By Yaaseen Ebrahim, founder of Innovation by Design. Updated 18 October 2026.
A logo can cost a few hundred rand or tens of thousands, and both prices can be fair for what they include. This guide gives real rand figures from the prices South African studios and designers publish, explains what each level usually includes, and covers two things many businesses only think about later: who owns the logo, and how to protect it as a trade mark.
The short answer
Of 19 South African studios and designers that publish their prices, the 14 that sell a logo on its own started between R350 and R7,800, with a median of R2,490. A logo with stationery and basic brand items started at a median of R5,000, and a full brand identity with a brand guide at a median of R7,775. Brand strategy, where studios price it separately, adds more.
- Our prices at Innovation by Design: we quote brand projects after a short conversation, because a new brand for a school is a different job from a logo refresh for a plumber. The final files are yours, and we assign copyright in the final logo to you in writing.
- What moves the price most: how much research and strategy goes in, how many concepts and rounds of changes you get, and how many items are designed beyond the logo.
- The step people skip: getting copyright in the logo assigned to you in writing.
What branding and logo design cost in South Africa in 2026
On 18 October 2026 we checked the pricing pages of 19 South African studios, agencies and designers that publish rand prices for logos and brand identity. Two websites with the same phone number and packages appear to belong to one business, so we counted them once. We grouped each package by what it includes and took each provider’s starting price in each group.
| What you buy | Published starting prices | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|
| Logo only | R350 to R7,800 (median R2,490, from 14 providers) | Two or three concepts, two rounds of changes, the final logo in print and web formats |
| Logo plus stationery and basics | R1,350 to R9,500 (median R5,000, from 11 providers) | Adds colours and fonts, business card, letterhead and email signature, sometimes social media graphics |
| Full brand identity with a brand guide | R3,490 to R17,850 (median R7,775, from 8 providers); larger packages about R25,000 or more | A logo suite, colour and type system, a brand guidelines document, stationery and social templates |
| Brand strategy | From R15,000 on its own at one studio; strategy plus a full identity from R65,000 at another | Positioning, audience, messaging and tone of voice, before or alongside the design |
South African round-ups, mostly written by studios that sell logos, give their own ranges, mostly without showing where their figures come from. Circle Media puts a custom logo at R1,500 to R12,000 or more and a strategic brand identity at R10,000 to R50,000 or more. Digital Consulting puts a corporate identity package at R4,000 to R7,800.
Online platforms and templates
International platforms price in US dollars. Fiverr lists logo gigs from as little as US$5, and 99designs runs logo contests from US$249 to US$1,050. Canva lets you save brand colours and fonts in a brand kit, with one basic kit (three colours) on its free plan and five on Canva Pro, which costs R900 a year in South Africa. These can be useful for a quick start, but check what you are allowed to do with the design and whether you get files you can use for print and signage.
What you should get for the money
- The logo in every format: vector files (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) for signage and print, and PNG and JPG for screens.
- Versions for real life: a version for dark backgrounds, a small or icon version, and one for social media profiles.
- Colours and fonts: exact colour codes for screen and print, and the fonts, with a note on whether they are free for business use or need a licence.
- A brand guide: even a few pages that show how to use the logo, colours and fonts.
- Ownership in writing: a signed assignment of copyright in the final logo.
Why prices vary so much
Research and strategy
A designer who spends time understanding your customers and competitors usually charges more than one who works from a short form. For a business that will live with the brand for years, that thinking is often where the value is.
Concepts and rounds of changes
Packages range from one concept to several, and from one round of changes to unlimited tweaks. Two rounds was the most common allowance among the providers we checked, and three rounds the next most common.
How much is designed beyond the logo
Stationery, social media templates, signage, vehicle branding and packaging each add work. A brand guide adds more, and the guides we saw ranged from up to 10 pages to 40 to 80 pages.
Who does the work
Freelancers usually cost less than studios and agencies. What matters most is whether their past work shows they can design for a business like yours.
Who owns your logo
This catches some businesses out. Under section 21 of South Africa’s Copyright Act, copyright belongs to the author of a work, the person who created it, or to their employer if they made it as an employee. The Act gives ownership to the person who commissioned the work only for certain kinds of work, such as photographs, portraits and films. A logo is not one of them, as South African law firms such as Barnard Inc point out.
Section 22(3) of the Act says an assignment of copyright has no effect “unless it is in writing signed by or on behalf of the assignor”. So even when you have paid in full, ask your designer or agency for a written, signed assignment of copyright in the final logo. It costs nothing to ask for, and it makes it easier to register and protect the logo later. This is general information, not legal advice.
Protecting your brand as a trade mark
Copyright protects the artwork. A registered trade mark protects your name or logo as a sign of your business, for the goods or services you register it for. CIPC’s official fee schedule lists these costs:
| CIPC fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trade mark application, per class | R590 |
| Official search, per mark per class | R190 |
| Renewal | R260 |
There are 45 classes of goods and services, and South Africa has no multi-class filing system, so each class is a separate application with its own fee. Estimates from South African IP firms range from one to three years, with recent ones nearer two to three (Adams & Adams, BrandLaw, Spoor & Fisher). Once registered, a trade mark lasts ten years from the filing date and can be renewed every ten years indefinitely, according to Spoor & Fisher.
Before you settle on a new name or logo, search CIPC’s trade mark records, check that the domain name and social media handles are free, and look at what competitors in your area use. It is much cheaper to change a design before it is printed on everything.
Warning signs to watch for
- No mention of who will own the logo, or a refusal to put ownership in writing.
- No vector files, only a PNG or JPG.
- A logo that looks very like a template, stock image or another business’s logo.
- No clear number of concepts or rounds of changes.
- Fonts you cannot legally use in your business, or no information about them.
Questions to ask before you sign
- How many concepts and rounds of changes are included, and what do extra rounds cost?
- What files will I get, and in which formats?
- Will you assign copyright in the final logo to me in writing?
- Is a brand guide included, and how detailed is it?
- How long will it take, from brief to final files?
- Can you show me brand work for a business like mine?
- Will you check for similar trade marks, or should I?
What you can do yourself
Before you brief a designer, write down who your customers are, three words you want people to feel about your business, and logos you like and dislike. Search CIPC’s trade mark records for your name. If you already have a logo, gather every file you have and check whether you have a written assignment of copyright. When the brand is done, our guide to website costs in South Africa covers the next step, and what social media management costs covers keeping the brand visible.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a logo cost in South Africa in 2026?
Of 19 South African studios and designers that publish their prices, the 14 that sell a logo on its own started between R350 and R7,800, with a median of R2,490. A logo with stationery and basic brand items started between R1,350 and R9,500 (median R5,000), and a full brand identity with a brand guide started between R3,490 and R17,850 (median R7,775). At Innovation by Design we quote brand projects after a short conversation, because a new brand for a school is a different job from a logo refresh for a plumber.
What should a branding package include?
At minimum: the logo in all the formats you need (including vector files), versions for dark backgrounds and small sizes, your colour codes and your fonts. A fuller identity adds a brand guide that shows how to use them, stationery such as business cards, letterheads and email signatures, and social media templates.
Do I own my logo once I have paid for it?
Not automatically. Under South Africa’s Copyright Act, copyright in a logo belongs to the designer who created it, or to their employer (such as the agency) if they made it as an employee, unless it is assigned to you. An assignment only has effect if it is in writing and signed by the designer or agency. Ask for a written, signed copyright assignment along with your final files. At Innovation by Design, we assign copyright in the final logo to our clients in writing. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should I register my logo as a trade mark, and what does it cost?
If the name or logo matters to your business, it is worth considering. CIPC’s official fee to file a trade mark application is R590 for each class of goods or services, and an official search costs R190 per mark per class. Estimates from South African IP firms put registration at one to three years, with recent ones nearer two to three, and it can last indefinitely if you renew it every ten years. Many businesses use a trade mark attorney, whose fees are extra.
How long does a logo or brand identity take?
Budget logo packages we checked quote from 24 hours to five working days for first concepts, and two to seven business days for a finished logo. Some studios quote five to ten working days for first concepts, and a full brand identity with a guide takes from one or two weeks to about two months.
How many revisions should I expect?
Two rounds of changes was the most common allowance among the South African providers we checked, with three rounds the next most common. Ask how many rounds are included and what extra rounds cost.
Is a low-cost online or AI logo good enough?
It can be a reasonable start for a side business or a test. The risks are that templates and generated designs may look like other businesses’ logos, may be hard to protect as a trade mark, and may not come with vector files you can use for signage and print. If the brand will carry your business for years, a logo designed for your business, with clear ownership, is usually worth it.
What is a brand guide and do I need one?
A brand guide is often a short document that shows how to use your logo, colours, fonts and imagery, so that everyone who works on your brand keeps it consistent. Even a few pages helps once more than one person designs your social posts, signage or website.
Should I use a freelance designer or a branding agency?
Freelancers usually cost less, and South African round-ups by Dot Digital, Juicy Designs and Brand Forge put freelance logos anywhere from about R500 to R8,000, though none of them shows the data behind the figure. Studios and agencies tend to add more research, more concepts and a fuller brand guide. Whichever you choose, check their past work, what is included and who will own the files.
Where to start
See how our brand identity design works, or book a free 30-minute call. Tell us about your business and who you sell to, and we will tell you honestly whether you need a new brand or a cleaner version of the one you have.
Sources
- Published logo and brand identity pricing pages of 19 South African studios, agencies and designers, checked 18 October 2026.
- Round-ups by Dot Digital (4 August 2026), Juicy Designs (updated 18 May 2026) and Brand Forge (21 October 2025).
- Circle Media: the cost of branding in South Africa (updated May 2026) and Digital Consulting: graphic designer cost South Africa (4 May 2026).
- Fiverr logo design, 99designs pricing and Canva South Africa pricing (checked 18 October 2026).
- Copyright Act 98 of 1978, sections 21 and 22 (Acts Online, SAFLII); Barnard Inc: Are you sure you own your logo? (18 May 2021) and GoLegal: Own your logo (13 October 2015).
- CIPC trade mark fees, gov.za: register a trade mark, and Spoor & Fisher’s guides to trade mark registration and trade marks in South Africa (December 2025).
