How We Price Creative Work

Pricing creative work is uncomfortable. There’s no materials cost, no standard labor rate, no objective measure of value. Two designers can solve the same problem; one takes 10 hours, the other takes 100. Which is worth more?

We’ve tried every pricing model over six years. Here’s what we’ve learned.

The problem with hourly billing

We started, like most agencies, billing by the hour. It seemed fair: you pay for the time we spend.

But hourly billing has a fundamental flaw: it punishes efficiency.

If we solve your problem in 10 hours through experience and insight, you pay less than if we fumble around for 40 hours. The better we get, the less we earn. The incentives are backwards.

Hourly billing also creates adversarial relationships. Clients watch the clock. Agencies pad estimates. Every decision becomes a negotiation about time, not value.

We stopped billing hourly in 2020. We haven’t looked back.

Our current model: project-based pricing

We now price by project, based on value delivered rather than time spent. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Understand the problem

Before we quote, we need to understand what you’re trying to achieve. A website for a startup raising a seed round is different from a website for an enterprise launching a product line—even if the pages are similar.

We ask questions:

What will success look like?
What’s the cost of not solving this problem?
What’s the expected return on investment?
What are the constraints (budget, timeline, internal resources)?

Step 2: Scope the work

We define exactly what’s included: deliverables, rounds of revision, timeline, and assumptions. This protects both parties from scope creep.

We’re explicit about what’s not included. Photography? Third-party integrations? Content strategy? Ongoing maintenance? These are scoped separately or excluded.

Step 3: Price to value

Our price reflects the value we’re creating, not the hours we’ll spend. A brand identity for a company raising $10M is worth more than one for a local bakery—even if the work is similar.

This doesn’t mean “charge whatever we want.” We have ranges based on project type:

Brand identity: $25,000 – $75,000
Website design: $30,000 – $100,000
Website development: $20,000 – $80,000
Design systems: $50,000 – $150,000

Where you fall in the range depends on complexity, timeline, and strategic importance.

Why value-based pricing works better

For clients:

Predictable costs — You know the investment upfront
Aligned incentives — We’re motivated to deliver value, not bill hours
Faster delivery — No one benefits from dragging things out
Better work — We focus on solving problems, not watching clocks

For us:

Sustainable business — We’re paid for expertise, not just time
Better projects — Value-based pricing attracts clients who value quality
Creative freedom — We can explore without counting hours
Clear boundaries — Scope is defined; surprises are minimized

Common questions

”What if it takes longer than expected?”

That’s our risk, not yours. If we underestimate, we absorb the cost. This motivates us to scope carefully and work efficiently.

The exception: if you change the scope, we re-quote. Change requests are normal; we just need to price them.

”What if I have a limited budget?”

We’ll be honest about whether we can help. Sometimes the answer is no—and we’d rather say that upfront than deliver compromised work.

Often we can adjust scope to fit budget. Fewer pages. Simpler functionality. Phased delivery. Budget constraints can actually improve outcomes by forcing prioritization.

”How do I know I’m getting fair value?”

Compare us to alternatives. If an in-house hire costs $150K/year fully loaded, and we can complete your project in 8 weeks for $60K, that’s a clear comparison.

Also: look at our work. If our portfolio doesn’t demonstrate the quality you’re seeking, we’re not the right fit—regardless of price.

”Why are you more expensive than [other agency]?”

We might not be the right fit. Different agencies serve different needs at different price points.

What we can promise: we’re expensive because we’re good, not because we’re inefficient. Our team is senior. Our process is proven. Our work generates returns.

The transparency principle

Pricing should never be a mystery. We discuss budget openly from the first conversation. If we’re not aligned, we’d both rather know immediately.

This post is part of that transparency. We want you to understand how we think about money so we can have honest conversations about your project.

Ready to discuss your project? We’ll give you a clear proposal with no surprises. Let’s talk.