Best 99designs Alternatives for Creative Hiring

A picture paints a thousand words, so the adage goes. And in business, an image’s worth goes far beyond words – it can affect brand reputation, encourage customer loyalty, and boost trust. 

It’s, therefore, no surprise that many ventures consider graphic design as one of the most crucial aspects of marketing. And for those who can’t hire an in-house designer, a freelance platform like 99designs comes in handy.

Despite its popularity, however, this design marketplace isn’t for everyone, and some find it more practical to look for 99designs alternatives. For instance, some clients get frustrated when they receive few or low-quality submissions for their contests. Added to that, there’s always the risk of getting stuck with a mediocre design.

Here are a few options to consider if you’re looking for the same commitment-free setup with tweaks that may work better for your needs.

1. Penji

Penji is one of the best 99designs alternatives in the market today. The platform offers unlimited graphic design and revisions created by the top 2 percent of designers. That said, you can be assured of quality graphics at a flat monthly rate. Time efficiency is also a feature offered by this platform. The designer submits a draft within 24 to 48 hours upon receiving the brief. 

What makes it special? Penji’s team of graphic designers work together to deliver projects, unlike other platforms where designers are independent of one another.

Pricing: Penji’s cheapest package, Pro, comes at $399 a month. It comes with one designer who will work on unlimited projects for two users. 

Related: Full Penji Review

2. Designhill

Akin to 99designs, Designhill works as an online crowdsourcing platform that helps clients connect with graphic artists for hire. You can hold design contests or set a one-to-one project with a graphic designer.

Pricing: Their most popular package for design contests is Standard, which costs $399 a month. The rate includes the prize for the winning designer as well as other fees and commissions. As for one-to-one projects, you and the designer will negotiate on the price but the platform charges a fixed 5 percent commission on the project.

3. DesignCrowd

DesignCrowd also anchors on multiple designers competing for your project. You’ll have to submit a creative brief and wait to receive custom designs from creatives around the world. You can choose the one that best fits your requirements.

Pricing: Packages differ depending on the project. For instance, their popular offering for web design is their 50+ Designs package, which costs $549. With this package, you can expect to receive more than 50 designs. The fee also covers copyright ownership of one design. 

4. Fiverr

Fiverr is high up on the list of options if you’re looking for an alternative that’s cheaper than 99designs. It’s technically an online marketplace for freelance services. That said, expect to see more than just graphic designers on this platform. Expect to see a melange of freelancers on Fiverr – from translators and book editors to career counselors and flyer distributors.

Pricing: Graphic designers in the platform set their own rates depending on the project at hand. For instance, logo design rates can range from $5 to $100. Of course, the rates can be relative to the designer’s skills. Fiverr earns by charging a processing fee to service “sellers.”

5. Crowdspring

Crowdspring is also one of the 99designs alternatives that lets clients launch projects, receive submissions, and choose a winner. The client works with the winner to finalize the design and get web-ready files as well as full IP rights.

Pricing: The platform’s most affordable package, Silver, costs $299. It comes with approximately 60 designs with unlimited designers. However, there’s a caveat – this package doesn’t include the feature “Only top level designers,” meaning, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get high-quality submissions. To activate that feature, you need to get the next tier, Gold, which costs $499.

6. DesignContest

As the name suggests, DesignContest allows clients to set up a brief, review their choices, and pick the winning design. The platform prides itself in having pre-qualified designers, not allowing clipart, and ensuring guaranteed delivery.

Pricing: The platform has a menu of design materials and corresponding prices. For instance, logo design costs $295, while website design and theme design are both priced at $595. That said, if you need a handful of visual assets, be prepared to pay up as you’ll need to pay separately for each. 

Looking at all these 99designs alternatives may be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The first step to finding the right service provider is knowing your needs and pain points. 

Do you often see yourself working within a tight time frame? Or are you a perfectionist who will benefit from a service that comes with unlimited revisions? Taking all these into consideration will allow you to pick the best option for you and get your money’s worth.

7. Freelancer

Initially created to connect freelancers to employers, Freelancer now gives the options to launch contests. Their monthly plans start at $0.99 up to their Premier plan of $69.95. Like 99designs, it is a crowdsourcing platform. You can try out their services via their free one-month trial or their $9/month option.

Employers will post job details and wait to receive designs from Freelancer’s millions of users. You can also start a contest and select the most suitable designs for your needs. Their plans allow you to hold one contest a month for the cheapest, while up to 30 for the highest-priced plan. 

8. Toptal

With its strict vetting and recruitment process, Toptal is one step ahead of 99designs. They vet for design skills, character traits, and language abilities before taking them on their platform. 

Toptal will ask you for an upfront $500 that they will apply as a credit to your invoice once you hire someone. It is refundable if you decide not to push through with your project. If your concern is the quality of work rather than the price, Toptal is the place to find great designers. While 99designs has a 3.7 rating on Trust Pilot, Toptal has 4.6. This is proof that they provide a more satisfactory service than 99designs.