If you’re thinking about a new brand identity, the first question is usually how much it will cost. There’s no single answer, but I can tell you what tends to sit behind the numbers.
Prices in the UK run from a few hundred pounds for a basic logo to tens of thousands for a large agency rebrand. The gap isn’t really about one designer being better than another. It comes down to what’s included, how much thinking goes into it and how complicated the business is.
What it typically costs
As a rough guide, this is what you might come across.
£500 to £1,500 is usually a simple logo or starter identity, often with limited strategy and a small number of deliverables.
£1,500 to £5,000 is a typical range for an independent designer or small studio doing something more considered. That might include strategy, visual identity, logo development, supporting assets and guidelines.
£5,000 to £15,000 and above tends to mean larger, more involved projects, often with established studios or agencies and a wider strategic and production scope.
These aren’t fixed bands, and there are always exceptions. A £3,000 project can be worth more than a £10,000 one if it solves the right problem.
Why the prices vary so much
A brand identity isn’t just a folder of files. The designer has to understand the business, its audience and its competitors, then turn that into a visual system that works wherever the business needs to communicate.
A small local business with one main service and a handful of applications needs something very different from a company working across several markets with different audiences and products. More scope means more work, and so does deeper thinking.
What you’re actually paying for
A cheap identity isn’t necessarily bad, and an expensive one isn’t automatically good. The question I’d ask is what’s included.
A basic logo project might give you a logo and a handful of file formats. If a logo is genuinely all you need, that’s perfectly reasonable.
A fuller identity can involve research, positioning, creative direction, logo development, typography, colour, graphic elements, imagery, templates and guidelines for using it all consistently. That takes longer because there are more decisions to make, which is why it matters to compare quotes like for like.
What a £2,000 to £5,000 identity looks like
For a founder or growing business, the aim isn’t the most elaborate identity possible. It’s something clear, distinctive and practical enough to support the business as it grows.
The exact scope depends on what you need, but a project in this range can include strategic thinking, visual identity development, logo design, typography, colour, supporting graphic elements, brand guidelines and the key applications your business uses.
What matters is that these are considered as one system rather than designed separately. The logo has to work with the typography. The colours have to work across digital and print. The identity has to make sense on a website as well as in a presentation, a social post or something printed. That’s what turns a collection of assets into an identity you can actually use.
Is a cheaper logo ever the right choice?
Yes. Not every business needs a £5,000 identity. If you’re starting out, testing an idea or working with a very small budget, a straightforward logo and some basic visual direction may be all you need for now.
The problem comes when a business has outgrown that and keeps treating its branding as something another quick logo will fix. At that point the missing logo isn’t what’s holding things back. The business has changed and the brand hasn’t kept up.
Should you invest more?
I’d avoid thinking about it as spending more or spending less. The better question is what the business needs.
If your current identity stops you looking credible to the customers you want, making it clearer and more professional can be a worthwhile investment. If your logo is fine but your website, presentations and marketing are inconsistent, you may need a stronger visual system rather than a new identity. And if the business has changed fundamentally, perhaps with a new market, a different offer or significant growth, it’s worth revisiting the strategy as well as the visuals.
What to look for when comparing quotes
Don’t just compare the number at the bottom. Look at the process behind it. Does the designer take time to understand your business? Is there any strategic thinking? What exactly will you receive at the end? Will the identity work beyond the logo? Are guidelines included? Will you be able to use the brand consistently yourself?
Most of all, does the designer understand what you’re trying to achieve? A good identity should give you more than a new logo. It should give the business a clearer direction and a visual system you can use with confidence. That’s ultimately what you’re paying for.
So how much should you spend?
There’s no magic number. For some businesses £1,000 will be enough. For others, £10,000 or more is entirely justified. What matters is matching the scope and depth of the project to what the business needs.
If you’re a growing business that wants more than a logo but doesn’t need the overhead of a large agency, working with a brand designer directly can be a useful middle ground. You get strategic thinking, a considered visual identity and direct involvement throughout. At Bullamore, brand identity projects typically fall between £1,500 and £5,000, depending on what’s required.
If you’re not sure what level of investment makes sense, get in touch. I’d start by understanding what needs fixing, rather than settling on a price before I understand the problem.
