Creating a logo for a brand can be both exciting and intimidating. There is so much excitement in creating a visual representation of your brand. A symbol for your customers to remember your business by. But there is also the pressure of creating something that resonates with your brand’s personality.
To tackle this, there are two very popular options that most brands rely on- a DIY logo maker and a custom logo design service. But which one do you think will work well for your business and your budget? Let’s find out. We’ll tell you about the ups and downs of both these options.
These are online web-based tools where you can create your logo in minutes. Most of them offer you the option to use an existing template or create one from scratch. You can mix and match various design elements, choose fonts you like and then tweak the design by changing the colors and other aspects. Most of these tools have thousands of templates for you to explore. And you often only need a free account to start creating your logo.
However, you might have to pay to download your design once your design is ready. Sometimes you have to pay extra depending on your file size requirements. So, what are the advantages of using a logo maker?
Creating your own design can be fun. It gives you a sense of control over your design. That’s why many entrepreneurs try this option despite its downsides. From what goes into the design to where each element fits, you can perfect your design yourself. What’s more? When you use existing templates, you do not have to worry about not having design experience or knowledge. You can create a logo by just adjusting a few attributes without creating anything from scratch.
There are many affordable choices in online logo makers. There are a few where it costs less than $100 to create and download your logo. Some have a massive free library of fonts and icons to use in your designs. And with others, there is a premium plan that gives you access to a bunch of unique design elements. Either way, the total cost of creating one logo might still be less than hiring a logo designer. This makes this an attractive option for small business owners and marketers looking to save their branding budget.
How quickly you finish designing your logo is truly in your hands. If you know exactly what you want, in a few quick minutes your logo should be ready. Instead of waiting hours or days (sometimes even weeks) until a logo designer completes the logo, your logo will be ready in no time. Most businesses that are in a hurry to launch often find this to be the fastest way to get their logo designed.
Having said that, we should also warn you that there are a few limitations to using a DIY logo maker. Some of them are so big that you will find it worth spending on custom logo design services rather than using a logo maker to save money.
Custom logo design can be tackled in many ways:
Irrespective of the approach, the idea is simple. You provide your requirements and your designer (or design team) creates your logo from scratch. At first glance, this looks expensive but there are many benefits that make the process worth it.
If you are contemplating whether it is necessary to spend on a custom logo design service, consider these benefits they offer over online logo makers and you will have your answer.
Customers love authentic brands. Your authenticity is one of the reasons they will be willing to try your business when it is new. After all, we all like to try something that is new and different from what’s already out there.
When you use online logo makers for this purpose, you choose from standard templates or symbols already in the tool’s library. As a result, there could be other logos that look similar to yours. And if this brand happens to be in your niche and a target customer looks at your logo and sees that it looks very similar to another brand’s logo, it is not the kind of first impression your brand needs.
While the rest of your marketing materials talk about how your business is different from your competitors, it would make better sense if your logo supports this idea. With a logo design service, you have a unique logo that creates a strong identity for your brand.
Also, some of the online logo makers also do not let you claim copyrights on the design since you are using stock elements. But when your logo is designed from scratch, you have absolute ownership over the design. From the icon to the color palette you can copyright various aspects of the design. This lets you prevent other brands from creating something very similar to yours in the future.
When you use logo makers, some of them require you to make a payment upfront. Or you might be paying for specific fonts or design elements you use in the design. And with some, you have to make a payment to download your finished design. With others, there are tiers or plans to choose from. The resolution and format of the files, copyright, and other details vary from one plan to another. On the whole, what starts as a simple logo design project ends up as one confusing design bill.
When you are in the early stages of your business, any unpredictable cost can be a burden. That’s why custom logo design services might feel like better choices when it comes to understanding the cost of logo design. Some logo designers charge you by the hour and others based on the type of logo and other aspects. But you get a rough idea of the amount you would be spending on logo design.
When you choose unlimited design services, even this margin of unpredictability can be eliminated. You will be paying a fixed monthly rate in which the logo design and a whole lot of other design services will be covered. Other branding designs like business cards or even marketing designs like print and digital ads can all be covered in one monthly bill.
With online logo makers, you do get the freedom to optimize your logo the way you like it. But you cannot change the fact that you are working with a standard library of fonts and icons. Even when you mix and match the icons and fonts or change colors, you are still using stock assets. So, finding exactly what you think will suit your brand might not be easy all the time.
For example, you might have a standard color palette for your brand or a custom font you wish to use everywhere. But with online logo makers, you might not always be able to incorporate these elements into the design.
With custom logo design services, on the other hand, you can provide all your brand assets to your designer. The designer will then use them to create a logo that accurately captures your idea. You have your designer create a custom icon for you, an icon that tells what your brand does. Or your designer can also create an illustrated logo that summarizes your brand’s origin story. They can also create a custom font for wordmark logos. In short, your logo will look and feel like your brand in every way.
DIY logo makers are great for small projects. And perhaps even for last-minute campaigns where you do not have the time to hire freelance designers. Or in case your budget is too low to go with any other design outsourcing option. But, if you do need a professional logo that creates a strong first impression, a custom logo design service is just what you need. If you think that spending hundreds of dollars on a logo design will be out of your budget, consider investing in an unlimited design service. For nearly the same price as a single logo design project, you can cover a whole lot more.
