Looking to find your brand’s next graphic design wiz? Here are two popular job marketplace platforms that can help you: 99designs and Fiverr. Both offer multitudes of options, so choosing between them can be a considerable challenge. Let’s take an in-depth look to find out which platform prevails.

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What is 99designs?

An online platform that connects business owners with freelancers, 99designs specializes in graphic design. It has a talent pool that consists of pre-vetted designers who are experts in a variety of design types. This includes web design, branding, packaging, social media graphics, and many others.

99designs offers two ways to get you your new design partner. You can either hold a contest or direct hire from the hundreds of profiles and portfolios on its database. The platform vets its designers to assure you of a certain skill level and experience.

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What is Fiverr?

While 99designs and Fiverr are excellent places to find freelance graphic designers, they have glaring differences. Fiverr connects you with a vast pool of freelancers offering a wide range of services and not just design. From here, you can hire writers, accountants, and many other virtual assistants.

Fiverr runs on a “gig” system where they will post their services with specific rates, packages, and other deliverables. You can then browse through these and find one that fits your needs and budget. Unlike 99designs, you won’t have to hold contests to get the right designer; you can directly communicate with and hire a freelancer for your project.

Choosing the Right Platform

Finding the most suitable freelancer for your design projects largely depends on what your business is. To help you find the right designer, let’s break down your target audience and project considerations for 99designs and Fiverr.

Target Audience

  • 99designs: If you need premium quality designs, this is the platform for you. It shines in serving businesses and individuals with a clear vision but wanting to explore their creative options. 99designs is especially great for those who require designers with specialized skills in logo creation, web design, branding, and more. 
  • Fiverr: This platform suits those on a tight budget, whether looking for designers or other types of workers. Its pool of freelancers offers varying price points to let you find one within your financial constraints. It also has a diverse range of talents, so finding a particular expertise will come easy.

Project Needs

Project type: You also need to consider the nature of your project when looking for the right graphic design partner. If your sole focus is on design, 99designs has a curated selection created explicitly for this purpose. However, if your business needs more diverse freelancer skills, Fiverr’s broad marketplace can be the best option for you. 

Budgetary constraints: Your budget also has a say in which platform you should go for. 99designs commands a higher price point than Fiverr due to its vetted designers and contest model. On the other hand, Fiverr provides you with more flexible pricing, but expect the quality to match it.

Key Differences Between 99designs vs Fiverr

Let’s now take a look at how 99designs and Fiverr differ in a few crucial factors:

Pricing

  • 99designs: Has a contest model that lets you set your budget and get design submissions from multiple designers. Whoever wins gets awarded your prize, while the platform takes a service fee. 
  • Additionally, 99designs allows you to browse portfolios and profiles if you want to hire a designer directly. You can pay your chosen designer’s fixed price. This approach allows for more control over your budget.
  • Fiverr: Has a gig-based pricing where freelancers set their prices for specific packages. These gigs outline the deliverables and rates to allow for easy comparison.

Design Quality

  • 99designs: Vets its designers, ensuring a certain level of expertise and experience. This focus on controlling quality helps keep a high standard of design work. Also, its contest model lets you receive design concepts from several designers. This allows you to have more options and find the one that fits your needs precisely.
  • Fiverr: Has a multitude of highly skilled professionals. However, this vast selection can also mean the chances of getting those with less experience are higher. With Fiverr, you need to be more careful when reviewing designer profiles and client reviews.

Services Offered

  • 99designs: If all you need is a freelance designer, this platform has hundreds, if not thousands, from which you can choose. Its talent pool has pre-vetted designers with a wide array of specializations. When you do find copywriting services or anything similar, it’s just a bonus. The core focus is still on designs.
  • Fiverr: A one-stop shop for a vast choice of freelance services. You can hire writers, marketers, appointment-setters, programmers, and even voice actors. If you need more than just a design partner, Fiverr is a great platform.

A Recap: 99designs vs Fiverr

Finding the right design partner can be an overwhelming task. With many platforms, like 99designs and Fiverr, vying for your attention. While at first glance, these two might look similar, in reality, they cater to distinct needs.

If your priority is getting top-notch designs, choose 99designs. Their pre-vetted designers ensure quality while providing you with diverse creative options. It also lets you hire directly, saving you time and effort in hiring the most suitable designer.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option to find your new design partner, Fiverr is the one to choose. Its gig-based pricing and thousands of profiles allow you to find the right freelancers at the price you’re comfortable with.

Why Choose Penji

If you want the quicker route to getting the perfect design partner, you should work with Penji. Our unlimited design model lets you get all the design assets you need without the hassles. You won’t hold contests, wait for submissions, or view thousands of portfolios to find the right candidate. You won’t even vet them as we did all that for you.

Watch our demo video here to learn about our design process, or click here to get our pro designers started.

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