Should you hire a in-house designer or agency?
Jan 27, 2024
A Practical Guide to Hiring a Designer
Your business is growing.
You’ve landed clients, your team’s expanding, and momentum is on your side. But that scrappy early-stage look? It’s starting to hold you back.
It’s time to level up your brand with a polished website, cohesive visuals, and marketing assets that build trust. So, you Google “hire a designer" and get immediately hit by a wall. You read "freelancers, agencies, in-house hires, subscriptions" then platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are bombarding you. It’s overwhelming. And everyone seems to have a different title: brand designer, graphic designer, web designer, product designer, marketing designer. Who does what? Who do I actually need? (I cover that in another post)
For now, let’s untangle the big decision - Do you hire a freelancer, agency or in-house designer?
Here’s a breakdown to help you scale without the stress.
Option 1: In-House
Hiring an in-house designer means bringing a full-time member onto your team. They become an integral part of your company.
Average Salary:
According to Glassdoor, depending on the type and experience level, salaries typically range from $60,000 to $85,000 per year plus benefits
✔️ Pros | ✖️Con |
|---|---|
A designer who knows your brand inside and out | Costly overhead as salaries + benefits add up |
Embedded in your team | Time-consuming to hire, train, and manage |
Hard to find multi-skilled designer (branding, UX, web, marketing) |
Option 2: Agency
A design agency is a group of creatives that often include brand strategists, designers, copywriters, and project managers. They work together to deliver work. Agencies often have defined processes and packages for branding, website design, or marketing collateral.
Average Price:
Intermediate-level agency designers earn between $35,000 and $75,000+ PER project, depending on scope and deliverables.
✔️ Pros | ✖️Con |
|---|---|
Access to a full team | Expensive |
Project management included | Less collaboration |
Longer timelines |
Option 3: Freelancer
Freelancers are independent creatives you can hire for specific design needs. They usually specialize in one or two areas (e.g., branding or web), and you’ll work with them directly throughout a project.
Average Price:
Freelancers are usually paid per project or hourly. For example, $1500-$10,000+ for a website
✔️ Pros | ✖️Con |
|---|---|
Cost effective | Limited revisions |
Easy for one-off projects | Limited support after the project ends |
Can become costly with added revisions or extra requests can quickly increase the price. |
Option 4: Design Subscription
A design subscription or retainer offers ongoing design services for a fixed monthly fee. This model provides flexibility and consistent support without the commitment of a full-time hire.
Average Price:
Ranges from $1,000 to $10,000+ per month, depending on the scope and frequency of design tasks.
✔️ Pros | ✖️Con |
|---|---|
No hiring needed | May not suit one-time projects |
Predictable monthly cost | |
Fast turnarounds | |
Unlimited revisions |
Design Notepad Studio
So…what’s right for you?
If you’re growing fast and need design support without the hiring overhead or big agency fees a design subscription might be your sweet spot.
That’s where Design Notepad Studio comes in.
✔️ Pros |
|---|
No hiring drama |
Flexible flat monthly pricing |
Senior-level designer (12+ years and counting) |
Multi-skilled designer |
Unlimited revisions |
Daily collaboration |
Custom work - no cookie-cutter designs |
We offer affordable, flexible design support for growing teams who need high-quality work, fast. Whether it’s pitching your next client, refreshing your brand, building marketing assets, or updating your website.
We make sure design is one less thing for you to worry about.