As a small business owner, self creator or entrepreneur, you’ll likely need a logo to stand out in the marketplace, foster positive brand associations, and lead to trust and loyalty. While any business owner knows that a large part of success comes from keeping costs low, creating an effective logo doesn't have to set you back. For example, the iconic Nike swoosh was created for a mere $35 back in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student. On the other hand, the Chinese phone maker Xiaomi spent two million yuan (US$305,000) and three years on a logo redesign that looked almost identical to the original one.
A smart way to stay on the efficient side of logo design is to understand what affects the overall cost. In this article, we’ll not only outline the factors that impact logo cost, but also break down creation options in four price ranges. We’ll also offer tips to make sure you get the most bang for your buck, whether you’re creating your logo or hiring an agency.
What is a logo
A logo is a symbol representing your brand’s purpose and goals. It can live on and offline, printed on products, business cards, social media channels, internal and external communications, merchandise, etc. Your logo is one of your most visible and valuable brand assets. However, don’t mistake your logo as your brand identity, which represents both your brand’s visual and non-visual aspects like brand personality, target market, tone of voice and overall message.
Factors that impact logo cost
How can some logos cost $5 and others $5,000? While it may seem like a simple task, an effective logo requires target market research, competitor analysis, and design awareness. Whether you do all the work yourself, collaborate with a designer or outsource to an agency depends on the needs of your brand and your budget.
If you choose to hire a designer or agency, the cost further depends on:
Type of logo (simple wordmark or graphic combination mark)
Integration and consideration of overall brand strategy
Overall quality of the design
The designer’s experience and portfolio
The extent of the research and design process
The deliverables (versions and variations, revisions, etc.)
Logo cost breakdown
We’ve broken down the potential range of logo design costs:
Do it yourself
Price range: $0 to $100
Designing your own logo can be a fun and exciting process—especially for those looking for a low-cost option. While it may seem intimidating, you don’t need to know design or drawing; you can use an array of helpful online resources and tools. For starters, check out how to design a logo and the best logo design tips, plus explore some logo inspiration ideas.
You can even use a free logo maker tool. After answering a few initial questions to understand your business and brand aesthetic, the logo maker will use AI technology to provide fonts, colors, icons and more for you to design your own.
Work with a freelance designer
Price range: $300 to $800
You can find designers with varying levels of experience and expertise on a freelance marketplace. Before you hire anyone, be sure to conduct thorough research. This includes looking at their portfolio, reviews, prices and deliverables. You should also set a budget from the start and clearly communicate this to the designer.
As you explore different freelance options, consider how they charge for their work (hourly compared to per project) and their total experience.
While working with a freelance designer, maintain clear communication, give feedback and keep your brand purpose and values at the forefront of your decisions. It’s helpful to have a brand style guide outlined, which includes both the visual and non-visual elements in one place. This includes your typography, color palette, iconography, photography and tone of voice. This can greatly help communicate your brand to a freelancer, and help them think about the logo colors and logo shapes they’ll integrate into your design. And remember, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for: Even if you find a promising design student who charges a low fee, there’s still the risk that you won’t get the design you’re after.
Tip: On Wix Marketplace, you can connect with pre-screened professionals directly or fill out a form and be matched with a trusted freelancer to fit your needs. Before you hire, you can discuss your needs, ask questions, price quotes and even set up a payment plan.
Hire an experienced designer
Price range: $800 to $2,500
If you require not only a logo, but also a complete brand identity, consider hiring a designer with more extensive experience. While these higher-level designers may charge more money, they’ll also take into consideration the full range of the project, including UX/UI and logo psychology. This option is less risky, as you can see all their previous work and speak with past clients to gauge the working experience. Plus, skilled designers can provide various iterations of your logo design and high quality image files for the final product.
Work with an agency
Price range: $2,500+
When you work with a professional design agency, you get a full-suite experience. Most often, agencies conduct thorough market and competitive research. In addition, since you work with a team versus a single designer, you have access to a range of experience and knowledge. This can include more data and resources to help your brand stand out in your industry.
Tip: Check out these stellar design agencies (and Wix users): Sense of Design, Dopple Press, Petite Boitenoire and The Paper Bakery
While agencies are the most extensive option, they’re also the most expensive. Of course, prices range for agencies, as do the packages they can offer. If you want images for social media, printing, online use or other forms, you may be charged for each additional design.
There can be some setbacks, as well. For example, sometimes it can take more time to work with an agency since they likely have other clients, meaning you’ll have to work around their schedule.
What logo outcomes you’ll need
Regardless of your logo design cost and whether you work alone or with designers, every completed logo package should include:
A vector file: Ideally, you want to save your logo in vector files, such as PDF or SVG, which are optimal for scalability and can help you create various logo sizes. Vector files can act as the master copy of your logo design and can be easily reformatted or resized to other file formats such as JPEGs or PNGs, without sacrificing quality.
Transparent PNG: Sometimes referred to as a transparent logo, this type of PNG saves your logo with a transparent background. This is particularly useful when integrating your logo design onto colored backgrounds on websites or packaging. The PNG format makes it easier to use your logo across your business needs.
Logo variations: Be sure to have the following versions of your logo design—vertical orientation, horizontal orientation, wordmark and a brand mark or icon. You also want color variations including—full-color, inverse, black and white. Tip: When you use the Wix Logo Maker, you’ll get SVG files and pre-sized formats of your logo design to use on social profiles, plus printable versions of any size. You'll receive different logo formats depending on the package you choose. All of the packages include the high-resolution PNG files (5000 x 5000 px) in your original logo colors as well as black, white, and transparent color variations. You can then print your logo on high quality branded merchandise like business cards, mugs, t-shirts and tote bags and have them shipped right to your door.
Style guide: Like the rest of your brand assets, it’s important to define guidelines for the look and use of your logo to maintain consistency across all branding assets and platforms—whether for internal or external purposes. This can include sizing, spacing, color, typeface and any other relevant information.
Looking for more inspiration for your logo? Check out these best logo makers.