What’s better for logos- hiring a designer, using a logo generator or going DIY?
Are you new to business and looking for a logo? Wondering whether to hire a designer or use a logo generator? Perhaps you’ve pondered DIY? Allow me (with the help of ChatGPT) to help you decide the best option with the pros and cons of each.
I’ve been playing around with ChatGPT (before it steals my job!) and with its help I have put together some thoughts on ways to get a logo. As a designer myself, I imagine that I have some bias towards hiring designers, so I wanted some external and unbiased help to discuss the pros and cons of the options.
When it comes to creating a logo for your business, there are 3 options : hiring a professional designer, using a logo generator or going DIY. Each option has its own set of pros and cons, which we will explore.
1. Hiring a professional designer
+ Pros of Hiring a Designer
- Customisation
A professional designer can create a logo that is tailored specifically to your business, incorporating your brand’s personality, values, and unique selling points. They can work with you to understand your vision and create a logo that represents your brand in the best possible way. - Expertise
A professional designer has the knowledge, experience and skills to create a high quality logo that is both visually appealing and effective in communicating your brand’s message. They have an understanding of design principles, colour theory, typography and other important elements of logo design, as well as understanding current trends and - Originality
A professional designer can create a logo that is unique and original, avoiding the risk of having a logo that looks similar to another brand’s logo. - Consistency
A professional designer can create a logo that is consistent with your brand’s overall visual identity, ensuring that your logo works well with other marketing materials such as business cards, websites, social media profiles, etc. - Future business relationships
A designer is a useful person to have in your business life (and personal – hello, here if you need some paint choice advice!)- someone who understands your business goals and can help you in other areas of the visual identity and brand creation.
– Cons of Hiring a Designer
- Cost
Hiring a professional designer can be expensive, especially for small businesses with limited budgets. - Time
Creating a custom logo with a professional designer can take time, and the process may involve multiple rounds of revisions before the final design is approved. - Who do you choose?
How do you know who will be the best fit for your brand? There is time and energy costs in deciding who will best help with your brand. Places like DesignRush are a good place to start- look for someone local to you. More on this in another post!
2. Using a logo generator
+ Pros of Using a Logo Generator
- Affordability
Logo generators are often more affordable than hiring a professional designer, making them a good option for small businesses with limited budgets. - Convenience
Logo generators are easy to use and can generate a logo quickly, without the need for extensive communication with a designer. - Variety
Logo generators often offer a wide range of design options and customisation features, allowing you to create a logo that is unique to your business.
-Cons of Using a Logo Generator
- Lack of originality
Because logo generators use pre-made design elements, there is a risk that your logo may look similar to another brand’s logo. - Limited customisation
While logo generators offer some customisation options, they may not be able to incorporate all of the unique elements of your brand. - Quality
The quality of logos generated by logo generators can vary, and some may not be of the same quality as logos created by professional designers, who have invested their time and knowledge into understanding and delivering based on the client or business wants/needs. - Inconsistent with brand identity
Logo generators may not be able to create a logo that is consistent with your brand’s overall visual identity, which could lead to a disjointed brand image. - Licensing and ownership rights
Each platform has their own terms and conditions with the logo use, ownership and editing rights. Some are very strict with what you can and cannot do, including the inability to use individual elements to create visual consistency across your brand.
3. Going logo DIY
I’ve added this option as there are plenty of examples of people creating their own logos on platforms like Canva. I have some advice on this.
+ Pros of logo DIY:
- Usually free
DIY logos are often free to create, just your own time spent creating these - Learning
Hello new neural pathways! With anything DIY comes a learning curve, and learning to use a new platform like Canva may mean you’ve got some skilled to assist in the creation of other visual assets you might need. - Unlimited editing
Don’t like anything you’ve created? Want to change the colour of that butterfly? Don’t love the typeface anymore? Well, you have unlimited editing power to change it.
-Cons of logo DIY:
The cons of DIY are the same as using a logo generator, and also include:
- ‘Free’ equals ‘limited‘
Like logo generators, you will often only have access to limited typefaces, images, and the ability to customise certain elements. - May look amateur
Like many things when attempting DIY, things often look easy and better in our minds than they do in real life. - Time:
Don’t know what you are doing, both on the platform and with the logo? This could be a time suck to get the results you are after, and you may not get the results you had hoped for.
Conclusion
Choosing between hiring a professional designer, using a logo generator or going DIY ultimately depends on your business’s needs, budget, and preferences as you start out. While logo generators can be a quick and affordable option, they may not provide the same level of customisation, originality and quality as a logo created by a professional designer. If you have the budget and time to work with a designer, they can help you create a logo that truly represents your brand and sets you apart from the competition.