How much to charge for a logo
Logo prices run from gig-marketplace bargains to agency fees many times higher, so a range from the internet will not tell you what to charge. Your own numbers will: the hours a logo really takes, multiplied by a rate that covers your costs, plus the time nobody bills. For a two-direction logo project that comes to about 29 hours, which is $1,500 at $50 an hour and $3,300 at $110.
The Client-Ready Kit · $49
Rate, quote and package calculator, project proposal with a priced-options table, full and short-form design agreements with revision and kill-fee terms, invoice, onboarding questionnaire, client tracker, 18 email scripts and a playbook.
Get the Client-Ready KitRate calculator only ($15)What to include
- Discovery and a creative brief. A questionnaire, a kickoff call and a one-page brief the client approves. About 4 hours. Skip it and you pay for it later in revision rounds.
- Concepts. Two distinct directions, each shown in use (a sign, a social avatar, a business card) rather than floating on white. About 12 hours, including the sketches and dead ends the client never sees.
- Refinement and two revision rounds. Developing the chosen direction and two rounds of consolidated feedback. About 6 hours. Name the number of rounds in the price; extra rounds are quoted separately.
- The final logo package. Primary logo, secondary mark and wordmark in SVG, PNG and PDF, in colour, one colour and reversed, with a one-page usage sheet. About 3 hours, because exporting and checking every version takes longer than people expect.
- Project management. Emails, calls, scheduling and invoices. Add 15% of the design hours. It is always real and almost always left out.
- A contingency buffer. Add 5% for a clear brief and a client you know, more for a new client or a vague brief.
- Rush fee, when it applies. A deadline that makes you move other work is worth a surcharge. Say so in the quote rather than absorbing it.
- Usage and ownership. Most logo clients expect to own the final logo outright. Transfer ownership when the final invoice is paid, and keep the right to show the work in your portfolio.
Free: our 19-point client contract checklist and minimum-rate worksheet (2-page PDF).
Download the free checklistMistakes to avoid
- Quoting only the hours spent drawing
- Pricing below your break-even rate to win the job
- Leaving revision rounds unlimited
- Handing over final files before the last payment
- Sending one price with no options, so the only question is yes or no
How to put the price in a proposal
Wording you can adapt for the pricing section of a logo proposal. Change the bracketed details to fit the project.
Fixed fee. The fee for the logo design described above is [$2,300]. It includes [two] initial directions, [two] rounds of revisions on the chosen direction and the final logo package listed in Deliverables.
Payment. [50]% is due on signing to reserve the start date, and the remaining [50]% before the final files are delivered.
Extra revisions. Additional revision rounds are [$300] each. I will always confirm the cost with you before starting one.
Ownership. When the final invoice is paid, you own the final logo outright. Concepts that were not chosen remain mine, and I may show the finished work in my portfolio.
Worked example: one logo, three hourly rates
The same two-direction logo project (25 design hours) priced at three rates. Each price adds 15% for project management and a 5% buffer, then rounds to the nearest $100.
| Hourly rate | 25 design hours | +15% management | +5% buffer | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $1,250 | $1,438 | $1,509 | $1,500 |
| $75 | $1,875 | $2,156 | $2,264 | $2,300 |
| $110 | $2,750 | $3,163 | $3,321 | $3,300 |
$75 is about what our free rate calculator suggests with its default numbers; $110 is what the full version in our kit gives for $65,000 take-home pay after tax and $9,400 of yearly business costs. Your rate is the number that moves the price most, so work it out before you quote anything.
Find your rate, then offer three options
Your rate has to cover more than your salary. Start with the take-home pay you want, add income tax and a year of business costs (software, equipment, insurance, accounting), then divide by the hours you can actually bill. Most freelancers bill about 60% of their working time; the rest goes on sales, admin and learning. Our free rate calculator does the quick version in a minute.
Then quote options rather than one number. At $75 an hour, a lean option (one direction, one revision round, the logo files: about 17 hours) comes to about $1,500; the recommended option above to $2,300; and a complete option that adds a colour palette, type pairing and a short brand guide (about 32 hours) to about $2,900. The client’s question changes from “should I hire you?” to “which one?”, and the lean option gives a tight budget a way to say yes without you discounting.
Price feels high to you because you see the hours; the client sees a logo they will use for years. If a quote comes out below your break-even rate, cut scope rather than price. When you are ready to send it, our graphic design proposal guide shows how to lay out the options, and the contract guide covers revisions, ownership and the kill fee.
Skip the blank page
The Client-Ready Kit does all of this for you: a rate calculator that finds your break-even and quoting rate, a project estimate with the management and buffer lines built in, a three-option package sheet that flags any option below your floor, and a proposal and agreement that the numbers drop straight into. Excel and Word files that also open in Google Sheets and Docs, with PDF copies.
The Client-Ready Kit · $49
Rate, quote and package calculator, project proposal with a priced-options table, full and short-form design agreements with revision and kill-fee terms, invoice, onboarding questionnaire, client tracker, 18 email scripts and a playbook.
Get the Client-Ready KitRate calculator only ($15)Questions
How much should I charge for a logo as a beginner?
Work it out from your rate rather than copying someone else's price. At $50 an hour, a two-direction logo with two revision rounds and a full file package comes to about $1,500. If that feels too high for a client, offer a smaller option with one direction and fewer files instead of cutting your rate.
How many hours does a logo take?
For a two-direction logo with two revision rounds and a full file package, plan on about 25 design hours plus 15% for emails, calls and admin, so roughly 29 hours in total. Simple marks take less; logos that need research, illustration or many applications take more.
Should I charge hourly or a fixed price for a logo?
Estimate in hours, quote a fixed price. Clients buy a logo, not your time, and a fixed fee with a clear number of directions and revision rounds is easier for them to approve.
How much deposit should I take for a logo?
Half on signing is common for a logo-only project, with the rest due before you hand over the final files. For larger brand projects, a 40% deposit, 30% at logo approval and 30% before final files spreads it out.
Do I charge extra for revisions?
Include a set number of rounds, usually two, and price extra rounds in the proposal. A round is about 4 hours, so at $75 an hour that is $300.
Who owns the logo after the project?
Usually the client, once the final invoice is paid. Say so in the contract, keep ownership of unused concepts, and keep the right to show the work in your portfolio. This is general information, not legal advice.
More templates for your business: browse the full shop or try the free rate calculator.
Templates are a starting point, not legal advice; laws vary by location. Digital products: all sales are final; faulty file? Email hello@dojo.design and we’ll fix it or refund you.