Do you need a new logo for your business? Or perhaps you are creating a flyer or new set of business cards that need a unique design.
99designs gives you the creative options that come from using the services of an actual designer, not just a pre-designed template. But is it worth the money? Keep reading this 99designs review to find out what this designer platform is all about.
Pick a designer or host a design contest. Get a logo designed for nearly anything you need. 99designs hosts designers from all around the world.
You can either get matched up with a designer, or you can open up your logo project to a vibrant designer community. You send them your request, they submit their ideas, and you pick the one that works best for you.
Both avenues have pros and cons, so the one you pick depends on your needs.
Anyone who needs a design can benefit from this service. With over 90 categories, 99designs has you covered. They even accommodate agencies who need freelancers to help with their workload.
Designs come in different price ranges. Turnaround time varies, too. You can set up design requests through the website, or speak directly to a designer.
Get your design in 3 easy steps: Brief, Connect, and Collaborate. You can work with an individual designer, but 99designs is best known for crowdsourcing design contests.
Generally, this is how it works:
First, create a brief that outlines exactly what you want. This step only takes a few minutes. Answer a few questions to give designers a starting point, like:
Choose a logo type from the many generated. It’s not the exact style that you’ll receive. However, it can help give designers a good idea about which direction to go. This step is optional, and you’re free to skip it.
Next, select a variety of options using sliders. Choose from options like:
You also get to choose a color scheme that designers can work with. Choose a palette to incorporate into your design. Don’t worry. If you don’t like it, you aren’t stuck with it. However, it will give the designers an idea of your color preferences.
Lastly, you need to fill out a short form to describe what you need from your logo. Be as descriptive as possible.
During this step, you can search for an individual designer to work with one-on-one. Or, you can open up your design needs to the 99designs community. You set the budget and wait for design ideas to come in.
Lastly, if you chose to run a contest, you pick the design you like the most. Or work with your individual designer if you chose that route. Collaborate with the designer to finalize and fine-tune your design.
This is the last step in the process, so when you’re satisfied with your design you can release your payment. Files are available for download at any time in your 99designs work area.
If you choose to run a contest, there are a few things you should know first:
You aren’t obligated to run a contest for your logo design. However, not all categories offer the option of working with an individual designer. So, if you want more design idea options, this may be a solution for you.
Pricing depends on different factors like category, time frame, individual designer or contest. Contests have price-fixed packages for your convenience.
For example, check out the fixed price packages for logo design below:
Contest packages range from $299 to $1,299. The right one for you depends on what you’re looking for. But as a general rule, the more you spend, the more logo options you’ll have to choose from.
When you’re working with an individual designer, pricing depends on the category and the designer.
For example, if you’d like a logo and social media package, individual designer pricing ranges from $279 to $899. By comparison, you can start a contest for the same design category at $399.
In addition, you can also contact 99designs if you’re an agency for a quote.
99designs is packed full of features. From different categories to different collaboration options, this company has a design solution for your next big project.
One of the key features behind 99designs is the number of categories you can choose from. While many may turn to 99designs for a new logo or branding, they offer so much more than that. Check out some of the categories and prices listed below:
Which one is right for you? Do you choose an individual designer to work with? Or run a designer contest?
If you know in what direction you want to go, hiring a designer would be a good solution. Work one-on-one with a designer from the start to get exactly what you want.
On the other hand, if you have a general idea but are open to different styles and concepts, you may want to start a contest. See what talented artists have to offer before you decide on your final design.
Hiring a designer can cost thousands of dollars. And you never really know what you’re going to get. Designers may only offer a certain amount of revisions.
However, most categories on 99designs offer a range for one-on-one projects or price-fixed packages. This means that you can pick the price range that fits your budget.
Are you skeptical about the designs you’ll receive if you open a contest? Don’t worry. There’s a money-back guarantee for all contests within 60 days of payment.
There are a few exceptions to this guarantee. For instance, you can’t get a refund if you guaranteed a prize for your contest. Also, contests that entered the Final round or were awarded a winner are no longer eligible for a refund.
However, if you’re unhappy with the initial designs you receive for your contest, you can call 99designs. They’ll help you re-write your brief and re-open your project. Furthermore, they’ll help you pick out a winner that reflects exactly what you want in a design.
Unlike other designer agencies, 99designs gives you access to designers around the world. 99designs’ designer community is divided into 3 levels: Entry, Mid, and Top. Designers advance levels depending on their performance on a variety of criteria like their code of conduct and concept originality.
Additionally, you may have access to mid to top-level or top-level only designers depending on the price package you choose for the contest.
Why design your own logo when you can hire a talented designer to do it for you? Crowd-source your logo needs and open a contest. Or if you already know exactly what you want, you can hire a designer for a 1-on-1 project.
Prices are relatively affordable for custom designs. And the price ranges make it suitable for most budgets.
What makes 99designs stand out from other freelancer services? This company carefully screens and categorizes their designers based on performance. So, when you pay for mid or top-level design talent, that’s exactly what you get.
Lastly, 99designs is committed to customer satisfaction. They make it easy for you to get in touch with them. And they’re willing to work with you to help you get exactly what you need.
Do you need to re-work your brief? No problem. 99designs will make sure it’s put on paper so your vision comes to life exactly how you imagined it.
