Design Subscription vs Agency Retainer: What’s the Difference

Trying to decide between a traditional design agency and an unlimited design subscription? We’ll help you.

TL;DR

Design agency retainers and an unlimited design subscription are pretty similar. You pay a fixed monthly fee for your ongoing design needs. However, while a retainer might specify the number of requests you can make, with a design subscription you can make unlimited requests and revisions. On top of that, an unlimited design subscription is only a fraction of the price ($500 - $2,000) of a typical design agency retainer ($6,000 - $15,000). 

What are design agencies?

Design agencies are professional design companies with full creative teams including designers, copywriters, marketing specialists, video editors, and more.

When you approach them with a creative project, they can handle everything from market research and ideation, to execution and monitoring. 

There are 2 ways design agencies typically charge clients:

• Per project: most projects costs several thousand dollars, while bigger projects (e.g. website design or logo and branding) can easily reach $10,000+. 
• Monthly retainers: clients pay a fixed monthly fee for ongoing creative support. However, a retainer usually specifies how many hours designers work, and sometimes which types of projects are supported. 

What are unlimited design services?

Unlimited design services, also called design subscription or on-demand design services, offer ongoing design support at a fixed monthly fee.

This of course doesn’t mean unlimited designs - you’re still working with people, not robots. However, unlimited design requests and revisions are included in a flat monthly fee, which gives you a lot of flexibility and control over the design process, without the fear of going over budget. 

So, what’s the difference between an unlimited design subscription and an agency retainer? In theory, not a lot. With both you pay a fixed monthly fee. However, unlimited design services allow unlimited requests for all types of projects, while agencies might limit the number and/or type of project a retainer covers. 

Design agencies: pros

Full creative services

If you need the full array of creative services, then a design agency is the right choice. These creative companies can take care of a range of tasks including:

• Market and competitor research
• Brand identity creation (including brand voice, messaging, etc.)
• Campaign creation and implementation
• Web development
• Site audits and SEO optimisation

And the list doesn’t end there. Of course, not every design agency is a full-service marketing agency. So, it’s important to be clear about your needs before you decide who to work with. 

Cutting-edge designs

Design agencies typically employ more experienced designers. They themselves often outsource simple daily tasks, which leaves a lot more room for creative experimentation.

If you struggle with providing creative briefs, and don’t know the first thing about design ROI, they can provide design consultancy services to help you maximise

Design agency: cons

It’s expensive

Typical project fees with design agencies are several thousands of dollars, while bigger projects such as brand and website design often go over $10,000.

Monthly retainers can be a little more viable in the long term, but they will still set you back between $6,000 and $15,000 a month. 

Turnaround can be slow

Although they excel in creativity, design agencies usually have relatively small teams. Since they hire highly skilled and experienced designers, there’s usually only 1 person with a specific skill set (e.g. UI, illustrator, marketing designer, etc.).

This could mean that each small task, even a revision, can take several days to complete. On top of that, since most agencies work on a per project basis, their workload is unpredictable. So, if they’re helping out another client on a big project, your daily tasks could be placed on hold. 

Unlimited design: pros

It’s a lot more affordable.

This is by far the biggest advantage of unlimited design services over traditional agencies. Typical subscriptions cost between $500 and $2,000, which is usually what you’d pay for a single project at a design agency.

On top of that, unlimited design services have a truly vast scope of services. So, whether you need a new logo, website, or hand-drawn illustrations, they’ve got you covered.

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In contrast, design agencies often specialize in a single field, so they might not have the resources for all your design needs. 

Managing multiple brands is easier.

Since they work in-depth with each client, agencies can typically service a limited number of clients. So, if you need graphics for multiple brands the design process might be a bit slower.

In contrast, unlimited design services like ManyPixels are better equipped for managing large workloads. The design teams are typically bigger, and most services (including ManyPixels) work with custom platforms that allow users to upload brand assets for different brands. This makes design a lot quicker and easier. 

Scaling is easier. 

On a similar note, unlimited design companies offer much more flexibility than agencies. These companies are created for daily design so the turnaround is always fast.

This means that you don’t have to worry about seasonal spikes in workload - you can always upgrade your subscription to get more work done.

On the other hand, if you are in a slower period, you can always pause your subscription with ManyPixels. Once you’re ready to start up again all your work and files will be immediately available.

I appreciate ManyPixels for being a reliable and punctual design partner, offering high-quality work that serves as the backbone for our creative projects. Their ability to scale services flexibly and deliver designs within 24 hours is impressive - Dima P.

In contrast, should you drop a design agency, there’s no guarantee that they will have the capacity to take you on as a client. And all the communication and assets will need to be exchanged again from scratch. 

Unlimited design: cons

It’s not full-service

Subscription-based design is no replacement for a full-service marketing agency. If you need copywriting

However, when it comes to web development, there are some options. For example, ManyPixels offers a Webflow development add-on. We’ll upload designs onto Webflow

Design quality can vary

There are dozens of unlimited design companies out there and not all of them hire experienced designers. Of course, this is technically a concern you could have with design agencies as well. However, since design subscriptions are a lot cheaper, this could mean they hire beginners. 

At ManyPixels we have a relatively small team of about 40 designers (compared to companies like Design Pickle that have 100+). So, we’re able to hire only the top 2% of applicants for our positions.

Moreover, ManyPixels has a refined quality assurance system in place, which allows our team of dedicated project managers to check each design before it’s submitted to the client for review. This makes the process faster, and helps our design team deliver better quality work. 

Design subscription or agency retainer: what to choose?

So, what is a better choice for your business, an unlimited design service or a design agency retainer?

If you consider the price, quality, and turnaround times, unlimited design services are almost always the better choice. 

Of course, it’s important to remember that they do not provide a full-service deal. So, if that’s what you’re after a traditional agency should be your choice.

Additionally, you’ll need to do your own research and find a reputable design subscription company with good reviews, professional portfolio, and a quality control system.

For all of the above, look no further than ManyPixels. We have thousands of happy clients in our ranks, to whom we deliver dozens of high-quality designs daily!

I truly appreciate ManyPixels for a variety of reasons. Firstly, their platform is incredibly easy to use, allowing me to manage requests and files with ease, provide feedback on designs, and communicate effectively with the designers... The fact that they hire only senior designers... ensures that the quality of work is consistently top-notch... The design work ManyPixels did for our website is outstanding, and their illustrations for our blog posts and other marketing collateral have been extremely effective. -  Mélanie Q.

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