Pricing:
Project* | Estimated Pricing** | Contest Pricing** |
|---|---|---|
Book Cover | $279.00 - $999.00 | $299.00 - $1,199.00 |
Business Card | $169.00 - $399.00 | $199.00 - $999.00 |
App Design | $699.00 - $1,999.00 | $599.00 - $2,499.00 |
Web Page Design | $629.00 - $2,999.00 | $599.00 - $2,499.00 |
PowerPoint Template | $299.00 - $1,199.00 | $199.00 - $999.00 |
Logo Design | Contest only. | $299.00 - $1,299.00 |
*Users have a wide range of design categories to choose from, and, for most of the categories, can decide to work with a freelancer or run a contest. Whereas freelancers charge their own rates for designs, contests come in four fixed packages with fixed pricing.
**99designs charges users and designers platform fees that range from 5% to 15%.
Review:
99designs offers a wide range of design services and multiple packages to choose from. Users can work directly with freelancers or run contests. The freelancer profiles have all the right information to help employers make better decisions about who to work with. There is also a money-back guarantee.
However, contests take a long time and there have been complaints about designers submitting stolen designs, which could cause problems later on. 99designs' built-in alert system for such infringements points to the fact that this must be a common behavior they're trying to curb.
Pros:
- The website is easy to use.
- 99designs offers a very broad range of design services.
- There are multiple payment packages to choose from.
- Profile information includes response time, repeat clients, the number of contests won, and project history.
- Users can work directly with a designer or run a contest.
- The platform offers a money-back guarantee.
- Designers go through a rigorous application process, guaranteeing a higher quality of design and level of professionalism.
- The platform has a reporting system that can be used to report designers who have stolen designs or used stock images.
- Users can search for freelancers based on the design category, industry, designer level, and language.
Cons:
- Contests could take up to a month to finalize.
- The different pricing models are complicated because they vary widely based on the type of work and level of designer.
- There have been complaints of stolen designs.
Reputation:
99designs has mixed reviews. It has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Website Planet, 3.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, and 3.5 out of 5 stars on Sitejabber.
How to Create a Contest on 99designs:
Seven easy steps for posting a project contest on 99designs.
Creating a contest on 99designs.
Navigate to the 99designs home page.
From the home page, click on the "Get a design" button next to the search box in the center of the page.
Search and select your design category.
Choose between various design categories, including websites, logos, apps, merchandising, and more. Each design category will have a subcategory with different packages to choose from.
Create a design brief.
After selecting a design category option, follow the prompts to create your design brief to give designers an idea of what you are looking for in your design. Go through a selection of design styles, colors, shapes, and more. Once you've completed the design brief, click on "Continue."
Select a design package.
Next, you can choose from a selection of design packages. Consider how many designs you want to receive and how much you are willing to spend. Then, enter a contest title, select a contest option (guaranteed or private contest), and click on "Continue."
You also have the option to promote your contest with paid add-on features to boost the number of designs you receive. Paid add-ons include having your contest featured at the top of the list of projects, highlighted in orange to make it stand out, and having it listed in the 99designs blog.
Create your account.
You will be prompted to sign up to 99designs and create an account.
Fill in your email address.
Create a password.
Complete the CAPTCHA test.
Click on "Sign up."
Review your order.
Fill out the online form with your details. Complete the short questionnaire and click on "Continue."
Complete the payment and post your contest.
Select a payment method and complete your purchase by following the onscreen prompts. Once the payment has been processed, your contest will be posted to 99designs.
99designs vs. Fiverr:
Fiverr is a better option for finding a wider range of freelancers. 99designs is only for design projects. Both have one-on-one work options, but 99designs also gives users the option to create contests and receive more designs. However, 99designs is more costly. Both websites have similar reputations.
99designs vs. DesignCrowd:
DesignCrowd and 99designs are very similar, offering many of the same services and having many of the same features and processes. However, 99designs is more costly. Both platforms have complaints against them around the quality of designers available, but 99designs has slightly better ratings.
99designs vs. Upwork:
Upwork is a larger, more popular site that people use for free to find freelancers from a wide range of industries. It uses AI to match freelancers and has a better average rating across online review sites. However, 99designs gives you more details about freelancers in profiles and offers a money-back guarantee.
Key Information
Legal Name | 99designs Pty Ltd. |
Founder | |
Founding Date | Jan 01, 2008 |
Address | 2201 Broadway, Ste. 815, Oakland, CA 94612 |
Telephone | |
Website |