Freelancer, in-house or agency?
| Option | Best when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Defined projects, ongoing content, limited budget | Availability; one person's range |
| In-house | 40+ hours of design a month, fast turnaround needed | Salary plus tools; skill breadth |
| Agency | Brand system, website, campaign; several skills at once | Cost; overhead on small jobs |
Most businesses start with a freelancer, add an agency for the brand or website, and hire in-house once design is daily. The freelancer versus agency piece has the detail.
What a graphic designer does, and does not
Does: logos, brand identity, print, social and ad creative, presentations, packaging, marketing layouts. Usually does not: web development, copywriting, video editing, UX research, illustration or animation, though many designers have one of these as a second skill. Ask; do not assume.
Where to find one
- Referrals from businesses whose design you admire.
- LinkedIn, searching by skill and city.
- Behance and Dribbble for portfolios.
- Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com for reviewed freelancers with escrow.
- Agencies with published case studies, such as our work page.
How to read a portfolio
- Relevance: work for businesses like yours, or a style you want.
- Range within a discipline: not every piece the same.
- Process: a sentence on the problem and the result beats a grid of images.
- Originality: reverse-image-search one or two pieces.
- Recency: the last year's work is what you will get.
Write a good brief
- 01What the business does and who it sells to.
- 02What you need, with quantities and sizes.
- 03Where it will be used.
- 04Examples you like and dislike, with a word on why.
- 05Existing brand assets and rules.
- 06Deadline and budget range.
- 07Who decides, and how many revision rounds.
Questions to ask
- Can you walk me through a similar project?
- What files will I receive, and do I own them?
- How many concepts and revisions are included?
- What do you need from me, and when?
- What happens if we are not happy with the first concepts?
Red flags
- A quote with no questions asked.
- Portfolio work that appears elsewhere under other names.
- No contract or ownership terms.
- Unlimited revisions promised (it means no process).
- Delivery only as PNG or JPEG.
What to expect to pay
Logos from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on scope; brand identities from around a thousand upward; ongoing content on monthly retainers. The budget guide and logo cost guide give ranges.
Common questions
- How much does it cost to hire a graphic designer in Pakistan?
- Freelancers commonly charge PKR 1,500 to 5,000 per hour or project rates from PKR 10,000 for a logo; agencies more. International clients often pay Pakistani designers in dollars at rates below Western freelancers but well above local ones.
- Should I hire a designer hourly or per project?
- Per project for defined deliverables such as a logo or brochure; hourly or retainer for ongoing content. Project pricing protects you from scope drift and rewards efficient designers.
- What should I check before paying a freelance designer?
- Reviews on a platform they do not control, original portfolio work, a written scope with revisions and file deliverables, and clear ownership of the final files.
