Explore Top Platforms to Meet Your Creative Needs

Penji is known for being an on-demand graphic designer with unlimited requests for a flat monthly fee. Startups, small businesses, and marketers flock to it because of its flexibility and ability to access professional design. Of course, like any product, it may be just the thing for some. If you want something cheaper, more versatile, or just other ways to get your needs for graphic design met; no worries there are plenty of graphic design services. This will be a Penji review of the top 8 alternatives to Penji for designs.

1. Design Pickle

The Closest Competitor to Penji

Design Pickle is the most obvious choice next to Penji. Like Penji, Design Pickle provides unlimited design requests for a monthly flat rate which makes it an excellent choice for businesses that want to ensure regular creative output.

•         Features: Design Pickle offers unlimited revisions, your dedicated designer from their team is based on the type of work you need from simple designs like social media graphics to more advanced designs like illustrations. It provides a variety of pricing tiers: mainly three to offer its users options according to their requirements.
•         Pros: The Design Pickle dedicated designer model, will ensure that your branding is consistent and there are no misunderstandings as they start to learn your desired style over time. They are renowned for excellent customer service and quick turnaround times as well.
•         Cons: The cost of Design Pickle might be a little bit high, particularly for those businesses who may not have to constantly schedule a lot of design work. The basic plan may also be restricted for users who desire design features higher than still graphics such as motion graphics or animations.
•         Who It’s Best For: Start-ups and small to medium business, marketing teams looking for an ongoing or a one-off graphic designer who knows your brand inteics.

2. 99designs by Vista

A Marketplace for Competitive Designs

99designs is a completely different animal compared to Penji and Design Pickle. 99designs works a bit differently in that you are connected to freelance designers through the contest-based system or direct 1-to-1 project hires as opposed to a subscription model.

•         Features: You’re running a design contest, designers send you their submissions and you pick the one that best suits your ideas. If you prefer not to go through the contest route, 99designs also allows you to hire specific designers for single projects.
•         Pros: 99designs is best for every option of a more creative person The competitive tiered nature of the site, causes designers to try their best on every design so you should end up with good work. It seeps work best for projects you want to do once, and it has no sustained design support system.
•         Cons: Costs can be above average, especially if you are searching for high-quality silhouettes from well-known designers. Additionally, the format of the contest can overwhelm some if you are not sure what it is that you want as there will be a vast amount of designs sent your way and many to look at.
•         Who It’s Best For: Best for businesses or one-time needs that require many design ideas (like a new logo, or branding overhaul) and want to pay by project instead of a subscription service.

3. Kimp

Unlimited Designs and Video Services

Kimp is another unlimited graphic design request subscription service that serves as a direct competitor to Penji. Well, what makes Kimp different is that it also has unlimited video services, which can be great for you if you are planning to include multimedia in your marketing strategy.

•         Features: Kimp Kimp offers unlimited design requests and revisions, a dedicated design team, and graphic as well as video services. This allows users to have a consistent budget, with fixed prices each month for either just graphic design or an all-inclusive graphic and video plan.
•         Pros: When compared to many of the competitors, one element that makes Kimp unique is something they include in their offering – video services. Their in-house design team maintains a consistent brand identity across all visual content. It is also well known for the cost-effective nature of its pricing, and customer service.
•         Cons: Like any unlimited service, there is a best effort for turnaround times and if you are looking for highly specialized design work then this may not be the right choice as well.
•         Who It’s Best For: Startups and businesses that require graphic designing and video content creation. PS: Kimp works best for companies that need regular multimedia campaigns that are cost-effective.

4. DesignCrowd

Access to a Global Talent Pool

DesignCrowd DesignCrowd is a great alternative site that just gives you more ways to source your designs. DesignCrowd — Also operates as a freelance marketplace, but with some additional project management tools as well; like 99designs.

•         Features: You can publish a project, and specify your desired criteria; designers then place bids on the job, or check out individual designer’s portfolios and create an instant hire. DesignCrowd has an extensive list of design services, ranging from logos to websites and even apparel.
•         Pros: DesignCrowd is a platform that gets you access to freelance designers all around the world. In fact, with so many of them, you can find one which will fit your liking as well as your budget. You can also hire designers project by project, and commit not to subscription as well.
•         Cons: As with 99designs, it can take time to go through numerous submissions or profiles of designers. The quality of work also varies significantly between designers, and it can take some back-and-forth communication to get exactly what you want.
•         Who It’s Best For: Entrepreneurs, companies, or influencers who want custom-designed banners made one piece at a time or more say in the design process At a Glance Works best for Projects that require creativity and variety.

5. Flocksy

Comprehensive Creative Services

As more than a graphic design service, Flocksy is a subscription model for full-service creative services including copywriting, web development, and video editing.

•         Features: Flocksy offers unlimited requests and revisions for graphic design — as well as writing, video editing, and web development. They provide a set fee per month for a team of [professional] specialists,cljs but they focus on different niches.
•         Pros: Flocksy has such a wide range of services that businesses will find themselves with more than just design. This relieves brand companies from dealing with many of freelancers or agencies for services like copywriting and web development.
•         Cons: If there is a downside with Flocksy, it’s that while its breadth of services means you’re getting plenty and diversely covered by Flocksy, some users might see this as a lack of specialization in only one area. For instance, if you need a super high level or very specific graphic design you may get higher quality from a service like 99designs or boutique design firm.
•         Who It’s Best For: Businesses or marketing agencies with rigorous creative needs, small businesses, and startups. Flocksy is perfect for people who want to get a full creative suite in one subscription and it will also help simplify your workflow.

6. Fiverr Pro

A Freelance Marketplace with Professional Standards

Fiverr is known for its budget-friendly freelancers, Fiverr Pro on the other hand connects users with good designers that you can trust. This is an excellent choice for those who want a more decentralized approach to design but still need great designs.

•         Features: There is a variety of design jobs available on Fiverr Pro, from simpler social media graphics to larger branding projects. Fiverr Pro has a higher level of freelancers that are verified for quality transparency, each designer is a pro.
•         Pros: Fiverr Pro is a premium selection of high-end talent that you can tap into but without the necessity to buy into a monthly subscription. You are charged per project, so it is a great option if you do not have design needs frequently but need good quality when you need it.
•         Cons: That said, the costs can get out of hand quickly if you have a lot of design needs since Fiverr Pro prices are typically on a project-by-project basis. It also takes a bit of time for the platform to screen and assign you an appropriate designer.
•         Who It’s Best For: Clients that are looking for some great design work on a per-project basis. Fiverr Pro is perfect if you need a skin job once in a while but not the whole hog.

Conclusion: Choose What’s Right for Your Needs

Penji is one of the best and most well-known services, but there are many other alternatives based on project volume, budget, or design taste. There are various subscription-based models like Design Pickle, and Kimp or freelance marketplaces like 99designs and Fiverr Pro. There are many factors to consider, such as whether you want unlimited requests for more services or a global pool of designers: The best choice will depend on your needs.