Pricing your first design jobs is uncomfortable for almost everyone. Charge too little and you’ll feel resentful, burn out, or attract the wrong clients. Charge too much (too early, with no clarity) and you risk losing opportunities you actually could have closed. The goal isn’t to find a “perfect” price—it’s to build a pricing method that’s fair, simple, and protects you while you learn.

This article will help you price your first design projects with confidence, even if you’re new. You’ll learn common pricing models, how to estimate time, how to set boundaries, and how to avoid the classic beginner mistakes.

Start here: price is not just “time”

Yes, time matters—but pricing also includes:

• the value of the outcome (what the design helps the client achieve)
• the complexity (number of deliverables, formats, variations)
• the risk (rush jobs, unclear briefs, many stakeholders)
• the usage (where and how long the design will be used)
• the revisions (how many rounds you’ll include)

Beginners often undercharge because they only count “hours in Figma” and forget everything else: briefing, research, concepting, exporting, feedback calls, revisions, and file organization.

Step 1: choose a pricing model that matches the job

For early projects, keep it simple.

Hourly (best for unclear scope)

Hourly pricing works when the client can’t define what they need yet, or when the job is ongoing (like weekly social content support).

Pros:

• you get paid for extra work and changes
• safer when scope is uncertain

Cons:

• clients may obsess over time
• you can be penalized for getting faster

Use hourly when:

• the deliverables are flexible
• the client says “we’ll figure it out as we go”
• it’s a retainer-style relationship

Fixed project fee (best for clear deliverables)

A fixed price is easier for clients to accept and easier for you to sell—if you define scope properly.

Pros:

• clean proposal, easier decision
• rewards efficiency as you improve

Cons:

• risky if the scope is unclear
• can explode with revisions if you don’t set limits

Use project fees when:

• deliverables are defined (e.g., “6 ad creatives + 6 variations”)
• you can estimate time reliably

Package pricing (great for beginners)

Packages reduce friction: the client chooses a tier, and you know exactly what’s included.

Example packages:

• Starter: 3 social posts + 3 stories
• Standard: 6 posts + 6 stories + 2 ad creatives
• Pro: 10 templates + brand mini-kit + export sizes

Pros:

• simpler sales process
• fewer negotiations
• scope is controlled

Cons:

• you must learn what’s realistic to deliver per tier

Step 2: build your baseline hourly rate (even if you don’t charge hourly)

Even if you prefer project pricing, you need a baseline hourly rate to sanity-check your quote.

A beginner-friendly method:

1. Decide your monthly income goal (what you want to take home).
2. Add business costs (software subscriptions, taxes, equipment savings).
3. Divide by realistic billable hours.

Important: you won’t bill 40 hours/week. Beginners often overestimate. Admin, learning, marketing, client communication—these all exist.

A simple reality-based assumption:

• 20–25 billable hours/week is more realistic than 40 when freelancing.

Then:

• Hourly rate = (monthly target + monthly costs) / billable hours in a month

Even if you don’t calculate perfectly, this gives you a floor. If a project quote drops below that floor, it’s a warning sign.

Step 3: estimate time like a pro (without overthinking)

Underpricing usually comes from underestimating time.

For each project, estimate time in blocks:

• briefing + research
• concept directions (usually 1–3)
• production (creating all deliverables)
• revisions
• exporting + delivery
• project management (messages, calls, file organization)

Beginner rule:

• take your first estimate and add 30–50% buffer.

Not because you’re slow—because beginners forget how long revisions and communication take.

Step 4: include revisions in the price (and define them clearly)

This is where pricing goes wrong fast.

Instead of unlimited revisions, include:

• “2 rounds of revisions included”

Define what a revision round means:

• a batch of feedback delivered at once
• applied once
• then you share updated files

Also define what counts as “new work”:

• changing the concept direction
• making additional formats not agreed
• adding new deliverables
• rewriting content extensively after approval

A simple rule:

• revisions are for improving the chosen direction, not restarting the project.

Step 5: charge based on deliverables and usage (especially for branding)

Two projects can take the same time but have different value. A logo for a personal hobby project is not the same as a logo for a company that will use it everywhere.

Ask yourself:

• Is this used in paid ads?
• Is this a brand identity used across platforms?
• Will this be printed? Packaged? Distributed?
• How public is it, and for how long?

For beginners: you don’t need complicated licensing models yet, but you can adjust your fee when usage is bigger. Bigger usage = higher responsibility.

Step 6: create a “minimum price” to protect yourself

A minimum price prevents you from accepting jobs that drain you.

Your minimum price should cover:

• time + admin
• revisions
• delivery
• basic profit margin

Even a small project requires switching your brain into “client mode.” Charge for that.

Examples of work that should never be priced like “just a quick thing”:

• a single ad creative (because it includes thinking, messaging, and revisions)
• a logo (because it includes direction and usage risk)
• a landing page hero (because it affects conversion)

Step 7: how to present your price so clients say yes

Price alone feels scary. Price with structure feels professional.

Always present:

• what they’re getting (deliverables)
• timeline
• number of revision rounds
• what you need from them (brand assets, copy, access)
• payment terms

Instead of saying:

• “It’ll cost $X.”

Say:

• “For $X, you’ll receive A, B, and C. Timeline is Y days. This includes 2 revision rounds. Additional variations are priced at $Z each.”

That removes uncertainty, which increases trust.

Common beginner pricing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Mistake 1: charging “per post” with zero context

A “post” can be 10 minutes or 3 hours depending on complexity, copy, and formatting. If you price per post, define what counts:

• complexity level
• number of versions (story, feed, sizes)
• whether copy is provided

Mistake 2: offering unlimited revisions

Unlimited revisions = unlimited time risk. It trains clients to keep changing their mind.

Mistake 3: ignoring the brief

If the brief is unclear, your price must include extra time for discovery—or you must push back and clarify scope before pricing.

Mistake 4: not charging for rush

Rush work costs more because it disrupts your schedule. Add a rush fee or offer a later delivery date at the normal price.

Mistake 5: being afraid to raise your rates

Your first prices should not be your forever prices. Raise rates when:

• you deliver faster
• your work quality increases
• demand increases
• you consistently feel overbooked

What to do when a client says “That’s too expensive”

Don’t panic and discount instantly. Try one of these:

1. Reduce scope, keep quality

• fewer deliverables
• fewer formats
• fewer concepts

2. Offer a smaller package tier

• keep the door open without undervaluing yourself

3. Split into phases

• phase 1: direction + core design
• phase 2: extra variations + resizing

This protects your price integrity while still helping the client afford the work.

A simple pricing workflow you can repeat

Use this every time:

1. Confirm deliverables and formats
2. Estimate time in blocks (+ buffer)
3. Choose model: hourly, fixed, or package
4. Include revision rounds
5. Set timeline and payment terms
6. Present price with structure

Consistency is what builds confidence.

Conclusion

Pricing your first design projects doesn’t need to be chaotic. You don’t need to guess or copy someone else’s numbers—you need a method.

Pick a pricing model that matches the scope, calculate a baseline rate to protect your time, estimate with a buffer, define revisions clearly, and present your price as a structured offer. That’s how you avoid charging too much or too little—and how you start building a sustainable design career from day one.