How much should a logo cost?

As with most things, there’s a way to cut corners and a way to go wild.

Let’s work to find your “goldilocks” solution. Remember that this is all my opinion – what’s right for you depends on your setting.

😫 TOO LITTLE – This might leave you wanting for more:

Often, I hear of organizations like yours choosing to hire a designer on a gig-work site like Fiverr.

Here are some problems you might experience when opting for a cheaper option like this:

1. You’re not paying the artist enough to complete a discovery process (learning about your organization, community, audience, etc) – so the design is almost always going to feel generic.
2. You probably won’t be able to get large-scale outdoor signage made easily, since they don’t usually send vector files.
3. You probably won’t get any other branding tools: typefaces, colors, icons, patterns, usage guidelines, etc…
4. You’ll probably only get one variation of the logo, so you’ll find yourself in situations where the logo doesn’t pop on a dark background or doesn’t fit in a certain design.

You’ll probably find yourself paying as little as $50 for something extremely bare-bones, but most likely in the 3-figures somewhere.

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😳 TOO MUCH – This might leave you feeling overwhelmed:

Have you seen the Luther Prep rebrand?

To be clear, I am absolutely in love with it. It’s stunning. The designer has done a remarkable job.

However, in my opinion – For most small/medium-sized churches & grade schools, this kind of project is just a lot.

In order to do this kind of project justice long-term, it would be wise to have a graphic designer on staff.

In order to see a return on this kind of investment, you should have social media, website, email, and print marketing strategies very clearly outlined. This would mean you also have a communications or marketing director on staff.

I do not know how much this specific project cost, but industry standard for something like this would certainly be in the 5-figures.

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😄 JUST RIGHT – If you’re still reading, this might be better for you:

Look for someone who can offer 2-3 different orientations of your logo in a few color variations (ex: full color, all-black, and all-white).

These files should always be accompanied by clear usage guidelines and maybe a simple style guide.

You should also know that you’re going to receive vector files so you can get large-scale signage made.

All this comes after a true, in-depth discovery process… during which the designer asks questions about your organization, your audience, and your community.

If you have the staff to support it, and an audience that would appreciate it, find a designer who can build out your brand a little further with extra icons or brand patterns.

Most often, you’ll pay in the mid-4-figures for something like this. It could be more or less, depending on how much is included and the experience of the designer.

Again, this is all my own opinion – and from my own experience working in this field. Depending on your situation – and where you are in the country – these numbers could look different.

What do you think your “goldilocks” solution falls on this spectrum?