Designhill vs 99Designs: A Detailed Comparison for Savvy Business Owners

In an era where the importance of a strong visual identity cannot be overstated, choosing the right design platform is vital. This article offers a comprehensive comparison of two leading online design platforms, Designhill and 99Designs. Both platforms have their unique offerings, strengths, and drawbacks. By examining their key differences and similarities, pros and cons, as well as specific situations when one might be more suitable than the other, this article aims to equip business owners with the knowledge they need to make an informed choice.

What is Designhill and what is 99Designs?

Designhill and 99Designs are both widely recognized platforms in the world of graphic design, but they serve distinct purposes and differ in several significant ways.

Designhill is a creative marketplace that connects businesses with professional graphic designers from all over the world. The platform enables businesses to source high-quality designs such as logos, websites, T-shirts, and more, through contests, one-on-one projects, and readymade logo store. Designhill also offers a variety of digital design tools, allowing anyone to create professional designs on their own.

99Designs, on the other hand, is also a global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together and create designs they love. It’s a robust platform where businesses can launch design contests to crowdsource ideas. Businesses can also connect directly with individual designers for more personalized, one-on-one projects. The platform covers an extensive range of design categories, from logo and branding to web and app design.

Key Differences between Designhill and 99Designs

1. Pricing Structure: While both platforms offer a variety of pricing tiers, Designhill tends to be more affordable compared to 99Designs. Designhill offers more flexibility in terms of cost, making it more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
2. Designer Base: 99Designs boasts a larger designer base compared to Designhill. This could mean a wider variety of design styles on 99Designs, although the quality of designs on both platforms is generally high.
3. Contest Guarantee: 99Designs offers a 100% money-back guarantee on design contests, which Designhill does not. This means if you’re not satisfied with the designs you receive on 99Designs, you can request a refund.
4. On-demand Tools: Designhill offers an array of on-demand design tools, like a logo maker and a business card maker, which 99Designs does not.
5. Readymade Logo Store: Only Designhill offers the Readymade Logo Store where businesses can buy pre-designed logos.
6. Design Services: 99Designs offers a broader range of design services, including web and app design, which are not as prominently featured on Designhill.

Key Similarities between Designhill and 99Designs

1. Crowdsourcing Concept: Both Designhill and 99Designs operate on the same crowdsourcing concept where businesses can launch design contests and choose from numerous designs submitted by different designers.
2. Quality of Designers: Both platforms host a pool of professional designers who produce high-quality work.
3. Range of Design Categories: Both Designhill and 99Designs cover a broad range of design categories such as logo design, business card design, T-shirt design, and more.
4. One-on-one Projects: Both platforms allow businesses to work directly with individual designers for a more personalized design experience.
5. Design Brief: Both platforms require businesses to submit a design brief to guide designers in creating designs that meet the businesses’ needs.
6. Feedback System: Both platforms allow businesses to provide feedback on submitted designs, encouraging designers to refine and improve their work based on the provided comments.

Pros of Designhill over 99Designs

1. Pricing Flexibility: Designhill offers more affordable pricing tiers compared to 99Designs, making it more accessible for small to medium-sized businesses.
2. Readymade Logo Store: Designhill has a unique feature called the Readymade Logo Store where businesses can buy pre-designed logos instantly. This feature is not available on 99Designs.
3. On-demand Design Tools: Designhill provides several on-demand design tools, such as a logo maker and a business card maker. These tools enable users to create professional designs independently, a feature which is not provided by 99Designs.
4. Artificial Intelligence: Designhill’s AI-powered logo maker can create unique and professional logos within minutes, providing an added advantage for businesses needing quick solutions.
5. Designer Base: Although smaller than 99Designs, Designhill’s designer base is often lauded for its creativity and willingness to collaborate with clients. This can lead to a more personalized design experience.
6. Customer Support: Some users have praised Designhill for its responsive and supportive customer service, noting that queries and issues are dealt with swiftly.

Cons of Designhill compared to 99Designs

1. Fewer Designers: 99Designs has a larger designer base compared to Designhill, providing a wider variety of styles and concepts to choose from.
2. Lesser Design Services: 99Designs offers a broader range of design services, including web and app design, that are not as prominently featured on Designhill.
3. Money-back Guarantee: Unlike 99Designs, Designhill does not offer a 100% money-back guarantee on design contests, potentially making it a riskier choice for businesses.
4. Brand Recognition: 99Designs has a stronger global brand recognition and larger clientele base as compared to Designhill.
5. Localized Designers: 99Designs allows for localization of designers, a feature not available in Designhill. This can be helpful for businesses looking for designers with a specific cultural or geographical understanding.
6. Project Management: Some users report that 99Designs has a more user-friendly interface for project management, which can make the process smoother and more efficient compared to Designhill.

Pros of 99Designs over Designhill

1. Larger Designer Base: 99Designs has a significantly larger pool of designers compared to Designhill, which can translate into a wider variety of design styles and concepts.
2. Extensive Design Services: 99Designs offers a broader spectrum of design services, including web and app design, that are not as prominently featured on Designhill.
3. Contest Guarantee: Unlike Designhill, 99Designs offers a 100% money-back guarantee on design contests. This provides a safety net for businesses, ensuring they’re satisfied with the designs they receive.
4. Brand Recognition: As one of the oldest and most well-known design platforms, 99Designs benefits from strong global brand recognition and a large client base.
5. Localized Designers: 99Designs offers the ability to search for designers based on their location, a feature that is not available on Designhill. This can be advantageous for businesses looking for designers with a particular cultural or geographical understanding.
6. Project Management Interface: Many users have reported that 99Designs has a more user-friendly interface for project management, making the process of managing design contests smoother and more efficient.

Cons of 99Designs compared to Designhill

1. Higher Pricing: While 99Designs offers quality services, its pricing tiers are generally higher compared to Designhill, which can be a barrier for small to medium-sized businesses.
2. No Readymade Logo Store: Unlike Designhill, 99Designs doesn’t offer a readymade logo store where businesses can instantly purchase pre-designed logos.
3. Lack of On-demand Design Tools: 99Designs does not offer on-demand design tools like a logo maker or a business card maker, which Designhill does. This lack of tools can limit the ability of users to create designs independently.
4. No AI Tools: 99Designs does not leverage AI-powered design tools, which are available on Designhill and can deliver design solutions more quickly.
5. Customer Service: Some users have reported that Designhill’s customer service is more responsive and helpful compared to 99Designs, particularly when it comes to resolving issues.
6. Collaboration with Designers: Some users have indicated that the collaboration with designers can be more engaging on Designhill than 99Designs, leading to more personalized outcomes.

Situations when Designhill is better than 99Designs

1. Budget Constraints: If you’re a small to medium-sized business with a tight budget, Designhill’s affordable pricing tiers may make it a better choice than 99Designs.
2. Immediate Logo Needs: If you need a logo immediately and don’t have time for a design contest, Designhill’s Readymade Logo Store provides pre-designed logos that you can purchase instantly.
3. DIY Design Requirements: If you prefer to create designs yourself, Designhill’s array of on-demand design tools, including the AI-powered logo maker, provide an advantage over 99Designs.
4. Highly Collaborative Projects: If your project requires extensive collaboration with a designer, Designhill’s designer base is often praised for its willingness to work closely with clients, providing a potentially more personalized design experience.
5. Need for Quick Customer Support: If responsive customer support is a priority for you, some users have noted that Designhill’s customer service is more prompt and helpful in addressing queries and issues.

Situations when 99Designs is better than Designhill

1. Wide Variety of Designs: If you’re looking for a vast variety of design styles and concepts, 99Designs’ larger designer base could make it the better choice.
2. Extensive Design Services: If your needs extend beyond logos and basic graphics to include web and app design, 99Designs offers a wider range of design services compared to Designhill.
3. Risk-averse Projects: If you’re launching a design contest and want the security of a money-back guarantee, 99Designs provides this feature, while Designhill does not.
4. Need for Localization: If you’re specifically looking for designers from a certain region or cultural background, 99Designs allows for localization of designers, a feature not available on Designhill.
5. Brand Recognition: If brand recognition and the reputation of the platform matter to you, 99Designs’ strong global brand recognition may make it the preferable choice.
6. Ease of Project Management: If a user-friendly interface for managing design contests and projects is important to you, some users have reported that 99Designs provides a smoother and more efficient experience.

Designhill vs 99Designs Summary

In conclusion, both Designhill and 99Designs offer valuable services to businesses in need of quality design solutions. Each platform has its strengths, and the choice between the two often boils down to specific business needs and preferences. Whether it’s the affordability and on-demand design tools of Designhill, or the extensive designer base and wider range of services offered by 99Designs, savvy business owners can now make a well-informed decision that best aligns with their brand vision and business objectives.

	Designhill	99Designs
Pricing	More affordable	More expensive
Designer Base	Smaller, but praised for creativity and collaboration	Larger, offering a wider variety of styles and concepts
Design Services	Mainly graphics and logo design	Extensive range, including web and app design
Contest Guarantee	Not available	100% money-back guarantee
On-demand Tools	Available, including AI-powered logo maker	Not available
Readymade Logo Store	Available	Not available
Customer Service	Reported to be more responsive	Varies
Pros	Affordable pricing, on-demand tools, Readymade Logo Store, highly collaborative designers, quick customer support	Larger designer base, extensive design services, contest guarantee, brand recognition, localization of designers, user-friendly project management
Cons	Fewer designers, lesser design services, no contest guarantee, less brand recognition compared to 99Designs	Higher pricing, no on-demand tools, no Readymade Logo Store, less engaging collaboration with designers according to some users
Best for Situations	Budget constraints, immediate logo needs, DIY design requirements, highly collaborative projects, need for quick customer support	Need for a wide variety of designs, extensive design services, risk-averse projects, need for localization, brand recognition, ease of project management