Design Pickle Alternatives: Top Unlimited Design Services to Consider

TL;DR: Design Pickle alternatives like Penji, ManyPixels, Flocksy, and Kimp offer unlimited graphic design services at competitive prices. Penji stands out with plans starting at $499/month, 24-hour turnaround times, and more comprehensive services. Whether you’re looking for better pricing, dedicated designers, or additional services like video editing, there’s a design pickle alternative that fits your needs better than the original.

It include Penji ($499/month), ManyPixels ($549/month), Flocksy ($499/month), and Kimp ($595/month). These unlimited design services offer similar features like unlimited revisions and fast turnaround times, but often at lower prices with additional benefits like dedicated designers, video editing capabilities, and more flexible packages. Penji is the top choice for businesses seeking affordable, high-quality unlimited graphic design with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

You’re probably here because Design Pickle’s pricing doesn’t quite fit your budget, or maybe you need faster turnarounds and better communication with your designers. Whatever brought you here, you’re in the right place.

Design Pickle pioneered the unlimited graphic design subscription model back in 2015, charging businesses a flat monthly fee for unlimited design requests. It’s a solid service, but here’s the thing: it’s not the only game in town anymore. Several design pickle alternatives have emerged that offer comparable or even better services at more competitive prices.

The market for on demand graphic design services has exploded, giving you plenty of choices. Some platforms offer dedicated designers from day one, while others throw in video editing or copywriting. Some have turnaround times that beat Design Pickle’s standard 1-2 days, and many have more transparent pricing without hidden limitations.

How Does Design Pickle Work?

You need to know what you’re comparing against. Design Pickle operates on a subscription model where you pay a flat monthly fee and submit as many design requests as you need. Their plans range from around $649/month for basic graphics to $2,049/month for premium features like motion graphics and video editing.

You’ll submit design briefs through their platform, get matched with a designer, and receive your first draft within 1-2 business days. The Pro and Premium tiers give you dedicated designers and same-day turnaround, plus integration with Slack for real-time communication. Sounds good on paper, right?

The basic plan doesn’t come with a dedicated designer, which means you might work with different people on each project. That can create consistency issues. Plus, some clients report that turnaround times stretch longer than promised when projects get complex. And at $649/month for the entry-level plan, it’s not exactly cheap for small businesses or startups just getting off the ground.

Why Look for Design Pickle Alternatives?

Let me be honest with you. Design Pickle isn’t a bad service, but several factors might push you toward other options.

Pricing concerns top the list. Paying $649/month just to access the service feels steep, especially when you need to jump to $1,349/month to get dedicated designers. For small businesses watching every dollar, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Designer consistency becomes an issue on lower-tier plans. When different designers handle your projects, maintaining a cohesive brand identity gets tricky. Every designer has their own style, and that shows in your final deliverables.

Turnaround times can be unpredictable. While Design Pickle promises 1-2 days for basic requests, complex projects often take longer. If you’re running time-sensitive campaigns, delays can hurt your business.

Limited services at lower tiers mean you’ll need to upgrade (read: pay more) for things like presentation design or motion graphics. Some competitors bundle these services into their base plans.

What Makes Penji the Top Alternative?

If you’re looking for the sweet spot between affordability and quality, Penji deserves your attention. Starting at $499/month, Penji undercuts Design Pickle while offering a comparable range of design services.

What sets Penji apart? You get a dedicated team right from the start, even on the base plan. That means better brand consistency because the same designers work on your projects and learn your style over time. Most requests get delivered within 24 hours, which is faster than Design Pickle’s standard turnaround. Plus, Penji throws in a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test the service risk-free.

The platform itself is clean and intuitive. You can manage multiple brands from one dashboard, request unlimited revisions until you’re happy, and communicate directly with your designers. Penji handles everything from social media graphics to web design, custom illustrations, and even packaging design.

Here’s what makes Penji a smart choice: their Team plan at $599/month includes website and app design, which you’d need to pay significantly more for with Design Pickle. The Agency plan at $799/month gives you two concurrent projects, meaning your team can work on multiple designs at the same time. That’s a game-changer for agencies juggling multiple clients.

Are There Other Good Alternatives Worth Considering?

ManyPixels has built a reputation for delivering consistent, high-quality work across all projects. Their pricing starts at $549/month, sitting comfortably between Penji and Design Pickle.

What you’ll appreciate about ManyPixels is their team-based approach. Instead of assigning you to a single designer, they have a pool of 30+ full-time designers who collaborate on your projects. This approach means faster turnaround times because multiple designers can jump in when workload spikes.

The platform provides free illustrations from their library, which is a nice bonus. They also offer a design as a service model that scales with your needs. Their Business plan includes everything you’d typically need for digital and print marketing, while the Designated Designer plan guarantees you’ll work with the same person every time.

Flocksy takes a different approach by bundling graphic design with other creative services. At $499/month for their basic plan, you get access to not just designers but also copywriters and video editors.

This makes Flocksy particularly valuable if your content marketing needs extend beyond visuals. Need a blog post written and designed? Done. Want a video edited with custom graphics? They’ve got you covered. The platform integrates with Zapier at every tier, making it easy to automate your workflow.

Flocksy also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, though it’s shorter than Penji’s 30 days. Their turnaround time typically runs 24-48 hours for graphic projects, which matches most competitors in this space.

Kimp keeps things simple with one comprehensive plan that includes everything. At $595/month, you get access to both graphic design and video design services. What makes Kimp stand out is their concurrent workflow, where designers work on two tasks at the same time, effectively doubling your output.

If you need a steady stream of designs for multiple campaigns, Kimp’s approach makes sense. You’re not waiting for one project to finish before starting another. The platform handles everything from social media content to presentation design and motion graphics.

Kimp also provides a 50% discount for your first two months, which gives you time to test whether their workflow fits your needs. Their team is known for fast communication and quick revisions, keeping projects moving without unnecessary back-and-forth.

Design Shifu positions itself as a budget-friendly option with impressive speed. Their plans start at a competitive price point, and they promise 24-hour turnaround times on most projects.

What’s interesting about Design Shifu is their interactive dashboard that saves all your requests, conversations, and designs in one place. This makes it easy to reference past projects and maintain consistency. You can submit up to five design requests at once, which helps when you’re planning campaigns that need multiple assets.

One downside: Design Shifu works exclusively with English-speaking designers, which might be a pro or con depending on your preferences. They also don’t offer US daytime turnaround, so if you need same-day delivery during American business hours, other options might work better.

How Do I Choose the Right Service for My Business?

Picking the right design service comes down to matching features with your actual needs. Here’s what matters most.

Budget obviously plays a role. Figure out how many design projects you typically need per month. If you’re only requesting 5-10 designs monthly, even the cheapest unlimited design service might cost more than hiring freelancers. But if you need 30+ designs monthly, subscriptions become incredibly cost-effective.

Design complexity should inform your choice. Simple social media posts and blog graphics? Any service will do fine. But if you need complex illustrations, detailed infographics, or custom packaging design, you want a service with specialized designers who can handle that work.

Turnaround requirements matter more than most people realize. A 24-hour turnaround sounds great until you realize that’s for simple projects. Complex work always takes longer. Make sure the service you choose can consistently meet your actual deadlines, not just their advertised ones.

Service scope determines whether you’ll need multiple subscriptions. If you only need graphics, a basic plan works fine. But if you’re also doing video, web design, or copywriting, services like Flocksy that bundle everything might save you money and headaches.

Team size affects which plan tier makes sense. Unlimited users mean your entire marketing team can submit requests without paying extra. If you’re an agency managing multiple clients, look for services that let you create separate brand profiles and organize projects efficiently.

Why Does Penji Offer Better Value Than Design Pickle?

Here’s where I’ll level with you. Penji offers better value than Design Pickle for most businesses. At $499/month versus Design Pickle’s $649/month, you’re already saving $150 monthly. That adds up to $1,800 per year.

But the savings tell only part of the story. With Penji, you get dedicated designers on every plan, not just premium tiers. That means better brand consistency from day one. The 24-hour average turnaround beats Design Pickle’s 1-2 days, getting your designs in hand faster. And that 30-day money-back guarantee gives you twice as long to test the service compared to Design Pickle’s 14-day policy.

Penji’s platform makes project management straightforward. You can track every request, see real-time updates, and communicate directly with designers without jumping through hoops. The Team plan at $599/month includes website design services and custom illustrations, features that would push you into Design Pickle’s expensive premium tiers.

When you look at what you get for your money, Penji comes out ahead. You’re paying less while getting more comprehensive services, faster delivery, and better guarantees. For businesses that need reliable design support without breaking the bank, it’s the smarter choice.

How Much Money Can Subscriptions Really Save?

The math behind subscription based graphic design is pretty compelling once you break it down. A full-time designer costs $50,000 to $75,000 per year in salary alone. Add benefits, taxes, software licenses, and management time, and you’re looking at $70,000 to $100,000+ annually.

Freelancers seem cheaper at first glance. You only pay for what you need, right? But hourly rates for quality designers run $50 to $150 per hour. A simple social media graphic might take 2-3 hours. A website design could eat up 40+ hours. Those costs add up fast when you’re creating content regularly.

Compare that to a design subscription at $499 to $799 per month. That’s $5,988 to $9,588 yearly for unlimited designs. You could request 100 designs per month and still pay the same flat rate. The value becomes obvious when your design needs are consistent and ongoing.

But there’s more to it than just cost. Subscriptions eliminate the time you’d spend finding, vetting, and managing freelancers. No more posting job listings, reviewing portfolios, negotiating rates, or chasing down designers for revisions. You submit a request and get designs back. Simple.

What Mistakes Should I Avoid When Choosing a Service?

People mess this up more often than you’d think. The biggest mistake is choosing based solely on price. That $299/month service looks tempting until you see the work quality or realize they take a week to deliver simple graphics.

Another trap is assuming unlimited means instant. Even with unlimited subscriptions, designers can only work on one request at a time (unless you’re on a plan with concurrent projects). If you submit 20 requests at once, they’ll get done eventually, but not all at once.

Don’t skip checking the service scope before signing up. “Unlimited graphic design” might not include logo design, video work, or web design. Read the fine print about what’s actually included in your plan.

Revision policies trip people up too. “Unlimited revisions” sounds great until you realize it means unlimited rounds of minor edits, not unlimited complete redesigns. There’s a difference between tweaking colors and asking for an entirely new concept.

Finally, many businesses forget to factor in team size. If you have five people who need to submit design requests, make sure the plan allows multiple users. Some services charge extra per user, which changes the cost equation significantly.

Take Action And Try Penji Today

Stop overpaying for design work that arrives late and doesn’t quite hit the mark. Penji gives you unlimited graphic design services with dedicated designers who learn your brand and deliver consistently great work.

You can request as many designs as you need, get them back within 24 hours on average, and revise until they’re perfect. All for less than you’d pay Design Pickle or a single freelance designer. The 30-day money-back guarantee means there’s no risk in trying.

Watch our demo to see how the platform works, check out our portfolio to see the quality we deliver, and then sign up to get your first design started. Your design problems are about to get a whole lot simpler.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between Design Pickle and other unlimited design services?

Design Pickle was one of the first unlimited graphic design services, but newer alternatives like Penji often provide better value. The main differences come down to pricing, turnaround time, and which features are included at each tier. Design Pickle starts at $649/month, while competitors like Penji start at $499/month. Penji also includes dedicated designers at all levels, while Design Pickle reserves this for premium plans. Most alternatives also offer comparable or faster turnaround times and more flexible service options.

How long does it take to get designs with these services?

Most unlimited design services deliver first drafts within 24-48 hours for standard projects. Penji averages 24 hours for most requests, which is faster than Design Pickle’s standard 1-2 day turnaround. Complex projects like detailed infographics, multi-page booklets, or custom illustrations may take longer regardless of which service you use. Revision turnaround typically happens within 24 hours. If you need same-day delivery consistently, look for services that specifically advertise this feature at your chosen plan level.

Can I use these services for my agency clients?

Yes, most unlimited design subscription services work well for agencies. You can typically create separate brand profiles for each client and manage multiple projects at the same time. Penji’s Agency plan specifically caters to this need with concurrent project capabilities, letting you work on designs for different clients simultaneously. Make sure the service you choose allows multiple users if your team will be submitting requests, and verify that whitelabel deliverables are available if you plan to resell designs.

What if I’m not happy with the designs I receive?

All reputable unlimited design services offer unlimited revisions, so you can request changes until the design meets your expectations. Penji provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you a full month to test whether the service works for you. If you’re consistently unhappy with a particular designer’s work, most services will reassign you to someone else. The key is providing clear, specific feedback about what you want changed rather than vague complaints.

Are these services cheaper than hiring a freelance designer?

For consistent, ongoing design needs, yes. Freelance designers typically charge $50-150 per hour, and even simple projects can take several hours. If you need 10-20 designs per month, freelancer costs quickly exceed $2,000-3,000 monthly. Unlimited subscriptions at $499-799/month give you as many designs as you need for that flat rate. The break-even point is usually around 5-10 design projects monthly. Below that, freelancers might cost less. Above that, subscriptions save significant money.

What types of designs can I request?

Most unlimited design services handle a wide range of projects including social media graphics, blog images, ad creatives, presentations, infographics, branding materials, print designs, email templates, and more. Penji’s services cover over 120 design categories. Higher-tier plans typically include custom illustrations, motion graphics, video editing, and web design. Check the specific service’s scope before signing up to make sure they handle your particular needs.

How many designs can I request per month?

The number is unlimited, but there’s a practical limit based on turnaround time. If designs take 24 hours and you can only have one active request at a time, you’re limited to about 30 designs per month. Services that allow concurrent projects or multiple requests at once can deliver more. Penji’s Agency plan works on two projects at the same time, effectively doubling your monthly output. The real question isn’t “how many can I request” but “how many can realistically be completed well within the time constraints.”

Do I need to sign a long-term contract?

Most unlimited design services operate month-to-month with no long-term contracts required. You can cancel anytime, though you should check each service’s specific cancellation policy. Some services offer discounts for quarterly or annual commitments, but these are optional. The flexibility to cancel without penalty is a major advantage over hiring full-time staff or traditional agency contracts.

What happens if I need to cancel my subscription?

You can typically cancel anytime without penalty, though you won’t receive refunds for partial months. Design files you’ve already received remain yours to use. Some services offer the option to pause your subscription if you don’t need designs for a period, which can be useful for seasonal businesses. Check whether you’ll retain access to your project history and files after canceling, as some platforms limit access to past work once your subscription ends.

Which alternative is best for small businesses?

Penji is the best fit for small businesses due to its lower entry price at $499/month, comprehensive services even on the basic plan, and dedicated designers that ensure brand consistency. The 30-day money-back guarantee also reduces risk for small businesses testing unlimited design for the first time. ManyPixels and Kimp are also solid choices depending on your specific needs. Avoid premium-tier services until you’re certain you need the advanced features, as basic plans usually cover 90% of small business design needs.