99designs FAQs

WordPress is one of the worlds most popular blog publishing and content management systems.

A WordPress theme defines the layout and presentation of a website that is published using WordPress.

You can have a WordPress theme designed in a WordPress theme design contestbut this does not include the creation of the design into a coded, working WordPress site.

When you start your contest, youll be able to request a quote to have your theme design coded into a working WordPress site by one of our coding partners. Alternatively, if you have your own developer, they can take the design files that will be provided for you once you award a winner and code them for you.

Each designer owns the copyright to their designs until they are declared a contest winner by a client, and the rights to the winning design are transferred over to the client.

That transfer happens at the end of the contest, in the Design Handover stage. This gives both parties a chance to sign the Design Transfer Agreement.

After the winning design has been uploaded in the Design Handover process, and the copyright transfer is agreed to by both parties, copyright is seen to be transferred to the client.

You can print the Design Transfer Agreement for your records if you wish. But well also keep a copy of the agreement on our site, where you can access it at any time through your Design Handover page.

View the Design Transfer Agreement here.

The Qualifying round is the first stage of your contest, and it begins immediately after you pay for the contest. The Qualifying round lasts 4 days for all contests except Web Design, Wordpress Theme Design, and Mobile App Design, which last for 6 days in the Qualifying round.

During the Qualifying round, the contest is open to all designers whod like to participate. Theyll find your contest by browsing through the contest listings.

Its important that you log into your account and view your contest at least once per day during the Qualifying round, so you can give designers feedback on the designs they submit.

If you reach the end of the Qualifying round, and youd like more time to accept entries from new designers, please contact our support team.

After the Qualifying round is complete, you will select finalists to move through to the Final round of your contest.

Both stock imagery and clipart canhave strict licensing restrictions. We help you to follow these general rules by restricting the use of stock imagery and clip art to certain design categories on 99designs.

We also understand that using stock imagery can be important for your design within the design categories thatthey are allowed.

So, to get started, you must read through our Stock Image and Clip Art policies to fully understand where you can and cannot utilize them.

Stock Image & Clip Art Policy

DO NOT submit stock art, free vectors, or clip art of any kind to logo, illustration, or button/icon contests.

If you are going to use a stock image in a design that is NOT for a logo, illustration, or button/icon contest YOU MUST:

DECLARE ALL stock images used at the time the design is submitted.

CHECK THE LICENSE and be absolutely certain the stock image can be legally used how the client intends.

If you plan to use stock in categories where allowed please be VERY familiar with the rules around stock images - failure to follow the rules WILL result in your 99designs account being suspended or possibly closed forever.

We also have a partnership with Adobe Stock to help make finding and declaring stock easy. Please review this overview about the Adobe Stock integration. Hopefully, this helps clarify the process around stock!

*Keep in mind that clientsaren'tgoing to be happy if they are legally pursued over copyright issues arising from your work and youll be liable for any costs and damages they incur!

If you wish to delete your account, just email [email protected].

Deleting an account is permanent.

If youre not ready to delete your account, you can choose to withdraw your designs and unsubscribe from any notifications on the Settings page in your account.

99designs is allaboutcreatingopportunities for designers to grow. Sowe created a higher-priced,Platinum package exclusively forthe most talented, professional and hard-working designers on 99designs. Platinum contests are unique because:

Top Level designers are hand-picked by 99designs.

Top Level designers can still compete in all other contests.

they have the largest prizes.

all finalists in Platinum contests will be paid 15% of the total prize.

winners in Platinum contests will be paid both the first prize + 15% of the total prize.

Top Level designers are well-respected within the 99designs community. They are often featured on our global blog, the first to test out exciting new features, they get a nice Top Level badge on their portfolios, and much more.

The requirements to become Top Level The first step is to really focus on producing great designs. In addition to this, we offer Top Level status to designers who:

demonstrate the highest caliber of conceptual thought and technical execution in their work.

execute basic design principles well such as typography, visual hierarchy, composition and color.

create effective design solutions that meet clients' needs.

provide the required design files to clients.

submit original logo, icon and illustration designs that comply with our Stock Policy and Concept Originality Policy.

correctly source and declare stock images where they are permitted. Note: If stock images are used they must be uniquely modified or incorporated creatively.

avoid submitting too many generic designs.

conduct themselves professionally and follow the rules of 99designs.

have filled out their 99designs profile page as instructed in this article.

As of December 1, 2017, all non-Top Level designers must have at least 5 repeat clientsand a minimum client review score of 4.5 to apply for Top Level. These requirements must be met in addition to demonstrating an expert level of our criteria.

This update will not affect Top Level designers retroactively. Those who do not meet the new requirements and/or were promoted to Top Level before December 1st, 2017 willnot lose their Top Level status.

We will make exceptions and promote designers to Top Level if they have an exceptional offsite portfolio that shows considerable experience.

A few times each year, we also host a week-long open enrollment period where Mid Level designers can directly apply to become Top Level. These are the only times Mid Level designers will be able to submit their portfolio and request to become Top Level.

We actively review designers for Top Level status daily. If you follow the above requirements on a regular basis, you can be sure we'll take notice!

Examples of Top Level-level work:

How to become a Top Level designer on 99designs

Designer profiles

Pinterest

You may have noticed a new feature on Top Level Designer Profiles - Services!

Outlined below are some of the most commonly asked questions about Services and instructions for how to get the most out of offering Services to clients.

What is Services?

Services allows you to predefine jobs that you will do via 1-to-1 Projects. You define what you are going to do, at what price and in what timeframe. Simple!

Here's an example:

How do I set up a Service?

1. Go to your profile and look for the Service tab.2. There you will see a button to Add a Service.

3. Enter the required Service details in the form and hit save.

Pro Tips:

When the Service is enabled, it will be available for potential clients to purchase. Please make sure you only enable Services you are able to complete in the timeframe you specified. Disable your Services when you are away on vacation or otherwise unable to work.

In the description of your service you can outline your terms including your refund policy and project timeline.

You can enable up to 5 Services at a time.

Where will my Services be visible?

Clients will be able to see your Service offerings in 3 places- when they invite you to work, after they leave you a review, and in the Services tab on your profile.

What kind of Services can I set up?

You can set up virtually any kind of Service you'd like, but here are some common examples:

- Logo design- Web design- 3D Rendering- Car wraps- Packaging design- Tattoo design- Whatever your specialty is! etc...

For now the category structure is the same as we offer for contests, but we will be accepting new category suggestions becausewe believe that Services expands the possibilities for the kind of creative work that can be sold at 99designs.

What happens when a client requests a Service?

You'll receive the Service request via 1-to-1 projects. Then, the client will receive an invoice to pay for the cost of the Service and may ask you additional questions about the Service.

You should respond to the Service request ASAP to answer any questions the client may have and get any information you'll need to complete the Service.

Customers must choose a winner within 14 days after their contest ends.

If they dont, and theydon'task for a time extension, the contest will be locked, and the customer will need to contact us to get it unlocked and award their prize.

In guaranteed contests, the prize money is paid whether or not the customer selects a winner. See the guaranteed contests page for details.

A 99designs Pro account will offer a strategic approach to your creative requirements. With a Pro account, you'll save time and get a more customized experience. Included with the account are business privacy services and premium upgrades for more design concepts.

At 99designs, we work hard to maintain the quality and trust of our design community. Thats why we diligently curate all of our designers based on skill level, overall quality and professionalism.

To reward designers as they build their skills, 99designs curates every member of our design community into one of three levels:

Top Level

Mid Level

Entry Level

Your designer level appears as a badge on your profile, below your name.

How is my designer level determined?

To participate on 99designs, a designer must first have their application approved. The Designer Curation team reviews each application to determine if the designer meets our quality standards. If they do, they are assigned Entry, Mid or Top Level based on the demonstrated level of professionalism and skills across all of the following:

Execution of design principles

Conceptual thought

Technical skills and deliverables

Client communication and satisfaction

Our Designer Curation team then regularly reviews designer profiles to determine when they are ready to level up.

Learn more about 99designs quality standards

Why should I increase my designer level?

As designers improve their skills on our site, we reward them for their hard work with additional benefits including broader access to contests, more visibility across the platform, opportunities to give feedback through beta testing, faster payouts, lower platform fees and more.

Learn more about designer level benefits

How can I increase my designer level?

While our Designer Curation team regularly reviews accounts, 99designs also hosts application periods throughout the year for designers to apply for higher level status.

During those times, 99designs will review a designers work, portfolio, account history (including professionalism, disputes, suspensions, etc.) to determine which level is appropriate. Designers may not apply outside of the application periods.

Learn more about level applications

If you are reported for copying a design, review our Designer Code of Conduct, Stock Image and Clip Art Policy and Concept Originality Policy.

We provide a 24 hour period for you to review the report, and decide whether you want to withdraw or challenge. During this time, please refrain from contacting the client or our staff further.

Challenge:

If you do not believe that your design is a violation of our rules, you should challenge the report.

To challenge a report provide a brief explanation of why you do not believe your design is a copy.

We will review your challenge and decide to allow or remove the design.

If your design is found to be a violation of our rules we will remove the design. You may be warned, suspended, or banned depending on your dispute history.

Withdraw:

If the report is accurate because you either made a mistake or you didnt understand the rules use the Withdraw design button to remove your design from the contest. Also withdraw other related designs from the contest.Any indication of dishonesty (withdrawing a violating design and re-submitting it, failing to withdraw all other related entries, or routinely withdrawing copyright infringing entries in the hopes of avoiding consequences) is grounds for suspension or ban from the site.FAQ:

Will I get banned for being reported?

Our designer support team makes disciplinary decisions on a case by case basis.Will I get banned for challenging a design?

No. You will get banned or suspended if your design is in violation of our rules or you have a record of breaking our rules. Will my account be safe if I withdraw my reported designs?

No. Withdrawing a design does not guarantee you will avoid penalty for breaking our rules. We investigate designers who repeatedly withdraw their designs when reported and put their accounts on hold if they are repeatedly breaking our rules.

99designs offers two payment providers:

Payoneer : No withdrawal fee, free activation; low charges apply, 24-48 hour turnaround

PayPal : No withdrawal fee; charges apply, 2-3 day turnaround

Payments are processed on business days only. Business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays.

How to save on payment provider fees

If you win multiple contests and/or are working on multiple 1-to-1 Projects, you can reduce fees by saving your earnings in your 99designs account and then requesting a single payout for all of them.

Both payment providers may charge you additional fees depending on your location. Check their websites to see which is most cost-effective for you.

More about Payoneer

Payoneer is the most cost-effective payout option we offer. Activation is free for 99designs' designers, monthly fees are minimal and payment processing takes just minutes.

Payoneer offers three services:

Payoneer Prepaid Debit MasterCard: Receive payments directly to your Prepaid card. With immediate load, funds will be available within one hour after being processed by 99designs. The card is reloadable and can be used in stores, online, or at the ATM in your local currency anywhere MasterCard is accepted.

Global Bank Transfer: You will be paid directly to your bank account in your local currency.

Direct Deposit: U.S. designers receive direct deposit payments from 99designs directly to their Payoneer Prepaid Debit MasterCard, using the ACH network.

99designs utilizes Google's reCAPTCHA service to protect the accounts of our Designers and Customers from attempted logins by bots. If you're having trouble passing reCAPTCHA and successfully logging into your account, we understand how frustrating this can be!

Google determines the number and strength of CAPTCHAs for each user. If you're receiving a large number of CAPTCHAs to solve, Google may need to be more confident that you are a real person before they let you through the reCAPTCHA step of the login process. Here are a few suggestions to build confidence:

Log in to your Gmail account (or another Google product where you have an account) using the same browser and device you're using to log into 99designs

Do not clear your browsing history or cookies while experiencing a large number of CAPTCHAs

Do not attempt to pass reCAPTCHA while in Private or Incognito mode on your browser

If you continue to experience issues after following the above suggestions, please reach out to us : we'd be happy to assist you!

Designers' are required to submit 100% original artworkin logo, illustration andicon design contests.Clipart, stock imagery or, in the case of logo contests, licensed fonts are not allowed in those design contest categories.

We've outlined the steps below for you to ensure a design from one of those contest categories is 100% original:

First, ask the designer. Designers must declare any non-original work used, or risk account suspension.

You can also try a reverse image search engine such as TinEye. This will look for similar images on the web.

Uploading an image of the design to Googles image search will also search the web for other images that are similar.

If your search shows something that is too similar to the design you want, communicate this concern to the designer you're working with.

If your design contest falls into one of the design categories not listed in bold above that means stock imagery is allowedandthe designer should declare stock has been used. Check out "What is stock imagery?" to learn more about how stock imagery is used and can be purchased.

The Logo & Brand Identity Pack contest categoryallowdesigners to collaborate with clients on larger branding projects. Logo & brand identity packcontests have higher prizes because theyinvolve multiple deliverables which are listed below:

Logo design

Business card

Letterhead

Envelope

Facebook cover

How the process works:

Qualifying Round: The logo design isthe focus inthe Qualifying Round. Do not submit any other deliverables in this round. (Reminder: no stock is allowed in your logo design)

Final Round:The designer finalizes their logo, and can startsubmitting initial mockups on the additional deliverables.

Handover: The logo design should be finished! The designer will refine and deliver logo deliverables. The winning designer then delivers the business card, letterhead, envelope and Facebook cover files.

Prize Released: Once the handover is complete, the prize is released to thedesigner's account.

The deliverables:

Weve created a handy set of editable PDF templates to help designers with the different file sizes:

Logo

Business card

Letterhead

Envelope

Organization is very important in the handover phase for Logo & brand identity pack contests. Your final design files should be uploaded in all of the following formats:

Logo files

JPG, PNG

Vector PDF

Adobe Illustrator

Business card files

Editable PDF

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign

Letterhead files

Editable PDF

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign

Envelope files

Editable PDF

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign

Facebook cover files

JPG, PNG

Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator

Browse Logo & Brand Identity Pack contests

When you're logged into your 99designs account there are 3 main ways to get in contact with support:

1. Email Supportby sending a ticket through our site.

2. Live Chat Support (see below phone support)

You can contact our Chat Support teams by clicking the chat "help" bubble in the lower left corner of nearly any page on the 99designs website. (see screenshot below)

3. Phone Support bycontacting ourPhone Supportteams directly callingany one of the numbers below:

Australia (English)

(+61) 03 9111 5799

Austria (German/English)

(+49) 30 568 390 99

Belgium (Dutch/French/English)

(+49) 30 568 377 84

Brazil (Portuguese)

(+1) 877 834 4534

Colombia (Spanish/English)

(+1) 877 513 9415

Denmark (English)

(+44) 20 3319 6464

France (French/English)

(+49) 30 568 37558

Germany (German/English)

(+49) 30 568 39099

Ireland (English)

(+44) 20 3319 6464

Italy (Italian/English)

(+49) 30 56838943

Japan (English)

(+1) 800 513 1678

Mexico (Spanish/English)

(+1) 877 513 9415

Netherlands (Dutch/English)

(+49) 30 568 377 29

Portugal (Portuguese/English)

(+49) 30 568 37640

Singapore (English)

(+61) 3 9111 5799

Spain (Spanish/English)

(+49) 30 568 376 73

Switzerland (Italian/French/English)

(+49) 30 568 38238

United Kingdom (English)

(+44) 20 3319 6464

United States (English)

(+1) 800 513 1678

Your 99designs Pro account is good for one year from date of purchase.

Community is king at 99designs and while most of the time people respect the rules and each other, it is necessary to clearly define our policy and the consequences for not respecting the community.

99designs Suspension Policy

By participating in the 99designs community members are agreeing to act in a professional manner and respect the Designer Code of Conduct and Client Guidelines.

Major violations of our Stock Image and Clip Art Policy or our Concept Originality Policy such as submitting a design that has been clearly copied, may result in an immediate ban. Users who commit lesser violations may be suspended on the first offense and then banned on the second offense.

A violation of our Circumvention Policy will result inimmediate suspension or permanent account closure. Higher level designers may also receive a demotion.

Other violations such as leaving an inappropriate comment may result in a suspension, and if it is found that a member regularly leaves comments that are negative, aggressive or otherwise abusive, that user may be banned.

All first time designers are reviewed by our staff. If a designers work does not meet our quality standards or violates the Designer Code of Conduct their account will be put on hold.

A record of violations is kept for all community members.

99designs reserves the right to suspend or ban as it sees fit.

Guidelines updated July 2019.

We have developed a variety of tools that allow you to easily provide feedback on the designs in your design contest.

Each is listed below, and most have a link that will take you to instructions for that specific tool.

1. Commenting& Messaging designers

Public Comments: You can do this publically to easily communicate something to all designers.

- Leave public comments to all contest participants in the Messages area of your contest.

Private Comments: Or, you can do this privately to provide more in-depth 1 on 1 guidance to a designer.

- Leaving comments is a great way to provide longer directions & guidance to your designer.Tell designer if their design is going in the right direction, and use theother two feedback tools to explain how they can improve their submission.

2. Annotations

The Annotation tool allows you to leave a comment directed to a specific area of the designer's concept.

3. Design markup tool

Use the design markup tool to draw directions on the design for designers.

4. Give their designs a Star Rating

This gives designers an overall indication of how you are feeling about their concepts. Just roll your cursor over the stars below each design thumbnail image, and click the rating you'd like to give.

TIP: be honest when rating your designs. Save the top ratings for designs that really nail it!

5. Decline designs from the contest

This lets designers know that the specific design wasnt what you were looking for. If youd like to decline a lot of entries from one designer, you can eliminate them from your contest. Designers appreciate your honesty and if youre certainthey'renot what youre looking for, its better for them to spend their time on other work.

99designs has partnered with RangeMe to offer short product videos that will help you build your brand.

Based on your project brief, well match you with the perfect creator who will help create your story and guide you through the process of ideation and production.

Our Video experts will help talk through your project and recommend the right price and package for your needs.

The Process

Weve carefully curated a community of talented creators on 99designs who can help you bring to life your product.

1. Tell us what you want

We start by asking you a few simple questions about your project; what youd like to achieve and by when.

2. Get matched with a creator

Based on your brief, well match you with the perfect creator from our platform. Theyll read your brief, and come back to you with a first cut.

3. Make a video!

Collaborate with your creator to create an animated product video youll love. Once approved, download your final file and get the full copyright. And thats a wrap!

Click here to book a consultation!

Once your video is complete, you can login to your RangeMe profile and upload it. Its that simple!

The Design Handover is the stage where you and the designer sign the Design Transfer Agreement and your designer transfers the finished design files to you.

You and the designer will have *5 days to confirm the files the designer uploads are correct. You can also use this time to work through any revisionsyou might need before they receive the prize money.

* This period will be 10 days for the following contest types: Logo &hosted website,Logo & brand identity pack,Logo & social media pack

How do I enter the Design Handover?

After you click to award a winning design, the designer is notified, and you will have successfully entered the Design Handover period.

1-1 Projects

How does the designer provide me with files and copyright?

Immediately after you click to award the winning design, yourdesigner is notified. They will either message you with any questions, or uploadfiles for you to review.

Note: The designer uploading files to the Design Handover initiates the 5 day timer

How do I review the files the designer sends me?

Each time your designer uploads a file for you to review in the Design Handover, you will be notified via email.

To review the files, you canclick to preview or click to downloadthem directly to your computer. (Note: downloading them does not release the payment.) This is done directly from the handover page as seen below:

What if I need Revisions?

If you need revisions, you can request themfrom the designer by sending them a message:

1. Clickthe 'messages' tab

2. Describewhat you would like to see changed

- This is also the place where you can communicate together about everything to do with the winning design(s)

Approving the files & Signing the Design Transfer Agreement

Note: Everything will automatically be approved if the *5 day timer runs out. See the instructions below to properly accept everything the designer has provided:

1. Sign the Design Transfer Agreement

2. If you want to approve thefiles beforethe timer runsout you can do this by clicking'Approve files and Release Payment'at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, as mentioned above, this automatically happens when the *5 day timer runs out.

How do I access my design files and the Design Transfer Agreement at a later time?

1. We'll email you each time a file is uploaded to the Handover Page for you to review.

2. You can also access your files/design handover, as well as your signed copy of the Design Transfer Agreement, at any time through the main contest page by clicking the 'View Files' button. (see screenshot below)

How doI leave a review for my designer?

Pro Tips:

1. We understand that some designs can take a little longer than 5 days to complete. If the process is taking a little longer than expected, please contact Customer Support to request more time before the prize money is released.

2. You can work with your winning designer again privately through our product by clicking 'Inquire about new work' while in the 'Messages' tab as shown below:

To build a design presentation for a client, select the white-labelledpresentation option as you launch your contest.

After launch, and once your contest has received some designs, log in to 99designs, select the contest in question, and click the Presentationstab.

That page briefly explains presentations. Click Create presentation.

You can create as many presentations as you like for your contest, so use them any time you want to show concepts to your client.

1. Select designs

The first step is to select the designs you want to show the client from the ideas submitted to your contest.

The page shows all the designs. Click the Select design checkbox at top-left of any design you want to include in your presentation.

As you do, the design will appear in the list at the top of the page.

If you make an error, you can remove a design by clicking the red and white cross icon at top-right of the selected design.

You can add as many designs as you like to a presentation. Whenyou'vefinished choosing designs, click Continue.

2. Prepare presentation

The second step is to prepare the presentation itself. On this page you can:

Add your logo, or a company header to the presentation.

Give the presentation a title, and write a brief introduction for your client.

Reorder the curated designs within the presentation page, and provide a rationale for each one if you wish.

The buttons at the bottom of the page let you preview and save your presentation.

Click Continue to share your presentation.

3. Share presentation

This page gives you a link to your presentation. Click the Copy link button to copy the link so you can paste it into an email, for example.

A design contest is a competition between designers to create the winning design for a clients design brief.

Here on 99designs,a client:

writes a design brief

names the contests cash prize

starts their contest.

The contest has four stages that take place over a number of days.

Subscribed 99designs designers from around the world see the contest listing in the 99designs marketplace. They compete for the prize by submitting designs that meet the brief.

The client gives feedback and direction to the designers to help them improve on their designs through two rounds of competition.

Finally, the client picks a winner. The winning designer receives the prize money, and the client gets the design files, and full copyright to the winning design.

The design brief is a document that specifies exactly what a customer wants, and envisions for the design contest they've posted.

The design brief is your tool to start a successful design because it's your guide to creating a design the customer loves and winning the contest.

If there is any confusion ahead of starting your design, feel free to ask the client questions ahead of starting your design.

In a guaranteed contest, the customer has guaranteed that they will select a winning designer, which ensures the prize money will be paid to the designer who has won the contest.

Guaranteed contests are marked as guaranteed on the contest page itself, and in the contest listing page, so you can easily see which contests are guaranteed, and which arent.

well distribute their prize money for them

If the customer decides theydon'twant to choose any of the designs as the winner, evenly amongst the eligible designers.In Bundle Contests the distribution will be modified to distribute the prize for logo only.

Blind contests are intended to protect designers; private contests are intended to protect the privacy of customers.

When browsing contests, you can also check if a contest is blind or private.

A blind contest is indicated by a crossed-out eye icon on the contest listing.

In a blind contest, no one is able to see the entries in a contest except for the customer. Designers will only see their own designs and people browsing the sitewon'tsee any of the designs at all.

In blind contests, designers can express their creativity more freely, and without worrying about protecting their original concepts. All website design contests are blind by default, and other contests are made blind if the customer requests it.

Once a contest has been made blind, it will remain blind for the duration of the contest. As soon as the contest ends, all entries will become visible to everyone using the site.

A private contest is indicated by a padlock icon next to the prize amount at the top right of the contest page.

Customers can upgrade their contest to be private ifthey'reworried about competitors or others knowing whatthey'reworking on.

Private contests:

are protected by a non-disclosure agreement (or NDA) that you must agree to in order to view the contest details

cant be indexed by search engines.

Designs you submit to a private contestcan'tbe uploaded to your folio.

The 99designs community is full of talented designers. So weve created the Top Level designer program to provide customers with exclusive access to a pool of hand-picked designers.

What are Platinum contests?

Platinum contests ensure customers work only with the best designers.

While that doesnt mean theres less work for the customer to do, it does mean that the standard of design quality is higher than in Bronze, Silver or Gold contests.

Platinum contests:

include personalized support from a dedicated 99designs account manager

are only open to our Top Leveldesigners

are always guaranteed after the Qualifying round

have have finalist prizes as well as the prize for the winner.

Platinum contests are marked in our contest listings.

What are finalist prizes?

With every Platinum contest, in addition to the winners prize, theres a finalist prize pool that will be shared by designers who are selected for the Final round.

The finalist pool is 15% of the total prize amount. So if, for example, the total prize amount is $1,000, and you were 1 of 2 finalists, youd get $75 just for being selected to go into the Final round.

If you go on to win the contest, you get both the winners prize and your share of the prize pool ($850 first prize + $75 finalist prize).

Designers who havent been invited to join the Top Level program see a large, blue header on any Platinum contest page. This lets them know theycan'tenter the contest.

The Logo & social media pack category enables designers to collaborate with clients on larger branding projects. Logo & social media pack contests have higher prizes and involve multiple deliverables:

Logo design

Facebook cover

Twitter header

YouTube background

The contest process

Qualifying Round: The designer only focuses on thelogo design. Do not submit any other deliverables in this round.

Final Round: If selected, the designer will finalize their logo and can begin submitting initial mockups for the additional deliverables.

Handover: The winning designer will refine and deliver all logo deliverables. This is also when the designer delivers the Facebook cover, Twitter header and YouTube background files.

Prize released: Once the handover is complete, the prize is released to the designer's account.

Deliverables

Delivering your files in a correct and organized way is always important in the handover phase for Logo & social media pack contests. Your final design files should be uploaded in all of the following formats:

Logo files:

JPG, PNG

Vector PDF

Adobe Illustrator

Facebook cover files:

JPG, PNG

Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator

Twitter header files:

JPG, PNG

Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator

YouTube background files:

JPG, PNG

Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator

99designs provides a variety of social media design templates to assist you with your project. However, it is always best practice to double-check the design specifications on each social media platform before beginning work on your project, since they change frequently.

Building a reliable client roster can be a huge pain (and a necessity if you want to keep your business afloat). 99designs lets you skip the networking events and marketing efforts by bringing new clients and projects directly to you.

The client introduction fee helps cover costs including promoting designers on- and off-platform, search engine optimization, paid advertising, investment in designer/client search and matching algorithms, and other initiatives dedicated to driving direct work to you.

Designers are responsible for paying this fee. As with any freelance project, the total quoted price sent to your client should cover any additional costs of doing business (such as your 99designs fees, insurance, taxes, utilities, etc).

How is the fee structured?

To ensure you retain more of your earnings upfront, the client introduction fee deducts 20% from the first $500 of paid invoices with a new client, with a maximum fee of $100 total.

here

When is the client introduction fee waived?

You will not pay this introduction fee if:

you won or were a finalist in a contest with this client

the client has never previously used 99designs and you invited them to a 1-to-1 Project using the email invitation feature.

Wondering how our top designers handle the process of quoting and recouping fees? More info on how to provide a good quote .

Its easy to set yourself up as a designer at 99designs.

First, create a profile. Then, search for design projects that interest you.

Youre free to submit designs to whichever contests you like theres no charge to designers.

Also, make sure to check out our designer resources:

Designer Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Designer Forum

Designer Resource Center

Stock images are professionally designed or photographed images that are sold or licensed for use to the buyer or licensee.

Designers often incorporate stock images into their designs to provide clients with high-quality photos without the client having to put resources into creating their own images.

To help you envision this, here are some examples of how stock images have been successfully incorporated into designs:

this article

By Proi

By Mike Barnes

By tomdesign.org

By YaseenArt

By ultrastjarna

By Jdodo

By rendydjox

By ALEX LALOVE

The stock images used on 99designs usually fall into one of two stock categories: photographsorvector images.

You can easily see when a designer has used stock in their design by looking in the panel to the right of the design. There will be a list of the stock image(s) used along with links to learn more about each image.

Stock can be free or may require you to purchase. For stock images that require purchasing, you can expect to pay in the $10-$50 range which will provide you with the license toan image.

Want to know more? Check out for more informationaboutstock images.

When the entries in a contest are hidden, its usually because that contest is a blind contest a contest in which only the customer can see all the entries.

locked contests

Once the contest has ended, all users will be able to see all of the entries in a blind contest.

Entries are also hidden in .

These are the official policies and guidelines for the 99designs community:

Designer Code of Conduct

Concept Originality Policy

Stock Image and Clip Art Policy

Client Guidelines

Non-Circumvention Policy

For all design categories except for 'Website and app design', the contest will usually run for 7 days. You can complete a contest by declaring a winner at any time, otherwise the contest will run in 3 stages:

contact our support team

1. Qualifying round (4 days)During the first 4 days, designers submit designs to your contest. During this time, provide feedback about what you like, and whatdon'tlike.

TIP: This is the designers chance to show off their skills, and your chance to see how responsive designers are to your feedback.Select finalistsYou can choose up to 6 designers to move into the Final round. While you can do this right away, youll have 4 days to make your decision.

TIP: Once this step is complete, the contest will become guaranteed, which means youre committing to award a prize to a designer and will not be eligible for a refund.

2. Final round (3 days)The Final round lasts for 3 days. During this round, you can work closely with your chosen finaliststo help them revise the designs to perfection.Select winnerAfter the Final round ends, you can select a winner ( or winners ). While you can do this right away, we allow up to 2 weeks to review the submitted designs and choose a winner.

3. Finalization (up to 5 days)Onceyou'vechosen your winner, your designer will sign the rights to the design over to you and send you the final files.

TIP: You can work with your designer to tweak your design during Finalization.

Pro Tip

Look below your title (next to the timeline) to see how much time is left in the current round of your contest.

The structure of Website and app design contests is the same as the other categories, but the timelines are a bit different. The Qualifying round lasts for 6 days for these contests, and the Final round lasts for 5 days.

Customers who need more time at any stage can .

Getting your work in front of a potential clients eyes can be challenging. In this article, we'll show you how to:

add tags and descriptions to each design in your portfolio

optimize those tags and descriptions toincrease your visibility in designer search

1. How to add tags and a description

When adding a design to your portfolio, you'll be prompted to edit the design details. This is where you can crop the design's thumbnail, improve the title andmost importantlyadd tags and a description to boost your discoverability on 99designs.

Once you're satisfied with the details you've included, simply hit save and your design will appear in your portfolio.You can edit it at any time by clicking on the design in your portfolio and selecting the "Edit design" button.

2. How to optimize your portfolio designs

Design descriptions

A good design description explains your thought process and how you have solved a design problem. It also provides potential clients with context and helps them connect with your design.

Pro tips for writing a great design description:

Make sure its clear and concise

Explain the meaning behind your design, so clients understand the context

Include a sentence or two about the client and why your design is the best fit

Design tags

Tags make your work easily discoverable by clients searching for a particular term. We recommend using 5 - 10 tags to describe each design and to onlyuse the singular form for each term. We account for both singular and plural automatically (use the term "cat", not "cats").

Pro tips for great design tags:

Think about it from the clients' perspective. Ifa potential client is looking for a sci-fi logo for his video game, he might search for "astronaut", "space", "masculine", or "sci-fi".

Use accurate and specific tags that clearly describe your design. For example:

Main elements of the design (mountain, tree, dog)

Design type (pattern, wordmark, watercolor, digital painting)

Style (bold, vibrant, flat, playful, retro)

Themes or feelings (dark, humor, passion)

Genre (biography, children, science-fiction)

The dominant color of the design

Tools or apps used (Affinity, Adobe Illustrator, Sketch)

What the design is used for (iOS, album art, movie poster)

Avoid irrelevant and overly generic tags like "best logo", "brilliant" or "unique". These will not be useful in search and may turn clients off from your work.

Only add category and industry tags that aren't listed on 99designs. Site categories (business card, logo, etc) and industries (art, food, tech, etc) are automatically added to your tags.

Below is a list of our required final files for each design category. Scroll to the bottom of this article to download helpful templates.

Please note: Clients may request different file types (or exports) in addition to 99designs' requirements. Always make sure to discuss your client's needs before completing a handover or project.

File requirements, by design category

Logo design

The original, editable file (i.e. AI)

A vector EPS file for digital (RGB)

A vector EPS file for print (CMYK)

A web preview file (PNG, JPEG, PDF)

Web & app design

Layered RGB Photoshop or Sketch file

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

No coding required. If the client requests coding in a contest, please report it

Business & advertising design

Editable AI, PSD, PDF, EPS, INDD, PPTX, SWF, or DOCX files

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

If the design is a full-bleed print design, bleed areas must be included

Clothing & merchandise design

Editable AI, PSD, PDF, or EPS files

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

If the design is a full-bleed print design, bleed areas must be included

Art & illustration design

Editable AI, PSD, PDF, or EPS files

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

If the design is a full-bleed print design, bleed areas must be included

Packaging & label design

Editable AI, PSD, PDF, EPS, or INDD files

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

If the design is a full-bleed print design, bleed areas must be included

Book & magazine design

Editable AI, PSD, PDF, EPS, or INDD files

Web preview files (PNG, JPEG)

If the design is a full-bleed print design, bleed areas must be included

Additional handover requirements

EPS files

EPS files are required in all design categories except Web & App. An EPS file is a vector-based file that can be opened by the client using many programs. EPS files can be easily exported from vector-based editing programs. We recommend that designers use Adobe Illustrator and do not use CorelDRAW.

All EPS files should be 100% vector and in a single color mode (RGB or CMYK). You'll see error messages display in red if you upload an EPS file that does not meet our requirements.

File organization

Clearly naming and organizing the files you upload for handover makes everything easier. Clients can find what they need quickly, and you provide them with a positive and professional experience.

Please take the time to clearly label all of your final files before uploading them to the handover.

Below is an example of how you could name your final logo files:

Image file formats: everythingyou'veever wanted to know

Pro Tip: If youre working with lots of variations or large files, you can save your final files in a folder and ZIP or compress them before uploading.Always add a preview file (e.g. JPEG) along with any ZIP or compressed file upload to ensure that your client can preview the images in the zip file.

Design templates

Download from the organized list of templates below...

Logo & brand identity pack

Logo

Business card

Letterhead

Envelope

Facebook cover

Business & advertising

PowerPoint

Social media pack

Social media (it's always best practice to double-check the design specifications on each social media platform before beginning work on your project, since they change frequently)

Further reading

Correct file formats: RGB and CMYK

The type of color mode and design file you use depends on the kind of contest youre participating in.

When youre designing for print its important to use a CMYK color mode with a resolution of at least 300dpi. Note: if you are using a vector program, like Illustrator, youwon'tneed to worry about the resolution.

File formats for CMYK print designs:

PDF - Portable Document Format

an Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Adobe Photoshop (.psd) or InDesign (.indd) file

When youre designing for any electronic device, use an RGB color mode at 72dpi resolution.

File formats for RGB computer-based designs:

PNG - Portable Network Graphics

JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group

In addition to these files, you must give the customer editable files. PSD (Photoshop) is a raster-based editable file and is mainly used for web-based designs. AI (Adobe Illustrator) is a vector-based file that must be used for logo designs.

When you're designing a logo, make sure to supply the following file formats in CMYK mode:

Adobe Illustrator (AI) file

editable PDF

PNG

JPG

On logo handovers, please additionally include a PNG in RGB mode for web use.

If you use CSD (CorelDRAW), you should also provide the customer with an editable PDF or convert your file to AI. For more information on the problems that can occur when doing this, take a look at CorelDRAW Problems: Publishing as AI and EPS.

Remember: the customer may require additional files (TIFF, GIF, etc.) so check with them and give them the files they request.

In Logo & brand identity pack, Logo & business card and Business card contests,the client will request a business card design from you.

Business card requirements

The files expected at handover are:

An editable version of the final design (AI, PSD, PDF, EPS or INDD)

All web preview images (JPEG or PNG)

A link to purchase any commercial fonts used in the design

Additional requirements:

All files are saved in the CMYK color mode and 300dpi resolution

Outline fonts for permanent text (company name, slogan, etc)

Do not outline fonts for editable text (employee name, contact information, etc)

Ensure you've properly worked within the bleed, trim and safe lines

Template downloads

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

For more detailed informationon business card design,please visit our Designer Resource Center

It is 99designs mission to provide designers and clients with a secure, professional platform to collaborate.

In exchange for our services (including client matching, fast payout processing, secured client payments and dedicated designer support), we charge fees on contest prizes and direct work invoices to support the ongoing maintenance and improvement of our platform.

If a designer takes a client off-platform to bypass 99designs fees, it is considered circumvention and the designer will be suspended or permanently banned.

What is circumvention?

Some common examples of circumvention:

Communicating and accepting payment off-site

Accepting or soliciting invoice payments outside of a 1-to-1 Project

A client canceling a design contest to work offsite with a designer they met onsite

What are the consequences for circumvention?

If a designer violates our Non-Circumvention Policy, they will be immediately suspended or have their account permanently closed. Higher level designers may also receive a demotion.

What should I do if a client asks me to work off-site?

By taking work off-site with a client, you waive all of the protections that 99designs providesincluding secure payment and client mediation. We will no longer be able to guarantee that you will be paid on time (or at all) andwon'tbe able to resolve client disputes without access to your platform communications.

If a client asks you to take work or payment off of 99designs, they may not know that they are violating our site policy. We recommend that you suggest a 1-to-1 Project and refer them to this help page or Section 4 of our Terms of Use.

If the client persists, you should contact a 99designs support representative. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to maintain your integrity and professionalism while conducting business on 99designs.

We're partnering with Squarespace to provide clients a professional design option when building out their Squarespace website. Below are the options for clients who have any questions or issues that need support from either 99designs or Squarespace.

All work done on a Squarespace website will be done through Squarespace's design platform. The project brief will be available via the "Projects" section within the "Your Work" tab in the header of the 99designs website. ( https://99designs.com/work/in-progress )

For help with anything relating to a Squarespace 1-1 Project on the 99designs side, please reach out to our support team via email at [email protected], use our online chat feature or give us a call! This link outlines all of our support options.

For questions or help with anything related to the creation of a Squarespace website, please visit Squarespace's thoughtfully curated Help Center.

Nobody likes disagreements but when they do arise we try to resolve them as fairly as possible to protect the interests of our designers and clients.

This guide explains when and how to use the report system.

When should I report a design?

1. A designer used an existing logo or part of an existing logo in their design. (Copyright Violation)

Help Page

This logo would not be allowed because it uses part of Wikipedias logo.

2. A designer submitted a stock image or parts of a stock image in their logo design. ( Stock Image and Clip Art Policy Violation)

This logo would not be allowed because it uses a stock tooth vector.

3. A designer copied another designers original concept or design.

If you think that a designer has copied another designers original concept ie. a previous winning design or a highly rated design in the same contest

Report if:

-> the design is a direct copy

-> the design uses another designers unique and original idea

Do not report if:

-> the design is based on the brief

-> the design is generic or common

-> the design concept is common for the industry

4. A designer copied your original concept.

Please review our Concept Originality Policy before reporting another design for being a copy of your own.

You may only report designs that are unique (not generic) and original (not based on the brief or common to the industry).

For example, if there is a real estate logo contest where a designer submits a design that includes a bird, other designers can not submit entries that also contain a bird because it is an original concept that can only be developed by the designer that introduced it.

How to report a design?

Once you have confirmed that the design violates our site policies you should:

Find any other designs the designer submitted that violate the rules in the same way. (ie. All of logo designs that use the same stock vector tooth.)

Make sure you have evidence ready specific links and observations.

Follow these instructions to submit a report to our staff.

During the review process, please refrain from contacting the client or staff about the design you have reported. Our team will review the report as soon as possible and you will receive a notification as soon as we have reviewed the report.

Please do not report the same entries multiple times. If you consistently send invalid or repeat reports your account is subject to suspension.

For more resources search our .

Designing a website and writing the code for a website are two separate tasks, and each requires separate tools and skills.

We believe that requiring designers to write HTML and CSS in addition to creating the look and feel of your website limits the amount of talented graphic designers that could be participating on our site. While there are designers out there with the ability to both design and code, there are significantly more designers who only know how to do the design aspect, and we want you to have the option to take advantage of their expertise as well!

Imagine you were building a house. Sure, you might be able to find someone who can throw the whole thing together top to bottom, but youd be far more comfortable if you hired specialist architects, carpenters, and plumbers to work on each distinct aspect your home.

Its the same with building a website -- those who specialize in pushing pixels in Photoshopdon'tnecessarily have the skills to make their designs into HTML code. Some do, but most dont.

99designs partners with a couple of coding companies who are experts in WordPress, HTML, CSS and other technologies. To request an obligation-free coding quote for your design, select I would like a 99designs coding partner to contact me at step 2 of the contest launch process. Alternatively, you can use your own developer if you have one!

Its easy to update your avatarthe image associated with your 99designs profile. You can do this by following the instructions and screenshots below:

1. Click on your currentuser image/avitarat the top-right of the site.2. Click the Profile link in the dropdown menu that appears.

3. Hover over your profile picture in the top left and click the pencil icon

4.Here, the page becomes editable and will allow you to choose a file to upload. Simply, select a file from your computer, then click Save changes to upload your new avatar.

Each 1-to-1 Project is unique, so the price for the creative work is determined based on your budget and what your designer charges for the work.

As a client, you'll also have a flat 5% platform fee:

The platform fee covers the cost of payment processing, marketplace protection, customer support, access to a curated designer community and the ongoing development of the platform.

This is calculated on top of the cost of the work provided by your designer. It's also made clearly visible to you on the invoice you receive from your designer.

Designers have separate fees for using 1-to-1 Projects. You can read what the designer fees are for 1-to-1 Projects here.

Purchasing from Australia? Find out about GST here.

Find out what payment options we offer for 1-to-1 Projects here.

Wondering how to invite a designer to your 1-to-1 Project? Find out about inviting here.

There are 3 ways to pay for a 1-to-1 Project invoice.

Credit Card

PayPal

Credits (theywill be always used first, andanyamount still dueis payable bycredit card or PayPal).

Do I have to pay in advance before I see the designers initial concepts in the project?

Yes,payment is due to 99designs before the work can commence. Once the work is completed and approved, credits will be distributed to the designers account and they can request a payout at their convenience. This provides added security for both sides.

- Designers:This helps give your client confidence that you are committed to the project

- Clients: Your designer will start the work on your project when the project is setup and all requirements have been met.

If however, the work is done but the client hasn't approved the final files, the designer can ask for a completion of a project. This will release any secured invoices in the form of 99designs credits to the designer after a 5-day timer expires. It is up to you, the client, to stop the timer before it expires if work isn't completed as you agreed.

What if I need a refund?

Wecannot refund if the 1-to-1 project is in progress or completedbecause work has been done by the designer. If would like to request a refund, you must first receive a confirmation from your designer that the refund is approved by them. This also must be in writing on the 1-to-1 project. Once this part is completed, simply contact support and we'll process the refund for you.

How much does a 1-to-1 Project Cost?

A private contest is the ultimate in privacy on 99designs.

Each private contest is protected by a non-disclosure agreement (or NDA) that designers must agree to before they can view the contest brief and submit designs.

They are not indexed by search engines.

Designerscan'tadd designs theyve entered in a private contest into their 99designs folios, and should not share designs from private contests anywhere on the web unless they have altered it to a generic business name so that it will not be linked to the contest in any way.

Once the contest finishes, it will only be viewable by the contest holder and the designers who participated in the contest. No one else will ever see it.

How do I change my linked Payoneer account?

You're only able to have one Payoneer account linked to your 99designs account. If you need to switch your Payoneer account, follow the instructions below:

1. First, you need to unlink your old account... Click the "Remove" button as per the screenshot below:

2.Once your Payoneer account is unlinked, you can click the "Link in Payoneer" button to select your new Payoneer account that you would like to use for future payouts:

How do I change between Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard Card or Payoneer Bank Transfer?

To change between a Prepaid MasterCard Card and Bank Transfer just click the Edit your Payoneer details button as per the screenshot below:

In a Logo & brand identity pack or Stationery contest, your client will request a stationery design. Stationery includes both letterhead and envelope designs.

Stationeryrequirements

The files expected at handover are:

An editable version of the final design (AI, PSD, PDF, EPS or INDD)

All web preview images (JPEG or PNG)

A link to purchase any commercial fonts used in the design

Other requirements include:

All files are saved in the CMYK color mode and 300dpi resolution

Include theprint bleed

Remember space for stamp, return address and the back on envelopes

Dont use borders unless letterhead will be professionally printed

Letterhead template downloads

US letterhead - 8.5" x 11"

Photoshop

Illustrator

Non-US A4 letterhead - 210 x 297mm

Photoshop

Illustrator

Envelopetemplate downloads

#6 3/4 US envelope -6.5" x 3.625"

Photoshop

Illustrator

#9 US envelope -8.875" x 3.875"

Photoshop

Illustrator

#10 US envelope -9.5" x 4.125"

Photoshop

Illustrator

Non-US envelope - 221 x 110mm

Photoshop

Illustrator

For more detailed informationon stationerydesign,please visit our Designer Resource Center

Chasing down invoices, finding the right projects and dealing with unhappy clients can be a time-consuming part of running your own business. 99designs handles those logistics so you can focus on designing something great.

The platform fee is split between clients and designers to help cover the 1-to-1 Project costs of secure payment holds, dispute resolution, community curation, anti-fraud measures, payout processing, educational resources and the ongoing development of the platform.

For each 1-to-1 Project, the client pays a fixed 5% platform fee and the designer pays a separate platform fee based on their designer level.

How is the designer platform fee structured?

As you gain more experience on 99designs, you'll need less assistance from us. Therefore, we reward our most experienced designers by lowering the fee as you level up:

Top Level designers: 5% platform fee

Mid Level designers: 10% platform fee

Entry Level designers: 15% platform fee

Do I need to explain the platform fee to my client?

No. A line item for the clients 5% platform fee will automatically be included in the quote, along with an explanation of what this fee is and what it covers.

here

* The client introduction fee is only applied to the first $500 of paid invoices with new clients

Wondering how our top designers handle the process of quoting and recouping fees? More info on how to provide a good quote .

99designs presentations are designed for customers who are running contests on behalf of others (for example, their own clients).

Our presentations tool lets you curate submitted designs into a collection that you can share with clients using a private link.

You brand the presentation with your own company name and logo. Your clients never know youre working with us, and you retain complete control over your relationship with them.

Clients can provide feedback on each design in the presentation itself. You can easily pass their comments on to designers in your contest, or even edit comments before sending the comments along.