Brand design is one of the most underpriced creative disciplines because clients compare it to logo design without understanding what a full identity system involves. This calculator helps you find a rate that reflects the strategic and creative depth of what you actually deliver.
// frequently asked questions
How do I scope a brand identity project?
A brand identity project should be broken into defined phases with client approval at each stage: discovery and strategy, concept development, refinement, and final delivery with brand guidelines. Quote the full project as a fixed price, not hourly. Hourly billing on brand work penalises you for working efficiently and gives clients no clear sense of what they are committing to. Define deliverables explicitly: logo suite, colour system, typography, usage guidelines, and any collateral are all separate line items.
How many logo concepts should I include in my quote?
Two or three distinct directions is standard for a professional brand engagement. Presenting ten options is not generosity, it is an abdication of creative direction and it significantly multiplies your time. Clients who want more options are usually uncertain about what they want, which is a scoping problem to solve before the project starts, not during.
Should I charge separately for brand strategy?
Yes, whenever possible. Brand strategy (positioning, audience, tone of voice, competitive differentiation) is upstream of design and commands a premium because it requires business thinking, not just visual skill. Separating strategy from execution in your quote makes both components visible and defensible. Clients who resist paying for strategy separately are often the ones who will challenge your design decisions most during execution.
What billable percentage should I plan for as a brand designer?
Brand designers typically bill 55-65% of working hours. Research, competitive analysis, and strategy development take real time that does not always produce a visible deliverable. Quote for the full process, not just the hours clients can see.
// how does brand designer pricing compare to logo designer?
Brand designers and
logo designers are frequently conflated by clients but represent very different scopes of work. A logo is a single mark. A brand identity is a complete system: logo suite, colour palette, typography, imagery style, tone of voice, and guidelines for how all of these elements work together. Pricing them the same way significantly undervalues brand work. If a client asks for "just a logo", make sure you both agree on what that means before quoting.