Ask five studios what branding costs and you’ll get five answers and a lot of “it depends”. It does depend, but not so much that the question can’t be answered. Anyone asking deserves a straight answer before they book a call.
So here’s how we see the UK market in 2026, split into four bands. These are rough ranges to help you make sense of the quotes you get, and every project lands somewhere slightly different. It’s also worth checking whether a quote includes VAT, since most established studios quote before it.
Four price bands
Under £2,000: a logo
This could come from a freelancer, a marketplace site or, more and more often, an AI tool. You get a logo and a few colours, usually quickly. What you don’t get is a system, or much thought about who the brand is for.
For a side project or an early test of an idea, that’s the right amount to spend. The trouble starts when the business grows and tries to stretch a £900 logo across a website, packaging and a sales deck.
£2,000–£8,000: an identity from a freelancer or small studio
This usually covers a logo, typography, colour, a short set of guidelines and sometimes a few applications. Quality varies more in this band than in any other, because it depends almost entirely on one person. The best freelancers at this level do better work than plenty of agencies, and the worst hand over a template with your name on it. Look at the last three projects they finished, rather than the highlights they’ve picked for their portfolio.
£8,000–£30,000: a full identity from a studio
This is where strategy properly comes in: positioning, audience and tone of voice, with a real system built on top instead of a logo and a few rules. Expect:
- a verbal identity
- a type and colour system that works at every size
- brand guidelines someone can actually use
- the applications that matter to your business, like packaging and social templates
A website may be included or quoted separately, so check which. Most businesses that have found their feet and are being held back by how they look belong in this band.
£30,000 and up: an agency or consultancy
This means research, workshops, several rounds of development, a team of specialists, and a programme of work rather than a single project. Much of the cost goes on the process rather than the output. It’s the right choice for organisations with lots of stakeholders, several markets, or a rebrand that has to roll out across hundreds of places without anyone getting it wrong. For almost everyone else, it means paying for meetings.
What actually changes the price
Within any band, four things affect the final number.
Scope
A logo on its own is cheap. A logo plus a website plus packaging plus a launch campaign is four projects. Be honest about what you’ll actually need in the first twelve months, and buy that.
Strategy
Work that starts with “who is this for, and why should they care?” costs more than work that starts with “make it look modern”. It’s also much more likely to still work when your competitors redesign.
Rounds of revisions
Every extra round of changes is paid time. A studio that asks good questions at the start needs fewer rounds, and a client who knows what they want needs fewer still.
Who’s doing the work
Ask who will actually design your brand, and whether it’s the same person who pitched to you. At bigger agencies, senior people often win the work and someone more junior does it.
What you should end up with
Whatever you spend, you should get a system that people other than the designer can use. Hand the files to a new hire, a printer and a web developer, and all three should be able to produce something that looks like the same company. If they can’t, what you’ve bought is closer to a picture than a brand.
Where we sit
Our projects sit in the studio band. We’re small on purpose, so the person you meet is the person doing the work, and we only take on one project at a time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does branding cost in the UK?
It depends on what you need. A logo on its own usually costs under £2,000. A basic identity from a freelancer or small studio is typically £2,000 to £8,000, and a full identity with strategy from a studio is £8,000 to £30,000. Agency programmes for large organisations start around £30,000 and can go well past £150,000. Check whether quotes include VAT.
What’s included in a branding project?
At minimum, a logo, colours and typography. A full project also includes strategy (positioning, audience and tone of voice), brand guidelines and the applications your business needs, like packaging, templates and sometimes a website.
Why do branding quotes vary so much?
Mainly because of scope, how much strategy is involved, the number of revision rounds and who does the work. Two quotes for “a rebrand” can describe very different projects.
