If you’ve ever found yourself in need of a great logo or any other type of design work, such as for your website, book, packaging, clothing, merchandise, or anything else, then you probably know that there are many talented designers available online who can help. While I have personally used various designers from platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, my most successful experience has been with a website called 99designs.

What sets 99designs apart is their contest model, which enables you to receive designs from multiple designers who will compete to create the best design for your needs. It all begins with you providing some basic details about what you’re looking for in your design, including any names or words you want included, preferred colors, examples of other designs you like, and any concepts you have in mind.

Within a few hours of launching your contest, dozens of designers from around the world will begin submitting different design concepts for you to review and provide feedback on. This approach allows you to choose from a variety of high-quality designs and ensures that you get the best possible design for your project.

How 99designs Works

The process of ordering design work through 99designs starts by selecting the type of design you need. For example, if you need a new logo, you can submit a design brief that provides information about what you’re looking for, such as which words should be included in the logo, any specific colors to be used, whether there will be a tagline, and examples of other designs you like.

After providing all the required information and selecting a pricing package, 99designs displays your design brief to its community of designers. The designers evaluate your requirements and start creating design concepts to submit to you.

As you receive designs, you can rate them and leave comments about what you do or don’t like about each one. You can also decline submissions that don’t meet your needs. Within the first 48 hours, leaving feedback is strongly encouraged as it helps the designers understand whether they’re on the right track.

You’ll eventually shortlist a few designers, notifying them that they’re finalists and giving them more motivation to continue working on your design. After suggesting changes to your favorite designs, you’ll select the winning design.

Once you’ve selected a winner, you’ll receive all the final files for your design work, typically in formats like .psd, .ai, .png, .jpeg, or .swf. You can then use these files to upload your final design to your website or deliver them to whoever will put the final design in place.

Upon signing off on the final copyright agreement, 99designs credits the designer with the award funds. With this process, 99designs ensures that you get the best possible design for your project while providing opportunities for talented designers worldwide.

How Much Does 99designs Cost?

When you work with 99designs for a design project, there are multiple pricing tiers available. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose the option that suits you best, and you may also be presented with additional upsells during the ordering process.

Currently, the lowest price for a design project with 99designs is $299, while the most expensive option costs $1,299 (excluding any optional upsells).

99Designs offers quality design options at reasonable prices compared to other options. For example, I’ve heard of logo design fees as high as $2000 and GoDaddy charging over $600 for their service.

At 99Designs, there are four winning design competition packages available, ranging from Bronze at $299 to Platinum at $1,299. Each package clearly outlines what is included, so you can choose one that suits your specific needs. While there are add-ons available for extra costs, most people won’t need them for basic logo and design needs. Additionally, if you prefer to work directly with a professional designer or team, 99Designs also offers this option. However, these packages tend to be much more expensive than the competition packages.

Pros

Quality Designs: 99Designs provides access to a wide range of designers from around the world, many of whom have years of experience creating stunning designs. By utilizing this platform, you can rest assured that you’ll receive high-quality designs that meet your specific needs.

Competitive Pricing: The pricing for 99Designs’ design competition packages is competitive and reasonable compared to other options in the marketplace. Additionally, you only pay for the winning design, which can save you time and money.

Variety of Design Options: Whether you’re looking for a logo, website design, or other graphic design services, 99Designs offers a variety of design options to choose from. You can work with multiple designers at once, which can lead to a wider range of ideas and creative solutions.

Customer Support: Finally, 99Designs offers excellent customer support to its users. Whether you have questions about the design process or need help navigating the platform, their team is available to assist you every step of the way.

Cons

Limited Control: When you use 99Designs, you’re essentially outsourcing the design process to a pool of designers who will compete to create your project. While this can be convenient, it also means that you have limited control over the final outcome.

Time-Consuming: The design competition process can take several days or even weeks to complete, depending on the package you choose and the number of designs you want to see. This can be frustrating if you’re on a tight deadline or need a quick turnaround time.

Lack of Personal Connection: Because you’re working with multiple designers at once, you may not have a personal connection with any one of them. This can make it difficult to communicate your vision effectively or to build a long-term relationship with a designer for future projects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 99Designs has become a popular choice for those seeking affordable and high-quality design services. One of the biggest advantages of using 99Designs is the quality of the designs produced. With access to a global network of skilled designers, the platform provides users with unique and creative designs that can help establish a strong brand identity.Another benefit of 99Designs is its competitive pricing. Compared to other options in the marketplace, 99Designs offers affordable packages that provide excellent value for money. The pay-per-winning design model also means that you only pay if you’re satisfied with the final design, which can save you time and money in the long run.

However, there are also some potential downsides to using 99Designs. For example, the limited control over the design process may be a concern for some. Clients essentially outsource the design process to a pool of designers who will compete to create their project. While this can be convenient, it also means that clients have limited control over the final outcome.Additionally, the time-consuming nature of the design competition process may be frustrating for those on a tight deadline or who require a quick turnaround time. Depending on the package chosen and the number of designs required, the process can take several days or even weeks to complete.Finally, working with multiple designers at once may make it difficult to establish a personal connection or build a long-term relationship with a particular designer. This may not matter if clients only need a single project completed, but it can be a downside if they’re looking for a designer to work with on an ongoing basis.