How many logo concepts should I offer?

Enough to give the client a real choice without spreading your time thin. Two or three well-developed directions usually do that better than ten rough ones. Put the number in the proposal and price extra concepts separately.

What files should a client get with a logo?

Vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF), PNG files with a transparent background, full colour, one colour, black and white versions, the main lock-ups and an icon, plus colour values for screen and print. List them in the proposal so nothing is in doubt at handover.

Should a logo design proposal include brand guidelines?

Only if you've priced them. A one-page usage guide is a good standard deliverable. Full brand guidelines are a bigger piece of work and fit better as a higher package.

Who owns a logo, the designer or the client?

Whoever the agreement says. Usually the client gets the copyright in the final logo once they've paid in full, and the designer keeps unused concepts. In the UK and the US a copyright transfer must be in writing and signed, so put it in the signed proposal or contract.

Can a logo designer guarantee a trademark?

No. A designer can promise original work, but whether a logo can be registered depends on existing marks and the registry's decision. Suggest a trademark search, or a trademark attorney, before the client invests in signage and print.

How long does a logo design project take?

It depends on your process and how quickly the client gives feedback. Put a date on each stage in the proposal and make clear that late feedback moves the final date.

How do I bid for logo design jobs on Freelancer or Upwork?

Keep the first message short: the client's goal in your words, your three steps, one relevant logo from your portfolio, one question and a clear price. Send the full proposal once they reply.

Proposal template

Logo design proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

A logo design proposal should explain how you'll learn about the business, how many concepts and revision rounds the client gets, exactly which logo files they receive and when ownership passes to them. Use the template below, replace each [bracket], and leave trademark checks with the client or their lawyer rather than promising the logo can be registered.

The logo design proposal template

A logo looks like a small job until the client asks for six more concepts, a version for embroidery and "the original file". A good proposal sets out the process and the file package upfront, so both sides know what finished looks like.

This template covers a standalone logo, with an optional starter brand kit as a higher package. Adjust the number of concepts and the packages to match how you work.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

LOGO DESIGN PROPOSAL

Project: Logo design for [Business name]
Prepared for: [Client name], [Business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your studio or business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
[Business name] is [what the business does] for [who its customers are]. You're [launching / rebranding / replacing an old logo] and need a logo that [the key feeling or message, e.g. looks established enough for corporate clients]. It will be used on [main uses: website, packaging, vehicles, signage, social media].

2. Goals
- A distinctive logo that stands apart from [competitors or sector clichés to avoid]
- Clear at small sizes, such as a favicon or profile picture, and at large ones, such as signage
- Works in one colour for [embroidery, stamps, engraving] if needed
- A file package your team and suppliers can use without coming back to me

3. Scope of work
- Discovery: a brand questionnaire and a [30 / 60]-minute call
- Research: a review of [number] competitors and a mood board for your approval
- Concepts: [number] distinct logo directions, presented in black and white and shown on [mock-ups, e.g. a shop sign and a business card]
- Refinement: [number] revision rounds on the chosen direction
- Finalisation: colour palette, final lock-ups and file export
Not included unless agreed in writing: full brand guidelines, website or packaging design, trademark searches or registration, and printing.

4. Deliverables
- Primary logo, [horizontal / stacked] lock-ups and a standalone icon
- Colour versions: full colour, one colour, black, and white (reversed)
- Formats: SVG, EPS and PDF (vector), plus PNG with a transparent background at [sizes]
- Colour values: HEX, RGB and CMYK [and Pantone references]
- A one-page usage guide: clear space, minimum size, do's and don'ts
- Editable source file: [included / available for [price]]

5. Timeline
- Week 1: discovery call, questionnaire and mood board
- Week [2]: concept presentation
- Week [3]: revision rounds
- Week [4]: final files and usage guide
Each stage starts when I receive your feedback on the one before. Delays on either side move later dates by the same amount.

6. Pricing options
Option A, Logo: [number] concepts, [number] revision rounds, full file package. [price]
Option B, Logo plus: [number] concepts, [number] rounds, extra lock-ups, usage guide and source file. [price]
Option C, Starter brand kit: everything in B plus a colour palette, font pairing, social media profile and cover images, and a business card design. [price]
Additional concepts: [price] each. Extra revision rounds: [price] per round.

7. What I need from you
- Answers to the brand questionnaire within [number] days
- Examples of logos you like and dislike, with a line on why
- Your business name exactly as it should appear, and any tagline
- One decision-maker for feedback and sign-off

8. Terms
Payment: [50]% deposit to book the project, balance on approval of the final logo and before handover.
Revisions: [number] rounds on the chosen direction. Starting a new direction after concepts are approved is quoted separately.
Ownership: when the final invoice is paid, I transfer copyright in the final logo to [Business name]. Unused concepts stay with me [and won't be sold to anyone else as a logo]. Fonts used in the logo remain under their own licences.
Trademark: the logo will be my original work and I won't knowingly copy existing marks, but I can't guarantee it can be registered as a trademark. I recommend a trademark search before launch.
Portfolio: I may show the final logo in my portfolio once you've launched it.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement and the deposit invoice.
3. You complete the questionnaire and we book the discovery call.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Portfolio link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a logo design proposal

Logo clients are often small business owners buying design for the first time. They want to know what they'll see, when they'll see it and what they'll be able to do with the files afterwards.

Discovery: a questionnaire or call about the business, its customers, its competitors and the feeling the logo should give.
Concepts: how many distinct directions you'll present, and how you'll present them.
Refinement: the number of revision rounds on the chosen direction.
The file package: logo versions, colour versions and formats.
Ownership and trademark: what transfers, when, and what the client should check before launch.
Price, payment schedule and a dated timeline.

How to describe your logo design process

Clients trust a process they can picture. Break it into stages with a date for each, and say what you need from them at every stage.

Presenting logos in black and white first keeps the conversation on shape and idea rather than favourite colours. If you work that way, say so in the proposal so the client isn't surprised. Showing each concept on a real use, such as a shop sign, a business card or an app icon, helps the client judge it the way customers will see it.

Discovery and research: questionnaire, competitor review and a mood board for approval.
Concepts: a set number of distinct directions, shown in mock-ups.
Refinement: changes to the chosen direction within the agreed rounds.
Finalisation: colour, spacing, lock-ups and file export.
Handover: the file package and a one-page usage guide.

Which logo files to list in the proposal

Naming the file package prevents the classic handover dispute. List the versions and formats so the client can tick them off when the files arrive.

Versions: the primary logo, horizontal and stacked lock-ups, and the icon or mark on its own.
Colour versions: full colour, one colour, black, and white (reversed) for dark backgrounds.
Vector formats such as SVG, EPS or PDF, for print and for scaling to any size.
PNG files with a transparent background for websites, documents and slides.
Colour values: HEX and RGB for screens, CMYK for print, and Pantone references if you specify them.
The editable source file, if it's included in the package.

How to price logo design

Logo work is usually priced per project, and packages work well. The basic package covers the logo itself; higher packages add more concepts, more revision rounds, extra lock-ups or a small brand kit with a colour palette, fonts and social media images.

What drives the price: the depth of research, the number of concepts, revision rounds, the size of the client and how widely the logo will be used (a logo for a national chain does far more work than one for a sole trader), the file package and the deadline. Clients want a fixed figure before they commit, so hourly pricing tends to suit only small edits to an existing logo.

Price extra concepts and extra revision rounds individually.
Keep full brand guidelines as a separate, higher package rather than squeezing them into a logo fee.

Ownership and trademark questions

Say when the client owns the logo. A common approach is that copyright in the final logo transfers when the invoice is paid in full, while unused concepts stay with you. In many countries, including the UK and the US, a copyright transfer has to be in writing and signed, so include it in the signed proposal or contract.

A designer can make sure a logo is original work, but can't guarantee it can be registered as a trademark. Suggest the client searches the trademark register for their country, for example through the UK IPO or the USPTO, or speaks to a trademark attorney before paying for signage and print. This is general information, not legal advice.

Logo design proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

LOGO DESIGN PROPOSAL: Fernhill Physio
Prepared for: Dr Leah Marsh, Fernhill Physio
Prepared by: Jordan Reyes

Overview
Fernhill Physio is opening a second clinic. The current logo was made in a word processor years ago, blurs on signage and looks dated next to newer clinics. You want something calm and professional that still feels friendly to older patients.

Process
A discovery call and questionnaire this week, a mood board for approval, then three black-and-white concepts shown on the clinic sign, an appointment card and the website header. Two revision rounds on the chosen direction.

Deliverables
Primary logo, horizontal version and icon; full colour, one colour, black and white versions; SVG, EPS, PDF and transparent PNG files; HEX, RGB and CMYK values; a one-page usage guide.

Pricing options
Option A, Logo: $600
Option B, Logo plus source file and usage guide: $800
Option C, Starter brand kit with business cards and social media images: $1,150

Terms
50% deposit, balance before handover. Copyright in the final logo transfers to Fernhill Physio on full payment. I recommend a trademark search before the new sign is ordered.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short logo design bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You need a logo for [business] that [the main thing they want, e.g. looks trustworthy to corporate buyers] and still reads clearly at small sizes like a profile picture.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. A short questionnaire about your customers and competitors, then a mood board for you to approve
2. [number] distinct concepts in black and white, shown on real uses like [a sign or packaging]
3. [number] revision rounds, then the full file package: vector files, transparent PNGs and colour codes

[Proof: a similar logo you designed, with a link to it in your portfolio]

One question: is there anything common in your industry's logos that you definitely want to avoid?

I can deliver in [timeline] for [price], with copyright in the final logo transferred to you on payment.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose logo design clients

Offering dozens of concepts for a low fee. It looks generous, but it signals guesswork and leaves no time to refine the best idea.
Skipping discovery and designing from the business name alone.
Not listing the file package, so the client later asks for formats and versions you never planned to make.
Presenting concepts in full colour first, so the feedback is about favourite colours instead of the idea.
Promising that the logo can be trademarked. Only a trademark search and the registry can answer that.
Leaving ownership vague, or transferring copyright before the final payment has cleared.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

How many logo concepts should I offer?: Enough to give the client a real choice without spreading your time thin. Two or three well-developed directions usually do that better than ten rough ones. Put the number in the proposal and price extra concepts separately.
What files should a client get with a logo?: Vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF), PNG files with a transparent background, full colour, one colour, black and white versions, the main lock-ups and an icon, plus colour values for screen and print. List them in the proposal so nothing is in doubt at handover.
Should a logo design proposal include brand guidelines?: Only if you've priced them. A one-page usage guide is a good standard deliverable. Full brand guidelines are a bigger piece of work and fit better as a higher package.
Who owns a logo, the designer or the client?: Whoever the agreement says. Usually the client gets the copyright in the final logo once they've paid in full, and the designer keeps unused concepts. In the UK and the US a copyright transfer must be in writing and signed, so put it in the signed proposal or contract.
Can a logo designer guarantee a trademark?: No. A designer can promise original work, but whether a logo can be registered depends on existing marks and the registry's decision. Suggest a trademark search, or a trademark attorney, before the client invests in signage and print.
How long does a logo design project take?: It depends on your process and how quickly the client gives feedback. Put a date on each stage in the proposal and make clear that late feedback moves the final date.
How do I bid for logo design jobs on Freelancer or Upwork?: Keep the first message short: the client's goal in your words, your three steps, one relevant logo from your portfolio, one question and a clear price. Send the full proposal once they reply.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.

Proposal template

Logo design proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

The logo design proposal template

This template covers a standalone logo, with an optional starter brand kit as a higher package. Adjust the number of concepts and the packages to match how you work.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

LOGO DESIGN PROPOSAL

Project: Logo design for [Business name]
Prepared for: [Client name], [Business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your studio or business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
[Business name] is [what the business does] for [who its customers are]. You're [launching / rebranding / replacing an old logo] and need a logo that [the key feeling or message, e.g. looks established enough for corporate clients]. It will be used on [main uses: website, packaging, vehicles, signage, social media].

2. Goals
- A distinctive logo that stands apart from [competitors or sector clichés to avoid]
- Clear at small sizes, such as a favicon or profile picture, and at large ones, such as signage
- Works in one colour for [embroidery, stamps, engraving] if needed
- A file package your team and suppliers can use without coming back to me

3. Scope of work
- Discovery: a brand questionnaire and a [30 / 60]-minute call
- Research: a review of [number] competitors and a mood board for your approval
- Concepts: [number] distinct logo directions, presented in black and white and shown on [mock-ups, e.g. a shop sign and a business card]
- Refinement: [number] revision rounds on the chosen direction
- Finalisation: colour palette, final lock-ups and file export
Not included unless agreed in writing: full brand guidelines, website or packaging design, trademark searches or registration, and printing.

4. Deliverables
- Primary logo, [horizontal / stacked] lock-ups and a standalone icon
- Colour versions: full colour, one colour, black, and white (reversed)
- Formats: SVG, EPS and PDF (vector), plus PNG with a transparent background at [sizes]
- Colour values: HEX, RGB and CMYK [and Pantone references]
- A one-page usage guide: clear space, minimum size, do's and don'ts
- Editable source file: [included / available for [price]]

5. Timeline
- Week 1: discovery call, questionnaire and mood board
- Week [2]: concept presentation
- Week [3]: revision rounds
- Week [4]: final files and usage guide
Each stage starts when I receive your feedback on the one before. Delays on either side move later dates by the same amount.

6. Pricing options
Option A, Logo: [number] concepts, [number] revision rounds, full file package. [price]
Option B, Logo plus: [number] concepts, [number] rounds, extra lock-ups, usage guide and source file. [price]
Option C, Starter brand kit: everything in B plus a colour palette, font pairing, social media profile and cover images, and a business card design. [price]
Additional concepts: [price] each. Extra revision rounds: [price] per round.

7. What I need from you
- Answers to the brand questionnaire within [number] days
- Examples of logos you like and dislike, with a line on why
- Your business name exactly as it should appear, and any tagline
- One decision-maker for feedback and sign-off

8. Terms
Payment: [50]% deposit to book the project, balance on approval of the final logo and before handover.
Revisions: [number] rounds on the chosen direction. Starting a new direction after concepts are approved is quoted separately.
Ownership: when the final invoice is paid, I transfer copyright in the final logo to [Business name]. Unused concepts stay with me [and won't be sold to anyone else as a logo]. Fonts used in the logo remain under their own licences.
Trademark: the logo will be my original work and I won't knowingly copy existing marks, but I can't guarantee it can be registered as a trademark. I recommend a trademark search before launch.
Portfolio: I may show the final logo in my portfolio once you've launched it.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement and the deposit invoice.
3. You complete the questionnaire and we book the discovery call.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Portfolio link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a logo design proposal

Logo clients are often small business owners buying design for the first time. They want to know what they'll see, when they'll see it and what they'll be able to do with the files afterwards.

Discovery: a questionnaire or call about the business, its customers, its competitors and the feeling the logo should give.
Concepts: how many distinct directions you'll present, and how you'll present them.
Refinement: the number of revision rounds on the chosen direction.
The file package: logo versions, colour versions and formats.
Ownership and trademark: what transfers, when, and what the client should check before launch.
Price, payment schedule and a dated timeline.

How to describe your logo design process

Clients trust a process they can picture. Break it into stages with a date for each, and say what you need from them at every stage.

Discovery and research: questionnaire, competitor review and a mood board for approval.
Concepts: a set number of distinct directions, shown in mock-ups.
Refinement: changes to the chosen direction within the agreed rounds.
Finalisation: colour, spacing, lock-ups and file export.
Handover: the file package and a one-page usage guide.

Which logo files to list in the proposal

Naming the file package prevents the classic handover dispute. List the versions and formats so the client can tick them off when the files arrive.

Versions: the primary logo, horizontal and stacked lock-ups, and the icon or mark on its own.
Colour versions: full colour, one colour, black, and white (reversed) for dark backgrounds.
Vector formats such as SVG, EPS or PDF, for print and for scaling to any size.
PNG files with a transparent background for websites, documents and slides.
Colour values: HEX and RGB for screens, CMYK for print, and Pantone references if you specify them.
The editable source file, if it's included in the package.

How to price logo design

Price extra concepts and extra revision rounds individually.
Keep full brand guidelines as a separate, higher package rather than squeezing them into a logo fee.

Ownership and trademark questions

Logo design proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

LOGO DESIGN PROPOSAL: Fernhill Physio
Prepared for: Dr Leah Marsh, Fernhill Physio
Prepared by: Jordan Reyes

Overview
Fernhill Physio is opening a second clinic. The current logo was made in a word processor years ago, blurs on signage and looks dated next to newer clinics. You want something calm and professional that still feels friendly to older patients.

Process
A discovery call and questionnaire this week, a mood board for approval, then three black-and-white concepts shown on the clinic sign, an appointment card and the website header. Two revision rounds on the chosen direction.

Deliverables
Primary logo, horizontal version and icon; full colour, one colour, black and white versions; SVG, EPS, PDF and transparent PNG files; HEX, RGB and CMYK values; a one-page usage guide.

Pricing options
Option A, Logo: $600
Option B, Logo plus source file and usage guide: $800
Option C, Starter brand kit with business cards and social media images: $1,150

Terms
50% deposit, balance before handover. Copyright in the final logo transfers to Fernhill Physio on full payment. I recommend a trademark search before the new sign is ordered.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short logo design bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You need a logo for [business] that [the main thing they want, e.g. looks trustworthy to corporate buyers] and still reads clearly at small sizes like a profile picture.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. A short questionnaire about your customers and competitors, then a mood board for you to approve
2. [number] distinct concepts in black and white, shown on real uses like [a sign or packaging]
3. [number] revision rounds, then the full file package: vector files, transparent PNGs and colour codes

[Proof: a similar logo you designed, with a link to it in your portfolio]

One question: is there anything common in your industry's logos that you definitely want to avoid?

I can deliver in [timeline] for [price], with copyright in the final logo transferred to you on payment.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose logo design clients

Offering dozens of concepts for a low fee. It looks generous, but it signals guesswork and leaves no time to refine the best idea.
Skipping discovery and designing from the business name alone.
Not listing the file package, so the client later asks for formats and versions you never planned to make.
Presenting concepts in full colour first, so the feedback is about favourite colours instead of the idea.
Promising that the logo can be trademarked. Only a trademark search and the registry can answer that.
Leaving ownership vague, or transferring copyright before the final payment has cleared.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

How many logo concepts should I offer?: Enough to give the client a real choice without spreading your time thin. Two or three well-developed directions usually do that better than ten rough ones. Put the number in the proposal and price extra concepts separately.
What files should a client get with a logo?: Vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF), PNG files with a transparent background, full colour, one colour, black and white versions, the main lock-ups and an icon, plus colour values for screen and print. List them in the proposal so nothing is in doubt at handover.
Should a logo design proposal include brand guidelines?: Only if you've priced them. A one-page usage guide is a good standard deliverable. Full brand guidelines are a bigger piece of work and fit better as a higher package.
Who owns a logo, the designer or the client?: Whoever the agreement says. Usually the client gets the copyright in the final logo once they've paid in full, and the designer keeps unused concepts. In the UK and the US a copyright transfer must be in writing and signed, so put it in the signed proposal or contract.
Can a logo designer guarantee a trademark?: No. A designer can promise original work, but whether a logo can be registered depends on existing marks and the registry's decision. Suggest a trademark search, or a trademark attorney, before the client invests in signage and print.
How long does a logo design project take?: It depends on your process and how quickly the client gives feedback. Put a date on each stage in the proposal and make clear that late feedback moves the final date.
How do I bid for logo design jobs on Freelancer or Upwork?: Keep the first message short: the client's goal in your words, your three steps, one relevant logo from your portfolio, one question and a clear price. Send the full proposal once they reply.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.