What are Design Subscription Services and How Do They Work?

TL;DR – Design subscription services allow users to get easy access to high-quality visual assets without having to hire an in-house creative or commit long-term.

Businesses today all deal with the pressure to produce visual content that engages the audience. Unfortunately, not all brands have the resources to hire an in-house creative.

And that’s where the power of subscription-based design services shines. Data reveals that online design platforms account for 63.6% of the graphic design services market.

This number only goes to show that design subscription services are not going anywhere anytime soon. In this article, let’s break down the basics of a design subscription service and how it works. We’ll also discuss tips on how you can make the most value out of your subscription. 

What Are Design Subscription Services?

A monthly graphic design subscription service provides the creation and revision of all the visual assets you need at a flat monthly rate. 

Also called unlimited graphic design, platforms offering this service allow users to get access to high-quality designs without hiring an in-house designer or relying on freelancers.

Alongside the benefits of design subscription services for startups and marketing teams, graphic design subscription service platforms are also in demand among creative agencies that choose to free their hands to focus better on campaign strategies and execution.

In fact, fata reveals that 73% of agencies use white-label services, which means outsourcing work to a third-party service provider and delivering it under the agency’s brand. 

With so many options out there, those who are new to this service often ask, “What’s the best design subscription service?” Though each provider may have their pros and cons, Penji stands out due to its strong portfolio and top-notch design quality.

What Are the Key Benefits of Design Subscription Services?

With 81% of business organizations using graphic design in various formats, subscription-based design services offer a wide range of benefits for various types of users, from startups to enterprises.

Here are some of the key benefits of subscription-based graphic design services:

• Fast turnaround design. The best design subscription services offer a turnaround time of 24-48 hours per project.
• Unlimited design requests. You can request all the designs you need in a month without having to deal with additional fees. 
• Unlimited revisions. Unlimited requests come with unlimited revisions. You can have the design revised over and over again until you’re 100% happy with the results.
• Predictable cost per month. Because the service comes at a flat rate per month, you won’t have to deal with surprise charges or hidden fees, making it one of the most cost-effective design services available today.
• Scalable design solutions. One of the best design outsourcing benefits of subscription services is that it can scale as your business grows. If you find yourself in need ot a bigger dedicated design team, you can just adjust your subscription to a higher tier.

Why Are Businesses Switching to Design Subscription Services?

Here are the top reasons why users are switching to design-as-a-service platforms from traditional design services.

1. Limitations of In-House Creatives

Hiring an in-house designer entails quite a lot of resources, as you’ll have to cover:

• Wages
• Benefits and PTO
• Software licenses
• Onboarding expenses
• Training costs

Though having an in-house creative is ideal if you need visuals designed on-site with real-time revisions required, relying on a single creative means you’ll be limited to the design expertise and style of an individual. Whereas SaaS design support services give you access to a pool of creatives with a wide variety of design expertise.

2. Problems with Freelancers

Flexibility is one of the benefits of hiring freelancers. Unlike an in-house designer that you’ll have to pay whether you need a lot of content marketing design services or not, you can get freelancers to work on a seasonal basis. It’s also easy to hire a freelancer via job marketplaces like Upwork. 

However, this flexibility can also be a disadvantage. Freelancers could accept your project alongside other ongoing projects, risking on-time delivery. And with a freelancer working independently, there won’t be a team member to cover their workload in case they have to take time off work for emergencies, health problems, or other unforeseen issues.

3. Increasing Demand for Content

Maintaining a thriving business in a digital-first world means keeping the brand relevant online and offline. On social media alone, 3 out of 10 companies post multiple times a week to boost their online presence, and that doesn’t include website updates, email campaigns, and digital ads.

Unlimited design platforms offer design support for growing businesses and satisfy the ever-growing demand for high-quality visual content.

How Do Design Subscription Services Work Step by Step?

Here’s how design subscription services work:

1. You subscribe to on-demand graphic design services.

After choosing the best service provider for your needs, you subscribe to the service, and your  monthly graphic design package starts running.

Pro tip: Choose a service provider with good reviews from past clients. 

2. You request a project.

Using the on-demand design platform’s app or collaboration tool, you request a project. You create a design brief describing the visual asset you need, along with other details that will help your designer create the best design, such as:

• Your audience
• Campaign goal
• Main message
• File requirements

Pro tip: If you have brand guidelines, attach them to your request to ensure that all your visual assets remain on brand. If you don’t have brand guidelines yet, you may want to consider it as your first project request.

3. Your design team submits a draft.

Your design team will reach out to you in case they need clarification on your brief. Otherwise, they’ll work on the design and deliver the draft in 24 to 48 hours.

Pro tip: To make it easier for your designer to create the design you need with fewer revisions, make your design brief as detailed as possible. Aside from your brand guidelines, you can also attach visual references for inspiration. 

4. You request revisions, if needed.

If there’s anything you want changed in the design, ask your design team to revise the design. Unlimited designs come with unlimited revisions.

Pro tip: Offer actionable feedback like, “Change the color from blue to red” instead of vague comments like, “Make it pop.”

5. You approve the design and download the files.

Once you’re happy with the design, download the files and mark it complete. Your design team can then move on to the next project on your dashboard.

Pro tip: To get the most out of your monthly graphic design subscription, organize your design request calendar to ensure that you’re prioritizing the projects that you need right away and they don’t get stuck in your request queue.

The Lowdown

With design subscription services, users can get consistent brand design while keeping costs predictable and avoiding long-term commitment.

If you’re looking for a design partner that can handle all your visual content needs, reach out to Penji. View a short demo to learn why Penji is the top design provider among brands around the world.

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