Ask ten people how much a logo costs and you'll get ten answers, from "nothing, just use a free tool" to "budget five figures." Both are true. The price depends far more on who makes the logo, and what you get handed at the end, than on the logo itself.
So I skipped the guesswork. On October 28, 2026, I read the pricing pages of five places that sell logos: Wix's Wixel, LogoAI, Brandmark, Looka and 99designs. Their cheapest options ran from free to $249, and only 2 of the 5 say their entry option comes with a vector file, the format a printer or sign maker will ask for. The sneakiest catch: Brandmark and Looka both charge $35 for a basic logo, but only Brandmark's includes that vector file.
How Much Does a Logo Cost?
A logo costs anywhere from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars. Free and AI logo makers charge from nothing to about $35 for a basic file, design contests on 99designs start at $249, and freelancers and design firms typically charge from a few hundred dollars into the thousands, depending on experience and scope.
That range is wide because "a logo" can mean very different things. A $35 download is one image file. An agency project is research, several concepts, revisions, a full set of files and usually brand guidelines on top.
Logo Prices at a Glance
The main routes compare like this. The logo maker and contest rows come from the vendors' own pricing pages, which I checked on October 28, 2026. The freelancer and agency rows are ranges from Shopify's logo cost guide, since freelancers and studios set their own rates.
| Route | Typical price | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|
| Make it yourself | $0 plus your time | Whatever your design app can export |
| AI or online logo maker | Free to $195 one-time (Brandmark's top Enterprise package), or a monthly plan | A generated design plus files, depending on the package |
| Design contest | From $249 on 99designs | Concepts from several designers, you pick one |
| Freelance designer | $250 to $2,500, per Shopify | Custom concepts and revisions |
| Design firm or agency | $2,500 to $10,000, per Shopify | Research, concepts, revisions, brand guidelines |
Making it yourself is the only route that's truly free, and it's more doable than it sounds. The guide on how to draw a logo walks from pencil sketch to a clean vector file with free apps.
What 5 Logo Makers Charge Right Now
Logo makers are where most first-time buyers start, and their pricing pages are full of fine print. I noted each one's cheapest way to walk away with a logo, whether that option says it includes a vector file, and the next tier up.
| Logo site | Cheapest way to get a logo | Vector file at that price? | Next tier up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wixel by Wix | Free download | Yes, "high-resolution, vector format for free" | Paid plans for more AI credits (no prices on the page) |
| LogoAI | 7-Day Trial, $10 | Not stated | Pro, $20/mo (the trial renews at $20 per month) |
| Brandmark | Basic, $35 one-time | Yes, "PNG and vector format" | Designer, $95 one-time |
| Looka | Basic Logo Package, $35 one-time | No, "One PNG logo file" | Premium Logo Package, $72 one-time |
| 99designs | Logo design contest, from $249 | Not stated | Platinum contest, US$1,050 (pricing) |
Three things stood out:
- Same price, different files. Brandmark and Looka both charge $35 for their basic option. Brandmark's includes a vector file. Looka's Basic package is "One PNG logo file," and you need the $72 Premium package for PNG, EPS, SVG and PDF.
- Free can mean free. Wix says Wixel lets you download your logo in vector format at no cost, which beats several paid entry tiers on file format alone.
- Some prices recur. LogoAI's $10 trial renews at $20 per month unless you cancel, and Looka's brand kit is a yearly subscription. Read the renewal line before you pay.
Looka also sells a Brand Kit Subscription at $96/yr, billed annually, which it labels its recommended option.
How Much Does a Freelance Logo Designer Cost?
A freelance logo designer typically charges $250 to $2,500 for a logo, according to Shopify's guide, with the price rising with the designer's experience and the number of concepts and revisions. Freelancers set their own rates, so quotes for the same brief can vary widely.
What you're paying for is judgment. A good freelancer asks about your customers and competitors before sketching, then shows you two or three directions and refines one. Ask up front:
- How many concepts and revision rounds are included?
- Which file formats will you hand over (SVG, EPS, PDF, PNG)?
- Do I own the copyright once I've paid?
- Is a one-page usage guide included, or extra?
A design contest sits between a logo maker and a freelancer. On 99designs, logo design starts at $249, and you choose from concepts submitted by several designers instead of working with one.
Why Do Some Logos Cost a Fortune?
Some logos cost a fortune because the fee covers far more than drawing a shape. Big brands pay for research, testing, a full identity system and rollout across thousands of uses, and the logo is just the visible part of that work.
The extremes make the point. Nike's Swoosh was the work of design student Carolyn Davidson, and according to Nike's history of the logo, "Davidson sent Knight an invoice for $35." At the other end, Guinness World Records lists the London 2012 Olympics logo by Wolff Olins as the most expensive Olympic logo, at £400,000.
Neither number tells you what your logo should cost. A $35 mark became iconic through decades of use, not because of its price. The logo examples from famous brands and these cool logos cover more of those stories.
What Should a Logo Price Include?
A logo price should include the final design in vector format (SVG, EPS or PDF), high-resolution PNG files, a version with a transparent background, and clear ownership of the design. Without those, you'll likely pay again later when a printer or a sign shop asks for a better file.
Hold any quote against this short checklist:
- A vector file. It scales to a billboard without blurring. A PNG alone won't.
- A transparent PNG. You'll need it on websites, slides and photos. If yours came with a white box, here's how to create a transparent logo.
- Color and one-color versions. Invoices, embroidery and stamps often need a single color.
- The icon on its own. Favicons and social avatars need the symbol without the name. This guide to logo marks explains when the symbol can stand alone.
- Ownership in writing. Brandmark says "Full copyright included" and Looka's Premium package lists "Full ownership." Check what your seller says.
The Logo Costs People Forget
The logo invoice is rarely the last bill. These are the ones that catch new owners off guard:
- Trademark filing. The USPTO says "The base application fee for each class of goods or services you include in your application is $350." A logo used for two kinds of goods could need two classes, and an attorney costs extra.
- Upgrading your files. Buy a basic package and you may pay again for vectors. At Looka, that's the jump from $35 to $72.
- Subscriptions. Brand kits and AI credit plans renew. A yearly brand kit costs more over three years than a one-time package.
- Redesigns. Changing your name after launch means paying for a logo twice. Settle the name first, with help from a business name generator if you're stuck.
How Much Should a Small Business Pay for a Logo?
Most new small businesses can start with a logo that costs under $100, as long as it comes with a vector file and clear ownership. Spending $1,000 or more on a freelancer or studio makes sense once you know your customers well enough to brief a designer properly.
A practical way to decide:
- Testing an idea or launching a side project: a free or low-cost logo maker is plenty. Pick a simple style, like the ones in the minimalist logos guide, so it still works when you upgrade later.
- Opening a physical shop or printing a lot of packaging: budget for a designer, since signs and packaging are expensive to redo.
- Raising money or entering a crowded market: a studio's research and identity system can pay for itself.
Whichever you choose, sort out your colors early. The free color palette generator gives you a starting set from one keyword.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a simple logo cost?
A simple logo from an online logo maker costs from nothing to about $35 at the sites I checked on October 28, 2026. Wix's Wixel offers a free download, while Brandmark and Looka each charge $35 for their basic option. Brandmark's includes a vector file; Looka's basic option is one PNG.
Is it cheaper to make your own logo?
Yes, if you value your time at zero. Free apps can produce a professional vector logo, but expect to spend hours learning them and testing ideas. For many owners, a low-cost logo maker is a fair middle ground: you skip the learning curve and still pay little.
Is $100 a lot for a logo?
No. $100 sits between the basic packages of logo makers ($35 at Brandmark and Looka) and the lower end of freelance work ($250, per Shopify's guide). For $100 you can usually get a logo maker's full file package, but not a custom design from an experienced freelancer.
Do I need to trademark my logo?
You don't have to, but registration makes your rights easier to enforce. In the US, the USPTO's base application fee is $350 per class of goods or services. Search for similar marks before you pay for a design, so you don't build a brand on a logo someone else already owns.
Why do logo designers charge so much?
Designers charge for the thinking as much as the drawing: research, several concepts, rounds of revisions and a complete set of files. A logo maker skips most of that, which is why it costs less. The right choice depends on how much the extra thinking is worth to your business.
Where to Go From Here
Before you pay anyone, compare what you get: a vector file, a transparent PNG, ownership, and any renewal fees. Then spend in proportion to how much your business depends on its look today.
If you'd like to see a few directions before paying a designer, LogoGen is one option. You describe your business, pick a style and colors, and it generates logos, typically in under 10 seconds. It sells one-time packages from $8 and subscriptions from $29 per month (or $14.50 per month billed yearly), with vector exports on the subscription plans. For comparison, LogoGen's pricing page puts the average cost of an agency or freelance logo at $750. You can start generating logos here, or browse the logo types first.
