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Graphic design - Company guide
Hiring a freelance graphic designer: budgets, benefits and what you need to know before taking the plunge
You have a graphic design project: logo, brochure, website, trade show materials. You're not sure whether to work with an agency, a freelancer or an in-house service provider. This guide will help you make the right decision and set your budget.
2 à 5×
Cheaper than a comparable agency
48 h
Typical response time for a freelance quote
1 contact
From brief to delivery, with no intermediate project manager
🏢 Agency or freelance designer: what's in it for you?
The question isn't «which one is better»: it's «which one is right for you». Here are the concrete differences that have a direct impact on your project and your budget.
Comparison of indicative budget (excl. VAT): standard SME visual identity
| Criteria | Freelance graphic designer | Communication agency |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | More accessible | Including structure + agency margins |
| Contact | Direct with the creative | Project manager between you and the designer |
| Reactivity | Quick on small adjustments | Internal process, longer lead times |
| Volume and parallelism | Limited to one person | Several profiles can be mobilized simultaneously |
| Specialization | Precise profile, sector expertise available | Diverse profiles, varying levels depending on the assignment |
| Ideal for | SMEs, startups, defined projects | Key accounts, multi-media campaigns |
For an SME or startup with recurring projects but not the volume to justify an in-house position, a senior freelance graphic designer is often the best value for money and responsiveness.
💶 What budget do you need for your project?
Here are the market ranges by type of creation. These rates correspond to an experienced freelance graphic designer: prices vary according to profile, complexity and deadlines.
Corporate Identity
| What you get | Indicative budget before tax |
|---|---|
| Logo only for VSE / startup | 1 200 - 2 000 € |
| Complete identity (logo, colors, typography, usage guidelines) | 1 800 - 6 000 € |
| Advanced branding system (guidelines, variations, complete universe) | 6 000 - 25 000 € |
Print media
| Support | Indicative budget before tax |
|---|---|
| Flyer A5 / DL | 120 - 350 € |
| Kakemono / roll-up | 200 - 500 € |
| 2 or 3-part brochure | 300 - 800 € |
| Brochure 8 to 24 pages | 400 - 2 000 € |
| Annual report / white paper (20 pages +) | 1 500 - 6 000 € |
Digital
| Support | Indicative budget before tax |
|---|---|
| Social networking visual pack | 250 - 600 € |
| HTML email template | 200 - 600 € |
| UI design / landing page (Figma) | 400 - 2 000 € |
| Presentation design (pitch deck, slides) | 300 - 1 200 € |
These rates are before tax. A freelance graphic designer who charges VAT adds it to 20 %: check the estimate. If you're subject to VAT, you'll be able to reclaim it.
🎯 When should you hire a freelance graphic designer?
A freelancer is the right choice in most common B2B situations. Here are some concrete cases where it makes sense.
Launch or rebranding
Logo, visual identity, graphic charter. A senior freelancer will deliver an agency result for an SME budget.
Trade show
Kakemono, brochure, umbrella stand, business cards. A complete visual kit from a single source, within a tight timeframe.
Commercial documents
Plaquette commerciale, brochure produit, présentation client. Des supports qui servent toute la semaine et méritent d’être bien faits.
Showcase site or landing page
Figma mockup or WordPress integration. A freelance web designer manages both aspects: design and integration.
Recurring digital communication
LinkedIn visuals, newsletters, banners. A freelancer you work with regularly knows your charter and produces quickly.
Annual report / white paper
Long documents with high institutional value. Meticulous layout, typographic hierarchy, ready for print and digital.
🔄 How do you work with a freelance graphic designer?
6 steps, from your first message to receiving your final files. Click on each step to see what happens.
01
Brief
02
Quote
03
Creation
04
Returns
05
Validation
06
Delivery
The brief
⏱ Day 1: 30 to 60 minutes
You explain your project: company context, target, objective of the medium, constraints (deadline, budget, technical constraints). An experienced designer quickly grasps the context, identifies constraints and knows which direction to take without having to explain everything.
What we ask
Your existing elements (logo, charter, reference documents), examples of visuals you like, and your deadline.The quote
⏱ Within 24 to 48 hours
A detailed quotation is sent to you: precise scope, listed deliverables, number of round trips included, schedule, and payment terms. A deposit of 30 to 50 % is requested at the time of order: this commits both parties and launches the project.
What we ask
Validate the quote and pay the deposit. The project starts as soon as we receive it.The creation
⏱ 2 to 10 days depending on the project
The graphic designer works on one or more proposals. For a visual identity, you'll receive at least 3 different creative directions. For a specific medium (brochure, kakemono), at least two main proposals with variants.
What we ask
Remain available for quick questions if a point in the brief requires clarification.Back and forth
⏱ 1 to 3 cycles depending on the project
You provide feedback on the proposal. The graphic designer incorporates the changes and sends you back a corrected version. Most quotations include 2 to 3 cycles of modifications. Grouped, clear and precise feedback speeds up this phase.
What we ask
Consolidate all your returns into a single message per cycle: avoid piecemeal returns that lengthen lead times.Final validation (BAT)
⏱ Before printing or delivery
Before any printing or final delivery, a proof is submitted to you for validation. This is your formal agreement that the file is ready. Once signed, major modifications are no longer included in the initial package.
What we ask
Carefully check text, colors, contacts and dimensions before approving. This is the last step before production.File delivery
⏱ End of project
You receive all final files: source files (AI, Indd, Figma), print exports (PDF CMYK with bleed) and digital exports (PNG, SVG, JPG). The balance is paid on delivery.
What you get
Fichiers sources modifiables, exports prêts pour l’impression, exports web/digital, et une charte d’usage si prévu au devis.🔍 How to evaluate a profile before contacting
Three minutes on a freelancer's site is enough to evaluate the essentials. Here's what to look for, and what it really reveals.
The portfolio
See if the projects are similar to yours in sector or media type. A graphic designer who has already worked for B2B companies will be up and running without a learning curve.
✔ Real-world projects with customer and industry context indicated
✘ Fictitious, school or context-free projects
First contact
An experienced designer asks questions before putting a price tag on a project. He seeks to understand your context, your target, your constraints. A quote sent in 10 minutes without questions is rarely a good sign.
✔ Questions about the project, the sector, the deadline
✘ Quote sent with no questions asked
The quality of the quotation
Anything vague in the quotation will become a disagreement during the project. Check that the scope, deliverables, round-trips and schedule are explicitly mentioned.
✔ Scope, deliverables, milestones and conditions clearly detailed
✘ Single price without scope details
Technical expertise in print
If your materials go to print, the graphic designer must master the constraints: CMYK, 300 DPI, bleed. A poorly prepared file will cost you a return trip to the printer.
✔ CMYK, bleed, BAT mentioned in exchanges
✘ Delivery in RGB, no mention of bleed
Training
Design takes several years to learn. A Beaux-Arts or Master Bac+5 course develops the eye, typographic rigor and creative maturity that short courses don't have time to develop. Beware of the term «Mastère» with accent: it's not a state-recognized diploma.
✔ Beaux-Arts, recognized design school, Master Bac+5, DNSEP
✘ BTS, «Mastère», DNMAD, licence pro, short online courses
🗂️ Examples of achievements
Projects for B2B companies: visual identity, print and digital media.
📌 Things to remember
Calling on a freelance graphic designer is often the most effective solution for an SME or start-up: budget under control, direct contact, profile chosen for your precise project. The key is to clearly define the brief and check the estimate before starting.
A good graphic designer will ask you questions before sending you a quote. This is a sign of seriousness, so don't hesitate.
Do you have a graphic design project?
Detailed quotation within 24 hours: visual identity, print, digital, B2B web design.
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