Subscriptions seem to be here to stay. What started as a relative niche for newspapers and magazines has become the storm of the 2010s. The first aha moment I had with subscriptions was Adobe's Creative Cloud. What had been completely inaccessible to many people because of its high price tag became something that was really affordable for many.
It almost democratised the creative world and gave a community of aspiring designers the tools they needed to grow.
But why is this relevant to your business, you might ask. It is relevant if you have ever worked with a marketing agency or hired someone to design a logo or website for you. Do you remember how long it took to get things up and running and how sore your bank account was afterwards?
In today's fast-paced business environment, staying ahead requires constant effort, but as a business owner or charity leader, you want to focus on what you do best. I mean, I have yet to meet a person who is happy to be stuck in a constant cycle of agency briefing meetings.
Subscription services for branding and web design offer a cost-effective way to ensure your business remains current and competitive. Wouldn't it be great to sign up to a subscription service that provide ongoing support and regular updates to keep your brand and website fresh?
This article explores just that and shows you the different options available to you.
Benefits of Subscription Services
We have already explored some of the highlights and benefits of subscription services, but is this type of service right for you and your business? Let's take a closer look at why I believe subscription services are the future:
Consistent Support and Price Tag
With a subscription, you have ongoing access to design and development services, ensuring your brand evolves with your business needs. You don't have to worry about who's going to take on your next project or whether they have all the information about your business to do the job right - there's a huge benefit to having one partner who understands your brand and can give you that consistent support.
Rather than paying for individual projects, a subscription model can be more economical, providing an ongoing service for a fixed fee. Yes, the monthly amount required can seem a little daunting. Most services available start at around $500 per month.
But remember the last time you paid thousands of dollars in one go for your new logo, website or brochure?
The right subscription service also integrates seamlessly with your existing team, meaning you get the people power of a full-time employee with a broad skill set, but don't have to make a long-term commitment or struggle with the costs of onboarding and training someone.
Focus on Core Business
You get access to a team of experienced designers and developers who can handle different aspects of your branding and web presence. This gives you the peace of mind that there is someone who knows your brand and your business. You can literally drop them a note and they can start working straight away. No red tape, no bureaucracy, no lengthy contracts to sign.
By outsourcing your branding and web development, you can concentrate on your product and business growth while experts handle the rest.
The Best Design Subscriptions in 2024
1. Sea Brand
Sea Brand offers a unique subscription model for businesses and organisations, providing ongoing branding and web design services to keep your brand fresh and engaging. Their approach ensures that your brand evolves with your business needs, providing expert support and regular updates.
Sea Brand works both as a standalone solution and as part of your in-house team of designers and marketers. Its platform allows you to bring on board as many of your team members as you like.
This model is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to maintain a strong and consistent brand presence without the high upfront costs. Whether it is made of pixels or written in code, Sea Brand can deliver your project to the highest quality standards.
USP: Netflix-like branding and web design subscription with special offers for businesses and political/public affairs campaigns.
Pricing: Starting at £600/month
Services:
- Branding
- Web Design
- Graphic Design
- Social Media Design
- Digital Marketing Consultancy
- Marketing, SEO and Social Media Reports
- Brand Identity & Playbook
- Hosting
- SEO
- Ongoing Support
Location: Brighton, UK.
2. Superside
Superside provides scalable design solutions with a subscription model, offering a wide range of design services to meet various business needs. Their on-demand access to a team of designers ensures that businesses can get high-quality design work whenever needed. This flexibility makes Superside an excellent choice for companies looking to scale their design efforts without hiring a full-time team.
USP: On-demand access to a team of designers.
Pricing: Starting at $499/month.
Services:
- Graphic Design
- Branding
- Web Design
- Motion Graphics
- Digital Marketing Consultancy
- AR/3D Design
- Email Design
- Social Media Design
Location: Remote, global team.
3. Kimp
Kimp offers unlimited graphic and video design services for a flat monthly fee, making it easy for businesses to get continuous design support. Their model allows for unlimited revisions, ensuring that clients are always satisfied with the final product. Kimp’s services are ideal for businesses that need a steady stream of design work without the hassle of per-project billing. Kimp offers a 24/7 customer support and gives you access to premium stock assets.
USP: Unlimited design requests with a flat monthly fee.
Pricing: $699/month.
Services:
- Graphic Design
- Video Edition
- Motion Graphics
- Canva Designs
Location: Remote, global team.
4. Design Pickle
Design Pickle provides a subscription-based design service, offering a range of creative solutions to help businesses scale their design needs. Their services include graphic design, custom illustrations, and motion graphics, making them a versatile choice for various design projects. Design Pickle’s subscription model ensures that businesses can access high-quality design work consistently and affordably. Design Pickle works with an AI-powered platform.
USP: Scalable design solutions for businesses.
Pricing: Starting at £899.10/month.
Services:
- Graphic Design
- Video Editing
- Custom Illustration
- Motion Graphics
- Presentations
Location: Remote, global team.
5. Penji
Penji offers unlimited graphic and web design services with a flat monthly fee, providing businesses with continuous design support and flexibility. Their model allows for unlimited revisions, ensuring that clients are always happy with the results. Penji’s services are perfect for businesses that need ongoing design work without the high costs associated with traditional design agencies. Full time zone support in the two higher-priced packages is an interesting feature of Penji and useful for globally operating businesses.
USP: Unlimited graphic design with a flat monthly fee.
Pricing: Starting at $499/month.
Services:
- Graphic Design
- Video Editing
- Custom Illustration
- Motion Graphics
- Presentations
- Advertisements
Location: Remote, global team.
Give Sea Brand a try today
Subscription services offer a smart, cost-effective way to maintain a strong brand and website. These services are constantly evolving, offering innovative solutions to boost branding for both individuals and businesses. Their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and scalability make them ideal for efficiently designing and managing websites.
Sea Brand's services are perfect for SMEs and growing start-ups, as well as charities and political campaign groups. If you're based in the UK or mainland Europe, you'll benefit from a local team working in your time zone.
If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, give Sea Brand’s services a try today.