Why is a professional logo design so expensive?

What is the value of a professional logo design? Is the adage “you get what you pay for” truly real? This article addresses all of these concerns, as well as others.

It’s a minefield when it comes to discussing logo costs since individuals may quickly become defensive. Every pricing tier has its emblem, and there’s a solid reason why they’re so expensive.

The charges are somewhat perplexing to those outside of the design professionals who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of logo creation. The cost of a logo can range from $50 to $10000, and hence, it only makes sense that you know what you are paying for, and what you are missing out on when you are not paying enough.

When it comes to the realities of logo design and why it isn’t inexpensive, there appears to be a mismatch between what artists know and what everybody else believes they know. The causes are numerous, but let us begin by noting that we designers aren’t attempting to take advantage of you; rather, we understand what goes into designing a logo that will last a lifetime. 

If you’re looking for a logo for your company, you might be wondering why prices fluctuate so much. If you obtained a quotation from a competent graphic designer, it was most likely in the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Nevertheless, you must have seen logo design rates as little as $5 on a website like Fiverr. There are several causes for the disparity in prices:

1.) It’s About the Value

Logos are similar to automobiles. You may choose between a budget automobile that takes you where you need to go and a luxury car that demonstrates your high worth to everyone you encounter.

2.) The Logo Design Process

Professional designers spend lots of time on the design process, which is one of the reasons they demand so much more for a graphic corporate identity. A $5 logo designer will create your logo in minutes, but a professional graphic designer will take several days.

Designers on Fiverr will, at best, select some free stock images, write your company name underneath them, and send it over within twenty minutes. In the worst-case scenario, they will outright steal the work of other designers. Not only is this unappealing in general, but it’s also not original artwork, which means you can’t use it to brand your company.

If you want a professional, high-quality logo, you’ll have to devote a lot more effort to the job. For that, they will have to spend time learning about your company, researching your industry and rivals, and researching which styles will best appeal to your target audience. All of this is before they begin to design. Sketching out some design concepts, digitising them, following the brand guidelines, setting up an ecosystem for the logo design to be included in every stage of the brand. This procedure might take several days or even weeks. No one would be able to accommodate so much for mere $5.

3.) Quality of your Logo Design

Good, Fast, Cost-effective designs may not necessarily be a good bet, your logo needs as much care & a professional touch, as you put into your company. A professional logo designer or a design studio helps you design not just your logo, but also the brand image which will be associated with the logo design.

4.) You get what you pay for on Fiverr or Upwork

On Fiverr, you’ll frequently notice low initial pricing, only to discover that the valuation only comprises the bare minimum as you get deeper into the job. Multiple logo modifications, high-resolution images, various colour renditions (black and white, plus colour renditions), and transparent background vectors are sometimes charged extra. A competent logo design package nearly usually includes these items.

We may be against using inexpensive logos, but we realize that on mass-logo-making sites, it is sometimes essential but, in our opinion, forgivable. If you’re just getting started and have a very limited budget, you’ll do whatever it takes to stay on course.

So what are you paying for hiring a professional logo designer?

1.) Study And Background Research

Since a brochure does not require the permission of the full board of directors, CEO, or founders, those are way easier to get done by a cost-efficient service provider. Any member of the marketing team has the authority to make the ultimate choice on a brochure. If there is a mistake there, it is only worth $500 at maximum.

A logo, on the other hand, needs more work from the company’s management as well as the designer. It may be a time-consuming procedure that necessitates several hours of study and modifications. And if a mistake isn’t caught soon away, it’ll almost certainly turn into something close to a $100,000 error down the line.

2.) Quality Design

If you decide you need to engage a graphic designer, be prepared to pay a premium for high-quality work. I’ve seen a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners try to design their logos instead of hiring a graphic designer to save money, only to regret it afterward.

After you’ve launched your brand, rebranding may be costly and time-consuming. Please do not scrimp on the most essential piece of graphic design your firm will ever own and represent.

You’ll be able to pick the finest choice that suits what you’re aiming for, especially with the large range of logo design alternatives available nowadays. 

Here are some key features to look for when purchasing design services:

1.) Design that is tailored to your brand

Look for designers or design companies who specialize in creating one-of-a-kind, distinctive designs that suit your brand. That’s one of the reasons why good firms rigorously screen every designer that seeks to work with them and only accept a tiny percentage of those who apply.

2.) The Art of Collaboration 

The process of design is one of collaboration. Any pricing is too much if the artist does not offer researched designs for your inspection, or is unwilling to make adjustments based on your comments. 

3.) Protection of intellectual property (IP)

Stock graphics and templates, as previously stated, cause issues with trademarking and safeguarding your work. You expose your company to future litigation if you don’t have a distinct brand identity. Any fee is too expensive if the artist or design firm does not have a mechanism in place to protect intellectual property and transfer the rights to you.

4.) The Deliverables at the End

The graphic files you leave with are referred to as final deliverables in the design industry. You should get assets that abide by the principles of Cross-Platform Adaptability. 

Your logo will very certainly appear on index cards, office stationery, and perhaps vehicle sides and windows. You might also want to consider developing an app for your company. Businesses are increasingly using explainer videos as a marketing and outreach strategy. With so many different areas where your brand will be seen, you want it to look excellent everywhere. 

In the limited area on a business card or enlarged on a window display, it should not lack clarity. When the logo is utilized as an app icon, the company should be easily identifiable. Finally, the ability to animate the logo opens up a whole new world of possibilities for video material. When creating a logo, a good professional logo designer considers all of these elements. This is called Cross-Platform Adaptability. 

5.) Look at their past work/portfolio

Knowing whether the design studios align with your needs and aesthetic is very important. And their past work or portfolio is a telling sign of how it is going to pan out for your company. 

What are the perks of hiring a design agency?

A brand’s logo is more likely to be remembered than its name. The most recognizable companies and their designs are inextricably linked. Brands like BMW, Thumbs-Up, and Mcdonald’s are instantly recognizable just by looking at their logos. Even though they have all changed (to various degrees), the logos have retained their familiarity and recall value. If you employ the proper logo designer, you may develop memorable and iconic designs for your own company. You’d want a logo that can help you achieve the following goals:

a. Have a strong recall value

In every brand portfolio, logos are undoubtedly the most recognizable assets. With any luck, they’ll be the first thing that comes to mind when someone in your business is seeking something similar to yours. To make a logo that will help you remember your brand, you’ll need something that is:

• Simple and clear: Make sure your logo isn’t overly crowded or overpowering, as this will make it more difficult to recall.
• Evocative: Your logo should encapsulate your brand’s soul. Consider what you want to represent and strive to communicate it in your brand logo.
• Transferable: Any brand recall approach must be consistent. If the logo on your business cards differs from the one on your webpage.

b. Arouse Curiosity

The famous Apple logo, which is recognized all over the globe, had to be on the list since when most millennials saw it, they immediately think of Steve Jobs and their dream smartphone. Rob Janoff created the elegant Apple logo in 1977, and it has endured the test of time because of its creative and straightforward approach. The very first thing you notice about the logo design is that the apple isn’t full, but rather has a chunk missing from its side.

This little element not only serves to generate interest but also adds dimension to the logo. Legends surrounding the bite range from it being a religious nod to Adam and Eve biting onto the wicked fruit to it being a play on the term “byte.” While these urban theories have a large following, Rob Janoff, the logo’s inventor, had a more practical motive for incorporating the bite.

When he tried to include a whole apple into the design, he realized that when it was reduced, it looked more like a cherry than an apple. Janoff was able to scale the logo without sacrificing brand identification by including a bite into the apple’s shape.

c. Strike up a discussion

Although Sony Vaio, also known as Visual Audio Intelligent Organizer, is well-known for its technologies, not everyone is aware of the meaning of its logo. In its devices, Vaio represents the combination of analog and digital technology. The characters ‘VA’ is designed to mimic an analog wave, whereas the letter ‘IO’ is designed to imitate the digits 1 and 0, which indicate a digital signal or binary code, respectively. This sparked up a lot of conversation and discussion when it first came out and is a great example of what a logo can do.

There is a higher chance of getting these results if you manage to rope in a good design agency/company.

Conclusion

Professional logo design is impossible to quantify with money.

We hope that this post has given you a better understanding of what you’re getting for your money when it comes to a logo design job and how much you should budget for a professional yet appealing logo design. If you found this interesting, have any questions, or would like to learn more, our Branding Agency in Dubai can help, please drop us a line at puneet.ae