Graphic Design Rate Calculator
Design work is usually quoted per project, but the quote should still be built from a real hourly rate, realistic revision time and software costs.
Recommended project quote
—
Total estimated hours
—
Buffered hours
—
Implied effective rate
—
Design-specific cost considerations
- Software subscriptions (Adobe Creative Cloud, fonts, stock libraries) are ongoing overhead — recover them through your hourly rate, not just this one project.
- Usage/licensing scope (one-time use vs. ongoing commercial use vs. exclusive rights) should be priced as a separate line item, not assumed included.
- File-format deliverables (print-ready vs. web-ready vs. editable source files) affect production time — scope them explicitly in the quote.
This prices labor and direct expenses only. Extended usage rights or exclusivity are a caveat to price separately, not something this calculator infers automatically.
Worked example
$60/hr, 12 concept/production hours + 3 revision hours = 15 hours, 15% buffer, $40 direct expenses:
- Buffered hours: 15 × 1.15 = 17.25 hours
- Labor price: 17.25 × $60 = $1,035
- Recommended quote: $1,035 + $40 ≈ $1,075
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
Should logo licensing be priced separately?
Most designers include standard commercial use in the base price and charge extra only for exclusivity or trademark-registration-scale usage.
How many revision rounds is normal?
Two rounds is a common default; additional rounds are often billed hourly or as a change order.