but not all.
Are revisions also unlimited?
Most providers do offer unlimited revisions. Check with them before making a commitment.
Cover image credit: Ivan Samkov on Pexels
