Based on checking the website, DesignCrowd.com appears to be an online marketplace connecting businesses and individuals with freelance graphic designers for various design projects.

It operates on a crowdsourcing model, where multiple designers submit concepts for a single project, and the client chooses their preferred design.

While the platform offers a seemingly efficient way to obtain diverse design options, it’s crucial to approach such services with a balanced perspective.

The platform focuses on creative services like logo design, web design, and other graphic needs.

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IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Designcrowd.com Review & First Look

Upon a first look at DesignCrowd.com, it presents itself as a robust platform for crowdsourced graphic design. The homepage immediately highlights key statistics: 1,282,676 freelance designers, 25-100+ designs per project, and 515,682 completed projects. This data aims to instill confidence in potential users, suggesting a large, active community and a high volume of successful outcomes. The site emphasizes speed and cost-effectiveness, claiming that projects begin to receive designs within “a few hours” and offer competitive pricing.

What is DesignCrowd.com?

DesignCrowd.com is essentially an online design contest platform.

Instead of hiring a single designer directly, clients post a design brief, and multiple designers from around the world submit their interpretations.

This “crowdsourcing” model is designed to provide a wide array of creative ideas from which the client can choose.

How Does DesignCrowd Work?

The process on DesignCrowd is straightforward:

Post a Project: A client submits a detailed brief outlining their design needs, budget, and timeline.
Receive Designs: Freelance designers review the brief and submit their unique design concepts.
Provide Feedback: The client reviews the submitted designs, provides feedback, and requests revisions.
Choose a Winner: The client selects the best design, and the winning designer receives the payment.
Final Files: The client receives the final, high-resolution design files.

This model is particularly attractive for those seeking diverse initial concepts and are willing to manage the selection process.

DesignCrowd.com Pros & Cons

Like any platform, DesignCrowd comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Understanding these can help users determine if it’s the right fit for their design needs.

Advantages of Using DesignCrowd.com

Diverse Options: With hundreds of thousands of designers globally, you’re likely to receive a wide range of creative interpretations for your project. This can be invaluable for brainstorming and exploring different visual directions. The website proudly states “25 – 100+ designs per project,” showcasing the breadth of submissions.
Cost-Effective Entry: Projects can start at a “low price” with options to meet various budgets. This makes it accessible for startups or small businesses with limited design funds.
Speed: DesignCrowd claims projects receive designs within “a few hours” on average, which can be beneficial for urgent needs.
Money-Back Guarantee: The platform offers a money-back guarantee if you’re “not satisfied with the designs and don’t get the perfect design.” This provides a layer of security for clients.
Global Talent Pool: Access to designers from different cultural backgrounds can bring unique perspectives and creativity to your project. The platform boasts “a world of design” from professional freelance designers.

Disadvantages of Using DesignCrowd.com

Quality Variance: While you get many options, the quality can vary significantly. Not all designers are equally skilled, and sifting through subpar submissions can be time-consuming.
Limited Direct Collaboration: The contest model can limit direct, iterative collaboration with a single designer. It’s more about selection than a deep, ongoing partnership.
Designer Compensation Concerns: For designers, the model means many hours of work may go uncompensated if their design isn’t chosen. This can lead to lower morale among some designers or less effort on speculative projects.
Potential for Generic Designs: Because designers are often competing, some might submit more generic or template-based designs to quickly meet the demand, rather than highly customized, unique concepts.
Time Commitment: While receiving designs is fast, the process of reviewing dozens or even hundreds of submissions, providing feedback, and managing revisions can be quite time-consuming for the client.

DesignCrowd.com Alternatives

For those seeking design services, there are several alternatives to DesignCrowd, each with a different approach to connecting clients with designers.

The choice often depends on your budget, project complexity, desired level of collaboration, and specific design needs. Moby.co Reviews

Direct Freelance Hiring Platforms

Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr allow you to hire individual freelance designers directly.

Upwork: Offers a vast pool of freelancers with detailed profiles, portfolios, and client reviews. You can post a job, interview candidates, and hire one designer for a fixed price or hourly rate. This allows for more direct communication and ongoing collaboration.
Fiverr: Known for its “gig” economy, where designers offer specific services e.g., “I will design 3 logos for $20”. It’s often suitable for smaller, more defined tasks and quick turnarounds.

Agency or Studio Services

For larger, more complex projects requiring a comprehensive strategy, hiring a dedicated design agency or studio might be a better fit.

Benefits: Agencies offer a team of specialists graphic designers, web developers, marketing strategists, structured project management, and often a deeper understanding of branding and market positioning.
Considerations: This option is typically significantly more expensive than crowdsourcing or individual freelancers, but it can provide a higher level of strategic input and consistent quality.

In-House Design Team

For businesses with ongoing and substantial design needs, building an in-house design team or hiring a full-time designer can be the most effective long-term solution.

Benefits: Ensures brand consistency, immediate access to design expertise, and deep integration with business goals.
Considerations: High overhead costs salaries, benefits, software, office space and requires continuous design workload to justify the investment.

DIY Design Tools

For simple design tasks, many user-friendly design tools are available that allow individuals to create their own graphics.

Canva: A popular, intuitive online tool with thousands of templates for social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more. It’s excellent for non-designers needing quick, visually appealing content.
Adobe Express formerly Adobe Spark: Offers similar functionality to Canva, with templates and easy-to-use editing features for creating various visual content.

These alternatives provide a spectrum of choices, from hands-on DIY to fully managed agency services, allowing businesses to select the approach that best aligns with their budget, timeline, and quality expectations.

DesignCrowd.com Pricing

Understanding the pricing structure on DesignCrowd.com is crucial for anyone considering using their services.

The platform operates on a project-based pricing model, with various packages designed to accommodate different budgets and project scopes.

Project Packages and Tiers

DesignCrowd offers several project packages, each dictating the expected number of designs, the prize money for the winning designer, and additional features.

While specific pricing can fluctuate and is customized based on the project type, here’s a general overview of what to expect:

Bronze Package: This is typically the entry-level option, offering a basic prize amount and a lower expected number of designs e.g., 25-50 designs. It’s suitable for smaller projects or those with very tight budgets.
Silver Package: A mid-range option, providing a higher prize amount to attract more designers and potentially better quality submissions, leading to a larger expected number of designs e.g., 50-75 designs.
Gold Package: A premium package with an even more attractive prize for designers, aiming to draw top talent and a significantly higher volume of designs e.g., 75-100+ designs. This tier often includes features like private contests or faster turnaround times.
Platinum Package or similar high-tier: The highest-end package, offering the largest prize, maximum design submissions, and often dedicated support, extended promotion, or featured listings to ensure maximum designer participation.

Additional Costs and Fees

Beyond the base package price, clients might encounter additional costs: Meater.com Reviews

Listing Fee: DesignCrowd charges a listing fee sometimes referred to as a “project fee” or “platform fee” on top of the prize money. This fee covers the cost of hosting the contest, customer support, and platform maintenance. This fee can vary, but it’s typically a percentage of the total project cost or a flat rate.
Optional Upgrades: Clients can opt for various upgrades to enhance their contest:
- Featured Contest: Makes your contest more prominent on the platform, attracting more designers.
- Guaranteed Contest: Ensures that the prize money is paid out regardless of whether the client chooses a winner. This incentivizes designers to participate, knowing their effort won’t be in vain.
- Private Contest: Keeps submissions confidential, preventing competitors from seeing your designs.
- NDA Non-Disclosure Agreement: Adds an extra layer of legal protection for sensitive projects.
- Faster Turnaround: Allows you to set a shorter deadline, encouraging quicker submissions.
Designer Tip: While not mandatory, clients can choose to offer additional tips to designers they appreciate, even if they don’t win the contest.
Revision Fees: While initial revisions are usually included, extensive or multiple rounds of revisions beyond the scope might incur additional charges, depending on the designer and project agreement.

It’s important for clients to review the full cost breakdown before launching a project to avoid surprises.

The platform is transparent about these fees during the project setup process.

How to Cancel DesignCrowd.com Subscription

DesignCrowd primarily operates on a project-by-project basis, not a recurring subscription model for clients seeking designs. You pay for each contest you launch.

Therefore, there isn’t typically a “subscription” to cancel in the traditional sense for clients.

However, if you’re a designer on the platform, or if you’ve set up any recurring billing for a specific feature, the cancellation process would generally involve:

Logging In: Access your DesignCrowd account using your credentials.
Account Settings: Navigate to your “Account Settings” or “Dashboard.”
Billing/Subscription Tab: Look for a section related to “Billing,” “Subscriptions,” “Memberships,” or “Payments.”
Manage/Cancel: Within this section, you should find an option to manage or cancel any active recurring services or memberships you might have.
Confirmation: Follow the prompts to confirm your cancellation. You may be asked for feedback on why you are canceling.

Important Note: For clients, if you have an active design contest that you wish to withdraw, you would generally need to:

Log in to your account.
Go to “My Projects” or “My Contests.”
Select the active project.
Look for an option to “Cancel Project” or “Withdraw Contest.”

Be aware that canceling an active contest might have implications regarding any fees paid or the money-back guarantee, depending on how far along the project is and the terms of service.

It’s always best to review DesignCrowd’s official support documentation or contact their customer service for the most accurate and up-to-date instructions.

DesignCrowd.com vs. 99designs

When it comes to crowdsourced graphic design, DesignCrowd.com and 99designs are often considered the two dominant players.

While both platforms operate on a similar contest model, there are nuanced differences that might make one a better fit for a specific user. Community.auspost.com.au Reviews

DesignCrowd.com

Broad Design Services: DesignCrowd offers an extensive list of design categories, from logos and business cards to more niche services like tattoo design and car wraps. This breadth of services can be appealing if you have diverse and unusual design needs.
Volume of Submissions: DesignCrowd often emphasizes the sheer volume of designs you can expect. Their marketing frequently highlights receiving “25-100+ designs per project,” suggesting a high quantity of initial concepts.
Pricing Structure: Generally perceived to be slightly more budget-friendly at entry levels, though prices scale up with higher-tier packages and optional upgrades. The base prize for designers might be lower on average compared to 99designs for similar project types.
Designer Pool: Boasts a massive global designer base 1.2M+ freelance designers, which contributes to the high volume of submissions. The quality can vary, as is common with very large, open platforms.

99designs

Quality and Curation: 99designs has a reputation for a more curated designer pool. They often categorize designers by skill level e.g., Top Level, Mid-Level, Entry Level, allowing clients to choose a contest tier that corresponds to their budget and desired quality. This can potentially lead to a higher average quality of submissions.
Focus on Core Services: While they offer a wide range, 99designs is particularly strong in core branding services like logo design, web design, and brand identity. Their platform often feels more streamlined for these primary offerings.
Pricing Structure: Tends to have slightly higher starting prices for contests, reflecting the curated designer talent and potentially higher prize pools. They also offer “one-on-one projects” where you can hire a specific designer directly, moving beyond the contest model.
Designer-Client Interaction: 99designs often facilitates slightly more structured communication between clients and designers, particularly once a few top contenders emerge.

Key Differences Summarized

Feature	DesignCrowd.com	99designs
Designer Pool	Larger, more open, potentially wider quality range	More curated, categorized by skill level, often higher average quality
Design Volume	Emphasizes higher quantity of initial submissions	Focuses on quality and relevant submissions
Pricing	Generally lower entry point, scales up with features	Slightly higher starting prices, reflecting curation
Service Breadth	Extremely broad, including niche design types	Strong in core branding/web, good overall range
Collaboration	More focused on selection from many entries	Allows for direct hiring and structured interaction

Which one to choose?

Choose DesignCrowd if: You need a very broad range of design services, prioritize a high volume of initial concepts, and are working with a more restrictive budget at the entry level. You are comfortable sifting through a large number of submissions.
Choose 99designs if: You prioritize a higher average quality of designs, prefer a more curated designer pool, need strong branding/web design, and are willing to invest a bit more for potentially more refined results and structured processes.

Both platforms offer a viable solution for crowdsourced design, and the best choice ultimately depends on your specific project requirements and priorities.

DesignCrowd.com User Experience

A platform’s user experience UX is crucial for both clients and designers.

Based on the website’s layout, stated features, and general design principles, we can assess the likely user journey on DesignCrowd.com.

Client User Experience

Project Briefing: The process of submitting a design brief appears to be guided, likely involving prompts for project type, desired style, budget, and timeline. A clear, intuitive briefing process is essential for clients to articulate their needs effectively. The site emphasizes detailed input for “the perfect custom design.”
Navigation and Interface: The website has a clean, modern design, making it easy to navigate between design categories, explore past projects, and access account settings. The “Get started now” buttons are prominent, indicating a clear call to action.
Design Review: Clients are presented with multiple design submissions. The platform likely offers tools for ranking, commenting on, and requesting revisions from designers. An efficient review interface is critical when managing dozens of entries.
Communication: While primarily a contest model, there are likely integrated messaging systems for clients to communicate with designers, particularly those whose work they are considering. The testimonial from “Stuart Wilson” praising “quick responses to my queries” suggests effective communication channels.
Payment and File Delivery: The process for making payments and receiving final design files should be secure and straightforward. The “money back guarantee” suggests a system in place to manage client satisfaction and refunds.

Designer User Experience

Project Browsing: Designers need an efficient way to browse available contests, filter by category, prize money, and deadline. The platform appears to categorize services clearly, aiding discoverability for designers.
Submission Process: Submitting designs should be intuitive, allowing designers to upload their work, add descriptions, and manage different versions.
Feedback and Revisions: Designers rely on clear feedback from clients to refine their work. The platform should facilitate this exchange, allowing designers to understand client preferences.
Payment and Earnings: For designers, clear information on contest status, payment schedules, and withdrawal options is paramount. The “I want to work” section and “earn money” pitch directly target designer aspirations.
Profile Management: Designers typically have profiles to showcase their portfolios, past contest wins, and client ratings. This allows them to build their reputation on the platform. The “4.9 average from 3,059 ratings” for customers suggests a robust rating system that likely applies to designers too.

Overall, DesignCrowd.com seems to offer a user-friendly experience for both sides of the marketplace, prioritizing ease of use and clear pathways for project initiation, management, and completion.

The emphasis on speed “designs within a few hours” and volume “heaps of design ideas” also suggests a streamlined process.

DesignCrowd.com Security & Trustworthiness

When engaging with any online platform, especially one involving financial transactions and creative assets, assessing its security measures and overall trustworthiness is paramount.

DesignCrowd.com appears to implement several features aimed at building user confidence.

Data Security and Privacy

Encryption: The platform likely employs standard SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmitted between your browser and their servers. This is crucial for protecting personal information, payment details, and project briefs. While not explicitly stated on the homepage, it’s a fundamental expectation for any reputable online service.
Privacy Policy: DesignCrowd.com would have a comprehensive privacy policy outlining how user data is collected, stored, used, and protected. Users should always review this policy to understand their rights and the platform’s data handling practices.
Secure Payment Gateways: Payments on the platform are handled through secure payment gateways e.g., credit card processors, PayPal integration. These third-party services are designed to protect financial information and reduce the risk of fraud.

Trust Building Features

Money Back Guarantee: This is a significant trust signal. The guarantee states, “If you’re not satisfied with the designs and don’t get the perfect design for your business, get your money back*.” This reduces the financial risk for clients and shows the platform’s confidence in its ability to deliver. Note the asterisk, implying terms and conditions apply, which users should always check.
Customer Testimonials: The homepage prominently features multiple positive testimonials from real businesses, including recognizable names like HI-TEC and Harvard Business School. These provide social proof and build credibility. The “4.9 average from 3,059 ratings” is a strong indicator of overall user satisfaction.
Large User Base and Completed Projects: The statistics of 1,282,676 freelance designers and 515,682 completed projects suggest a mature and active platform. A large, engaged community often points to a well-established and generally reliable service.
Dispute Resolution: While not explicitly detailed on the homepage, a reputable platform would have a mechanism for resolving disputes between clients and designers, ensuring fair outcomes when issues arise.
Intellectual Property IP Transfer: DesignCrowd’s process typically involves the transfer of intellectual property rights for the chosen design from the designer to the client upon final payment. This is a critical legal aspect that protects the client’s ownership of the creative work.

Potential Considerations

While DesignCrowd appears robust, users should always practice due diligence:

Read Terms and Conditions: Always read the full terms of service, especially regarding the money-back guarantee, IP rights, and dispute resolution.
Clear Briefing: The more detailed and clear your project brief, the better your chances of receiving satisfactory designs, minimizing the need for refunds or disputes.
Review Designer Portfolios: For clients, while a contest brings many options, taking time to review the portfolios of designers who submit work can give a better sense of their typical quality and style.

In summary, DesignCrowd.com leverages strong trust signals and practical features to establish itself as a secure and reliable platform for crowdsourced design, making it a viable option for many design needs. Animebee.com Reviews

DesignCrowd.com Customer Support

Effective customer support is a cornerstone of any service platform, particularly one that facilitates complex creative projects and financial transactions.

Based on the information available on DesignCrowd.com, they appear to offer several avenues for customer assistance.

Support Channels

Help Center/FAQ: Most online platforms, including DesignCrowd, typically feature a comprehensive Help Center or FAQ section. This resource allows users to find answers to common questions about setting up projects, managing contests, payments, file delivery, and account issues without needing direct contact.
Contact Form/Email Support: For more specific inquiries or issues not covered in the FAQ, a contact form or direct email address for customer support is standard. This enables users to submit tickets and receive personalized assistance. The testimonial from “Stuart Wilson” noting “quick responses to my queries” suggests an active and responsive support team.
Live Chat Potential: Some modern platforms offer live chat functionality for immediate assistance during business hours. While not explicitly highlighted on the homepage, it’s a common feature for online marketplaces.
Phone Support Less Common for Marketplaces: Phone support is less common for crowdsourcing platforms due to the sheer volume of users, but some might offer it for premium accounts or urgent issues.
Community Forums Potential: While not evident from the homepage, some platforms foster community forums where users can ask questions and get peer-to-peer support, sometimes moderated by platform staff.

How to Access Support

Typically, support options are found in the website’s footer e.g., “Support,” “Help,” “Contact Us” or within a user’s dashboard once logged in.

The goal is to make it easy for both clients and designers to get assistance when needed.

Importance of Responsive Support

In a crowdsourcing model, questions can arise at various stages:

Clients: May need help with writing effective briefs, clarifying contest rules, managing design submissions, making payments, or handling intellectual property questions.
Designers: May need assistance with understanding project requirements, submitting files, receiving payments, or resolving technical issues.

Responsive and knowledgeable customer support ensures a smoother experience, helps resolve disputes, and ultimately contributes to user satisfaction and the platform’s overall reputation.

The positive feedback on responsiveness in the testimonials reinforces that DesignCrowd likely invests in this area.

Partners

Designcrowd.com Reviews