99designs

Owned by Jakub Mormul (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 10, 2018
3 min read


This tool has solely been researched by the WilsonHCG Innovation team.

Summary

We’re 99designs, the world’s largest online graphic design marketplace. We connect more than one million talented freelance designers with creative people, genius entrepreneurs, savvy businesses… anyone who needs great work. 99designs was created and bootstrapped by founders Mark Harbottle and Matt Mickiewicz with the support of Lachlan Donald and Paul Annesley. Today, 99designs is backed by the forward thinkers of Accel Partners, Recruit Strategic Partners and Harrison Metal.


5 things to know about 99designs:

1. Design always finds a way. Our journey began with a group of designers who were competing together on the SitePoint forum to create the best designs. In 2008, that friendly competition grew into a unique design marketplace and 99designs was born. Today, a new design is uploaded to our platform every second—earning our global community of artists more than $200M USD to date.

2. Design doesn’t do borders. Having offices located around the world is a pretty sweet deal, but we think it’s even more amazing that any designer—from Sydney to Serbia—can succeed on our platform.

3. Design can come from anywhere. Including you. Our customers are smart, passionate and full of great ideas. From hand-knitted wears to small-batch brewers to fantasy sports, there’s nothing we love more than watching great design help over 444,306 businesses grow.

4. Design loves a good cause. Small budgets should never stand in the way of big ideas. That’s why, every month, 99designs selects a group of not-for-profits to get great design, free.

5. Design is supposed to be fun. Between the fitness challenges, flip-cup tournaments and terrarium building, there’s always something cool happening at every 99designs location. We adore having visitors, too. Come by and say hi.


What is 99designs?

99designs is for anyone who needs custom design and for talented designers seeking quality projects. Our tried-and-true creative process helps clients and designers connect and collaborate on logos, business cards, t-shirts, websites and more.


When you need a design, we have two ways to work with our design community.


Hire a designer

We'll help you hire a designer you’ll love so you can collaborate together closely on your design brief. Our Designer Search tool connects you directly to designers in over 90 skill sets who meet your style requirements, skill level, availability and more.

Once you have selected a designer, you’ll explain your project requirements in a creative brief and negotiate the price. Rates vary by designer and project. You can also request quotes from multiple designers.

We recommend working directly with designers when you have a clear idea of the style and art direction of your project.


Start a contest

A design contest opens your project to our global design community. Designers submit concepts based on your creative brief, and you select the design you love most. Contests are a great opportunity to work with several designers before you establish an ongoing relationship with your favorite.

We have contest packages for every budget. Typically, the more you spend on a package, the more concepts you'll get.

We recommend contests if you want to explore different ideas and styles for your project from different designers. If you need a logo, we’ve found that contests are usually the best option.


What is a design contest?

A design contest is a competition between designers to create the winning design for a client’s design brief. Here on 99designs, a client:

  • writes a design brief
  • names the contest’s cash prize
  • starts their contest.

The contest has four stages that take place over a number of days. Subscribed 99designs designers from around the world see the contest listing in the 99designs marketplace. They compete for the prize by submitting designs that meet the brief. The client gives feedback and direction to the designers to help them improve on their designs through two rounds of competition.


Finally, the client picks a winner. The winning designer receives the prize money, and the client gets the design files, and full copyright to the winning design.