How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Freelance Graphic Designer

Globally, the graphic design industry is worth over $45.8 billion.

The freelance industry is growing each year, and 90% of all graphic designers are freelancers.

With so many incredible graphic designers available, it can be hard to choose the right one for your business. How much should you pay, and why would you need a freelancer graphic designer?

We’ve put together this ultimate guide to help you pick the right freelance graphic designer for your business and help you set a budget.

Read on to find out more.

Why You Need a Graphic Designer?

Research suggests people remember information better when presented using images rather than text. With more visual platforms than ever, producing graphic content is essential. Every business now needs a graphic designer.

Graphic designers offer many services including:

• Business card design
• Website design
• Logos and rebranding
• Postcards and merchandise
• Social media banners and posts
• Presentation graphics and graphs
• Catalogue and product lists
• Show stands

If your business has any kind of online presence or uses any marketing materials, you should consider a professional designer.

A designer can ensure consistency across all visual output. Furthermore, producing high-quality graphics across all forms of media plays a big part in your brand reputation.

Businesses with a clear brand, color palette, and imagery are seen as more trustworthy brands. Good designs can encourage customers to trust you, elevate your brand image and improve your reputation. Failing to get your graphics right can result in your customers going elsewhere.

Freelance, Agency, and In-House Graphic Designers

If you need daily support from a graphic designer, you might be better off with an in-house designer. Having a designer in-house means that can work across several departments and projects with ease.

Hiring someone full-time does come with extra costs and responsibilities. But if you need a lot of graphic design work, it will be worth it.

Agencies

The average salary of in-house graphic designers is around $51,000. More experienced designers will expect a salary of over $65,000.

Another option is to use a graphic design agency. Agencies will accept work and distribute it internally to a team of designers. Agencies sometimes work on a pay-as-you-go service in which you pay per project. They may have varying rates and let you choose the experience level and cost of the designer.

Some agency design services run a subscription service. You pay monthly for a set number of projects. Generally, subscription agencies cost around $500 per month for a basic package.

Freelancers

If you don’t think you have a consistent workload, a freelance designer may be a better option. Freelancers can provide periodical support or work on one-off projects for a set fee.

You can also choose hybrid models such as FreeUp where freelance talent is pooled into one place. Get access to the best freelance graphic designers and agency-style services without the price tag. Freelancer rates start from just $5 per hour.

How Much Does a Freelance Graphic Designer Cost?

The cost of hiring a graphic designer will vary depending on the designer’s experience. More complex work with lots of layers will also impact the price.

Some designers will work for a set rate or flat fee. Others will want a full brief of your request before sending you a quote. If you need a fast turnaround time to meet a deadline, a freelancer will charge extra to get the work done on time.

Here’s a breakdown on what a freelance graphic designer should charge.

Hourly Rates

Some freelancers will set hourly rates. This can be a fantastic way of comparing freelancers. Rates vary based on the experience and talent of the designer.

You can send a brief to a freelancer and they will calculate the amount of time they think it will take them. The quote will be based on the number of hours of work, not the complexity of the project.

If projects end up being more complicated than you planned and it takes longer, you’ll have to pay more.

On average, freelance graphic designers charge between $15-$45 per hour. $15 for one hour of work is the most basic rate and only applies to beginner designers with less experience.

Designers with a better reputation and bigger portfolio may charge upwards of $45. Some of the best designers charge over $100 per hour. For a decent designer with some experience, you can expect to pay around $40 per hour.

Per Project Prices

Some freelancers will prefer to give you a quote based on the project itself. You will need to provide a brief with the number of options you expect, the size, quality, colors and the final form.

As with hourly rates, the average graphic design quote will depend on the designer’s experience.

This guide details approximate costs for hiring a freelance designer for a specific project:

• Standard Logo: $100-$300
• Logo Design Pack: $200-$800
• Business card: $50-$500
• Social Media Graphic: $50-$300
• Social media Graphic Package: $500-$2,500
• Landing Page: $600-$3,000
• Basic website: $5000-$15,000
• Brochure: $300-$2,000
• Illustration: $700-$4,000
• Infographic: $200-$1,500

If you’re working with a freelancer who charges by project, make sure to clarify how many revisions you can make within the quoted fee. If you aren’t happy or want lots of little tweaks, you might need to pay extra.

For larger projects with several linked elements, designers may offer discounted rates. For example, if you commission an entire website design, they may offer a matching social media package for half price.

Find a Freelance Graphic Designer Today

If you’re ready to take your business’s visuals seriously, a freelance graphic designer can offer professional, high-quality services without the need to hire an in-house team.

Freelance designers can create a range of visuals for social media, print and your website to ensure you have consistent branding and stay up to date with the latest trends.

For businesses with a smaller budget, amateur designers offer great value for money. If you’ve got a larger budget, a more experienced, graphic designer can offer the highest quality work.

Head straight to the FreeUp Marketplace to browse some of the best freelance graphic designers.