How to Price Your Branding & Web Design Services

Pricing your freelance design services can feel like the wild west.

Figuring out where to even start when it comes to pricing graphic, branding, or website design services can be confusing af.

If you have questions like “what will clients pay,” “how do I come up with a number that’s fair,” or “what are my services worth,” swirling in your mind with no clear answers in sight, this post is for you.

We’re going to guide you through what freelance designers should consider when pricing services, an instant calculation you can do, and how to add nuance and value into your pricing to ensure you’re fully confident in the prices you set.

Here we go. ⬇️

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1. Familiarize Yourself With the Factors at Play

The un-sexy truth about pricing your design services is that there is no one methodology or calculation that will work for everyone. That’s because there are always a number of factors and variables that determine what the right pricing will be for you.

No one else has your exact combination of design experience, skill, specialties, financial goals, etc. You’ll always want to consider multiple factors when pricing your services, which can include:

• Your experience

• Your life expenses and personal financial goals

• Your business expenses

• The value of your services to your clients

• Demand for your services

• Going rates for your services

• Inflation & the local economy

If you become too insular and focus on just one or two of these factors, you’ll have some big blind spots in your pricing.

For example, if you only take into consideration the going rate for your services (or what everyone else is doing), you may severely underprice yourself due to the high value and experience you offer.

On the flip side of that example, if you were to only consider the value you bring to the table and your specialties, you may end up setting prices that are just too high for the industry norms and economy.

So as you work on pricing your services, keep in mind that there are many nuanced and personal factors as play in this calculation.

2. Calculate a “Base Price” as Your Jumping off Point

If you, like many new creatives, feel like you’re totally stabbing in the dark when it comes to putting prices on your services, calculating what we call a “base price,” is a great place to start.

A base price is a rough estimate of what you should charge per service, at minimum, to cover your business expenses and pay yourself. It’s also a great way to see if what you’ve been charging is enough.

To find this base price number, jot down the following data:

• Your personal income goal

• Your annual business expenses

• The tax % you will save

• How many projects you’d like to take on in a year

Then, you’ll add your income and business expenses, estimate your annual taxes, and divide your total revenue needed by your number of yearly projects.

You can use our free Design Services Pricing Calculator to do this calculation instantly!

Design Services Pricing Calculator Free Download

3. Factor the Nuance Into Your Base Price

Once you’ve figured out a solid base price to cover your minimum business expenses and personal financial goals, you’re ready to increase your pricing from there based on those variable factors we mentioned earlier.

For example, most designers raise their prices at least a bit each year to account for inflation and increased experience. (Your hairstylist, streaming subscriptions, and service providers do this too, it’s a normal part of business!)

Indicators that it’s time to increase your rates can include:

• You’re booking every client that inquires

• You’re struggling to meet client demand

• You’re charging less than most providers in your industry

• You’ve increased your education or skills

• You’ve had a life change that requires more income

If you’re new to offering design services, you’ll likely incrementally raise your prices as your skill, confidence, and reputation grow.

That’s exactly how we did it when we first started offering design services.

4. Invest in Education, Skillsets, & Tools to Increase the Value of Your Services

Sometimes, even when you find the number you should be charging based on all of the factors we’ve discussed, it can be an emotional battle to feel confident charging that. Especially when you’re starting out.

That’s why we’re huge proponents of investing in resources to improve your skills and processes from day one.

The Pro Design Business Course, Master the Art of Brand Design Course or Squarespace Design Framework Course are all great investments for up and coming designers ready to grow their skills and business processes.

And our Business Templates for Designers are a super affordable way to make instant improvements in areas like holding effective sales calls, sending proposals that convert, and having professional, pre-written project messages.

Working on our brand and web design skills early on helped us price and market our services with SO much more confidence.

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