Why Great Logo Design Costs More than $100

Your logo is an important aspect of your brand, yet it’s often underrated. Your logo helps build brand recognition and it helps you convey the right message as well as connect with your target audience. So how much does great logo design cost?

While you can get a logo design on the cheap, it’s important to understand that a cheap logo can not only hurt your brand image, it can also attract the wrong audience. In this post, we’ll talk about the impact a cheap logo can have on your business and why it pays off to invest in professional logo design.

But What About Free or Cheap Logo Design Options

Nowadays, it’s easy to get a free or cheap logo design. From websites that sell premade logo templates or allow you to create a logo by yourself from a free template to freelancer marketplaces where you can hire someone to design a logo for less than $100, the options are plentiful.

When the price is low, it’s no wonder that those options are very tempting, especially if you’re on a limited budget. However, cheap logo design bears its own set of downsides and risks that could end up costing you more in the long run.

Downsides of Cheap Logo Design

If you decide to go this route there are a few downsides to keep in mind:

  • Your logo will not be unique to your brand and therefore it will not be able to convey the right message or align with your brand values
  • The person designing your logo may not have enough information or take the time to get to know your business, so the logo may not accurately reflect your company.
  • You run the risk of having the same logo as another company, small business or brand
  • Often, you won’t be able to trademark your logo due to the possibility of someone else using the same template and filing for trademark first
  • A cheap logo will not stand the test of time as it often follows the “design trends” that come and go

In short, by opting for one of the cheap or free logo design options, you will wind up paying for a new logo whenever a new trend comes along. This can end up costing you more than paying a professional to design a logo that remains memorable and unique no matter what design trend is currently popular.

But My Friend’s Daughter Does Logo Design

We all know someone whose daughter, son or relative does logo design. Again, knowing someone who dabbles in logo design might seem like an affordable way to get your logo designed.

But, just because they dabble in logo design, that doesn’t mean they have the necessary experience to design a great logo. Consider the following for a moment:

  • Do they know graphic design best practices, especially when it comes to logo design standards?
  • Will they perform an in-depth industry research to understand not only your business but also see what your competitors are doing so they can design something that will make you stand out?
  • Will you get access to source files as well as logo variations?
  • Lastly, are they doing this only to fill their portfolio as opposed to keeping your business goals and values in mind?

Cheap vs Professional Logo Design

As mentioned earlier, cheap logo design often involves websites selling premade logo templates or online software that uses generic logo elements. Alternative to those websites, are freelancer marketplaces filled with freelancers of different skill levels.

While you can find great designers on marketplaces like Odesk, chances are they will be commanding higher prices.

Inexpensive freelancers, on the other hand, will rarely have the necessary skills to design a great logo.

Examples of Bad Logo Design

Cheap logo design might result in something like this:

Cheap logo design cost - bad logo examples

Logo design examples Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3

Ask Yourself These Questions When Looking at These Logos

When looking at the logos above, consider the following questions:

  • Are the logos simple or are they so elaborate that they can be confused for an illustration or some other form of art?
  • Can the logos above be used in a variety of situations; for example in large and small print, across your social media profiles, in your official documents?
  • Are the logos memorable ie. will your customers be able to remember your logo and recognize it after they’ve seen it?
  • Is your logo relevant to your business and target audience?
  • Can you associate these logos with quality and satisfaction?

Here are some of the logo designs designed by us:

Can you tell the difference? The main reason why professional logo design done by Johnny Flash stands out is because we have an actual design process, not to mention the years of design experience and knowledge.

What All Do You Get With Professional Logo Design

A professional logo design process includes the following:

  • In-depth discovery about your brand/business/organization which helps us get to know your business and brand
  • Research related to your industry and competitors which is focused on history and successful logo designs as well as current styles and trends that are related to the project brief
  • Thoughtful relevant design concepts which are based on research and the brief itself
  • Color selection process which will accompany your logo design
  • Brand style guide so you know exactly how to use your logo and logo variations
  • Comprehensive brand that will help you connect with your audience and differentiate yourself from others in your industry

How Much Does Great Logo Design Cost?

The question about the true cost of a great logo design is not one that’s easily answered. In fact, there is no clear cut answer because the final cost depends on the scope of the project itself.

Before giving you an answer we’d need more details. Each business is different and has different goals and needs which means the project will be different from business to business.

As such, the best way to find out the cost of a logo design is to get a quote.

Next Steps

Can you use an online logo maker or a freelance marketplace to get your logo designed? Yes, you could. But the end result will not be the same as hiring a professional that takes the time to understand the core of your brand and your business goals.

We have worked with all kinds of businesses, organizations, and churches to help them create a memorable logo and comprehensive brand for their business.

If you’d like to learn more about professional logo design or take the first steps to a professional logo, contact us to get a free quote for your logo design project.

We build brands stronger, fueled by creativity, and inspired by people.
We focus on transforming consumers into believers.

About Us

Johnny Flash Productions

Johnny Flash Productions is a creative agency based outside of Washington D.C. that focuses on digital strategy, web design and development, graphic design and event production that helps businesses get better results from their marketing.