What 99designs does and how it's different from other design services
99designs is a marketplace where you post a design project, receive work from multiple designers, and choose the one you want to keep. You don't hire a single designer upfront. Instead, you describe what you need — a logo, business card, website mockup, social media graphics — and designers from around the world submit entries. You review all the work, give feedback, request changes, and then pay only for the design you select.
This is different from hiring a freelancer directly or working with a traditional design agency. With 99designs, you see many interpretations of your idea before committing money. You're also not locked into one person's style or availability. The tradeoff is that you're managing a group process rather than a one-on-one relationship, and the total cost can be higher than hiring a single freelancer if you're not careful about your project scope.
99designs handles the payment and dispute process. You fund your project upfront, designers submit work knowing they'll be paid if selected, and the site holds the money until you're satisfied. This protects both sides — you don't pay for work you don't want, and designers know they won't be stiffed.
Key Takeaways
- You post a project brief with your budget and important date, and multiple designers submit work without you paying anything upfront until you choose a winner.
- The cost depends on your budget tier — 99designs offers starter, standard, and premium levels, each attracting different numbers and experience levels of designers.
- The process typically takes one to four weeks depending on your important date, with a may provide refund if you're not satisfied with any submission.
- You can request unlimited revisions from your selected designer before final delivery, but changes outside the original scope may cost extra.
- 99designs takes a commission from designers, so the site's fees are built into the pricing structure you see, not added on top.
How to set up and post a project
Start by creating an account on 99designs and selecting your project type from their list. They organize by category — logo design, business cards, website design, packaging, social media graphics, and many others. Choose the one that matches what you need.
Next, you'll answer questions about your project in a brief. This is where you describe your vision, your industry, your target audience, and any specific requirements. The more detail you give, the better the submissions will be. Include things like color preferences, style direction (modern, playful, corporate, minimalist), and any competitors or examples you like. You can upload files, images, or reference materials.
Then you choose your budget tier. 99designs lists three main levels — starter, standard, and premium — with different price ranges. A starter logo might be $299, while a premium one could be $1,200 or more. The budget you pick determines how many designers see your project and how experienced they tend to be. Higher budgets attract more entries and typically more established designers.
Finally, you set your important date. 99designs offers options like 7 days, 14 days, or 30 days. Once you post, your project goes live and designers can start submitting work when ready.
What happens after you post and how designers submit work
After posting, designers browse active projects and decide whether to enter yours. They can see your brief, your budget, and your important date. If they're interested, they submit their design work directly to your project page. You'll start seeing submissions come in, sometimes within hours.
You don't pay anything while submissions are coming in. 99designs holds the money you've committed until you select a winner. This means you can review dozens of designs risk-free and only pay for the one you choose to use.
As submissions arrive, you can rate them, leave feedback, and ask for changes. You might say "I like the direction of entry #3, but can you try a different color scheme?" or "Make the text larger and bolder." The designer can then revise and resubmit. This back-and-forth continues until you find something you want to keep or until your important date passes.
If you don't like any of the submissions by the end, 99designs offers a refund may provide. You can get your money back and try again, either with a new brief or by extending the project to give more designers time to enter.
Choosing a winner and what happens next
When you find a design you want to use, you mark it as your winner. At that moment, 99designs charges your payment method for the full project cost. The money goes to the designer, minus 99designs' commission. The designer then provides you with all the final files — usually in multiple formats like PNG, PDF, and editable source files (like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop files if it's a logo).
Before final delivery, you can request revisions to the winning design. The designer is expected to make reasonable changes based on your original brief. If you ask for something significantly different from what you originally described, the designer can charge extra or decline, but most will work with you to get it right.
Once you're satisfied, the designer delivers the final files and the project is complete. You own the design and can use it however you want — on your website, in print, on social media, or anywhere else. The designer retains no rights to it.
Costs and what affects the price you pay
99designs pricing varies widely depending on the project type and budget tier you choose. A straightforward logo redesign might start at $299, while a full website design could be $2,000 or more. The site shows you price ranges for each project type upfront, so you know what to expect before you commit.
Your budget tier affects how many designers see your project and how much experience they typically have. A starter budget attracts newer designers or those building portfolios. A premium budget attracts established designers with strong track records. More entries and more experienced designers generally mean better quality, but also higher cost.
There are no hidden fees added on top of the price you see. 99designs takes its commission from the designers, not from you. What you see is what you pay.
One thing to watch: if you request changes that go beyond your original brief — like asking a logo designer to also design your entire brand identity — the designer can charge extra. To avoid surprise costs, be clear about scope in your initial brief.
Guarantees and what to do if you're not satisfied
99designs offers a satisfaction may provide. If no submission meets your needs by the end of your project timeline, you can request a refund. You'll get your money back and can either try again with a revised brief or walk away.
If you do select a winner but the designer doesn't deliver the files or the final product doesn't match what you agreed on, 99designs has a dispute process. You can contact their support team, explain the issue, and they'll work to resolve it. In most cases, the designer will either fix the problem or you'll receive a refund.
The may provide doesn't cover situations where you change your mind about the direction or decide you want something completely different from your original brief. It covers cases where the work doesn't meet the brief you posted or where the designer fails to deliver.
Alternatives to 99designs
If you want to work with a single designer instead of managing multiple submissions, you can hire a freelancer directly through platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, or Toptal. This gives you a one-on-one relationship but requires you to vet the designer yourself and negotiate terms.
If you want a traditional agency experience with a dedicated team, you can contact a local or online design agency. This costs more but includes strategy, consultation, and ongoing support.
If you want to design something yourself, tools like Canva, Adobe Express, or Figma let you create designs using templates and drag-and-drop editors. These are much cheaper but require you to do the work yourself.
99designs sits in the middle — more affordable than an agency, more hands-off than hiring a freelancer, and faster than learning design software yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a 99designs project usually take?
It depends on your important date. You can choose 7, 14, or 30 days when you post. Most projects see submissions within the first few days, so you can start reviewing and giving feedback right away. The full timeline from posting to final delivery is typically one to four weeks depending on your important date and how many rounds of revisions you request.
Can I see examples of work from designers before I post my project?
Yes. 99designs has a portfolio section where you can browse designers' past work, read reviews, and see their rating. You can also search by style or industry. This helps you understand the quality level you might expect at different budget tiers, though you won't know which specific designers will enter your project until you post.
What if I want to work with a specific designer I found on 99designs?
You can invite specific designers to your project when you post it. This doesn't may provide they'll enter, but it alerts them to your brief. Some designers accept invitations; others prefer to browse and choose projects themselves. You can also hire designers for one-on-one projects through 99designs' freelance section if you want to skip the contest format.
Do I own the design once I pay for it?
Yes. Once you select a winner and pay, you own all rights to the design. The designer cannot use it for anyone else or claim ownership. You can modify it, reproduce it, and use it however you want.
What file formats will I receive?
It depends on the project type. For logos, you'll typically get PNG, PDF, and editable source files (like .ai or .psd). For web design, you might get HTML, CSS, and image files. For print design, you'll get high-resolution files suitable for printing. Always confirm file formats in your brief so the designer knows what to deliver.