Review: 99designs, Fiverr, and DesignCrowd — Are Crowdsourced Logos Worth It?

Purpose: Crowdsourcing promises a wide variety of options quickly and often cheaply. We commissioned logos with the same brief across three platforms and evaluated results, process, and value for money.

Testing methodology

We used an identical brief: a brand in the healthy food category wanting a friendly, modern mark with a glyph and wordmark. Budgets were set to mid-range on each platform to reflect a realistic business spend. Criteria included creativity, clarity, deliverables, communication, and legal clarity (ownership and usage).

Platform overviews and findings

99designs

Model: contest-based and direct hires. Strengths include targeted contests and higher average designer quality. Results: a variety of safe-to-creative options, often polished. Deliverables usually included vector files and mockups when you selected a winner.

Pros:

• Curated designer pool
• Clear handoff for selected winners

Cons:

• Can attract many low-effort submissions in contests
• Price varies and can become expensive

Fiverr

Model: gig-based with defined packages. Strengths include ultra-fast turnaround and cheap entry-level options. Results depend heavily on the chosen seller; mid-tier gigs delivered usable marks, but quality was inconsistent.

Pros:

• Low starting cost
• Quick delivery options

Cons:

• Requires careful seller vetting
• Legal handoff sometimes unclear in low-tier packages

DesignCrowd

Model: crowdsourced contest similar to 99designs. It produced a broad range of submissions, often with creative risk-taking but also more uneven quality control. The platform can be valuable if you have the time to sift through entries and provide clear cross-communication.

Pros:

• Wide diversity of styles
• Lower price points than agency work

Cons:

• Requires time to manage and review
• Risk of off-brand or derivative concepts

Legal and ownership concerns

One major caveat when using crowdsourced platforms is ensuring clear transfer of intellectual property. Always request signed agreements or confirm that the platform's terms transfer rights to the purchaser. For high-stakes brands, consider adding a separate assignment of rights or counsel review.

When crowdsourcing makes sense

• You're exploring many visual directions quickly
• You have limited budget but need many options
• You are comfortable investing time to review and iterate

When to avoid crowdsourcing

• You need deep brand strategy and long-term system thinking
• You require consistent craft and a single designer who understands your product
• Legal clarity about ownership is essential and you lack resources to enforce it

Recommendations and best practices

1. Provide a clear, detailed brief with visual references and constraints
2. Set a realistic budget for the quality you want
3. Request vector deliverables and confirm ownership transfer in writing
4. Use crowdsourcing for exploration, but consider hiring a designer for final systemization

'Crowdsourcing gives options, not necessarily a strategy. Use it for breadth, not depth.' — Editorial note

Conclusion

Crowdsourcing platforms can generate usable concepts quickly and sometimes yield surprising creative ideas. For businesses that value cost-efficiency and variety, they are a viable channel. For teams that need strategic depth, consistency, and careful system development, hiring a dedicated designer or agency remains the better investment.