Three interesting facts for you to mull over:
- Freelance graphic designers charge up to >$150 an hour for projects.
- Any additional edits can result in additional charges as well.
- Companies pay >$49,705 a year on average to in-house graphic designers.
That’s a lot of money for any business. Subscription-based design services can offer a solution to the problem as they have the best ratio of cost and quality.
However, you might have questions now. What are the pros of unlimited design services? What are the cons? Are they the best fit for me?
This article will offer all the answers. In the next five minutes, learn all about the pros and cons of the unlimited design subscription model. By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have a clear idea of whether or not you should go for the service.
Note: the information is true at the time of writing. That’s November 2022.
Pros and cons of the unlimited design subscription model – a complete guide
Pros
- The model is cost-effective
The fee for a monthly graphic design package starts from $300 and can go up to $3,000.
That’s a significantly lower number than paying an in-house graphic designer or a freelance graphic designer.
Check out this chart to get a better idea.
Furthermore, add to it the number of revisions you can request without paying any additional charges, and you’ll realize how beneficial the model is.
However, that’s not the case with a freelance graphic designer who will charge you for edits after a specific number of times.
Read More: How Unlimited design services changing the Industry
- You get a fast turnaround time
An in-house graphic designer won’t work after the fixed office hours.
A freelance graphic designer will work for several clients simultaneously.
Both of these scenarios result in delayed delivery of designs. Furthermore, if you ask for edits, you can expect further delays in the completion of the project.
The result? Your campaign timelines will get impacted. Furthermore, if you were making the designs for a client, the delay can result in a poor client experience or even a termination of the contract as well.
An unlimited design subscription model solves the issue. You’ll always find a skilled designer ready to take on your request. Furthermore, you’ll receive the initial feedback on your design request within 24 hours as well.
- You get access to the best talent pool
Hiring is tiring. You need to:
- Go through hundreds of portfolios
- Sit on calls with them (in the case of freelancers) or schedule interviews (for in-house graphic designers)
- Bear the additional costs such as overheads if you hire an in-house person
Furthermore, if you’re hiring an in-house graphic designer, you’ll be limited to geographical barriers. Thus, you’ll miss out on global talents.
An unlimited design subscription model offers the solution. You’ll have access to experienced designers for any kind of design you want. Furthermore, you won’t have to spend hours to find one either.
- You receive high-quality work
In-house graphic designers and freelancers – especially if they’re starting out – often offer low-quality work. The low quality results in further edits and can compromise the outcome. Furthermore, you can even receive copied work from freelancers.
However, with an unlimited design subscription model, that’s never the case. The companies offering such a model hire the best available designers. Furthermore, the designs these designers make go through internal checking as well.
Thus, you’ll always receive the best quality work.
Cons
- Can come with hidden upsells
Unlimited design subscription models – especially the ones with a lower price tag – often offer a taste of what you can do with it but include the best features in a higher pricing plan.
The goal is to let businesses test the features and once they realize how easy it is to use the model, they’ll upgrade.
While that’s not an issue if you have a bigger budget, but if you’re tight on money, it can be a major inconvenience.
- The communication isn’t always clear
If it’s an in-house designer, you can have a face-to-face conversation right away.
If it’s a freelancer, you can schedule a quick call.
However, companies offering unlimited design subscription models usually have a set path to communicate. The process often doesn’t include a direct line of communication with the designer handling your project.
This can create issues as there might be miscommunication which would ultimately affect the project quality. Furthermore, there can be delays in delivery or revisions as well.
Who should use the unlimited design subscription model
Opt for a graphic design subscription model if you:
- Need designs on a regular basis
- Don’t have the budget to hire in-house designers or freelancers
- Want to have a fast turnaround time
Furthermore, you would benefit from having a proper system or dedicated team members to work directly with the assigned designers to have a clear communication and feedback channel.
Who shouldn’t use the unlimited design subscription model
Don’t go for a monthly graphic design package if you:
- Want a small number of graphics each month
- Have the budget to hire in-house graphic designers or freelancers
- Want to have a clearer communication and feedback loop which is only possible with in-house graphic designers
The communication and feedback loop would be much smaller with in-house graphic designers as you can have real-time face-to-face conversations with them on whatever isn’t working.
Pros and cons of the unlimited design subscription model – the most cost-effective way to design
Experienced freelancers charge 23% higher than the industry average. Furthermore, hiring in-house graphic designers comes with additional costs such as medical benefits and paid leaves.
Thus, opting for a monthly graphic design package can help you save a lot on your finances.
Now that you know about all the pros and cons of the unlimited design subscription model, the knowledge will help you make the most informed decision.
