Design subscription vs agency vs in-house designer: which is right for you?

Every growing business reaches the point where design and marketing work piles up faster than anyone can get to it. There are three common ways to handle it: hire a traditional agency, employ an in-house designer, or sign up for a design subscription. Each has its place. Here’s an honest comparison to help you choose.

Traditional agency

Agencies quote each project separately. You brief them, they send a proposal, and work starts once it’s approved.

Works well when

• You have one large, well defined project, like a full rebrand or a major website
• You need a big team with specialists across many disciplines

Drawbacks

• Every new request means a new quote and approval, which slows everything down
• Small jobs can be expensive or deprioritised
• Scope changes often mean extra invoices

In-house designer

Hiring a designer gives you someone dedicated to your business, who learns your brand inside out.

Works well when

• You have a steady, high volume of design work every week
• You need someone on site, attending meetings and working closely with your team

Drawbacks

• Salary, superannuation, leave, equipment and software add up quickly
• One person rarely covers branding, web, print, motion and marketing equally well
• Work stops when they’re on leave or if they move on

Design subscription

A design subscription gives you ongoing access to a design team for a flat monthly fee. You send requests, they get worked through in order, and there are no quotes for every small job.

Works well when

• You have a regular flow of work across branding, social, print and web
• You want predictable costs and fast turnaround on everyday tasks
• You don’t need a full-time employee but you need more than the occasional freelancer

Drawbacks

• If you only need one small job a year, a subscription isn’t worth it
• Very large projects still run as their own dedicated piece of work

How the costs compare

Agency costs vary with every project. An in-house designer comes with a full salary plus on-costs, before you add software and equipment. A subscription sits in between: a fixed monthly fee, with the flexibility to pause or cancel on monthly plans.

At Vectorr, our plans start at $695 + GST a month for Basic, which includes 10 hours of design time across branding, print, digital media, web management and social. Growth at $1,995 + GST a month adds unlimited design hours and priority turnaround, and Business at $2,995 + GST a month adds full website design, SEO and campaign work. Yearly plans take two months off the annual total. The full details are on our pricing page.

Which should you choose?

• Choose an agency for a single, large, clearly scoped project.
• Choose in-house if you have enough constant work to keep a designer fully busy and need them physically present.
• Choose a subscription if you need regular design and marketing support across several areas without the overheads of hiring.

Many businesses mix them: a subscription for everyday work, with a one-off project for something like a new website. If you just need a site built and handed over, we offer that too, from $3,000 + GST.

Talk it through

Not sure which model fits? Book a free intro call and we’ll look at the work you have coming up and recommend the most cost-effective option, even if that isn’t us. You can also read more about how we work.