When you want professional, custom design, it can take more time and money than you have to locate and hire a graphic designer. Crowdsourced design sites are a budget-friendly option. Within one site, you have access to multiple graphic designers and numerous design categories. Flyers, brochures, infographics – you name it!
1/1/2023
The Top 8 Logo Design Contest Sites [updated 2024]
by David Melvin – LDM Editor
When you want professional, custom design, it can take more time and money than you have to locate and hire a graphic designer. Crowdsourced design sites are a budget-friendly option. Within one site, you have access to multiple graphic designers and numerous design categories. Flyers, brochures, infographics – you name it! You can even run a design contest where designers compete to have you choose their design.
There are multiple sites out there, but which ones are your best options? We’ve ranked and reviewed the top 10 online graphic design services below. Read on to find out how these top 10 freelance graphic design services compare.
We've pulled the stats from the top eight logo contest sites just for you
Designers Included | Designs Included | Money Back Guarantee | Lowest Priced Package | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hatchwise | 5+ | 30 – 300+ | Yes | $89 |
99designs | 5+ | 30+ | Yes | $299 |
LogoTournament | 20+ | 50+ | Yes | $275 |
LogoMyWay | 20+ | 70+ | Yes | $200 |
DesignContest | 20+ | 200+ | Yes | $295 |
48HoursLogo | – | 20+ | Yes | $129 |
DesignHill | 5 | 20+ | Yes | $249 |
ZillionDesigns | 20+ | 50+ | Yes | $199 |
We recommend Flocksy
For Unlimited Graphic Design, Video Editing, Copywriting and more.
1. Hatchwise
Need a unique name for your business or an eye-catching design? Hatchwise can help!
Most design sites only offer contests for logos, but Hatchwise lets you run contests for anything. On Hatchwise, you can get banners, websites, brochures, or just about anything designed.
When you select a contest winner, you get the full rights to their design. All designers and copywriters are pre-vetted. Contests automatically run for 10 days, but you can put a rush on things for an added fee.
How To Get Started With Hatchwise:
- Choose your category.
- Fill out a creative brief.
- Upload any files needed.
- Pay the listing fee (prize money included in fee).
- Get submissions from a worldwide community of designers.
- Select your favorites and request revisions if needed.
- Choose a winner!
Hatchwise Cost For Packages:
Listing Fee: $39
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Positives To Using Hatchwise
- Large pool of talented designers and copywriters
- Can run a contest for anything
- No hidden fees
- Final file in any format
Negatives To Using Hatchwise
- Contest can take up to 10 days
- Limited number of entries with a lower prize package plan
2. 99designs
With 99designs, you can hire a freelancer directly or run a design contest.
What you pay is based on your needs. 99design’s specialty is print materials, but you can also get website design and more.
Turnaround times vary based on what you’re requesting and the package you’ve selected. Many services are bundled. For example, the “the logo & brand identity pack” includes a logo, letterhead, business card, and Facebook cover. If you run a contest and love the winner’s work, you can then directly hire them for more work.
How To Get Started With 99designs:
To Run a Design Contest:
- Select the services you need.
- Choose a package when prompted.
- Fill out a creative brief.
- Start your contest.
To Hire A Freelancer:
- Fill out a creative brief.
- Select your timeline and budget.
- Peruse the recommended designers.
- Choose a designer and request a quote.
- If you like the quote, select that designer.
Cost For Packages 99designs:
Pricing will vary. Most of the bundled services are a couple of hundred dollars. For 1-on-1 projects, you set the budget and can accept or reject quotes.
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Positives To Using 99designs
- Multiple bundles and packages available
- Can hire a freelancer directly or run a contest
- Can set your budget when working directly with freelancers
Negatives To Using 99designs
- Starting a contest can be confusing
- Runs a little higher than other crowdsourcing design sites
- Potentially a longer turnaround, depending on the project
3. LogoTournament
As the name suggests, LogoTournament’s specialty is logos.
All the designers are hand-selected and pre-vetted. You can run a contest or hire a designer 1-on-1. The contests are blind meaning that the designers can’t see and copy the other designers’ work. LogoTournament allows you to customize your design so you get exactly what you need.
Contests have an initial blind phase which lasts 4 days. Then over the course of 2 days, you select the finalists. After that, you have up to 7 days to choose a winner.
How To Get Started With LogoTournament:
- Write a project brief. The more details you give, the better.
- Rank your submissions.
- Select your finalists.
- Work with your selected finalists to fine-tune their designs.
LogoTournament Cost For Packages:
For 1-on-1 projects, the designer will set the price. LogoTournament charges a just 5% service fee on top of that.
Starter
Standard
Plus+
Epic
Positives To Using LogoTournament
- Customizable, quality design
- Clear pricing and processes
- Can work 1-on-1 with designers you like
Negatives To Using LogoTournament
- No option to fast track a contest
- May be more expensive than other options
- Logos only
4. LogoMyWay
LogoMyWay is another design site that focuses on only logos.
You can get an amazing logo and customize it so it’s just the way you want it. The pricing structure is clear-cut, and it’s easy to set up a contest. Contests run either 5, 7, or 10 days. You can’t rush a contest, but you do have the option to extend your contest. For a fee, other add-ons are available such as promoting your contest.
How To Get Started With LogoMyWay:
- Fill out your creative brief.
- Choose contest length.
- Set your prize amount.
- Launch your contest.
- Review submissions and request any revisions.
- Select a winner.
LogoMyWay Cost For Packages:
Listing Fee: $39
Prize Money: $200 -$1,000
Starter
Standard
Plus+
Epic
Positives To Using LogoMyWay
- 40+ submissions are guaranteed
- Option to extend your contest
Negatives To Using LogoMyWay
- Logos only
- Limited ability to give style preferences and reference images
- No rush option
5. DesignContest
DesignContest is a one-stop shop for your design needs.
You can get packaging design, web design, illustrations, and more. DesignContest asks a series of questions to help their designers craft the perfect design for your business. This is helpful for clients who don’t know what to include in a creative brief. For an additional fee, you have the option to promote your contest or make it private. A contest runs 7 days, but you can put a rush on it for an additional $29 fee.
How To Get Started With DesignContest:
- Fill out your business info.
- Answer questions to help the designers understand what you want from a design.
- Select preferred colors, aesthetics, etc.
- Select your prize package and any add-ons.
- Review submissions and request revisions if needed.
- Choose a first, second, and third-place winner.
DesignContest Cost For Packages:
Prize Money: $295 -$895
OR set your own price
Economy
Standard
Premium
Epic
Positives To Using DesignContest
- Ability to give 2nd and 3rd place prizes
- Numerous design categories
Negatives To Using DesignContest
- 7 day contest unless you pay to extend it
- May be more expensive than other options, depending on your package
6. 48HoursLogo
48HoursLogo mainly does logos, but you can also get other designs like signage, brochures, and t-shirt design.
The main thing that sets 48HoursLogo apart from the competition is that you get fast results without an additional fee. If you’re in a rush, 48HoursLogo is the best place to go. The default contest length is 3 days, but you get that 48 hour turnaround with the higher prize packages. Optional add-ons are available.
How To Get Started With 48HoursLogo:
- Select your product: Logo, Identity, Print, or Digital.
- Choose your package.
- Answer questions about your business and fill out a creative brief.
- Add on any upgrades.
- Review submissions and select finalists.
- Then, select your winner and get your design.
48HoursLogo Cost For Packages:
Pricing varies based on the product selected.
Basic
Standard
Premium
Epic
Positives To Using 48HoursLogo
- Focus on branding
- Can get unique products like car wraps
Negatives To Using 48HoursLogo
- Illustration not offered
- Some customization isn’t available
- Doesn’t ask prompting questions to help clients create their brief
7. DesignHill
With DesignHill, you can hire a freelancer directly or run a contest.
There’s also a marketplace for services offered via Fiverr. Most design categories are offered. Plus, you have the flexibility to choose how you want to get your designs.
Contests take up to 10 days unless you pay to speed things up. When creating your project brief, you can specify the colors and styles that you prefer. If you want to work with DesignHill’s top designers, you can send them paid invites to attract their attention.
How To Get Started With DesignHill:
- Fill out a brief
- Select a designer
- Pay a prize or project rate
DesignHill Cost For Packages:
Pricing varies but the basic contest packages are
Fast Track
Standard
Executive
Premium
Positives To Using DesignHill
- A lot of flexibility with hiring options and pricing
- Offers much more than just logos
Negatives To Using DesignHill
- The automatic contest length is 10 days unless you pay extra
- You must choose between a guaranteed or refundable contest
8. ZillionDesigns
ZillionDesigns is a crowdsourcing site that offers graphic design plus SEO and web development.
You can even get your design material printed through ZillionDesigns. If you run a contest and love the winning designer, you can then choose to work 1-on-1 with that designer. ZillionDesigns bundles services, so you can get multiple designs all by the same designer. This ensures a cohesive look across all your design materials.
The automatic contest length is 7 days. But for a fee, you can shorten it or extend it. 3 days is the shortest length available while you can extend your contest up to 14 days. ZillionDesigns also offers a money-back guarantee but with stipulations so read the fine print. If you choose to guarantee your own contest, it nullifies the money-back guarantee.
How To Get Started With ZillionDesigns:
- To run a contest:
- Choose the product or design you need.
- Select your prize amount.
- Decide whether to guarantee your contest or not.
- Write a short creative brief.
- Rate and reject submissions. Request revisions if needed.
- Announce a winner!
ZillionDesigns Cost For Packages:
Pricing varies by project so there’s no set rate. Bundling is available. ZillionDesigns sets a minimum prize amount for each product. The minimum for small print materials is $75. For web design, it’s $700. Hundreds of products are available.
Fast Track
Standard
Executive
Premium
Positives To Using ZillionDesigns
- Bundling available
- SEO and printing services available
Negatives To Using ZillionDesigns
- No option to run contests for different designs
- Minimum prize amounts
- Fees and add-ons can drive the price up
9. Freelancer
Freelancer does much more than just graphic design.
On Freelancer, you can hire a graphic designer, copywriter, administrative assistant, and more. You have the option to hire directly or run a contest.
If you have a complex project or need multiple types of projects done, Freelancer is a good bet. It offers virtually anything. It offers a lot of flexibility and lets you set your budget. The minimum prize amount for a contest is $10, but this won’t get you many entries, of course.
How Freelancer Works:
- Describe what you need.
- Choose the type of freelancer you need (copywriter, designer, etc.).
- Choose to run a contest or post a project.
- Set your budget.
- For contests, choose your time frame. 3 to 30 days is free but 1 day is available for an add-on fee of $35.
- For posting projects, select standard listing or pay extra to have a recruiter find freelancers for you.
- Add on other upgrades if desired.
Pricing:
For contest and job postings, you set the budget. When you post a job, you have the option to pay by the hour or project.
Project budgets are on a range from small projects in the $750-$1,000 range up to major products costing $50,000 plus. Once you set your budget range, you receive quotes from freelancers.
There is a 3% fee on basic projects.
Fast Track
Standard
Executive
Premium
Freelancer PROS
- Maximum flexibility
- Set your own budget
- Offers virtually every type of project and service
Freelancer CONS
- Default contest length is long
- Freelancers aren’t pre-vetted
- Projects and contests sometimes lag
10. Fiverr
A whole world of freelance talent is available right at your fingertips.
One of the world’s largest freelance marketplaces, Fiverr, allows businesses to search for freelance talent on demand and allows freelancers to sell their services directly to businesses. Fiverr’s model encourages businesses and freelancers to choose one another, creating a strong initial foundation for each project. Each freelancer sets its price, so you never have to worry about Fiverr not staying within your business’s budget. Whether you need graphic design, digital marketing, copywriting, video editing, data analysis, website development, or another creative need, Fiverr has a freelancer for you.
How Fiverr Works:
As a buyer:
- Set up your buyer profile.
- Browse the category pages or use the search tool to purchase a Gig.
- Read through each Gig description and look at each seller’s portfolio.
- Message any sellers with any questions.
- Purchase a Gig to have your project worked on.
- Review your completed project once the seller sends it along.
- Request any changes directly to the seller.
- Finalize the project.
As a seller:
- Set up your seller profile.
- Create a Gig that describes the services and skillset you can provide.
- Choose your starting price point.
- Wait for a buyer to purchase your Gig.
- Complete the buyer’s project and work through any revisions.
- Receive your payment once the project is finalized by the seller.
Pricing:
Fiverr’s pricing varies based on what each seller decides to charge their Gig for. The starting price is $5, which is where Fiverr got its name from and is what all Fiverr Gigs originally started at when the company first launched. No matter what the chosen starting price is, the seller will always receive 80% of the total order value. For example, if a Gig is $10, the seller would receive $8, and Fiverr would keep $2. Additionally, Fiverr does charge a processing fee of $1 on all purchases that are $20 or less. If the order is $20 or more, the processing fee is 5%.
Fast Track
Standard
Executive
Premium
Fiverr PROS
- Can save money by not having to hire an in-house team
- No longer need to go through HR for hiring
- Ability to work with a wide range of creatives
- Communicate directly with the seller without a middleman
Fiverr CONS
- Sorting through all the Gig options can be tricky and time-consuming
- Lower cost freelancers may mean not as high quality of work
- Sellers are not always the most communicative
11. Upwork
Like Freelancer, Upwork offers a wide range of marketing, creative, and design services. You can outsource virtually anything on Upwork.
Contest can’t be run on Upwork but you can post jobs for graphic design projects. You can also view freelancers with posted bios and read reviews of their work from their previous clients.
The site offers a free monthly option, but you can pay $49.99 per month for a few more perks like the ability to invite up to 15 freelancers per job. If you’re in a rush, Upwork isn’t the place to go. But if you’re looking to hire someone long-term, Upwork is a good place to look.
How Upwork Works:
- Describe the job.
- Select a project category and sub-category.
- Identify your musts (freelancers with a certain level of experience, for example).
- Choose whether you will pay by the project or hourly.
- Set the budget.
- Review bids and interview interested freelancers.
- When you’re ready, hire your top pick.
Pricing:
Pricing is based on the budget you set and the proposal you accept. There is a standard 3% processing fee on all payments.
Fast Track
Standard
Executive
Premium
Upwork PROS
- Can Post jobs for almost all freelance services
- Ability to Set your budget
Upwork CONS
- No Contests
- Longer turnaround
- Freelancers aren’t pre-vetted
