Should I hire a logo designer on Upwork or run a 99designs contest?

We Tried It All recommends Upwork Project Catalog if you have a visual direction and want to refine it with one designer. A 99designs contest gives an undecided team multiple concepts from one brief, at the cost of more time reviewing entries.

Do I own every concept submitted to a contest?

99designs says unused concepts stay with their designers. Buy the rights to a second concept separately if you intend to use it.

What file should I request for a sign printer?

Ask the printer which vector formats and color specifications it accepts. Require the agreed editable master and a proof at the intended dimensions. A high-resolution PNG alone is not an editable vector file.

How many concepts should I pay for?

If a chosen designer’s portfolio already fits the brief, revisions to one direction may be more useful than extra concepts. A contest makes more sense when decision-makers want several genuinely different approaches.

Does buying a logo include the font license?

Ask about the specific typeface and permitted uses. Receiving a final graphic or its copyright does not by itself explain whether a separate desktop, web or commercial font license is needed.

How should two Upwork package tiers be compared?

List each deliverable and revision you need, then compare the least expensive tier covering all of them. Confirm whether source files, avatar crops and additional formats are included before buying add-ons.

When is a contest actually finished?

Treat winner selection as the beginning of handover. Confirm final files, sign the applicable transfer agreement and test the artwork in the intended size and color before calling the branding project complete.

Upwork Project Catalog vs. a 99designs logo contest

We Tried It All · Sources checked November 10, 2026

A café that already knows its style needs a designer who can deliver the right files. A team that still disagrees about the look may get more from a contest.

Quick verdict

Upwork Project Catalog fits a founder who can point to one designer’s portfolio and say “that is the style I want.” A 99designs logo contest fits a team that needs to see several visual directions before choosing. The entry-level contest lists about 30 concepts for $249 before sales tax.

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At a glance

What changes the choice?
What matters to you	Upwork Project Catalog	99designs logo contest
Whose ideas will I see?support.upwork.com · 99designs.com	Pick one freelancer by their portfolio. The chosen package defines the work and any included concepts.	Multiple designers respond to one brief. Bronze estimates roughly 30 concepts, which can include iterations.
What do I pay for extra polish?support.upwork.com · 99designs.com · support.upwork.com	Compare Starter, Standard and Advanced for the same freelancer. Revision count, delivery time and add-ons can vary by tier.	Bronze is $249 and Silver is $399 before sales tax. Silver estimates 60 concepts versus 30 for Bronze. That purchases a larger pool to consider.
What can I hand to my printer?support.upwork.com · support.99designs.com · support.99designs.com	Make editable vector artwork and print-ready exports explicit deliverables in the package or agreed scope.	99designs specifies vector files in the logo handover and web preview files. The winning design goes through the rights-transfer process.

Which option fits you?

Upwork Project Catalog

Choose a portfolio that already reflects the look you want, then select the tier that includes your revisions and final artwork. Ask for a vector if the logo will go on a shop sign.

Provider details ↗

Visit Upwork Project Catalog ↗

99designs logo contest

Choose a contest when you want multiple visual interpretations of the same brief. The Bronze package estimates 30 concepts, so set aside time to give feedback and narrow the field.

Provider details ↗

What should a bakery receive for a logo used on a shop sign?

Request a scalable vector file for the sign and a square web export for the bakery profile. On Upwork check both outputs against the selected designer’s package. In a 99designs contest, the vector handover applies to the winning design; other submissions remain with their designers.

One brief, two different purchases

Imagine opening a bakery with a pencil sketch of a wheat-stalk wordmark. If you mainly need that sketch refined into scalable artwork for a sign, compare Upwork designers who already show lettering you like and specify the vector file. If your cofounders disagree about a playful mascot versus a restrained wordmark, the 99designs contest gives your team examples of both directions before it settles on one.

support.upwork.com · 99designs.com · support.upwork.com · support.99designs.com · support.99designs.com

Frequently asked questions

Should I hire a logo designer on Upwork or run a 99designs contest?: We Tried It All recommends Upwork Project Catalog if you have a visual direction and want to refine it with one designer. A 99designs contest gives an undecided team multiple concepts from one brief, at the cost of more time reviewing entries.
Do I own every concept submitted to a contest?: 99designs says unused concepts stay with their designers. Buy the rights to a second concept separately if you intend to use it.
What file should I request for a sign printer?: Ask the printer which vector formats and color specifications it accepts. Require the agreed editable master and a proof at the intended dimensions. A high-resolution PNG alone is not an editable vector file.
How many concepts should I pay for?: If a chosen designer’s portfolio already fits the brief, revisions to one direction may be more useful than extra concepts. A contest makes more sense when decision-makers want several genuinely different approaches.
Does buying a logo include the font license?: Ask about the specific typeface and permitted uses. Receiving a final graphic or its copyright does not by itself explain whether a separate desktop, web or commercial font license is needed.
How should two Upwork package tiers be compared?: List each deliverable and revision you need, then compare the least expensive tier covering all of them. Confirm whether source files, avatar crops and additional formats are included before buying add-ons.
When is a contest actually finished?: Treat winner selection as the beginning of handover. Confirm final files, sign the applicable transfer agreement and test the artwork in the intended size and color before calling the branding project complete.

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