How Logo Design Contests Work on 99designs
Choosing a logo is one of the most important early decisions you make for your brand. Your logo is often the first visual signal people associate with your business, and it needs to communicate trust, clarity, personality, and professionalism before anyone reads a single word.
For many business owners, 99designs offers an interesting way to approach this process. Instead of hiring one designer immediately, you can start a logo design contest, receive different creative directions from multiple designers, give feedback, select finalists, and choose the logo that best fits your brand.
According to 99designs, a contest begins with a brief opened to its design community, designers submit ideas, and the client selects the preferred design.
But while the process may sound simple, a successful contest requires more than launching a brief and waiting for good logos to appear. The best results usually come from clear positioning, thoughtful feedback, realistic expectations, and a strong understanding of what makes a logo work.
This guide explains how 99designs logo contests work, what to prepare, what to expect at each stage, and how to use the process strategically.
What Is a 99designs Logo Design Contest?
A 99designs logo design contest is a structured creative process where you submit a design brief, invite designers to create logo concepts, review the submissions, provide feedback, select finalists, and eventually choose a winning logo.
It is different from hiring a single designer directly because you are not starting with only one creative point of view. Instead, you are exploring several possible interpretations of your brand.
This can be useful if you are still unsure about the visual direction of your business. For example, you may not know whether your logo should feel minimal, bold, elegant, playful, traditional, modern, premium, or more illustrative. A contest allows you to compare different approaches before committing to one.
However, the contest format works best when you treat it as a guided creative process, not as a random competition. Designers need context. The more clearly you explain your brand, audience, values, competitors, and preferences, the stronger the results will usually be.
Step 1: You Create a Logo Design Brief
The first step is the design brief. This is where you explain what your business does, who your audience is, what style you prefer, and what kind of logo you are looking for.
A strong brief should include:
Your business name, tagline if applicable, industry, target audience, brand personality, preferred colors, examples of logos you like, examples you dislike, competitors, and any technical or practical requirements.
For example, instead of saying:
“I want a modern logo.”
A better brief would say:
“I need a clean, modern logo for a premium consulting firm. The brand should feel strategic, calm, trustworthy, and refined. I prefer minimal typography, subtle geometric symbols, and a restrained color palette. Please avoid playful icons, gradients, and overly corporate clichés.”
The difference is important. “Modern” can mean many things. For one designer, it may mean bold sans-serif typography. For another, it may mean abstract geometry. For another, it may mean a tech startup aesthetic. The more precise your language, the easier it is for designers to make intelligent decisions.
Step 2: Designers Submit Initial Logo Concepts
Once the contest is live, designers begin submitting concepts based on your brief. This is the exploration stage.
At this point, you may receive very different directions. Some designers may focus on typography. Others may propose a symbol. Some may explore initials, abstract marks, mascots, emblems, monograms, or wordmarks.
This variety is one of the main benefits of a logo contest. It allows you to see your brand from multiple creative angles.
However, not every submission will be equally strong. Some logos may feel too generic, too decorative, too complicated, or not aligned with your industry. This is normal. The early stage is about discovering what works and what does not.
Your role is to observe patterns. Ask yourself:
Does this logo feel appropriate for my audience?
Does it communicate the right personality?
Is it memorable without being confusing?
Would it still work at a small size?
Does it look professional or trendy in a temporary way?
Could this logo support a larger brand identity?
A good logo is not simply attractive. It needs to be usable, recognizable, and strategically aligned.
Step 3: You Give Feedback and Rate Designs
Feedback is one of the most important parts of the contest process.
On 99designs, clients can rate designs and communicate with designers so they understand what is moving in the right direction. The platform itself encourages rating and feedback as part of the process.
Good feedback helps designers refine their ideas. Poor feedback can confuse the process.
Try to avoid vague comments like:
“Make it better.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Can you make it pop?”
“Something is missing.”
Instead, use practical and specific comments:
“The typography feels strong, but the icon is too complex.”
“I like the elegance of this version, but the color palette feels too cold.”
“The symbol is interesting, but it should feel more trustworthy and less playful.”
“Please explore a simpler version that works better at small sizes.”
“This direction is closer to the brand: refined, minimal, and confident.”
Designers are not only reacting to what you say. They are also trying to understand the reasoning behind your choices. When your feedback explains why something works or does not work, the next iteration usually becomes much stronger.
Step 4: The Qualifying Round Helps You Find Strong Directions
The first major stage of a contest is the Qualifying round. According to 99designs support, the Qualifying round begins after payment and lasts 4 days for most contest types, with longer timelines for categories such as web, WordPress theme, and mobile app design.
For logo design contests, this stage is where you evaluate the initial creative range. You are not necessarily looking for the perfect final logo immediately. You are looking for promising directions and designers who understand your brief.
During this stage, pay attention to more than the design itself. Notice how designers respond to your feedback. A designer who listens carefully, explains choices clearly, and improves the concept strategically may be a better finalist than someone who submits a visually attractive but poorly considered logo.
The best contest results often come from collaboration, not just selection.
Step 5: You Select Finalists
After the Qualifying round, you select the designers you want to continue working with. 99designs states that clients can select up to 6 finalists for the Final round.
This is an important decision. You are not only choosing designs; you are choosing creative partners for the final refinement stage.
When selecting finalists, consider:
The strength of the concept, the designer’s ability to follow the brief, the quality of the typography, the originality of the symbol, the professionalism of the presentation, the designer’s communication, and the potential of the logo to become a complete brand identity.
It is also important to know that once finalists are selected, the contest becomes guaranteed, according to 99designs support.
That means this step should be taken seriously. Before choosing finalists, make sure you have enough confidence in the directions you want to continue developing.
Step 6: The Final Round Refines the Best Concepts
The Final round is where the strongest ideas become more polished.
According to 99designs, the Final round starts after finalists are selected and gives clients 3 days to work with up to 6 favorite designers; website and app design contests have longer final rounds.
For logo contests, this is usually the time to refine details such as:
Typography, icon proportions, spacing, color palette, black-and-white usability, horizontal and vertical logo versions, symbol clarity, tagline placement, and overall brand feeling.
This stage should not be treated as a completely new brainstorming phase unless absolutely necessary. It is better to use the Final round to strengthen the best directions, simplify unnecessary details, and make the logo more usable in real-world contexts.
For example, a beautiful logo may still need adjustments if it does not work well on a website header, social media profile image, business card, packaging, app icon, or small digital placement.
A professional logo needs flexibility.
Step 7: You Choose a Winner
Once you are satisfied with one direction, you select the winning designer.
This decision should not be based only on which design looks most impressive in a presentation mockup. Mockups can make almost any logo look more polished. Instead, evaluate the logo itself.
Ask yourself:
Is the concept clear?
Is the logo distinctive enough?
Is the typography well balanced?
Does it work in black and white?
Can it scale down without losing clarity?
Does it feel appropriate for the industry?
Will it still feel relevant in a few years?
Can it support a broader visual identity?
The best logo is not always the loudest or most decorative one. Often, the strongest logo is the one that feels simple, intentional, memorable, and easy to use.
Step 8: The Design Handover Begins
After you choose a winner, the project enters the handover stage. This is where the designer prepares and uploads the final design files.
99designs explains that after a winner is chosen, the client and designer enter the handover stage, where the designer prepares the files and the client can review them.
The handover process also includes the Design Transfer Agreement, which formally transfers the rights as part of the final delivery process. 99designs describes the handover steps as uploading design files, signing the Design Transfer Agreement, and sending files for review.
This stage is important because a logo is not finished until the correct files are delivered.
A professional logo package should typically include vector files and web-ready files. Common formats may include AI, EPS, PDF, SVG, PNG, and JPG depending on the project and platform requirements. 99designs provides guidance on the types of files clients may receive at the end of a design contest and explains their uses for print and digital contexts.
Before approving the handover, make sure the files are complete, organized, and usable.
What Makes a Strong Logo Contest Brief?
A strong brief is the foundation of a successful contest. If the brief is weak, designers are forced to guess. If the brief is clear, designers can make better creative decisions.
A useful logo brief should answer these questions:
What does your business do?
Who is your target audience?
What should people feel when they see your brand?
What makes your business different?
What visual styles feel appropriate?
What styles should designers avoid?
Where will the logo be used?
Do you need a symbol, wordmark, monogram, emblem, or flexible logo system?
Do you have existing colors, fonts, or brand assets?
Are there competitors you want to look different from?
The more strategic your answers, the more strategic the design results.
For example, if you run a financial consulting firm, your logo probably needs to communicate trust, stability, intelligence, and professionalism. If you run a children’s brand, warmth, friendliness, and memorability may be more important. If you run a luxury skincare brand, restraint, typography, spacing, and material sensitivity may matter more than a complex symbol.
Different brands need different design languages.
Practical Checklist Before Starting a 99designs Logo Contest
Before launching your contest, prepare the following:
A clear description of your business
A short explanation of your audience
Three to five adjectives that describe your brand personality
Examples of logos you like and why
Examples of logos you dislike and why
Your preferred colors, if any
Colors or symbols to avoid
A list of competitors
Main use cases for the logo
Any required text, tagline, or initials
A realistic idea of the style you want
A plan for giving feedback during the contest
A clear understanding of what final files you need
This preparation can make the difference between a confusing contest and a focused creative process.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is starting a contest with a vague brief. If your instructions are too general, you may receive generic designs.
Another mistake is changing direction too often. It is normal to refine your thinking as you see submissions, but if your feedback constantly shifts from minimal to playful, from luxury to casual, from corporate to artistic, designers may struggle to understand the real goal.
A third mistake is choosing a logo only because it looks beautiful in a mockup. Always review the logo on a plain background, in black and white, and at small sizes.
Another common issue is asking too many designers to copy one direction. This can reduce originality and create confusion. It is better to communicate what you like about a concept — for example, the simplicity, balance, or premium tone — without encouraging direct imitation.
Finally, some clients underestimate the importance of typography. In many professional logos, typography is not secondary. It is the logo. Poor letter spacing, weak font choice, or unbalanced proportions can make even a good symbol feel amateur.
Designer Insight: How to Get Better Results
From a designer’s perspective, the best clients are not necessarily the ones who know design terminology. The best clients are the ones who understand their brand and communicate clearly.
You do not need to say “increase the kerning” or “adjust the optical alignment” if you are not familiar with those terms. It is enough to say:
“The text feels a little too tight.”
“The symbol feels slightly heavy compared to the name.”
“This version feels more premium, but I would like it to feel warmer.”
“The logo should feel more established and less like a tech startup.”
Good designers can translate your business language into design decisions.
It also helps to explain the emotional goal behind your brand. A logo for a wellness coach, a law firm, a restaurant, a SaaS startup, and an art gallery may all be “modern,” but they should not feel the same.
The more you define the feeling, the better the design can express it.
Is a 99designs Logo Contest Right for You?
A logo design contest can be a good option if you want to explore different visual directions, compare multiple designers, and remain involved in the creative process.
It may be especially useful if:
You are launching a new business
You are not sure which visual direction fits your brand
You want to compare several logo concepts
You enjoy giving feedback and refining ideas
You want to discover designers before choosing one
However, a contest may not be ideal if you need a deeply strategic brand identity system from the beginning, extensive brand research, complex positioning work, or a full identity package with detailed guidelines. In those cases, working directly with a designer or brand consultant may be more appropriate.
That said, a contest can still be a strong starting point when handled carefully. A good logo can later evolve into a broader identity system with colors, typography, brand guidelines, social templates, packaging, website direction, and marketing materials.
FAQ: 99designs Logo Design Contests
How long does a 99designs logo contest take?
99designs explains that design contests work across several rounds, with designers submitting and refining designs during the qualifying and final rounds. The platform also notes that clients can select finalists or award a winner early if they find a direction they like sooner.
How many finalists can I choose?
According to 99designs support, clients can select up to 6 finalists after the Qualifying round.
What happens after I choose a winner?
After choosing a winner, you enter the handover stage. The designer prepares the final files, and you review them before final approval.
Do I get ownership of the logo?
The handover process includes a Design Transfer Agreement, which is part of the formal rights transfer process on 99designs.
What files should I receive?
For a logo, you should generally expect professional files suitable for print and digital use, including vector and raster formats. 99designs provides guidance on final design file types and their uses.
Should I choose the most creative logo?
Not always. Choose the logo that best balances originality, clarity, usability, brand fit, and long-term flexibility.
Conclusion
A 99designs logo contest can be a valuable way to explore creative possibilities for your brand, especially if you are open to different visual directions and willing to guide the process with clear feedback.
The best results come from preparation. A strong brief, thoughtful communication, careful finalist selection, and attention to final files will help you move from scattered ideas to a professional logo that can support your brand across real-world applications.
A logo is not just a graphic. It is a strategic visual asset. Whether you use a contest or work directly with a designer, the goal should always be the same: a clear, memorable, flexible identity that represents your business with confidence.
If you are planning a new logo or want to improve your brand identity, you can work with me directly through my 99designs profile. I would be happy to help you develop a refined, professional visual direction for your brand.
Need a logo that feels simple, strong, and clear?
If you want a focused logo design process built around clarity, meaning, and strong visual structure, work with me through 99designs.
