Most small businesses should plan on a few thousand dollars for a solid foundation and five figures for a full identity with a website. At Tony Does Design, a two-week Brand Sprint starts at $2,500, a full Brand Identity System starts at $6,500 and Brand + Digital, identity and website together, starts at $10,000.
Why the price range is so wide
Two quotes for "a brand" can be thousands of dollars apart. That's not always someone overcharging. They're usually quoting different things.
Four things move the price. The first is how much strategy happens before anyone designs anything. Then it's how many directions you see, how many places the brand has to work and how much documentation you walk away with. A logo file is one deliverable. A brand identity is a system, and systems take longer to build.
I'm only going to quote prices I can stand behind, which means mine. Every designer prices differently, so use this as a way to read quotes, not a market average.
What Tony Does Design's packages cost
| Package | Starts at | Timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Sprint | $2,500 | 2 weeks | New businesses that need a strong foundation fast |
| Brand Identity System | $6,500 | 4 to 6 weeks | Businesses that have outgrown their first logo |
| Brand + Digital | $10,000 | 6 to 8 weeks | Identity and website built together |
| NineFive Design Subscription | $997 a month | Ongoing | Brands that already exist and need steady design support |
The Brand Sprint covers the core: a logo mark and wordmark, a color and type system, brand usage guidelines and three social templates. Nothing extra.
The Brand Identity System is the full build. It adds brand strategy and positioning, detailed guidelines, a digital and print asset library and 30 days of support after launch.
Brand + Digital is everything in the identity system plus a website designed and built alongside it, a social template library and 45 days of post-launch support.
What's the difference between a cheap logo and a real identity?
A cheap logo answers one question: what's our mark? A real identity answers the questions that come right after. What color is the button on the website? Which font goes on the menu? How does the logo sit on a dark van door?
If nobody answered those questions up front, you end up answering them yourself, one Canva file at a time. That's where brands start to drift. The business card doesn't match the Instagram, which doesn't match the sign.
In UX work we'd call that inconsistency, and I keep coming back to how much it costs. People notice it even when they can't name it. It quietly makes a business look less established than it really is.
That said, a cheap logo isn't always the wrong call. If you're testing an idea and don't know yet whether it'll be a business, spend less. Invest when you know you're staying.
How long does a brand identity take?
Plan on two weeks for a focused sprint and four to eight weeks for a full system. The design part is rarely what takes the longest. Feedback is.
Every project I run follows the same five phases: discovery, strategy, design, production and handoff. In discovery we agree on what success looks like before anything gets designed. In design you see three initial concepts and get two rounds of refinement. That structure is what keeps a timeline from sliding.
Which package should I budget for?
- You're just starting out and need to look credible quickly: the Brand Sprint.
- You've outgrown your first logo and your brand doesn't match the level you're operating at: the Brand Identity System.
- Your website is part of the problem too: Brand + Digital, so the site and the identity are designed as one system.
- You already have a brand and just need consistent design help every month: the NineFive subscription.
What costs should I plan for beyond the design?
Design is only part of launching a brand. Budget separately for the things the identity gets applied to:
- Printing for cards, menus, packaging and signage
- Vehicle wraps, uniforms and storefront signs
- Professional photography
- Website hosting and a domain, if they're not part of your package
- Trademark searches and registration, which is a job for an attorney, not a designer
None of these are reasons to wait. They're reasons to know the full number before you start, so the brand actually makes it onto the van.
Quick answers
How much does a logo cost compared to a full brand identity?
A logo on its own costs less because it's one deliverable. A brand identity includes the logo plus the color, type, guidelines and files that make it work everywhere. At Tony Does Design, the smallest package, the Brand Sprint, starts at $2,500 and already includes a mark, a wordmark, a color and type system and usage guidelines.
How long does a brand identity take?
Two weeks for a Brand Sprint, four to six weeks for a full Brand Identity System and six to eight weeks for identity and website together.
Is the discovery call free?
Yes. The first call is a free 30-minute conversation about where your brand is headed. There's no pitch and no pressure. You can book it on the rotary phone at tonydoesdesign.com/book.
Does Tony Does Design only work with Philadelphia businesses?
No. The studio is based in Philadelphia, but projects run remotely. Recent work includes a painting company in Florida and a clothing brand in Baltimore.