Top Reasons to Choose Penji over Upwork

TL;DR: Penji stands out with unlimited graphic design services for a flat monthly fee, offering dedicated designers and capped costs. In contrast, Upwork requires you to evaluate freelancers, negotiate individual rates, and manage multiple contractors, which can lead to unpredictable results and expenses.

So, why pick Penji instead of Upwork? Penji offers unlimited graphic design for a set monthly price, giving you access to skilled, pre-vetted designers dedicated to your needs. Most projects are completed in 24 to 48 hours. You avoid interviews, rate negotiations, and unpredictable output. With Penji handling the creative details, you focus on running your business.

Tired of scrolling through hundreds of Upwork profiles, only to hire someone who disappears halfway through your project? You’re not the only one feeling that frustration. While Upwork gives you access to thousands of freelancers, it also gives you the headache of managing them.

When you choose Penji over Upwork, you gain reliability, dedicated designers, and instant project starts. There’s no need to post jobs, sift through proposals, or rely on freelancers meeting deadlines. Penji ensures a consistent design experience every time.

What’s the Real Cost of Using Upwork

Time Spent on Vetting

On Upwork, you’re doing the hiring work yourself. That means reading through portfolios, checking reviews, conducting interviews, and hoping you picked the right person. For busy business owners, this process can eat up hours or even days before design work even starts.

Hidden Costs Add Up

For example, while an Upwork designer may initially advertise a rate of $25 per hour, additional platform service fees, expedited delivery charges, and supplementary revision costs substantially increase the total expenditure. According to Upwork’s fee structure, clients can expect to pay an additional 5-10% service fee per transaction, while rush projects may incur premiums of 20% or more, and revisions are often billed in increments of $10 to $50 each. Consequently, a project estimated at $100 could escalate to well over $150 after factoring in these incremental expenses, thereby undermining the apparent cost-effectiveness of the initial quote.

Inconsistent Quality

While certain freelancers on Upwork demonstrate exceptional skill and professionalism, others may fail to meet project expectations, resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes for clients. Although it is possible to encounter highly effective collaborators, many organizations report successful engagements on the platform, the variability in freelancer quality frequently poses challenges.

Notably, clients often must commit financially before they can fully assess a freelancer’s capabilities, thereby increasing the risk of dissatisfaction. When deliverables do not align with agreed-upon standards, clients are typically required to restart the hiring process, which can result in additional time and resources.

Communication Gaps

Freelancers on Upwork usually work with several clients at once. Your project could be their main focus one day, but the next day, they might be busy with other work. This can lead to slower responses, missed deadlines, and longer wait times for you.

How Penji’s Unlimited Graphic Design Services Work

One Subscription, Endless Designs

With Penji’s unlimited graphic design services, you pay a flat monthly fee and submit as many design requests as you need. No hourly rates to track. No per-project quotes. Just straightforward pricing that doesn’t change.

Pre-Vetted Professional Designers

Penji handles vetting. Every designer on their team is tested and approved, so you avoid interviews and the guesswork of whether your hire will succeed. You’re matched with someone who can handle your project from day one.

Dedicated Designer Assigned to You

With Upwork, you might work with a new freelancer each time. Penji provides a dedicated designer who learns your brand and style, leading to better results and saving you time.

Fast, Predictable Turnarounds

Most designs are ready in 24 to 48 hours. You submit your request, your designer gets started right away, and you get your first draft fast. If you need changes, just let them know. You don’t have to worry about extra fees or waiting for your designer to be available.

Penji vs Upwork: Side by Side

Finding Designers

On Upwork, you have to post a job, wait for proposals, look through portfolios, and do interviews, all while hoping you picked the right person. With Penji, you just sign up and get matched with a designer right away. There’s no waiting or uncertainty.

Pricing Structure

Upwork charges hourly or per project, plus platform fees. Costs can spiral out of control if your project takes longer than expected or you need multiple revisions. Penji offers graphic design subscription plans with flat monthly rates. You know exactly what you’re paying, period.

Quality Control

On Upwork, the quality of work depends on the freelancer you choose. Some are excellent, but others may not meet your needs. Penji makes sure all their designers meet high standards, and if you’re not satisfied, they’ll match you with a different designer.

Revision Policy

Many Upwork freelancers limit revisions or charge extra for changes. Penji includes unlimited revisions in every plan. You can request adjustments until the design feels right, without watching your budget disappear.

Project Management

With Upwork, you have to handle everything yourself, from communication and deadlines to feedback and payments. Penji takes care of the management for you. You just send in your requests, give feedback, and approve the final designs. It’s that simple.

What You Can Expect When You Use Penji’s Graphic Design Services

Working with the same designer preserves your branding. They know your colors, remember your style, and keep everything aligned. On Upwork, you’d need to re-explain your brand to each new freelancer.

Access to Design Expertise

Need a logo? Marketing materials? Social media graphics? Penji’s graphic design services cover everything. Your designer can handle a variety of projects without you having to hire specialists for each task.

No Contracts or Long-Term Commitments

Penji doesn’t lock you into long contracts like some agencies do. You can cancel anytime. Use the service when you need design help and pause when you don’t. This flexibility is great for businesses with changing needs.

When Businesses Choose Penji Over Upwork

Startups Moving Fast

If you’re building a startup, your time is valuable. You don’t want to spend days hiring freelancers on Upwork. With Penji, you get design help right away and can make changes quickly as your product grows.

Marketing Teams with Ongoing Needs

Marketing teams often need a steady stream of graphics for social posts, email headers, landing pages, and ads. Finding a new Upwork freelancer for each job can be tiring. Outsourcing graphic design services with Penji means you have a design partner who’s always ready to help.

Small Businesses Without In-House Designers

A full-time designer can cost over $50,000 a year, not including benefits. Upwork freelancers might look cheaper at first, but managing them takes time. Penji offers professional quality without the high cost of a full-time hire.

Companies Tired of Freelancer Drama

If you’ve ever had freelancers miss deadlines or disappear during a project, Penji takes away that stress. You get reliable service and accountability, something Upwork can’t always promise.

Understanding Design as a Service

The concept of design-as-a-service is changing how businesses approach creative work. Instead of hiring for each individual project, you get ongoing access to design talent whenever you need it.

It’s similar to how Netflix works for movies. Instead of buying one movie at a time, you subscribe and watch anything you want. With Penji, you subscribe and request any design you need, without hiring for each project.

This model works especially well for businesses that need design regularly but don’t have enough work to justify a full-time hire. You get professional quality without the overhead of an employee or the uncertainty of freelancers.

Making the Switch from Upwork to Penji

Getting Started is Simple

Pick a plan that matches the amount of design work you need. Many businesses start with the standard plan to try it out. After you see how much time Penji saves, you can change your plan if needed.

Your First Request Sets the Tone

Spend a little extra time on your first design request. Share your brand guidelines, show examples you like, and explain exactly what you need. The clearer your brief, the closer your first draft will be to your vision.

Building a Working Relationship

After working on a few projects together, your designer will know your style and preferences. You’ll spend less time explaining and more time enjoying great designs. That’s the benefit of having a dedicated designer instead of switching between Upwork freelancers.

Why Penji Works Better Than Upwork

When you need graphic design, you want quality, speed, and simplicity. Upwork can offer quality if you find the right freelancer, but it often falls short on speed and simplicity.

Penji delivers all three. Their vetting process and dedicated designers ensure quality. Their smooth workflow means fast turnarounds. And you get simplicity because you don’t have to handle hiring, negotiating, or managing freelancers.

If you value your time and want dependable design help, Penji offers more than just great designs. You also save hours each week that you’d otherwise spend managing freelancers.

Your design needs keep going, even when you’re busy interviewing freelancers or waiting for proposals. With Penji, you just send in your request and get on with your day. That’s the difference between using a platform and having a true partner.

Ready to Stop Wrestling with Upwork?

Skip the hassle of freelancer marketplaces and get unlimited graphic design with Penji. Start your subscription today and see how design can fit your schedule and budget.

Want to see how Penji compares to other options? Check out why Penji beats freelancers or explore what makes Penji different.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Penji cost compared to Upwork? Penji’s plans start at a flat monthly rate with unlimited requests and revisions included. On Upwork, you pay an hourly or per-project rate, plus platform fees that can vary widely depending on the freelancer. Most businesses find Penji more predictable and often cheaper than managing Upwork freelancers.

Can I use Penji for just one project? Yes. While Penji works best for ongoing design needs, you can subscribe for a month, complete your project, and cancel. There are no long-term contracts or cancellation fees.

What if I don’t like my assigned designer? Penji will switch you to a different designer. They want you to have someone who understands your style and delivers work you’re happy with. You’re not stuck with your first match like you might be with an Upwork hire.

How does the unlimited revision policy work? Submit as many revision requests as needed until you’re satisfied with the design. There are no limits or extra charges. Your designer will keep adjusting until the work meets your expectations.

What types of graphic design work can Penji handle? Penji covers logos, branding, marketing materials, social media graphics, presentations, infographics, packaging design, and more. If you need something specific, just ask when you sign up to confirm they can handle it.

Is Penji faster than hiring on Upwork? Much faster. On Upwork, you might spend days or weeks finding and hiring the right freelancer. With Penji, you’re working with a designer within hours of signing up. First drafts typically arrive in 24-48 hours.