99Designs Review – Is It Still Worth The Money?

February 13, 2023

About 99designs

99designs is a global creative platform that connects businesses with freelance designers from around the world. The platform offers a variety of design services, including logo design, web design, branding, packaging design, and more. Here are some key features of 99designs:

Wide range of design services: 99designs offers a wide range of design services to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes and industries. Whether you need a logo, website, or packaging design, 99designs has a designer for you.
Access to global talent: With designers from over 190 countries, 99designs provides businesses with access to a diverse range of design talent. This allows businesses to work with designers who have different cultural and design perspectives.
Customizable design packages: 99designs offers customizable design packages that allow businesses to choose the level of service they need. Businesses can select from different design tiers and pricing options to find a package that fits their budget and design needs.
Easy-to-use platform: 99designs’ platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, even for those who have little or no design experience. The platform guides businesses through the design process, from creating a design brief to providing feedback to the designer.
Fast turnaround time: 99designs’ platform allows businesses to receive design submissions from multiple designers within days. This fast turnaround time allows businesses to get their designs completed quickly and efficiently.

What Is 99designs?

On 99designs, businesses can start a design contest and receive submissions from multiple designers, or they can work directly with a designer on a one-to-one basis. The platform offers customizable design packages that allow businesses to choose the level of service they need, from basic designs to more complex projects.

99designs has a global community of over 150,000 freelance designers from over 190 countries. This allows businesses to work with designers who have different cultural and design perspectives, providing a diverse range of design options.

How Does It Work?

99designs works by connecting businesses with freelance designers from around the world. Here’s how it works:

Choose your design service: Businesses can choose from a variety of design services, including logo design, web design, branding, packaging design, and more.
Start a design contest or work directly with a designer: Businesses can start a design contest by creating a design brief and setting a prize amount. Multiple designers will then submit their designs, and the business can provide feedback and select a winner. Alternatively, businesses can work directly with a designer on a one-to-one basis.
Receive designs and provide feedback: Once a design contest is started or a designer is selected, designers will begin submitting their designs. Businesses can provide feedback and request revisions to help the designer create the perfect design.
Choose a winning design: After the submission period ends, businesses can choose a winning design and award the prize money to the winning designer.
Receive final design files: The winning designer will provide final design files to the business, which can then be used for marketing and branding purposes.

99designs offers customizable design packages that allow businesses to choose the level of service they need. The platform also offers a global community of over 150,000 freelance designers from over 190 countries, providing businesses with a diverse range of design options.

What Types of Projects Are Supported by 99designs?

99designs supports a wide range of design projects across different industries and niches. Here are some of the design services that 99designs offers:

Logo design: 99designs provides businesses with high-quality logo designs that help to establish a strong brand identity.
Web design: Businesses can get custom web designs that are optimized for user experience and conversion.
Branding: 99designs can help businesses create a strong and consistent brand image across all marketing materials, including business cards, letterheads, and social media profiles.
Packaging design: The platform offers packaging design services that help businesses create attractive and functional product packaging.
Book and magazine design: 99designs can help businesses create professional book and magazine designs that stand out from the competition.
T-shirt design: Businesses can get custom t-shirt designs that are unique and eye-catching.
App design: The platform offers app design services that help businesses create user-friendly and engaging mobile apps.
Illustration: 99designs provides businesses with custom illustrations that can be used for marketing materials, social media posts, and more.

How Much Does 99designs Actually Cost?

The cost of using 99designs varies depending on the design service and package you choose. Here are some of the pricing options available on 99designs:

Design contests: The cost of a design contest starts at $299 for logo design and $599 for web design. The prize money is paid directly to the winning designer, and the contest fee covers the cost of running the contest and providing support throughout the design process.
One-to-one projects: Businesses can also work directly with a designer on a one-to-one basis. The cost of this option varies depending on the designer’s experience and the complexity of the project. Designers set their own prices, and businesses can negotiate directly with them.
Custom design packages: 99designs offers customizable design packages that allow businesses to choose the level of service they need. These packages include a set number of design concepts and revisions, and the price varies depending on the package and the design service.

It’s important to note that 99designs charges a platform fee on top of the contest prize or one-to-one project fee. The platform fee ranges from 5% to 15% depending on the project type and the level of service chosen.

How Long Do 99designs Contests Take?

The length of a 99designs contest depends on the package and design service selected. Here are some of the typical contest lengths for each design service:

Logo design: Most logo design contests on 99designs last for 7 days, with the option to extend the contest for an additional 3 days.
Web design: Web design contests typically last for 14 days, with the option to extend the contest for an additional 7 days.
Branding: Branding contests usually last for 14 days, with the option to extend the contest for an additional 7 days.
Packaging design: Packaging design contests typically last for 10 days, with the option to extend the contest for an additional 5 days.

It’s important to note that these are just general guidelines, and the contest length can be customized based on the specific needs of the project. Additionally, businesses can choose to end the contest early if they find a design they love.

Tips for Running 99designs Contests

If you’re planning to run a design contest on 99designs, here are some tips to help you get the most out of the platform:

Clearly define your design brief: To get the best results from your contest, be sure to clearly define your design brief. This should include information about your company, target audience, design style, and any specific requirements you have for the design.
Provide feedback: Once you receive designs, be sure to provide feedback to the designers. This helps them understand what you’re looking for and make changes to the design accordingly. Providing feedback also helps to build a rapport with the designers and encourages them to continue submitting designs.
Engage with the designers: The designers on 99designs are professionals who are dedicated to creating high-quality designs. Engage with them and ask questions if you have any concerns or ideas. This will help you get the most out of your design contest and ensure that you get the best possible results.
Be clear about your budget: Be upfront about your budget when posting your design contest. This will help to attract designers who are willing to work within your budget and avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
Choose a package that meets your needs: Choose a design package that meets your needs and budget. The more expensive packages offer more design concepts and revisions, but if you have a smaller budget, you can choose a more basic package and work with the winning designer on revisions.
Be timely with your feedback: Provide timely feedback to the designers to keep the contest moving along. If you’re taking too long to provide feedback, the designers may lose interest in the project and move on to other contests.

99designs Pros and cons

Like any other platform, 99designs has its pros and cons. Here are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of using 99designs:

Pros:

Wide range of design services: 99designs offers a wide range of design services, including logo design, web design, branding, packaging design, and more.
High-quality designs: The designers on 99designs are vetted professionals who create high-quality designs that meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.
Competitive pricing: The pricing on 99designs is competitive, making it an affordable option for businesses looking for high-quality design work.
Flexible design process: The design process on 99designs is flexible, allowing businesses to work with designers to create custom designs that meet their specific needs.
Fast turnaround: 99designs offers fast turnaround times, with most design contests completed within a week or two.

Cons:

Lack of control: With a design contest, businesses have limited control over the design process and must rely on the designers to create the desired outcome.
No guarantee of results: There is no guarantee that a design contest will result in the desired outcome, and businesses may need to run multiple contests to get the design they want.
Limited revisions: Depending on the package selected, businesses may only have a limited number of revisions with the winning designer.
No personal relationship with the designer: With a design contest, businesses don’t have a personal relationship with the designer and may not be able to work with them on future projects.
Limited scope: 99designs is primarily focused on graphic design work and may not be the best option for businesses looking for other types of design work, such as product design or interior design.

It’s Time to Get Your Top-Notch Designs

If you’re looking for high-quality designs for your business, 99designs is a great option to consider. With a wide range of design services, competitive pricing, and fast turnaround times, 99designs is an affordable and convenient option for businesses of all sizes.

To get started on 99designs, simply create an account, post a design brief with your requirements, and launch your design contest. Designers from around the world will submit their designs for your review, and you can provide feedback and choose the winning design.

Remember to be clear about your design brief, provide timely feedback to the designers, and choose a package that meets your needs and budget. With these tips in mind, you can get the best possible results from your 99designs contest and walk away with top-notch designs for your business.

Alternatives to 99designs

While 99designs is a popular platform for businesses looking for high-quality design work, there are also several alternatives that you can consider. Here are some of the top alternatives to 99designs:

DesignCrowd: Similar to 99designs, DesignCrowd is a design platform that allows businesses to launch design contests and receive custom designs from designers around the world.
Upwork: Upwork is a freelancer platform that allows businesses to hire individual freelancers for design work. With Upwork, you can browse designer portfolios and hire a designer to work on your project directly.
Fiverr: Fiverr is a freelance platform that offers a wide range of services, including design work. You can browse through the profiles of freelance designers and hire them for specific design tasks or projects.
Crowdspring: Crowdspring is a design platform that offers a variety of design services, including logo design, web design, and more. Businesses can launch design contests and receive custom designs from a community of designers.
Designhill: Designhill is another design platform that offers a variety of design services, including logo design, branding, packaging design, and more. Like 99designs, businesses can launch design contests and receive custom designs from a community of designers.

These are just a few of the many alternatives to 99designs that you can consider. It’s important to research each platform and compare pricing, services, and user reviews to find the best option for your business.