There are several options for outsourcing your graphic design needs. LogoTournament is one of them, but how does it stack up to the competition? Read on for a comprehensive review of all LogoTournament has to offer.
Design Service Reviews
My Honest Review Of LogoTournament [Updated for 2024]
Table of Contents
LogoTournament Overview
There are several options for outsourcing your graphic design needs. LogoTournament is one of them, but how does it stack up to the competition? Read on for a comprehensive review of all LogoTournament has to offer.
What is LogoTournament?
LogoTournament is an online hub that connects clients with graphic designers. While the company name has logo in it, they do other web designs as well.
How Does LogoTournament Work?
How it works
LogoTournament was designed to lure in designers and give clients access to a variety of unique design ideas. With LogoTournament, you have all the power. Designers compete for prize money. You pick the design you like best. LogoTournament oversees the quality of the designers’ work and vets all its registered designers through a trial period. With LogoTournament, you get access to a wide variety of designs that are crafted to your exact specifications.
Step 1 – You create a contest. LogoTournament asks you in-depth questions to determine what you need and desire in your design.
Step 2 – Designers submit entries. The number of entries you can expect will be based on the prize package you select.
Step 3 – Next, you narrow it down to your five top choices.
Step 4 – Then, you work with those five designers to create a logo you will love.
Step 5 – Finally, you pick the winning design. You know your company best, so you should have the final say.
LogoTournament Logos
LogoTournament’s bread and butter are logos. You are in the driver’s seat with LogoTournament. When you create a logo contest, you can select the feel and style of logos you like.
To Create A Contest:
- You fill out a short form on your company and brand aesthetic.
- You specify style and color preferences.
On a sliding style scale, you can select the following:
- Femininity vs. Masculinity
- Simple vs. Complex
- Gray vs. Colorful
- Necessity vs. Luxury
- Modern vs. Classic
- Raw vs. Refined
- Adventure vs. Secure
- If you have any thoughts on what you want to be incorporated in your logo, you can enter them for the designers. Include the feelings you want your logo to invoke in viewers.
- Next, you select your prize package. You can expect higher quality work from the higher-priced packages.
- Logo
- Infographics
- Websites
- Landing Pages
- Apps
- Print Materials
- TShirts
- Social Media
- Illustrations
It is for All
How Much Is LogoTournament?
LogoTournament has prize packages for every budget. With each price increase, you can expect higher quality designs and more contest entries. LogoTournament does not release the prize money until you approve the final design. LogoTournament offers four prize packages and two optional upgrades. When you create a contest, you will be asked to enter payment details. To advertise your contest, LogoTournament requires you to sign a contract. Once a contest is finished, a receipt will be available for download so you can count it off on your business expenses.
Starter $275 and approximately 50 logos from LogoTournament’s entry-level designers
Standard $475 and approximately 50-100 logos
Plus+ $675 for 100 or more logos
Epic $875 for 100 or more logos from LogoTournament’s top tier of designers
You can also add on upgrades:
Featured ($50) – sends your contest to designers via email and ranks it higher in the search list
Private ($50) – limits your contest to registered LogoTournament designers only
How Long Does LogoTournament Take?
Each contest has 3 phases:
The Blind Phase lasts 4 days. During this time, designers cannot see each other’s entries. This gives you access to unique logos.
The Finalist Phase lasts 3 days. You select your top five logos, then you provide those designers with feedback to improve their design.
The Selection Phase can last 0 to 7 days. At this time, you select your winning logo.
Within 1 to 2 days of choosing a winning logo, the designer will send you a file of the logo. You approve the final logo before the prize money is released to the winning designer.
Tips to Run A Successful Contest
To get the most out of LogoTournament, there are a few tips you will want to follow.
- Interact with your contest. At least once a day, you should rank the existing contest entries. Designers can see your rankings and this will motivate new designers to submit entries. Based on your participation, LogoTournament ranks your contest as “active” or “inactive.”
- Give feedback. Give specific, helpful feedback. List what you like about a design and why you like it. List what you don’t like and why you feel it doesn’t fit with your brand aesthetic or specifications. Constructive criticism will help the designers modify and improve upon their designs.
- Use the markup tools. LogoTournament provides you with drawing tools so you can mark what you want to be changed. If you want the font to be smaller, you can mark it and say so. If you wish for the angle of a line to change, you can mark it so the designer knows. The markup tools allow you to easily mark what you want to be removed or changed.
- Use the survey feature. Once you are in the Finalist Phase, LogoTournament allows you to create a survey so you can get feedback from partners, colleagues, and the like. This feature can help you make your final decision.
- If needed, upgrade. If you aren’t getting the quality of work or the number of entries you want, you can add on one of the optional upgrades. The Private upgrade allows you to limit the contest to LogoTournament’s registered designers. The Featured upgrade will rank your contest higher and send out a contest announcement email to all of LogoTournament’s registered designers.
- Ask for extra time if you need it. If you aren’t getting enough entries, LogoTournament may grant your contest more time. This is free and determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact LogoTournament if you feel your contest would benefit from an extension.
LogoTournament Review
My “Expert” Opinion
LogoTournament’s starter prize package is cheaper than some of its competitors. From start to finish, the site allows the client to be in control of the logo design. LogoTournament vets all its registered designers, but unless you pay for the $50 Private upgrade, anyone can enter your design contest. This is a definite drawback of the site. The Blind Phase is a good choice as it allows designers to create in isolation, so they can come up with more creative, custom designs. Overall, LogoTournament is an affordable way to get a unique design that is legally all yours once the contest is finished.
PROS of LogoTournament
● The contest creation questionnaire leads users through the process. It includes helpful tips and common associations for colors (e.g. orange for energy and happiness). LogoTournament allows clients to select logos they like so that designers know what sort of design the client favors. For those of us who aren’t artists, explaining our creative desires can be difficult, but LogoTournament makes it simple and straightforward.
● You can add on the $50 Private upgrade so that only LogoTournament’s personally vetted designers can enter your contest.
● LogoTournament has a money-back guarantee. If you don’t receive at least 30 contest entries, your full payment is refunded.
● The Starter prize package is affordable at $275.
● LogoTournament ensures its designs are mobile-friendly.
● The prize money is not released until you approve the final design. LogoTournament makes certain that clients are satisfied with the end product.
● The prize packages are set rates. You don’t have to worry about a graphic designer charging you by the hour. That can get quite pricey.
● LogoTournament’s initial contest phase is a Blind Phase. This means that designers can’t peek at other design entries for inspiration. The client ends up with a wider pool of designs and more unique ideas.
● Once you select your top five finalists, you can work directly with them to fine-tune their designs.
CONS of LogoTournament
● Contests show up in Google search results and anyone can enter unless the client has paid the extra $50 to upgrade the contest to Private. If LogoTournament makes a point to advertise their “registered” and “trial period approved” designers, these designers should be the only ones allowed to enter contests. If anyone can find and enter the contest, then any Tom, Dick, or Harry can enter. This increases the chances that clients may have to wade through inappropriate designs from people with little to no graphic design experience. In my opinion, this is LogoTournament’s most glaring flaw.
● To get access to LogoTournament’s best designers, you have to go with one of the higher-priced prize packages. The Starter prize package is affordable at $275, but you only get LogoTournament’s most basic designers.
● Portfolios and resumes for LogoTournament’s registered designers are not available. It would be nice if clients could look over their designers’ previous work.
● The majority of designers who enter a contest don’t get paid anything, because only one person can win the prize money. This leads me to believe that a contest may attract lower quality design work from less-experienced graphic designers. A more professional designer would have a steady workload with loyal clients. More experience comes with a heftier price tag though. For smaller companies, LogoTournament is a cost-effective alternative. Just don’t expect the very best.
● Also because LogoTournament doesn’t retain any designers on staff, the number of entries may vary. As a designer is able to retain their own clients, they may stop entering contests. This is most likely why LogoTournament keeps its contests open to the general public.
● It’s great that the client gets the final say-so on the design, but what if the client has no idea what a tasteful and powerful design should look like? Companies want smart, classy design, but they may not know what will perform best with their target audience. The surveys available in the Finalist phase are great, but surveying friends and colleagues is not the same as market research.
● LogoTournament’s name is misleading. They claim to do more than just logos, but their website is set up for logo contests, not other design work. If they want potential clients to know they can do more, they need to revise their website setup and possibly rethink their name.
● It would be nice if there was an option to contract with a designer whose design you chose. The same designer could work on all of a company’s designs for a cohesive brand aesthetic.
Alternatives to LogoTournament
There are several alternatives to LogoTournament. Multiple sites allow you to create a contest like LogoTournament or contract directly with a freelance graphic designer.
These are some options besides LogoTournament:
- 99Designs
- Fiverr
- DesignBro
- DesignCrowd
- DesignHill
- Toptal
- Upwork
- CrowdSpring
- Kimp
- Design Pickle
- Design Evo
Fequently Asked Questions
Is LogoTournament a legitimate company?
Yes, LogoTournament was founded by Tyler Quinn, a web developer. It is a legitimate site.
What exactly is a design contest?
A design contest offers prize money as an incentive. Multiple designers submit designs in hopes of winning the prize.
Is LogoTournament worth the money?
LogoTournament is an affordable alternative to contracting with a well established, freelance graphic designer. If you have a small budget and need a unique logo, LogoTournament is a good way to get a custom logo with full legal rights to the design.
Leave your own review of LogoTournament!
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