Outsource Graphic Design: Should you do it in 2026?

Key takeaways: 

• Outsourcing design cuts costs about 50% and speeds work by around 40%, saving time and money.
• Choosing between freelancers, agencies, or subscriptions depends on workload, budget, and need for steady or flexible support.
• Awesomic offers plans from $990 to $4,990 monthly with fast talent match and unlimited

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Companies need help outsourcing or hiring in-house designers, be they web, brand, or graphic designers. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of outsourcing a designer and the tools, methods, and resources to ensure a successful outsourcing if it makes sense for your company. 

Outsourcing has grown tremendously since the pandemic with the rise of remote work and distributed teams. Since then, we’ve seen remote-first teams in many startups with a valuation of over $1B+. Many of these teams are a mix of outsourced talent from outside the U.S. and contracted team members within their home country. 

But outsourcing takes work. While it may save up to 50% on average costs, it can also cause long-term issues if not appropriately managed. 

Here is what you need to know to research outsourcing as a solution and how to succeed with outsourcing talent that will help grow your business. 

How to outsource graphic design?

There are three paths you can choose when outsourcing graphic design. They are:

1. Outsource with an unlimited subscription service
2. Outsource with freelancers or hiring services
3. Outsource with a design agency

Outsourcing with freelancers

You can choose to go for freelancers, and there are many online solutions. You can go for Upwork, Fiverr, or other design-focused platforms. There, you can post projects or contact people directly for their rates. Many freelancers have different rates based on the project.

So, everything is excellent. You can find someone with the best rate, the industry expertise you require, and the right set of skills. Right? Well…not precisely.

Let’s say you found the perfect designer for your project. How long did it take you to go through the individual applicants, vet them, and onboard one person onto the project? Never mind the additional costs associated with developing the creatives. And what about managing? Do you need to do it? How about guaranteeing the freelancer won’t go dark or abandon the project before completion? 

Those are crucial questions that don’t have clear answers. This is why freelance designers are primarily brought in for a one-off project that’s not crucial to the company. Was it worth the time spent to find one? That’s the central question you need to ask yourself.

If you’re unsure of the answer, freelancers may not be the way to go. 

Outsourcing with design agencies

We explored the fact that freelance designers may not be the best option due to their lack of guarantee and time-consuming process. Then, there are design agencies with their accolades and excellent professionals. 

With a design agency, you get to help in the brainstorming process, and they will mostly adhere to or enhance your vision. You’ll get access to their talent with no hiring hassle, which is a major plus since many agencies have people who are experts in many disciplines. But… what is the drawback?

Well, there are two main drawbacks. Depending on the project you request, you may not be at the top of the agency’s mind. So you can get caught up with missed deadlines and undesirable talent working on your project. 

The other drawback is the price. Design agencies usually request much more money than a simple freelance designer. In return, you will get their attention and a full suite of services. You must ask yourself whether you’ll achieve the desired results with this agency.

If the answer is yes, you have the money to put on. Then, go for it. Otherwise, it may be worth looking into other solutions if you need more time to answer the question. The scope of your project is another aspect to consider. Don’t pay for more than you need. 

Outsourcing with design subscription services

What if you were told of a solution that brings the best of both worlds from freelancers and design agencies? That’s what design subscription services are trying to achieve. 

One of the main reasons that Awesomic was bootstrapped and founded was to fill that gap. The founders know first-hand the challenges of navigating freelancers and design agencies, especially for a small startup.

The offer from a design subscription service is quite simple: you pay a monthly subscription. That subscription lets you request design services, and the design subscription agency provides you with vetted talent and support. 

Now, to benefit from both worlds, you must look into the company itself. What are the tiers of their monthly subscription, and what type of access do you get? How is the experience of previous clients? What about their talent? How do they vet them? How long until I onboard someone in one of my projects?

These are the answers you need. Awesomic provides support and unlimited reviews, from product design to packaging and social media. You get matched to award-winning talent in 24 hours, all for a flat fee, so there are no surprises on cost. That and more are all answered on the homepage since we’re a transparent company. 

Also, you must consider whether you need ongoing support for design projects and other tasks. If so, a talent-as-a-service company must be considered. You can book a demo with one of our representatives to learn more or look into other options in the market.

Should you outsource graphic design?

Outsourcing graphic design may only be needed for some companies. If you have small projects with simpler designs, you can handle them with an internal team. If your startup does not have the budget for outsourcing, or the outsourcing won’t enable your team to boost their output, looking into other options can be significant. 

But remember the saying, “Dress for the job you want?” The same is true for your company; you should dress it for the magnitude of the work you’re trying to achieve!

Before deciding to outsource, consider each option’s possible pros and cons. Here’s a small table to make it easier for you:

Why outsource graphic design?

Outsourcing graphic design can be a game-changer for companies that need more expertise, time, and resources to manage design in-house or to completely move design to a trustworthy third party. One of the most overlooked benefits of outsourcing is that the person or company you outsource to has a vested interest in your success. 

As long as you’re in business with them, you can be reassured that they’ll want to help you grow, if for nothing else but to show you a success case or get new contacts in the industry. Businesses that have the most potential to thrive with outsourcing include but are not limited to:

• Startups with changing requirements: The life at a startup is never clear as you grow. Your design demands may increase suddenly as a new opportunity presents itself for customer acquisition. Outsourcing allows startups to increase the skill sets they bring without committing to the cost of maintaining a full-time, in-house designer.
• Creative and design agencies: Creative and design agencies may outsource smaller tasks to keep their core teams working on crucial and more complex projects. Even though they offer the services, the scale of a project can change rapidly, making outsourcing a great way to alleviate the pressure on their teams.
• Event management businesses: These companies organize events, conferences, weddings, seminars, etc. And what do all these events need? The visual graphic materials, from flyers to invitations, nameplates, promotional designs, and customized branding.
• Established startups with $1B+ valuation: Unicorns, or startups with over 1 billion dollars in valuation, can benefit a lot from outsourcing design for their growth-related tasks and for branding and identity. They are at the cusp of getting a share of market to compete with enterprises, so it makes sense for them to act like one. Enterprises still get the advantage of having more professionals, and startups can compete with them by using outsourcing as a market battle technique.
• Manufacturers and D2C product-led companies: Here we are talking about companies who create distribute goods and materials fit for their public consumption, or in other words physical products. These companies may need labels, marketing collateral and packaging design, expertly crafted to compel their users to buy their goods over their competitors. 

Outsourcing graphic design: Stats you need to know

One of the most glaring indications of the future of outsourcing and workforce in general can be seen on reports gathered by respectable companies. Clutch, one of the most well-trusted companies when it comes to listings and companies reviews, uncovered in 2023 that over 83% of businesses are planning to maintain or increase their outsourcing efforts. The main reasons: industry expertise and cost-reduction. 

A FasterCapital report shows that startups that outsource talent get on average 100% more profitability and 50% more revenue annually. 

Delloite’s 2022 Global Outsourcing survey has shown that over 50% of leaders see finding and keeping talent is a challenge. While its 2023 Global Shared Services and Outsourcing survey found that 70% of outsourcing happens due to access to specific skills and that it helps with ESG initiatives.   

What about graphic design? At least 90% of graphic designers are freelance workers, and the average annual salary for a company to hire a senior graphic designer is around $80,000 in the United States. 

Now, for a subscription design service that allows you to access designers on demand like Awesomic you can get the access to the same set of skills for a fraction of the cost at $699,00 per month or $1995,00 per month. Depending on the needs of your business. 

Of course, due to the flat-fee and no additional costs you only pay what you signed-up for. This minimizes risk, and you don’t have to put an annual deposit like other design services companies require. 

Need to scale up the team, or scale down your needs? Switch or buy plans as your company grows. 

Reasons to not outsource graphic design

If you’re here, you understand the power of graphic design and how important it can be for business. However, outsourcing graphic design can sometimes lead to more problems than solutions. There are very rare exceptions, and should be aware of them. They are:

• You’re building a company culture: If you’re still building your company culture and your in-house team feels threatened by external stakeholders, it could lead to stress, resignations, and burnout. Preserve team morale and cohesion before considering outsourcing. You can also keep a whole team outsourced, but that’s a decision you have to make. 
• You fear losing ownership of your brand: The brand can be as much a part of your identity as the company and its people. You can outsource branding and identity, but ensure the team responsible for it is enhancing and empowering your vision, not replacing it. An unhealthy reliance on outsiders can dilute your brand identity. It’s like the saying goes: too many cooks in the kitchen. 
• You have micromanaging tendencies: This is an actual killer of outsourcing initiatives. If you can’t let go of the minute details of execution, having a distributed or outsourced team can induce more stress and create a bad environment for everyone involved. If you’re going to outsource, you need to default to trust, trust the company or professional responsible for your designs, know what they’re doing, and ensure they understand your vision for the company and the brand. 

What is the best outsourcing choice for your business?

We’ve covered data, details, and more about your possible options. So, instead of boring you with a lot of text, take a look at the image below:

Here’s the summary:

• Freelancers: These are going to be your best choice if time is not an issue for vetting or you’re okay with rolling the dice. They’re also quite effective for single projects and for support on tasks that are not crucial or overly complex. 
• Design agency: If money is not an issue, your project is overly complex and needs many moving parts working simultaneously. The price and hidden costs can be a deal breaker for many. 
• Design subscription services: This is the best option if you need ongoing support and want to drive projects occasionally. You pay a monthly fee, have no hidden costs, have access to talents on demand, and have quality consistency. It’s an excellent option for small businesses, agencies, and enterprises that want to offload their core team. 

What will it cost to outsource graphic design (and what’s the ROI)?

When you decide to outsource graphic design work, you want to know what it’s going to cost and if it’s really worth it. You’ll learn about common pricing models, see real numbers, and get practical tips for budgeting smartly.

Let’s break down the main pricing models you’ll encounter:

• Hourly: You pay by the hour, usually $20 to $150+, depending on the designer’s experience. Calculating this means estimating how many hours a project takes and multiplying.
• Fixed project: One price for a specific deliverable, like a logo costing between $300 and $5,000.
• Monthly subscription/retainer: You pay a flat monthly fee for ongoing work, anywhere from $399 for basic services to $15,000+ for full agency retainers.
• Hybrid: A mix of monthly fees plus hourly or project charges for extra work.

Now, let’s compare typical costs. Hiring a full-time senior graphic designer often costs around $80,000 a year plus benefits, software, and equipment. When you add overhead costs, your total could be about $104,000 annually. On the other hand, hiring freelancers can be more flexible and cheaper for smaller needs, but managing multiple freelancers can be time-consuming. Subscription services and agencies fill the gap between freelancers and full-time employees, offering varying speed and quality levels.

Here’s a quick look at some example pricing:

• In-house designer: $80,000+ per year plus extras.
• Subscription services: Our tool offers plans starting at $990 per month, with discounts to $792 if you pay quarterly. Other popular companies start around $399 monthly up to $1,995.
• Agency retainers: Usually $3,000 to over $15,000 monthly, depending on scope.
• Freelancers: $20-$150 per hour; project prices vary widely.

To make this more concrete, imagine a low-volume startup needing five social posts a week. Using our subscription plan at $990 per month could be more cost-effective than hiring a part-time contractor, especially when you consider managing less overhead. Remember though, our subscription includes managing one active task at a time, so if tasks overlap, you might add extra seats or hire contractors.

For a medium-volume marketing team creating daily assets and campaigns, you might use two of our Pro plans at about $2,490 each per month. That totals $4,980 monthly. Compared to an agency retainer of $5,000 to $10,000, you gain speed and flexibility with potentially unlimited revisions and rematches, which can reduce extra costs.

When you think about all this, keep the following practical budgeting rules in mind:

1. Add buffers for rush jobs, seasonal spikes, and extra revisions.
2. Account for the limit on how many tasks can run at once—you might pay for additional seats or more contractors to handle workload peaks.
3. Consider internal project management time as part of your costs.
4. Test with a small paid project, say $50 to $500, to see if the service fits your style and speed expectations.

Outsourcing is about finding the right balance between cost, speed, and quality. For example, subscribing to our service may save you around 50% compared to freelancers, agencies, or in-house—with claims of 40% faster turnaround and 60% fewer revisions. These numbers come from our internal data, so we always recommend running a short trial to verify what works best for you.

Finally, remember that subscriptions like ours offer flexible month-to-month billing. You can pause or cancel anytime, which is ideal for testing things out before committing quarterly for a 20% discount.

In short, when you outsource graphic design services through smart subscriptions or blends of freelancers and agencies, you manage costs better and often get faster results. It’s all about matching your design workload with the right pricing model to maximize your return on investment.

Check out Awesomic for graphic design

Book a demo to learn how Awesomic has helped companies with their design needs. You can also check out the work we’ve done with Yerbaé, which includes product packaging, social media, web design, and supporting product launches.

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FAQ

1. How do I choose between freelancers and graphic design outsourcing companies?

Freelancers are great for small or quick tasks because they can be flexible and cheaper. Graphic design outsourcing companies usually offer more services and consistency, better for steady or complex work. Think about how much work you have and how fast you need it done.

2. What should I expect in managing outsourced graphic design work?

Managing outsourced work means clear communication and setting guidelines upfront. You'll want to give detailed briefs, check progress regularly, and provide clear feedback. It helps to use tools for project tracking and file sharing so nothing gets lost or delayed.

3. Can I protect my brand when I outsource graphic design services?

Yes. Share your brand guidelines and key assets upfront. Choose a service that respects intellectual property rules. Contracts should clearly state who owns the work and how it can be used. Regular checks help make sure your brand stays consistent.

4. How can I avoid surprises in cost when I outsource graphic design?

Ask about pricing models upfront and any extra fees like rush jobs or multiple revisions. Some companies offer flat monthly fees that cover unlimited requests, which can be easier to budget. Keep a buffer for unexpected needs or higher volumes at peak times.

5. When is graphic design outsourcing the best choice over hiring in-house?

Outsourcing works best when your design needs go up and down or you don’t want full-time costs. It’s also good if you need quick access to many talents or special skills. If design is core to daily work and culture, in-house might be better.