The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Graphic Design Service

TL;DR: Choosing the right graphic design service can spell the difference between building a relevant brand that thrives and struggling to keep a brand from fading into the background. 

How crucial is it to find the right graphic design service for your brand?

Let’s put it this way: a good graphic designer can fix your design mistakes, update the outdated, and, sometimes, even save your brand from itself.

In fact, data tells us that 15% of graphic designers are working for Fortune 500 companies.

If you’re curious about the kind of graphic design the Fortune 500 companies produce, here are a few examples from some of the top 5 companies in the list:

The examples above only go to show that even the world’s biggest brands turn to professional graphic designers to shape how their audience perceives them.

In this article, let’s unpack everything you need to know about graphic design services, including the graphic design service types, how it works, and the cost. We’ll also teach you a hack on getting Fortune 500-caliber graphic designs without spending a small fortune – pun intended.

But first, let’s clarify a common definition–

What Is a Graphic Design Service?

A graphic design service is a professional solution that creates visual materials for clients to communicate their messages effectively.

Many brands rely on these custom graphic design services to keep their visual communication consistent across channels. In fact, data tells us that ventures turn to visual communication to:

• Enhance communication
• Increase efficiency
• Boost performance

A graphic design service refers to a professional offering, regardless of the structure. That said, it can be in the form of:

• Subscription-Based Companies. Design-as-a-service providers like Penji offer unlimited graphic design services at a flat monthly subscription.
• Freelancers. Many independent creatives offer design services through their websites or via online marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork, and Behance.
• Design Agencies. Typically offering full-scale creative services, agencies may offer graphic design as part of their packages. 

What Visuals are Included in a Graphic Design Service? 

There isn’t one uniform graphic design services list, and the types of design you can request can evolve over time due to developments in tech and trends. For instance, Instagram Reels were not a thing 10 years ago, but nowadays, it has become one of the go-to ad channels, with 726.8 million users watching Reels around the globe.

Here are some of the commonly requested professional graphic design services:

• Logo and branding
• Social media design
• Web design
• Packaging design
• Print materials
• Presentations
• Pitch decks
• Marketing creatives
• Ad design
• Infographics
• Email templates
• Motion graphics 

That said, it’s not surprising that a reputable design-as-a-service provider like Penji offers over 120 creative services, and the list keeps on growing.

What are the Benefits of Outsourcing Graphic Design?

For many ventures, getting the right graphic design service is a way to stay ahead of the competition. In fact, design solutions are the second most used software and tools among small and medium-sized businesses, with 43% of business owners reporting their use.

Despite this, however, not all businesses have the means to hire an in-house designer to shoulder the weight of their creative operations. That’s where the power of a graphic design service shines.

Here are some of the benefits of outsourcing graphic design:

• Instant access to professional design. Whether you’re outsourcing to a graphic design services agency or you’re still contemplating unlimited graphic design services vs. freelancers for your needs, outsourcing gives you immediate access to design skills and expertise.
• Flexibility. When you outsource your design needs, you won’t need to be tied up in a long-term commitment. Instead, you can pay per project with a freelancer or subscribe per month with an on-demand graphic design service. 
• Fresh design perspective. Templates get outdated after a while, or worse, they’ll drown your brand in a sea full of other brands that used the same template. Professional graphic design services and graphic design service companies offer a fresh design perspective, allowing your visuals to stay relevant, on-trend, and on-brand.
• Affordability. Almost 6 out of 10 businesses said they outsource tasks to be able to cut costs. Outsourcing design means you won’t have to deal with the expenses associated with hiring an in-house designer. Aside from salary, these include benefits, onboarding, and continuous training.
• Scalable creative support. Outsourcing design means you can increase or decrease your output depending on your seasonal needs. With subscription-based graphic design, for instance, you can upgrade or downgrade your plan depending on your design workload.

What Types of Graphic Design Services Exist?

Here are some of the graphic design service types you might need:

1. Logo and Branding Design

How powerful is a brand’s logo? Here are a few data points that tell us why you should never take this simple emblem for granted:

• 3 out of 4 consumers recognize a brand by its logo.
• Consistent logo use can boost revenue by 23%.
• 6 out of 10 consumers avoid a brand with a poor logo.

If the logo is the face of the brand, a branding kit is its wardrobe – the color palette, typography, imagery, and everything else that defines how the brand is presented to the world.

Illustrating just how crucial a logo is, the most expensive one is reportedly that of British Petroleum, estimated at $211 million in 2000. Here’s what it looks like:

Thankfully, design solutions like online graphic design services allow brands to get professional logos without spending hundreds of millions!

2. Marketing and Advertising Design

Ad and marketing designs are visuals that attract attention and drive engagement. This design type includes:

• Digital ad images
• Brochures
• Pamplets
• Social media posts
• Email templates

With content containing visuals getting 94% more engagement than those that don’t, it’s no surprise that brands need high-quality and on-brand marketing visuals.   

3. Infographic Design

Are there topics you wish to simplify for your audience so that they can digest them better? That’s where the power of infographics shines. In fact, data reveal that this type of graphic design is 30 times more likely to be viewed compared to a full-text article.

4. Packaging Design

Have you ever picked up a product at the grocery store solely because its packaging design looked good? If you answered yes, you’re no different from 8 out of 10 shoppers. Packaging design acts as a silent salesperson, giving shoppers that final nudge to buy the product.

5. Publication Design

The saying, “Don’t judge the book by its cover,” is easier said than done. In fact, a study found that almost 6 out of 10 Americans bought a book based solely on its cover. This only goes to show how crucial a book cover design is in catching readers’ attention.

6. Presentation and Pitch Deck Design

A favorite type of graphic design service for startups, presentation and pitch deck designs are important not only in securing funding but also in attracting potential partners.

By now, almost every startup founder and their mother may already be familiar with Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 Rule, which says a pitch should be: 

• Composed of no more than 10 slides
• Delivered within 20 minutes
• Have a minimum of a 30-point font to keep it concise and readable

Alongside these simple guidelines, of course, a professional-looking deck that’s on-brand always helps.  

7. Web and App Design

A poorly-designed website could make any brand appear bad and scammy. In fact, data tells us that it only takes 50 milliseconds (that’s one-twentieth of a second) to form an opinion about a brand based on its website.

That said, good design in websites and apps is more than just beautiful aesthetics. It should also be user-friendly, intuitive, and reflective of the brand’s values. 

How Does a Graphic Design Service Work?

Whether you’re working with a graphic design subscription company, a freelancer, or an agency, here’s how they typically work:

1. You share your design brief.

You create a design brief that describes:

• The type of visual you need
• How you want it to look
• Other details that will help the designer during the design process (e.g., copy, titles, photos, etc.

You can also attach your branding kit if you already have one, or inspiration boards that you want to use as pegs for the design.

This design brief is shared with the designer through a communication channel, such as the job marketplace chat, email, or even messaging platforms. It all depends on your previous interactions and agreement. At Penji, for instance, our designers and clients use a dedicated app to streamline communication. This tool allows for better collaboration and reduces confusion over instructions and files delivered.

2. The designer works on the project.

Based on the brief and instructions you gave, your designer will work on your project. More often than not, your provider will already have a typical turnaround time for projects. 

For instance, Penji designers submit deliverables within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the design brief. Otherwise, you and your designer can agree on a deadline. 

3. The designer receives a design draft for your review.

Once done, your designer will submit a draft for you to review. If you’re not satisfied with the draft, you can ask for a revision. If you’re working with a freelancer or an agency, the number of revisions you can request may depend on your initial agreement. For instance, some designers would include up to two free revisions with their flat-rate pricing. 

On-demand graphic design services, meanwhile, offer unlimited revisions as part of their unlimited graphic design model.

4. You approve the design.

Once you’re 100% happy with the design, you can approve it. For per-project arrangements, the design approval wraps up the project. When working with unlimited graphic design platforms, however, approving a design means you can now move on to your next project.

How Much Do Graphic Design Services Cost?

Graphic design services pricing can be confusing for many. After all, a lot of factors are at play, including:

• Project requirements
• Scope of work
• Design complexity
• Time frame
• Skill level
• Design and feedback rounds
• Usage rights and licensing

To give you an idea of just how wide the rates are, data reveals that the number of businesses that spend less than $1,000 on graphic design isn’t far from those that spend more than $10,000. 

In the end, it all boils down to your design budget, as well as the type of graphic design service options you find. If you want to know the range of outsourcing design based on available pricing models in 2025, here’s a quick comparison table:  

Pricing Model	How it Works	Cost Range
Hourly Rate	The designer charges you per hour of work rendered	$20 to $150+, depending on the designer’s skills, experience, and niche
Project-Based	The designer or agency charges you a rate for the entire project (e.g., website design)	$100 to $1,000 for simple designs; $1,000 to more than $15,000 for full identity branding
Subscription/Unlimited Graphic Design	The service provider charges you a flat monthly fee for all the designs and revisions you request	$399 to $3,000, depending on the plan you choose
Flat-Rate Package	The agency charges you a flat rate for a specific package (e.g., logo plus 10 social media posts)	As low as $20 for a simple logo design on Fiverr to $2,500 or more for a high-end agency-level branding work

As seen in the comparison table above, the ranges could be wide even within each pricing model.

Diving deeper into flat-rate packages, here’s a 2025 rate card compiled by DDIY for commonly requested projects:

Is an Unlimited Graphic Design Service Worth It?

Without a doubt, professional graphic design can be expensive. As the former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover famously said:

“If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad design.” – Dr. Ralf Speth

In recent years, flat-rate graphic design services have become an efficient alternative to hiring freelancers or agencies.

While platforms like Penji offer the flexibility and affordability of freelance designers, they also provide the visual quality and design intuition of agencies.

But how do you know if an unlimited graphic design service is best for their needs?

It’s worth it if:

• You have ongoing design needs
• Having a predictable cost for design is crucial to your business
• Your campaigns and other design needs require a quick turnaround
• You need brand consistency
• A digital solution works better for your needs, allowing you to collaborate with your design team online

It’s not worth it if:

• You’re only working on a one-off design
• You want in-person brainstorming 

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right graphic design service is more than just getting the visuals you need for your business. It can be the gateway to better audience engagement, increased conversions, and stronger consumer trust.

Now, for the Fortune 500-quality graphic design hack…

As we’ve discussed earlier, a percentage of graphic designers work for Fortune 500 companies. Let’s zoom in on CVS Pharmacy, which is a brand under the parent company CVS Health – this year’s top 5 company in the list.

When CVS dealt with the challenge of connecting with its audience during the height of the Pandemic, Penji stepped in to help the company by:

• Designing intuitive navigation for customers when ordering prescriptions, scheduling health services, and accessing health information
• Created easy-to-digest designs about local and global health initiatives and Covid-19 safety
• Personalizing design elements based on user preferences and purchase history

The results were amazing: A 20% increase in program enrollment, a 25% uplift in online engagement, and a 27% boost in landing page traffic.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an established enterprise like CVS, a startup founder finding your footing, or a small business owner building an online presence for your brick-and-mortar store. In the end, graphic design services are all about implementing your growth strategy.  

The best part? You don’t have to be a Fortune 500 company to collaborate with the best designers. At Penji, we only hire the world’s top 2% designers, each with their own field of design expertise.

View a short demo or visit our portfolio and see why Penji is the most trusted graphic design provider among brands of all sizes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does a graphic design service include?

Graphic design services usually include creating visuals like logos, branding kits, social media visuals, packaging design, web design, and more. Most providers also offer source files, creative direction, and revisions.

2. How do unlimited design subscriptions work?

An unlimited design subscription allows you to request all the designs you need at a flat monthly fee. Depending on your plan, your design team works on your requests one or two at a time, delivering them within 24 to 48 hours. 

3. Is it better to hire a freelancer or a design agency?

The answer depends on your needs. A freelancer may be practical for a one-off project for a specific design specialty. A design agency or a subscription-based service, meanwhile, could be a more efficient solution for ongoing design needs that require access to multiple design expertise.