Guides / Guide
How much does a logo and a brand manual cost in 2026?
Domus Design Team · Updated October 8, 2026 · 6 min read
A logo can cost $0 or $10,000, and both can be right. What matters is what you get with it: the files, the rules for using it, and whether the rest of your brand (colors, fonts, the way you write) is decided too. That second part is the brand manual, and it's the difference between a logo and a brand.
Logo prices in 2026
| Where it comes from | Typical price | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|
| AI generator or DIY tool | $0–$50 | A PNG. No rules, no source files, often not unique |
| Design contest site | $250–$1,000+ | Dozens of rough options, one finished; quality varies a lot |
| Freelancer | $300–$2,000 | 2–3 concepts, a few revisions, final files |
| Small studio | $500–$3,000 | Concepts with reasoning, revisions, every file format, basic usage rules |
| Agency, full identity | $3,000–$10,000+ | Research, logo, full identity system and guidelines |
What a brand manual is
A brand manual (also called brand guidelines) is the document that says how your brand looks and sounds: the logo and how to use it, the exact colors, the fonts, the tone of voice, and examples of it applied to a business card, a post, a page. It's what lets a second designer, a printer or a social media manager produce something that still looks like you.
Without one, every new piece gets reinvented. With one, your website, your app, your menu and your Instagram match, and you stop paying people to guess.
What should be in the files you receive
- The logo in vector format (SVG or PDF), plus PNG with a transparent background, in color, black and white.
- Horizontal and stacked versions, and a small mark or icon for app icons and profile pictures.
- Clear-space and minimum-size rules.
- Color codes for screen (HEX/RGB) and print (CMYK), and the font names with where to get them.
- A short voice guide: three words you are, three you're not, and a sample sentence.
- Mock-ups: the brand on a card, a sign, a phone screen.
What Domus charges
At Domus, logo design comes with 3 directions to choose from and up to 4 rounds of revisions, and it's 30% off when you order it with a Business Website, Signature Website or Mobile App. The full brand manual (belief, mood, colors, type, voice, logo rules and mock-ups) is included with the Business and Signature websites and the Mobile App; the Starter Website includes a mini brand guide. Create a free account to see every price.
It starts with a questionnaire, not a meeting: you answer in the Domus app or on this site, pick mood photos, and we build the manual from your answers. You approve it before any page is designed.
Questions people ask
Can I just use an AI logo?
For a hobby, yes. For a business, two problems: the same shapes show up in other people's AI logos, and you get no source files or rules, so it falls apart the first time a printer asks for a vector.
Do I need a brand manual if I only have a small business?
A short one, yes. Even five pages (logo, colors, fonts, voice, two examples) keeps your website, menu and posts looking like one business.
I already have a logo. Can you build around it?
Yes. We build the manual and the site around the logo you have, and only redraw it if the files are missing or broken.
How long does a logo take?
About 2 weeks for 3 directions and revisions; a full brand manual takes 2–3 weeks on top, running alongside your website project.
Need a logo, a brand manual, or both? Answer the logo brief and we'll come back with a quote and a date, in writing.