Branding

Need a logo for your business? There are many ways to get a logo designed for your business. You can do it yourself … or have it done for you. You can have a simple typography logo … or a logo that incorporates an illustrated mascot. You can invest nothing … or thousands.

To help you decide the best route for your business, here are 13 ways to design a logo. We’ve included resource links, and details about cost, turnaround, quality, and what type of businesses will benefit the most from each option.

1. Design a typographic logo

Choose typography that matches your brand style and make a typographic logo in Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva/Canva for Work, or another graphic design program.



Resources: free fonts from Google Fonts and Font Squirrel, premium fonts Creative Market and myfonts.com
Cost: $15+ for premium fonts
Turnaround: depends on you

Quality: depends on your skills

Best for businesses that: are diy-ers who want a quick, stylish logo

2. Draw a logo + convert it into a digital file

Can you draw? Yes! Then get to sketching and use your skills to create a 100% unique logo.

Resources: You can find designers on fiverr and other freelance gig sites to convert your drawing into a vector file for you. Or use an app like paper with a stylus and Illustrator or Photoshop to convert your scribbles into a vector file.
C

ost: free to $100s
Turnaround: varies

Quality: you’ll have a unique logo that you made yourself, overall quality will depend on your drawing skills
Best for businesses that: are diy-ers who have drawing, hand-lettering and illustration skills

3. Customize a pre-made logo template

Many stock graphic resources offer pre-made logo templates. Add your business name and adjust colors to match your brand color palette and you’re good to go with a logo. See a video tutorial

Resources: 
Creative Market, Etsy


Cost: $15+ per template

Turnaround: depends on you

Quality: quality of logo will vary depending on the quality of template chosen, and your skills/ability to customize

Best for businesses that: are diy-ers (with access to Photoshop or Illustrator) who want a quick, stylish logo and have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind

4. Design with Canva.com’s pre-made templates

Canva is a free online design app. Get an account, choose a logo template and add in your name and brand colors.

Resource: Canva logo templates

Cost: zero
Turnaround: depends on you

Quality: quality of logo will vary depending on the quality of the template chosen, and your skills/ability to customize
Best for businesses that: are diy-ers who want a quick logo, have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind, and aren’t worried about other businesses having a similar logo (design elements offered may be used by others in their logos, too)

5. Learn how to design a logo yourself

If you’ve always wanted to improve your design skills, then learning to design your own logo is a great way to do so.


Resources: LinkedIn Learning offers courses on logo design and much, much more.
Cost: $30/month for logo design and Illustrator courses on LinkedIn Learning, $21/month Adobe Illustrator (after one month free trial)
Turnaround: depends on you

Quality: you’ll have a unique logo that you made yourself, quality of logo will vary depending on your skills

Best for businesses that: want to be totally in charge of their brand, are diy-ers who’ve always wanted to learn design, are diy-ers who have time to invest in learning a new skill, or new designers or virtual assistants who want to add logo design/branding services to their businesses

6. Use a logo generator site

These sites do much of the design work for you. You choose icons, colors, typography from their selections and your logo is generated for you.


Resources: Shopify’s logo maker, Square Space’s logo maker, Tailor Brands, Logojoy, GraphicSprings, LogoShi, Logaster


Cost: free to $165+

Turnaround: less than an hour

Quality: quality of logo will vary depending on the service, final file options vary by service
Best for businesses that: need quick turnaround, are bootstrapping their brand, don’t need a comprehensive branding package, and don’t mind if their logo is not unique (design elements offered may be used by others in their logos, too)

7. Work with a designer who offers customization of their own pre-made templates

You get to shop for a logo from a catalog of options created by a professional designer, pick the look you like, and have it customized with your business name and brand colors.

Resources: search for “pre-made logo”
 on 

Etsy, or work with an independent designer like Jack and Mo, Coral Antler, Angie Makes, or MintSwift


Cost: varies $15 to $150+

Turnaround: a few days to a week, depending on designer

Quality: quality of logo will vary depending on designer’s experience and style

Best for businesses that: need quick turnaround, have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind, have time to review portfolios to find a match for that style, are comfortable with limited revisions, and don’t mind if their logo is not unique (in some cases designers do not limit the number of clients who can buy a specific logo template)

8. Crowdsource by running a logo design contest

You get the creativity of multiple designers focused on your logo.

Resources: 
99designs, 48hourslogo, 
DesignCrowd


Cost: varies by service, $99+

Turnaround: one to two weeks

Quality: quality of logos will vary widely depending on contest designer’s experience

Best for businesses that: want quick turnaround, don’t have a specific style or vibe in mind yet, want to see many different options/styles, have time to review, rate and give comments on designs, don’t mind if their logo is not unique (some designers use stock logos)

9. Outsource to a designer using a freelance gig site

You set the parameters for the logo design project and get to choose the designer who best meets your requirements.

Resources:

 Upwork, 
Envato, Crew, Hire My Mom, 
Fiverr, and Fiverr Pro

Cost: wide range $5 to $1000+

Turnaround: depends on designer you choose and the timeline you specify in your job post

Quality: branding process varies (based on your job post specifications), number of concepts/revisions vary (based on your job post specifications), quality of logo will vary depending on designer’s experience and style

Best for businesses that: have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind and have time/energy to review portfolios/interview applicants, and are comfortable communicating with their designer as specified by the site’s terms of service, don’t mind if their logo is not unique (some designers use stock logos)

10. Outsource to an independent designer you source yourself by viewing creative portfolios online

You take ownership of finding just the right talent to design your logo.

Resources: Carbonmade, 
Behance, Coroflot
Cost: wide range $100s to $1000+

Turnaround: weeks to months, depending on designer

Quality: branding process varies, number of concepts/revisions vary, quality of logo will vary depending on designer’s experience and style
Best for businesses that: have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind, have a solid business foundation, understand the logo process and are design savvy, have time/patience to review lots of portfolios and interview designers to find the best fit, and are comfortable corresponding with their designer via email/phone/video conference

11. Outsource to a professional designer online

You rely on your network to help you find a designer with a good reputation and skills.

Resources: Ask for referrals from your local and online biz networks. Or hire me!
Cost: $500+

Turnaround: weeks to months, depending on designer

Quality: branding process varies, number of concepts/revisions vary, quality and uniqueness of logo will vary depending on designer’s experience and style

Best for businesses that: have a clear brand vision or specific style/vibe of logo in mind, have a solid business foundation, understand the logo process and are design savvy, have solid referrals to interview, and are comfortable corresponding with their designer via email/phone/video conference.

12. Outsource to a local independent designer

You take ownership of finding a good designer locally.

Resources: Google “your city + logo designer” to find resources, ask for referrals in your local biz networks, or search for locals in creative portfolios online.


Cost: $1,000+

Turnaround: weeks to months, depending on designer

Quality: the branding process is in-depth, multiple concepts/revisions are provided by one designer in their signature style, logos are high quality, custom, unique

Best for businesses that: have clear brand vision and business goals in mind, understand the logo process and are design savvy, have a solid referral in hand, want to have in-person meetings with their logo designer

13. Outsource to a local advertising/creative agency

You take ownership of finding an agency that fits your needs or rely on your network to help you find an agency with a good reputation and skills.

Resources: Google “your city + advertising agency” or ask for referrals in your local business networks.


Cost: $5,000+

Turnaround: one-two months, depending on agency

Quality: in-depth branding process including competitor/market analysis, multiple concepts and revisions, multiple designers, logos are high quality, custom, unique

Best for businesses that: have a clear brand vision and solid business foundation, want a completely unique logo and comprehensive branding package, want in-person meetings with the team working on their logo, and have the budget resources to invest

Bonus #14: Get a logo refresh

If you already have a logo, but feels out of date, or you aren’t sure it still fits your business, you can hire a designer to refresh your logo. This might include new typography, a new color palette, or an updated look for your iconic elements. Want an honest opinion on how outdated or not your current logo is? Schedule a free consult with me.