Short answer
Price a logo as hours times your real hourly rate. Add the brief, research, each concept, each revision round, final files and admin, then multiply. Example: 3 concepts and 3 revision rounds take an assumed 22.5 hours; at $74.78 an hour (from a $60,000 take-home goal) that is $1,682.55 before any rush or rights fee.
- Logo price = (brief + research + concepts x hours + rounds x hours + files + admin) x hourly rate.
- At $74.78 an hour, 2 concepts/2 rounds is $1,308.65; 5 concepts/3 rounds is $2,131.23.
- $500 buys 6.7 hours at $74.78, less than the smallest 12.5-hour package.
- A beginner at $50.82 taking 33 hours prices at $1,677.06, close to the experienced price.
- Price rights, rush and deposit as separate lines you choose; every hour figure here is an assumption.
On this page
- How do I work out what to charge for a logo design?
- Logo design price calculator: get your hourly rate first
- Logo price by number of concepts and revision rounds
- How much should I charge for a logo as a beginner?
- Is $500 too much for a logo design?
- How to price usage rights, rush jobs and a deposit
- How much to charge for a logo for a friend
- Common logo pricing mistakes
- Logo pricing formulas for Excel and Google Sheets
- Logo price sheet vs online logo price calculators
- Step-by-step
- FAQ
How do I work out what to charge for a logo design?
Count the hours the logo takes, then multiply by the hourly rate your income goal needs. The price is not a guess at what the market pays; it is your time on this job times what an hour of your time has to earn.
A logo job breaks into six chunks: the brief, research, the initial concepts, the revision rounds, the final file set and the admin around it. I am not a designer, so the hours below are placeholders to show the arithmetic. Time your own next job and swap them in.
| Task | Assumed hours | Working | Cost at $74.78 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief and discovery call, notes | 1.5 | 1.5 x rate | $112.17 |
| Research and sketching direction | 2 | 2 x rate | $149.56 |
| Initial concepts | 9 | 3 concepts x 3 h | $673.02 |
| Revision rounds | 6 | 3 rounds x 2 h | $448.68 |
| Final files and a one-page brand sheet | 3 | vector, PNG, colour and mono versions | $224.34 |
| Emails, invoicing, handover | 1 | 1 x rate | $74.78 |
| Total | 22.5 | 22.5 x $74.78 | $1,682.55 |
The rate comes from the same method as any freelance rate: gross the take-home goal up for tax, add business expenses, and divide by hours you can actually bill. With these assumptions that is $86,000.00 over 1,150 hours:
Worked example: Hourly rate behind the logo prices: $60,000 take-home, $6,000 expenses, 25% tax reserve, 25 billable hours a week for 46 weeks. All assumptions - replace with yours.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Business expenses a year (input) | $6,000.00 |
| Tax reserve % (input) | 25% |
| Billable hours a week (input) | 25 |
| Working weeks a year (input) | 46 |
| Target margin % (input) | 0% |
| Take-home income you want (input) | $60,000.00 |
| Revenue needed | $86,000.00 |
| Billable hours a year | 1,150 |
| Hourly rate to charge | $74.78 |
| Day rate (8 hours) | $598.26 |
| Naive rate (income / 2,080 hours) | $28.85 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
Logo design price calculator: get your hourly rate first
Type your own goal, expenses, tax reserve and billable hours below. The "Hourly rate to charge" line is the number to multiply your logo hours by.
Billable hours matter most. Hours spent on your portfolio, pitching and unpaid back-and-forth are real but nobody pays for them, so they stay out of the divisor. The freelance hourly rate calculator guide walks through that step in detail. If you want the rate and the logo quote in one reusable file, the freelance rate and quote calculator takes the rate straight into a project quote.
Logo price by number of concepts and revision rounds
Each extra concept adds its hours, and each extra revision round adds its hours. Using 3 hours a concept and 2 hours a round, plus the fixed 7.5 hours of brief, research, files and admin, the packages price like this:
| Package | Hours | Working | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 concept, 1 revision round | 12.5 | 1.5 + 2 + 1 x 3 + 1 x 2 + 3 + 1 | $934.75 |
| 2 concepts, 2 revision rounds | 17.5 | 1.5 + 2 + 2 x 3 + 2 x 2 + 3 + 1 | $1,308.65 |
| 3 concepts, 3 revision rounds | 22.5 | 1.5 + 2 + 3 x 3 + 3 x 2 + 3 + 1 | $1,682.55 |
| 5 concepts, 3 revision rounds | 28.5 | 1.5 + 2 + 5 x 3 + 3 x 2 + 3 + 1 | $2,131.23 |
These are outputs of the assumptions, not suggested market prices. The useful part is the shape: the fixed work means a 1-concept logo is not a third of a 3-concept logo. Write the number of concepts and revision rounds into the quote. A fourth round then becomes a priced change ($149.56 at 2 hours) instead of free work.
How much should I charge for a logo as a beginner?
Use your own, lower inputs rather than a beginner "going rate". A beginner usually has a smaller income goal and fewer billable hours, and also takes longer per concept. Both change the price, in opposite directions.
Worked example: Beginner assumptions: $35,000 take-home, $3,000 expenses, 20% tax reserve, 20 billable hours a week for 46 weeks.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Business expenses a year (input) | $3,000.00 |
| Tax reserve % (input) | 20% |
| Billable hours a week (input) | 20 |
| Working weeks a year (input) | 46 |
| Target margin % (input) | 0% |
| Take-home income you want (input) | $35,000.00 |
| Revenue needed | $46,750.00 |
| Billable hours a year | 920 |
| Hourly rate to charge | $50.82 |
| Day rate (8 hours) | $406.52 |
| Naive rate (income / 2,080 hours) | $16.83 |
Computed with the same formulas as the free calculators on this site. Change any input in the calculator above to see your own numbers.
| Line | Experienced (ex1) | Beginner (ex2) |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $74.78 | $50.82 |
| Hours per concept / per revision round | 3 / 2 | 4.5 / 3 |
| Brief + research + files + admin | 7.5 h | 10.5 h |
| Total hours | 22.5 | 33 |
| Price if every hour is billed | $1,682.55 | $1,677.06 |
| Price if the beginner bills 22.5 hours | - | $1,143.45 (effective $34.65 an hour) |
The slower hours almost cancel the lower rate: 33 hours at $50.82 lands within a few dollars of the experienced price. A client may balk at paying for learning time, so many beginners bill the hours a faster designer would need. That is a choice to accept $34.65 an hour on this job. Make it on purpose, and track your hours so the gap shrinks. The same advice applies to students.
Is $500 too much for a logo design?
Not if the logo takes more than about 6.7 hours at $74.78. Divide any budget by your hourly rate to see how many hours it buys, then compare with the hours the package needs.
| Budget | Hours at $74.78 | Hours at $50.82 | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 1.3 | 2.0 | Barely the brief call |
| $500 | 6.7 | 9.8 | Brief, research and one concept, no revisions or files |
| $1,000 | 13.4 | 19.7 | Close to the 1-concept, 1-round package (12.5 h) |
At these assumptions $500 buys less than the smallest package in the table above. That does not make a $500 logo wrong; it tells you what scope fits it. One concept, one small round, and a reduced file set is a $500 job. Three concepts and three rounds is not. When a client names a budget, quote the scope it pays for.
How to price usage rights, rush jobs and a deposit
Put each on its own line so the client sees what they pay for. None of them has a fixed industry percentage here; you choose the number and write it down.
Usage rights. The U.S. Copyright Office states that all or part of the rights in a work may be transferred by the owner to another (U.S. Copyright Office: Assignment/Transfer FAQ). A logo client normally wants exclusive ownership. If you hand over all rights, you give up reuse of the work, so price that as a separate line. Below it is set at 5 hours of your rate, purely as an illustration. Get the transfer terms in writing; this is arithmetic, not legal advice.
Rush fee. If a deadline pushes other paid work aside, charge for that. The table assumes 25% of the design price. Deposit. Taking part up front means an abandoned project still pays for the hours already spent. The table assumes 50%.
| Line | Assumption | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base design price | 22.5 h x $74.78 | $1,682.55 |
| Exclusive ownership / full rights transfer | you decide: 5 hours-equivalent here | $373.90 |
| Base + rights | sum | $2,056.45 |
| Rush fee (if the deadline forces other work aside) | 25% of base design price | $420.64 |
| Deposit before work starts | 50% of base design price | $841.28 |
| Balance on delivery of final files | remaining 50% | $841.27 |
How much to charge for a logo for a friend
Decide what you are giving away, then price the rest. A discount on a 22.5-hour logo is the same as working for a lower hourly rate, so see it in those terms before you agree.
| Option | Price | Effective hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Full price | $1,682.55 | $74.78 |
| Half price | $841.28 | $37.39 |
| Flat $300 favour | $300 | $13.33 |
| Cut scope: 1 concept, 1 round (12.5 h) at full rate | $934.75 | $74.78 |
Cutting scope keeps your rate whole and still lowers the price. If you do the full job as a favour, note the full price on the invoice and show the discount, so the friend knows the real value and any referral starts from the right number.
Common logo pricing mistakes
- Unlimited revisions. Each unpaid round costs about 2 hours, or $149.56 at $74.78. Cap the rounds in the quote.
- Using a salary rate. $60,000 / 2,080 hours = $28.85 an hour. The 22.5-hour logo then prices at $649.13, short by $1,033.42 because tax, expenses and unbilled hours are missing.
- Pricing from a marketplace listing. Someone else's price says nothing about your hours or costs.
- Forgetting the non-design hours. The brief, files and admin are 7.5 of the 22.5 hours here, a third of the job.
- No deposit. A client who disappears after concepts leaves you with unpaid hours.
If you add a profit buffer on top of the rate, divide by (1 - margin) rather than multiplying, which the how to price a service guide explains.
Logo pricing formulas for Excel and Google Sheets
A small sheet reproduces every figure on this page. Inputs in column B, percentages typed as percentages.
Hourly rate
=ROUND((B2/(1-B4)+B3)/(B5*B6),2)B2 = take-home goal, B3 = yearly expenses, B4 = tax reserve %, B5 = billable hours a week, B6 = working weeks. Returns 74.78.
Logo hours
=B8+B9+B10*B11+B12*B13+B14+B15B8 = brief, B9 = research, B10 = concepts, B11 = hours per concept, B12 = rounds, B13 = hours per round, B14 = files, B15 = admin. Returns 22.5.
Logo price
=ROUND(B16*B7,2)B16 = logo hours, B7 = hourly rate. Returns 1682.55.
Price with rights and rush
=ROUND(B17+B18+B17*B19,2)B17 = logo price, B18 = rights line, B19 = rush %. Leave B19 at 0% for normal deadlines.
Deposit
=ROUND(B17*B20,2)B20 = deposit % (50% in the example). Returns 841.28.
Keep hours per concept and per round in their own cells. After each job, replace them with what you actually logged.
Logo price sheet vs online logo price calculators
A quick calculator answers once; a sheet keeps your rate, hour assumptions and extras so every logo quote uses the same rules. The arithmetic is identical.
What to put in your logo price sheet: take-home goal, expenses, tax reserve and billable hours; hours for brief, research, each concept, each round, files and admin; a rights line; rush %; deposit %; and outputs for hours, price and deposit.
Freelance Rate & Quote Calculator
The spreadsheet version of this guide for Excel & Google Sheets: type your numbers into the highlighted cells and the formulas do the rest. One-time $14.99, no subscription, instant download.
See the freelance pricing template →Buy now — $14.99All 7 templates — $49Instant access by email after checkout via Payhip.
The freelance pricing template is $14.99 one-time for Excel and Google Sheets. It works out your break-even and recommended hourly rate, then quotes a project from estimated hours, the rate, any software cost and a rush or complexity markup. It does not have separate concept or revision rows, so add up the logo hours first. For written quote wording and scope lines, see the freelance quote template guide.
Step-by-step: How Much Should I Charge for a Logo Design? Price the Hours
- Find your hourly rate. Gross your take-home goal up for tax, add expenses, divide by billable hours. The example gives $74.78.
- List the logo tasks. Brief, research, each initial concept, each revision round, final files with a brand sheet, and admin.
- Estimate hours per task. Use your own logged times. The example assumes 3 hours a concept and 2 hours a revision round.
- Multiply hours by rate. 22.5 hours x $74.78 = $1,682.55 for 3 concepts and 3 rounds.
- Add rights and rush lines. Price exclusive ownership and any rush as separate lines with numbers you choose and write down.
- Set the deposit and cap revisions. Take a deposit up front ($841.28 at 50%) and state how many revision rounds the price includes.
Skip the setup: Freelance Rate & Quote Calculator
The spreadsheet version of this guide for Excel & Google Sheets: type your numbers into the highlighted cells and the formulas do the rest. One-time $14.99, no subscription, instant download.
See the Freelance Rate & Quote Calculator →Buy now — $14.99All 7 templates — $49Instant access by email after checkout via Payhip.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for a logo design?
Charge your logo hours times your hourly rate. With an assumed 22.5 hours for 3 concepts and 3 revision rounds, and a $74.78 rate built from a $60,000 take-home goal, the logo is $1,682.55. Swap in your own hours and rate.
What is a fair price for a logo design?
A fair price pays for the hours the agreed scope takes at a rate that covers your tax, expenses and unbilled time. Fair is about matching scope to price: fewer concepts and rounds should cost less, not the same work for a lower rate.
Is $500 too much for a logo design?
At $74.78 an hour, $500 buys 6.7 hours, which covers a brief, research and one concept. At $50.82 it buys 9.8 hours. If the job needs more hours than that, $500 is too little, not too much.
How much should I charge for a logo as a beginner?
Use your own beginner inputs. At $50.82 and an assumed 33 hours, a 3-concept logo is $1,677.06. If you bill only 22.5 hours to stay competitive, the price is $1,143.45 and you earn $34.65 an hour on it.
How much should I charge for a logo for a friend?
Work out the full price first, then decide what you give away. Half price on a 22.5-hour logo pays $37.39 an hour. Cutting the scope to 1 concept and 1 round keeps your rate and brings the price to $934.75.
Should I charge extra for logo usage rights?
Price exclusive ownership as its own line. The amount is your decision; this page uses 5 hours of rate, $373.90, only as an illustration. Put the transfer of rights in writing and get legal advice for anything unusual.
How much deposit should I take for a logo?
Pick a percentage and state it in the quote. At an assumed 50%, a $1,682.55 logo needs $841.28 up front and $841.27 on delivery of the final files, so concept hours are paid even if the client walks away.
Sources
- U.S. Copyright Office: Assignment/Transfer of Copyright Ownership (FAQ) — all or part of the rights in a work may be transferred by the owner to another
I'm not a contractor, landlord or accountant. I build the pricing maths, and every number on this page shows its working so you can check it instead of trusting it. Guides are drafted with AI assistance; every worked figure is computed by the same code as the free calculators. How these guides are made → · Watch the breakdowns on YouTube →