All logos should be done in Illustrator (and or Freehand if you still have it...). Vector format allows scale, super small and very large. However, the tool doesn't matter, the quality and the semiotics you create matter so much more in terms of creating a lasting image for your small business and brand. A good brand identity designer can easily charge a $1000 to start, guys like Pentagram charge a minimum of $100k. Sometimes it takes them forever to get the perfect logo, other times, like in the case of the Citi logo, they were able to come up with it in 10 minutes. Check this site: logopond.com/
My understanding is that the $5 crap-work we (US) think of could be BANK in other places. UK, not so much, my man said our 5 is their 2.50, but in other places, our 5 is something to brag about. My opinion is it's bull and it pisses me off, however, customers dont want my opinion, they want my expertise, and more-so, they want what's best (often times I've found "best" to mean "cheapest") for their business. I believe buying some stuff cheap, but when you go $5 for what should go for more, you are undercutting like crazy and you damage your rep with other designers in these kind of communities as well as the credibility of your work. Innovati said you get what you pay for. I would go out of business before I paid $5 for my look. That could just be me and a select few, but, I hate to see it. As bad as it sucks, it wont stop. Everyone is out for #1 and sometimes #1 likes to get paid like #1001. Check out E-lance on some bids. People say their budget is $750-1000 and you have people bidding $200. It's sickening but wont change.
Price would be dependent on a lot of factors: Is it premade (like logo templates geared more for multiple people than just one)? Is it custom logos (specific to a client's requests)? Does it come with full rights, partial or none at all? How is the design and how many concepts were created? How much time did you spend designing it along with any revisions? How creative is it and is it brandable? How's the level of quality? How experienced are you as a designer? Is it in vector format or not? And whatever else. SitePoint contests always pay a minimum of $100 but the quality is on another scale than that of the designers here on DP. DP contests pay much less than with a minimum of FREE to $45 on average and the quality doesn't compare to that of SP designers (and vice versa). I think most who charge $5 here or any other forum do so because they haven't come across anyone (and multiples of people) who are willing to pay them more. So they price their logos according to what people are willing to shell out for their work instead of pricing it according to the factors above and looking elsewhere for their "right" target audience. When multiple people start paying more to those $5 logo designers, they will up their price for sure and the $5 logos will be a thing of the past. Others do so, as way to start off their logo "business". And few do it as a sales price to later increase after sale is over. Blah, blah. Just my two cents.
The idea is that if you own a small business and just opened a business website, but cannot create a quality logo of your own, then you can buy one on here. I don't know about 5$ logos, but I think 20-35 is fair for a quick logo.
How can somebody get 'ripped off' when they agree to do a service for a client at whatever price? If for whatever reason on God's earth you wanna do a logo for $3 then thats what your time is worth. I dont understand it...but then again i dont understand quantum physics, or how the theory of evolution has survived for this long without the 'missing link'...those scientists, i think, are just really, really generous with their time.
Unfortunately the market is quite saturated. However like many people have said, you get what you pay for. - Matt
I thought $5 a logo would be alright, but i see we're talking propper Proffesional ones Maybe $50 max I'd pay/
A logo isn't a finished piece of work - it's a problem. The difference between sciences and creative fields, is that with science, each problem has one solution; in creative fields there are unlimited solutions, to varying degrees of success. When you need a logo done, you need to figure out how many different solutions you are going to pursue, and how far along you're going to develop those ideas, before narrowing it down to the best one. Designers need to get paid for the work they do, so if you have a designer make you 7 separate solutions you're FAR more likely to get a better result than if you pay him to simply design 1 solution...(you take what you get) 750 isn't expensive for a logo. I'd say professionally it's not uncommon for the average logo to be somewhere around 300$, and they usually come up with <10 ideas, develop 7, refine 3 and the finish 1. If you wanted more solutions, you pay per solution you add, because you're increasing their workload.
Well i am a professional graphic designer, you can find my portfolio below: http://www.inventgw.com As far as i am concerned we dont do logos for usd 5 or 20, minimum for a Logo or a Banner is atleast USD170. See Ya Jones
To the question asked in the thread title, i'd just say that the whoever is offering services for such low amounts is either: a) not talented b) ripping off some other's creations or c) severely undervaluing his skills They just do not realize how they are creating severe problems for the rest of the design industry who are out to make an honest buck.
I've learned (by dabbling in the web design business) it all depends on who does your logo and more importantly where they live! For example, a designer in the US or Europe might charge $50 for a logo--and an average quality one. But a designer in India could charge just $5 for the same or better quality. Five dollars buys a whole lot more in India than in more developed countries like the US or the UK. So to them [Indians], it can seem like a great profit. They're willing to put more into it. When you're on a budget and there's a bottom line it's often cheaper to shop globally to save!
I think that competition is the main reason why there is a high and low price in selling a logo or other graphic designs etc. Costumers like to buy cheaper price and with good quality designs.
the whole our $5 is their $2 is true, there are some talented people out there, BUT do they know how your logo relates to your market (have you seen the tv shows where call center workers are sent to "western culture" school). ie they will draw up a nice looking logo for you, copied out of logo 1001, but it wont have the same impact as say spending $50+ from someone who understands your marketing needs. Also many people stick a $2 logo/web header on their sites just to make them look good, with a view to seling the site on to some mug. Its easy to setup a "full" looking website for under $10 these days including domain name/content.
I think making cheap logos is a great way to start designing. I used to start out making them for free, now I charge more than $5. Once you have more experience its only normal to charge more but I think its a great way for new designers to start Of course people who pay this little shouldn't expect designs as amazing as those from designers who have been in the business for a long time. It's just a win win situation for new designers and users on a tight budget
LOL. What do I think? I think anyone who sells a logo for $5 is probably a no talent prick. And anyone who buys a logo for $5 probably doesn't really care about their image. As I always say, "Good design isn't cheap. Cheap design isn't good." I won't touch a logo for under $500, but thats me.
I disagree.. Expensive design isn't always good either, a perfect example is the London 2012 Olympics logo: http://www.london2012.com/ Cheap designs aren't always bad, just look at the contests section, there are some very talented logo designers here. I do think they're underpriced but I guess that's the only way to get good work these days because there are just too many logo designers. I guess the main thing causing these cheap designs is that people aren't willing to pay much for a logo..
$25 is a good price to pay for a logo. those who sell their services for less then that are under cutting the market and taking work away from good designers. that is of course just my opinion.
I think it all depends on what you want and what you get. If you pay $5 the chances are you will get something very simple and not really unique. Saying that these logo's will do the job for alot of people, me included so why would I want to pay over that amount.