How much does logo design cost for a tech startup?

Short answer: the price ranges

For a B2B tech or AI startup, a logo made by a senior studio typically costs between $2,450 and $7,245, depending on whether you need only a logo or a full identity. Logo makers and templates cost far less, and large agencies charge far more. What you pay for is the thinking, the construction and the rights, not the drawing.

In Croatia, public price lists put template-based logos at around 100-300 EUR. The other levels are my own reading of the market, not an average, and I quote my own prices only. Prices exclude VAT and are fixed before I start.

What changes the price of a logo?

Six things move the price. Understanding them helps you compare quotes honestly.

1. Scope. A logo alone is a small project. A logo plus identity, guidelines, templates and a website is a different order of work.
2. Strategy. A mark built from your positioning takes longer than a mark chosen from sketches, but it is easier to defend.
3. Who does the work. A senior designer who works with you directly costs more per day than a junior team, and needs fewer rounds.
4. Number of concepts and rounds. More directions and more revisions add time. I prefer a few focused concepts and two review rounds.
5. Rights and files. Full rights transfer, vector files, mono and colour versions, favicons and app icons are part of a proper delivery.
6. Speed. A rush deadline changes the schedule of everything else in the studio.

Logo or full brand identity: what are you actually paying for?

A logo is one asset. A brand identity is the system around it: colour, typography, imagery, templates, voice and the rules for using them. For a tech startup that sells to businesses, the identity matters at least as much, because the logo appears in small places while the system shows up in every deck, site and product screen.

If your logo no longer represents the business, a logo with usage rules (Brand Foundation, $3,675) may be enough. If you also lack consistency, positioning or messaging, a full Brand Identity ($7,245) is usually the better value. I explain the difference on my logo design and brand identity pages.

Logo design from $2,450: what is included

My logo price covers three directions built from one idea in your positioning, two review rounds, construction on a grid, tests at 16 pixels and in product, and a full file package in SVG, PNG and PDF, delivered in about 5 days. You work with me directly. I do not use templates, generators or AI-made marks as a final deliverable.

Compared with a template logo, that is a different product, and I tell clients so upfront. If you only need a placeholder to start, I am not the right choice. If the mark will sit on your product, your deck and your website for years, it is worth paying for the thinking.

How long does logo design take?

A strategic logo project takes about 5 days with me: one day to define the idea from your positioning, the next days to sketch and construct, then testing and delivery. Your part is a short briefing call and fast feedback on two review rounds.

Large agencies can take several weeks, because they involve more people and approval stages. A template takes minutes, but the result is generic.

How to compare quotes

Ask every supplier the same questions. Which files do I receive, and are they vector? Do I get full rights? How many concepts and revision rounds are included? Is there a usage guideline? Who exactly does the work? Are there extra costs for variants, app icons or a favicon?

Treat a quote without answers to these as incomplete, whatever the headline number says. A low price with unclear rights can cost more later than a fixed price with a clear scope.

What should a logo delivery contain?

A good delivery is not a single image. Check that you receive vector files (SVG, PDF) for print and web, raster files (PNG) in several sizes, colour, mono and negative versions, primary and secondary lockups (horizontal and vertical), a standalone symbol for the app icon and favicon, a defined clear space and minimum size, and short usage instructions.

If any of this is missing, you will have to pay for it later or improvise. That is why on the first call I always ask what you will need in the next 12 months, not just today.

Fixed price or hourly rate?

For logos and identities I work at a fixed price: scope and amount are agreed before I start, so there are no surprises at the end. An hourly rate makes sense for small, well-defined tasks on an existing brand, and then I charge $150 per hour.

A fixed price protects both sides. You know in advance what you pay, and I can focus on quality instead of counting hours. That is why I do most projects at a fixed price.

Hidden costs to watch for

The surprises are rarely in the logo price itself but in what is missing from the quote. Watch for separate charges for vector files (SVG, PDF), extra variants for dark backgrounds, an app icon and a favicon, extra revision rounds and limits on usage rights.

Also check what happens after delivery: who keeps the source files, whether adding a new variant costs extra and whether every supplier of yours may use the logo. In my price all of that is included, and VAT is charged separately.

Three typical situations and what I would recommend

A startup before its first larger customer. You have a product and a placeholder logo, and you are about to sell to businesses. I recommend a logo with usage rules (Brand Foundation, $3,675), because besides the mark you need a minimum of consistency for decks and the website.

A scale-up that outgrew its mark. The team is growing, and the decks, website and product look like different companies. A logo alone rarely solves this, so I suggest Brand Identity ($7,245) with strategy and full guidelines.

A company with a good mark and no system. The logo is fine, but nobody knows the colours and fonts. Guidelines for the existing logo are enough, and I explain the cost and content in my guide to brand guidelines.

In all three cases I check what you really need on the first call, so I never propose a bigger scope than necessary.

Questions, answered