How much should I charge for a design project?
A solid design quote starts from time: list the tasks, estimate the hours, and multiply by your hourly rate. Then adjust for what makes the job more valuable or harder — complexity, how the client will use the work, and how fast they need it. Price = hours × hourly rate × complexity × usage rights × (1 + rush fee).
Typical hours for common design projects
| Project | Typical hours | At $45/hour |
|---|---|---|
| Logo design | 12–20 | $540–$900 |
| Brand identity | 30–45 | $1,350–$2,025 |
| 5-page website | 55–75 | $2,475–$3,375 |
| Social media pack | 15–20 | $675–$900 |
| Packaging design | 18–25 | $810–$1,125 |
| App UI/UX (10 screens) | 40–50 | $1,800–$2,250 |
These are starting points — the calculator loads them as editable task lists so you can match your own process.
Usage rights and licensing
A logo for a local bakery and an illustration used in a national ad campaign can take the same hours but are worth very different amounts. Charge more for commercial use and much more for exclusive rights or a full buyout, where the client owns the work outright.
Why offer three packages?
When clients see one price they decide “yes or no”. When they see Basic, Standard and Premium they decide “which one” — and most choose the middle option. The calculator builds all three from your quote, with different revision rounds and extras.
Protect yourself
- Take a deposit — 30–50% before you start.
- Limit revisions and price extra rounds in advance.
- Charge a rush fee (25–50%) for deadlines that push other work aside.
Price the project, not just the hours
- Start from a template — logo, brand identity, 5-page website, social media pack, packaging, app UI or video edit — or an empty list.
- Edit the tasks and hours (research, concepts, revisions, final files).
- Enter your hourly rate. Not sure? Calculate it first.
- Adjust for the project.
Adjustments that change the price
- Complexity: simple ×1, standard ×1.2, complex ×1.4, premium ×1.7.
- Usage rights: personal or small local use costs less than national advertising or full buy-out of rights.
- Revision rounds included and the price per extra round, so endless changes are paid for.
- Rush fee for short deadlines.
- Deposit: how much you ask before starting — 50% is common.
- Platform fee: if the client pays through Upwork or Fiverr.
Example: logo design
16 hours at $45 is a quote of $720, with a $360 deposit and $67.50 for each extra revision round.
Send it
Copy the ready proposal text for email or WhatsApp, or download the numbers as CSV. Turn the accepted quote into a formal document with the quotation generator.