How Much Should I Pay for a Logo?

I would bet you that ‘How much do you charge for a logo?’ is every designer’s most frequently asked question. I hear it all the time, from the curious aunt at the family dinner to a nosey neighbor who really just wants to know why your car never leaves the front driveway. 

Your brand design should be an investment into your business, but not lead you into bankruptcy before day one. The truth of the matter is: you get what you pay for. 

So… what should I pay?

The honest answer: it all depends.

Most designers who design for brands regularly will have some idea of where a logo project will start based on their own costs (more on that later). From there, prices will range based on the client’s needs. Timeframe, complexity, size of the business, and deliverables needed are all factors that determine the project cost.

Factors often overlooked in pricing are designer costs. Overhead costs are a major variable if you are trying to figure out if you want to hire a local freelancer or an agency with multiple dedicated employees just for your project. Experience and education are another; are they already well-versed in your industry? Do they have mountains of school loans? *raises hand* Another big one is the cost of living. That will mean that your local small-town designer is likely going to be cheaper than the designer out of NYC or LA.

Disclaimer: The prices listed below are the average cost of designers with similar experience, costs, and offerings as well as what you can expect to get at each price level. This is by no means an overall industry standard or a permanent-fixed price. These prices are a combination of my own, my observations, and my research.

$0-$500

I often see this price range on crowdsourcing websites where designers bid with their pre-made logo. That means that minimal strategy has gone into it, there is minimal understanding of the client and who they are, and the process was more like a transaction than a collaboration. The process happens quickly because the designer prioritizes speediness of turnaround, has the ability to batch design many logos in the course of a day, and passes those savings on to a buyer.

Another possibility is that this is a new designer recently out of school or currently working on their education. I’m sure I charged this price for many logos while I was in school or right after graduation. Speaking for myself, I know my work wasn’t nearly what it is now aesthetically or strategically. All that being said, I have absolutely no issues with businesses hiring young creatives so long as expectations are understood and agreed upon and the client is seeking a collaborative and educational dynamic rather than exploiting the young professional(s) to save a buck.

$500-$1000

This price range is where I most often see designers start their pricing in their first few years of freelance. They likely have minimal overhead, can provide some amount of one-on-one time with the client, and have an appropriate amount of time set aside to focus solely on your project. It’s possible that freelance could be their side gig for the time being.

The plus side is that you get an affordable brand - who doesn’t want that? The downside is that they might have more projects to meet their financial quota or have a primary gig, which might minimize their ability for quick turnarounds or maximum Facetime. Full transparency: I was in this bracket for a long time while I had my main gig (bartending and managing). My pricing was far cheaper because I didn’t need the projects to pay the bills, I just wanted to do the work. However, because I had a job that took priority schedule-wise, I wasn’t as accessible to my clients and the projects took longer than if I could devote 100% of my time to design.

The Golden Rule of design is this - you can only pick two: good, cheap, or fast. This rule totally applies here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it just is what it is.

$1000-$5000

For this budget, you might be a medium-sized business with a significant strategy needed for your brand. You may have a more complex set of deliverable needs for your brand (e.g. logo plus photography, web design, etc) and you will be needing intentional face-to-face time with your designer or team of creatives. You may also see some of your very well-established freelancers or smaller design studios in this budget as well, especially if they have fewer people and a small overhead.

For my own clients, this is where I start small businesses that have pretty straightforward needs but require help getting to know their voice and how to portray themselves aesthetically and strategically.

$5000+

This price range is usually reserved for major brand projects that often require an agency’s base of highly-experienced designers, developers, and copywriters or an experienced freelancer who can assemble a team of creatives. 

Long story short, the variables considered in estimating a brand project are too numerous for an off-the-cuff answer. Ultimately, pricing is an equation. It’s important as a potential client to know where your needs lie and how to articulate them so your designer can give you a complete and thoughtful estimate.