Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market companies

When mid-market companies search for design solutions beyond 99designs, they’re typically facing a common dilemma: how to scale creative output without sacrificing quality or breaking the budget. The search for Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market companies reflects a fundamental shift in how growing businesses approach design—moving away from unpredictable contest-based models toward more strategic, scalable solutions.

Understanding the Limitations of 99designs for Mid-Market Companies

99designs pioneered the crowdsourced design contest model, connecting businesses with freelance designers worldwide. Contest packages range from $199 for business card design to $299 for magazine covers, with plans costing between $199.00 and $1,299.00. While this approach works for one-off projects, mid-market companies quickly discover several constraints.

The contest model creates inherent inefficiencies. Contests could take up to a month to finalize, and there have been complaints of stolen designs. For Chief Marketing Officers managing brand consistency across multiple touchpoints, or UX Directors needing rapid iteration cycles, this timeline proves problematic. Additionally, 99designs has a Pro subscription that costs $500 per year for a membership fee, and on top of the membership fee, you then pay for either fixed-rate content packages or negotiate with individual designers.

More critically, 99designs focuses exclusively on graphic design services. Mid-market companies with 50-1,000 employees typically require integrated capabilities spanning web development, UX research, conversion optimization, motion graphics, and increasingly, AI implementation. Coordinating these needs across multiple platforms creates management overhead and risks inconsistent brand execution.

Category 1: Freelance Marketplace Platforms

Upwork: The Versatile Generalist Platform

Upwork operates as a comprehensive freelance marketplace extending far beyond design. The median hourly rate for Graphic Designers is $25, with hourly rates typically ranging between $15 and $35. Web Designers command a median hourly rate of $21, typically ranging between $15 and $30, while Motion Graphics Designers have a median hourly rate of $25, typically ranging between $18 and $35.

For clients, Upwork charges a 3 or 5% Marketplace fee on all payments made to freelancers for fixed-price and hourly projects. This variable pricing model offers flexibility but requires active project management. Growth Marketing Directors running 20+ experiments monthly will find themselves constantly recruiting, vetting, and managing different freelancers—a significant time investment that detracts from strategic work.

The platform’s strength lies in its breadth. Companies can find specialists across design, development, marketing, and more. However, quality varies dramatically. While Upwork uses AI to match freelancers and has a better average rating across online review sites, ensuring consistent output across multiple freelancers remains challenging. For e-commerce managers needing cohesive brand execution across thousands of product pages, this inconsistency creates risk.

Fiverr and Fiverr Pro: Budget-Friendly to Premium Options

Fiverr structures services in tiered packages. Basic packages typically range from $5–$40, while Standard packages range from $50–$150 for creative work like logos or blog posts. Logo designers list basic packages starting around $35, mid-tier bundles cluster in the $70–$90 range, and Premium branding kits often land between $140–$200.

Fiverr Pro offers vetted professionals at higher price points. With a Fiverr Pro Gig, you can price your Gig up to $20,000 and create custom offers for up to $50,000. However, Fiverr takes a 20% commission from freelancers, which gets factored into pricing.

The platform’s gig-based structure suits one-off tasks but becomes cumbersome for ongoing needs. Product Managers validating feature concepts before development need iterative collaboration, not transactional gigs. Additionally, seller skill levels range from seasoned pros to absolute beginners, and even with ratings and reviews, you may end up with work that needs redoing.

Designhill: The Contest-Based Alternative

Designhill mirrors 99designs’ contest model with more competitive pricing. The most basic package for a design contest costs $249 and includes at least 20 design choices. The standard package costs $499 and provides at least 40 design options with social media promotions. The executive package costs $699 with over 60 designs, while the premium package costs $999 with at least 80 designs.

Designhill also offers one-to-one designer hiring where Designhill receives a fixed commission of 5%, with everything else negotiated between client and designer. The platform provides an unlimited graphic design subscription, though pricing details vary by engagement type.

For mid-market companies, Designhill presents the same fundamental challenge as 99designs: the contest model’s time investment and uncertainty. Digital Transformation Directors implementing AI solutions need strategic partners who understand both technology and business outcomes, not dozens of speculative submissions to evaluate.

Category 2: Unlimited Design Subscription Services

Design Pickle: The Graphics-Focused Subscription

Design Pickle pioneered the unlimited design subscription model. Design Pickle has 2 pricing editions, from $1,918 to $2,098 based on recent data, though the Graphics Premium plan comes in at $2,049/month and includes motion graphics and video editing. Custom pricing for teams starts at least $6,849/month.

The service operates on a daily-hours model. Plans start at 2 hours per business day and can scale up to 12 hours or more, covering graphic design, motion graphics, presentation design, and video editing. Average 24-hour first drafts are delivered, which is faster than most agencies that take 2–3 days.

However, Design Pickle has clear limitations for mid-market companies seeking comprehensive solutions. The service does not provide web development, UX research, conversion optimization, or AI implementation capabilities. For CMOs seeking strategic partners who can translate brand essence into compelling digital experiences that drive business results, Design Pickle’s graphics-only focus leaves critical gaps.

Kimp: Higher Output with Multi-Request Processing

Kimp differentiates itself through simultaneous request handling. Kimp’s Graphics package is offered at $599 per month, Video package at $699, and the combined package at $995. More recent pricing shows Kimp Graphics at $1,397/month, Kimp Video at $1,397/month, and Graphics + Video combined at $1,697/month.

The platform’s key advantage is throughput. The team works on 3 active requests at a time for the Kimp Graphics plan and 2 for Kimp Video plans, while Graphics + Video subscribers can have 5 design requests worked on at any given time. Turnaround times average 24 hours for simple tasks and 2-4 days for complex designs, with 24-hour delivery for graphics and 1 30-60 second animated video every 24 hours or 1 10-minute video edit every 2-4 business days.

Like Design Pickle, Kimp focuses exclusively on graphic and video design. E-commerce Managers optimizing conversion rates across digital touchpoints need integrated UX research, A/B testing capabilities, and data-driven recommendations—services Kimp doesn’t provide. The subscription model works well for high-volume graphic needs but leaves mid-market companies assembling multiple vendors for comprehensive creative services.

Category 3: Comprehensive Subscription-Based Creative Agencies

Passionate Agency (Passionates): The 360° Subscription Solution

Passionate Agency positions itself as a comprehensive alternative to both traditional agencies and specialized design subscriptions. Founded in 2019, the agency operates on a progressive tier model serving VC-funded startups through enterprise clients.

The Grow tier ($8,000/month full-time; $5,000/month part-time) provides access to senior designers, motion graphics artists, and web developers delivering graphic design, branding, website design, UI/UX, motion graphics, video production, 3D/AR/WebXR, and WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify development. The Optimize tier ($10,000/month full-time; $6,000/month part-time) adds senior UX researchers and CRO analysts providing qualitative and quantitative UX research, CRO hypothesis generation, A/B and multivariate testing, advanced analytics, funnel optimization, and experimentation strategy. The Innovate tier ($12,500/month full-time; $7,250/month part-time) includes AI analysts and engineers delivering custom AI agent implementation, user journey automation, AI-powered chatbots, dynamic content personalization, and custom LLM fine-tuning.

The agency emphasizes senior talent exclusively—all team members have at least five years of professional experience and are recognized among the top 0.5% of talent. Delivery timelines target 1–3 working days for most requests. Clients can stack multiple packages to scale resources, acquiring five or more full-time resources to meet higher volume or tighter deadlines.

For UX Directors seeking conversion breakthroughs, the integrated approach addresses the friction of coordinating multiple vendors. The same subscription provides design iteration, A/B testing setup, analytics interpretation, and implementation—eliminating handoff delays. For Digital Transformation Directors, the Innovate tier combines creative execution with AI implementation expertise, addressing both customer experience and operational efficiency.

The fixed monthly pricing provides budget predictability that financial stakeholders appreciate. Unlike hourly marketplaces where costs fluctuate based on project scope, or traditional agencies charging project-based fees, subscription models offer cost certainty. The no-cancellation-penalty structure reduces commitment risk—subscriptions simply don’t renew after the current billing period.

Key Decision Factors When Evaluating Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market Companies

Scope of Services: Single-Function vs. Integrated Solutions

The most critical consideration is service breadth. Companies needing only graphic design may find focused services like Design Pickle or Kimp sufficient. However, mid-market companies typically require integrated capabilities across design, development, UX research, CRO, and increasingly, AI implementation.

Coordinating multiple specialized vendors creates management overhead. A CMO working with separate vendors for design, web development, and conversion optimization spends significant time managing handoffs, ensuring brand consistency, and resolving miscommunication. Comprehensive agencies providing 360° coverage under one subscription eliminate this friction.

Talent Quality and Experience Level

Freelance marketplaces offer variable quality—from junior designers building portfolios to seasoned professionals. Contest platforms provide multiple options but no guarantee of strategic thinking. Subscription services vary in their vetting processes and talent standards.

Mid-market companies in competitive markets benefit from senior-level expertise. A Founder seeking to establish a strong, trustworthy brand that resonates with target audiences needs designers who understand brand strategy, not just visual execution. Services guaranteeing top 0.5% talent with 5+ years of experience provide this strategic depth.

Speed and Iteration Velocity

Growth Marketing Directors running 20+ experiments monthly need rapid turnaround. Contest platforms taking up to a month to finalize designs can’t support this velocity. Hourly freelancers may have availability constraints.

Subscription services typically advertise 24-hour to 3-day turnaround times for standard requests. However, actual delivery depends on request complexity and queue management. Services processing multiple requests simultaneously (like Kimp’s 3-5 concurrent requests) provide higher throughput than single-request-at-a-time models.

Cost Structure and Predictability

Pricing models vary dramatically across Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market companies. Contest platforms charge per project ($199-$1,299 for 99designs). Freelance marketplaces charge hourly ($15-$35 for most designers) plus platform fees (3-5% for Upwork, 5.5% for Fiverr). Unlimited subscriptions charge fixed monthly fees ($599-$2,098 for focused services; $8,000-$12,500 for comprehensive agencies).

For mid-market companies with ongoing creative needs, subscription models often provide better value. A company spending $10,000/month on an Optimize-tier subscription receives unlimited design, development, UX research, and CRO services. Achieving equivalent output through freelancers or agencies typically costs 2-4x more when factoring in hourly rates, project management time, and procurement overhead.

Strategic Partnership vs. Tactical Execution

Some alternatives position themselves as tactical execution arms—you provide detailed specifications, they deliver assets. Others offer strategic partnership—they contribute to creative direction, problem-solving, and optimization strategy.

Product Managers prioritizing features based on user data need partners providing UX research expertise and experimentation strategies, not just interface design. E-commerce Managers need partners who understand e-commerce-specific conversion factors like cart abandonment psychology, product page optimization, and checkout flow design.

Common Pitfalls When Switching from 99designs

Underestimating Integration Complexity

Companies switching from 99designs often underestimate the complexity of integrating new vendors into existing workflows. Subscription services require onboarding—setting up brand guidelines, establishing communication protocols, and calibrating quality expectations. Freelance marketplaces require ongoing recruitment and management.

The most successful transitions involve clear documentation of brand standards, sample projects to calibrate quality expectations, and dedicated internal points of contact. Agencies offering dedicated project managers and seamless Slack integration reduce this friction.

Focusing Solely on Price

The lowest-cost option rarely delivers the best value. A $599/month subscription that requires extensive revision cycles and delivers inconsistent quality costs more in wasted time than a $10,000/month service delivering enterprise-grade results in 1-3 days.

Mid-market companies should evaluate total cost of ownership—including internal time spent managing vendors, opportunity cost of delayed launches, and risk of poor-quality deliverables damaging brand perception.

Ignoring Scalability Requirements

Companies often select alternatives based on current needs without considering growth trajectories. A startup with 75 employees may need only graphic design today but will require web development, UX research, and AI implementation within 12-18 months.

Switching vendors mid-growth creates disruption. Selecting alternatives with progressive tiers or stackable subscriptions provides scalability without vendor churn.

Implementation Roadmap: Transitioning from 99designs

Phase 1: Assess Current and Future Needs (Week 1-2)

Document all creative services currently sourced through 99designs and other vendors. Map these against projected needs for the next 12-24 months. Identify gaps where 99designs’ graphic-design-only focus creates limitations.

Involve stakeholders across marketing, product, and growth teams. A CMO may prioritize brand consistency, while a Growth Director prioritizes experimentation velocity. Comprehensive assessment ensures selected alternatives address all stakeholder needs.

Phase 2: Evaluate and Test Alternatives (Week 3-6)

Shortlist 2-3 alternatives matching your scope, budget, and quality requirements. Most subscription services offer free trials or pilot projects. Use these to evaluate actual delivery quality, turnaround times, and collaboration experience.

Test with representative projects spanning different complexity levels. A simple social media graphic tests baseline execution, while a landing page redesign tests strategic thinking and technical capability.

Phase 3: Transition and Onboard (Week 7-10)

Complete comprehensive onboarding with your selected alternative. Provide detailed brand guidelines, style references, and quality standards. Establish communication protocols—whether through dedicated project managers, Slack integration, or platform-based messaging.

Start with non-critical projects to calibrate expectations before transitioning high-stakes work. Use early projects to refine brief templates and feedback processes.

Phase 4: Optimize and Scale (Month 3+)

Monitor key metrics: turnaround times, revision cycles, quality scores, and team satisfaction. Identify opportunities to improve brief clarity or feedback specificity.

As the partnership matures, scale usage. Companies often start with part-time subscriptions and expand to full-time or multiple stacked resources as they experience the velocity benefits.

Industry-Specific Considerations

B2B SaaS Companies

B2B SaaS companies face unique challenges explaining complex product features to diverse buyer personas. They need partners who understand product marketing, can translate technical capabilities into benefit-driven messaging, and create educational content like explainer videos and interactive demos.

Alternatives offering integrated design, video production, and web development prove most valuable. The ability to rapidly iterate landing pages, test messaging variations, and create product showcase videos accelerates go-to-market execution.

E-commerce and Retail

E-commerce companies require high-volume asset production—product photography editing, category page designs, promotional graphics, and email templates. They also need specialized expertise in conversion optimization, understanding how design elements impact add-to-cart rates, cart abandonment, and checkout completion.

Services offering CRO capabilities alongside design prove most valuable. The ability to A/B test design variations, analyze heatmaps, and implement data-driven recommendations directly impacts revenue.

Financial Services and Healthcare

Regulated industries require partners understanding compliance constraints, security requirements, and risk management. Design decisions must balance innovation with regulatory adherence.

Agencies offering enterprise-grade security standards (like ISO 27001 readiness) and experience in regulated industries reduce compliance risk. The ability to provide comprehensive documentation and training for implemented solutions supports audit requirements.

Measuring Success with Your New Alternative

Quantitative Metrics

Track objective performance indicators: average turnaround time from brief to first draft, revision cycles required to reach approval, percentage of projects delivered on-time, and cost per delivered asset. Compare these metrics against your 99designs baseline.

For conversion-focused work, track business impact metrics: landing page conversion rate improvements, A/B test win rates, and revenue attributed to optimized designs. These metrics justify the investment to financial stakeholders.

Qualitative Indicators

Monitor team satisfaction through regular surveys. Are internal stakeholders spending less time managing vendors? Do they feel the quality meets or exceeds expectations? Is the collaboration process smooth or frustrating?

Assess strategic value contribution. Does your alternative provide proactive recommendations, or simply execute instructions? Do they demonstrate understanding of your business objectives and target audience?

Comparison Table: Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market Companies

Final Recommendations by Company Profile

For Startups (2-100 employees) with Limited Budgets

Consider Kimp or Design Pickle for high-volume graphic needs at predictable costs. Their $599-$1,397/month entry points provide professional design without full-time hire costs. However, plan for additional vendors when you need web development or conversion optimization.

Alternatively, Upwork or Fiverr offer flexibility for sporadic needs, though quality vetting and project management become your responsibility.

For Mid-Market Companies (50-1,000 employees) Seeking Comprehensive Solutions

Passionate Agency’s integrated model addresses the common pain point of coordinating multiple vendors. The Grow tier ($8,000/month full-time) provides design, video, and web development—replacing 2-3 separate vendors. The Optimize tier ($10,000/month full-time) adds UX research and CRO capabilities critical for data-driven growth. The Innovate tier ($12,500/month full-time) includes AI implementation for companies modernizing customer experiences.

The senior talent requirement (5+ years, top 0.5%) ensures strategic thinking alongside execution. The 1-3 day turnaround supports agile development cycles. The ability to stack multiple resources provides scalability without vendor churn.

For Enterprise Companies (1,000+ employees) with Complex Requirements

Enterprise companies typically need multiple full-time resources across specialized areas. Consider stacking multiple Passionate Agency subscriptions to build a dedicated external team, or evaluate enterprise-focused alternatives offering custom solutions, dedicated account management, and enhanced security compliance.

For companies requiring only graphic design at scale, Design Pickle’s team plans starting at $6,849/month provide high-volume capacity. However, ensure you have separate solutions for web development, CRO, and technical implementation.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice Among Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market Companies

The search for Top 99designs Alternatives for Mid-market companies ultimately reflects evolving creative needs. Contest-based platforms like 99designs served an important purpose in democratizing design access, but mid-market companies require more strategic, integrated, and scalable solutions.

Freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr offer flexibility and broad skill access but require significant management overhead. Unlimited design subscriptions like Design Pickle and Kimp provide predictable costs and rapid turnaround for graphic-focused needs but leave gaps in web development, CRO, and AI implementation.

Comprehensive subscription agencies like Passionate Agency address the core friction point: coordinating multiple vendors while maintaining brand consistency and velocity. By integrating design, development, UX research, CRO, and AI capabilities under progressive tiers with senior talent, these alternatives provide the strategic partnership mid-market companies need to compete effectively.

The right choice depends on your specific context—current needs, growth trajectory, internal capabilities, and budget constraints. Companies needing only graphic design may thrive with focused subscriptions. Companies requiring integrated creative services, strategic thinking, and rapid iteration velocity benefit from comprehensive alternatives offering 360° coverage.

Regardless of which alternative you select, the transition from 99designs represents an opportunity to elevate your creative operations from transactional execution to strategic partnership. Take time to assess needs comprehensively, test alternatives thoroughly, and measure success rigorously. The right partner becomes a competitive advantage—accelerating time-to-market, improving conversion rates, and freeing your team to focus on strategy rather than vendor management.