TL;DR
- Charge per-project, not per-hour, once you can estimate scope reasonably well — it rewards efficiency instead of penalizing it.
- New freelancers routinely underprice by 30-50% out of fear of losing the client. Research typical rates before quoting.
- Always price in revisions explicitly — unlimited revisions is the single most common source of scope creep.
Pricing your first few design projects is more about avoiding common traps than finding a perfect formula. Here’s a practical approach.
Hourly vs. project-based pricing
Hourly pricing feels safer starting out, but it directly penalizes you for getting faster at your job — the more efficient you become, the less you earn per project. Project-based pricing (a flat fee for defined deliverables) rewards efficiency and is what most experienced freelancers move toward. Start hourly only if you genuinely can’t estimate scope yet, and switch to project-based as soon as you can.
A rough starting framework
| Project type | Reasonable starting range |
|---|---|
| Logo/brand identity (small business) | $300–$1,500 |
| Single landing page design | $400–$1,200 |
| Social media template set (monthly) | $200–$600/mo |
| Full small-business website design (5-8 pages) | $1,500–$5,000 |
These are starting ranges for early-career freelancers, not ceilings — rates should rise with a stronger portfolio and client testimonials. Local market and niche complexity both shift these numbers significantly.
The revision trap
“Unlimited revisions” sounds generous but is the single most common way a fixed-price project quietly turns unprofitable. Specify a number (2-3 rounds is standard) in writing before starting, with additional rounds billed separately.
Don’t underprice out of fear
New freelancers routinely quote 30-50% below what the market actually supports, worried a higher number will lose the client. In practice, a price that’s too low often reads as a lack of confidence and can hurt trust more than it helps close the deal.
FAQ
Should new freelance designers charge hourly or per-project?
Project-based pricing is generally better once you can estimate scope, since it rewards efficiency. Hourly makes sense only when scope is genuinely unpredictable.
How many revision rounds should be included in a design project?
2-3 rounds is standard practice. Specify this in writing before starting, with additional rounds billed separately to avoid scope creep.