1.  Local Designers

• • It’s always great to support small local businesses (as you know well!), so consider engaging a local designer.
  • Pros: There’s nothing better than sitting across from your designer and looking at concepts together. It’s the most efficient way to get your logo done exactly as you want. This efficiency can save you money in the long run.
  • Cons: Hiring a designer can be more expensive than online options.

2.    Fiverr

• • Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that represents designers from all over the world. You select a designer, order your logo, communicate with the designer and pay for the finished product on the platform.
  • Pros: Fiverr provides work samples, reviews, and ratings to help you select a designer. If you don’t need a custom logo, a Fiverr option lets you customize pre-made logos, which could work if you already know what you want.
  • Cons: The skills of designers featured on Fiverr vary widely. So, look carefully at samples of work before making your selection. Also, be aware that Fiverr’s service fees will increase the total cost.

3.    Upwork

• • Upwork also represents artists from around the world. You can find, hire, and pay designers through the platform. Unlike Fiverr, Upwork gives you flexibility on how you communicate with the designer—you don’t need to use the platform.
  • Pros: Upwork provides reviews and ratings to help you select a designer. It has relatively low service fees and claims to screen its freelancers.
  • Cons: Prices for designers are usually higher than on Fiverr, sometimes offsetting the service fee difference. It’s more difficult to see work samples when evaluating designers.

4.    99designs

• • Unlike Fiverr and Upwork, which represent a variety of freelancers, 99designs only features designers.
  • Pros: With 99designs, you submit your project description and budget and are presented with a recommended designer. Or you can start a 99design contest, where you provide a design brief and designers offer concepts for you to choose from.
  • Cons: 99designs is more expensive than Fiverr and Upwork.

5.    Logogenie

• • Logogenie is a self-service logo design site. You select a design from among hundreds on their site, modify it, change colors and text using their online tools, and then download the result.
  • Pros: Logogenie is an inexpensive and quick option. Its pre-made designs offer the flexibility to add words, as well as change colors and backgrounds.
  • Cons: You are limited to a selection of preset designs, and the elements used in your logo may turn up in someone else’s project unless you pay extra for exclusivity. Several upcharges (black-and-white versions, social media versions, etc.) can make Logogenie costs about the same as Fiverr or Upwork.

For more tips about running and growing your small business, visit the resource page at Index by Pinger.