Don’t Sign Up for a Design Service Before You Read This

Looking for a service to ease the design workload for you and your team? Maybe your business is growing and you need a team to accommodate your needs.

Whatever the reason, you’re here because you’re looking for an unlimited graphic design service. We’ve tried out a lot of them over the years, and we know that if you’re not careful, you could end up wasting your time and money on the wrong one.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through the right steps to take when looking into a new service. That includes what to look for, what questions to ask, and what steps to take before and after you sign up.

What Is Unlimited Graphic Design?

There are a lot of different types of design services you can access—freelancers, agencies, the list goes on. But in this case, “design service” is a shorthand for “design as a service,” or unlimited graphic design.

These services work on a subscription model. You pay upfront for access to a design team or freelance network, and you can request as many designs as you need. Usually, you’ll pay a set amount each month, quarter, or year.

How Do Unlimited Graphic Design Services Work?

Once you subscribe to a graphic design service, you get access to their dashboard or project management software app. This allows you to submit your design brief. 

After that, ensure that you prepare a detailed design brief so that your designer will capture your envisioned brief. Once you submit a design brief, the graphic design service will match you with the best designer for the job, and they’ll get to work with your designs. 

Then, your designer will submit designs after 1 to 2 days, and you’ll review the work. If it still needs more work, you can tell the designer how to revise their work. However, if you’re satisfied with their design, you can download and use it immediately!

Which Designs Do Unlimited Graphic Design Services Cover?

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but you can request any of these graphics when you subscribe to unlimited graphic design services:

• Logo
• Business cards
• Brand style guides
• T-shirt design
• Flyers
• Brochures
• Packaging
• Social media posts
• Digital ads
• Social media ads
• Billboard designs
• Printed ads
• Email design
• Website designs
• App designs

Some graphic design services offer illustration work and video editing.

What are the advantages of using an unlimited design service?

1. Saves money. If you need regular designs, paying a simple monthly fee can reduce overhead relative to freelance or in-house work. It’s definitely cheaper than hiring a new designer.
2. Saves time. Rather than working with a specific designer, design services will quickly hand your project off to an available member of their team. They often offer turnaround in as little as 24 hours.
3. All-in-one. Many see unlimited graphic design as the simplest way to get a wide range of designs completed. These services offer more types of design than one designer would, and the simple subscription pricing model means much less overhead.

What about the disadvantages?

1. Personal care. As the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” With these services, you won’t have much control over which designers you work with. Many of them offer same-day or next-day turnaround, which can mean less attention to detail.
2. Transparency. An unlimited design service may be more upfront about its pricing than, say, an agency. But at the same time, they’re often less upfront about who their designers are, where they’re sourced from, or how much experience they have.
3. Consistency. Since you’re often working with a different designer on each new project, it can be difficult to maintain a consistent visual identity for your brand. Many design services remedy this with tools to attach brand guidelines or “save” your favorite designers.

For this article, we’ll be using 3 of the leading unlimited graphic design services as examples: Penji, Manypixels, and No Limit Creatives.

Choosing a Service

Having tried out all three of these services, I personally prefer Penji for their great customer care. But the real question is, which one is right for you?

There are a lot of these unlimited design services out there, and on the surface, it can be hard to tell what sets them apart. Are the more expensive ones worth the cost? Are the cheaper ones too good to be true?

Even if they don’t make much of a difference to you, you should take notes on what distinguishes the services you’re looking at from each other. Here are a few categories to pay attention to.

Manypixels

Manypixels’ lowest tier is $549/month, putting it in the middle of the pack. It has the cheapest high tier at $1199/month, compared to Penji’s $1497 and NLC’s $1499. So if cost is a priority, you may want to consider this design service.

The downside is that while Penji and No Limit Creatives allow you to request a single design without a subscription, Manypixels does not. This means you have to go all in and buy a subscription. Manypixels offers limited refunds on quarterly and annual plans.

Penji

At first glance, it may seem like No Limit Creatives and Penji have the same starting price point ($499/month). But when you look closer, you’ll realize that NLC’s $499 package is a “starter” tier with a limited amount of design “credits.” Penji offers truly unlimited graphic design at the same price, while NLC’s unlimited packages start at $599.

As far as reviews, Penji has a strong profile, with 4.8/5 on Facebook, 4.7/5 on Google, 4.7/5 on G2, and 4.8/5 on Trustpilot. It also has significantly more reviews than its competitors. Penji also leads the pack in trial periods with its 30-day money back guarantee.

No Limit Creatives

In terms of design, Penji, Manypixels, and NLC all offer similar packages. However, NLC also offers video editing. This is what sets them apart and gives them unique value among competitors. It’s often video content that gets the most engagement, and getting help with it can take a load off your team’s plate.

Their reviews are strong with lots of positive feedback, but like Manypixels, NLC doesn’t have Google or Facebook reviews at all.

No Limit Creatives offers a 14-day guarantee.

Decide What Matters to You

Beyond these categories, what you make a note of will depend on your personal needs and preferences. If you need the quickest turnaround, Penji and Manypixels have the advantage. If you want designers in your time zone, No Limit Creatives may be best.

At this point, these services all look pretty similar. Sure, Penji has the strongest reputation, and NLC has their video offerings, but they’re all offering the same type of service in the same price range.

This is where the process comes in.

Before You Choose..

These services are designed with businesses and agencies in mind. Chances are, the decision-making process doesn’t come down to a single person. Before spending hundreds on a service, take these steps.

1. Make a Plan

Consider what you plan to use the service for. One of the most common problems in this industry is people signing up and never requesting anything. Look at your design needs and think about what you can regularly offload onto the service.

2. Book a Demo

Penji, Manypixels, and No Limit Creatives all allow you to explore the service with a demo call. This will give you much more insight into how the service works and can help you determine which one is right for you.

3. Don’t Rush

There are a lot of design services out there. Beyond Penji, Manypixels, and NLC, there’s Design Pickle, Kimp, Flocksy, Superside… the list goes on. Narrow down a few favorites and use this guide to help choose your top pick. If you do it right, you may find a service that you can work with for years to come.

Penji vs. Manypixels vs. No Limit Creatives: Who Wins?

If you’ve made it this far, maybe you want a little more info. Which design service is right for me? How do I tell a good one from a bad one?

The below chart lays out some of the differences between Penji, Manypixels, and No Limit Creatives, so you can decide for yourself.