11 Aug Should You Hire a Freelance Designer or a Design Agency?

Did you decide to order a website, texts, design and think – to hire a freelancer or an agency? In our article, we will briefly describe the advantages and disadvantages of cooperation with freelancers and agencies, and you will be able to objectively decide whether you should work with freelancers or pay the agency.

Common drawbacks of freelancers and agencies

• They will sell what you order, not what you actually need and will solve your problem;
• They can tear down the deadlines;
• The work can be of low quality, especially if the contractor was chosen on the basis of the principle of “who will do cheaper”.

Advantages and disadvantages of freelance graphic designer

The benefits of freelancers:

• As a rule, working with freelancers is cheaper than working with an agency. Freelancers are most often used to save money;
• A freelancer is a direct performer. In some cases, direct contact with the performer increases the quality and speed of problem-solving. In the agency, you will communicate with the manager, talk to the performer, most likely, you will not be given;
• Among the freelancers, you can find very high-level specialists who have left the agencies to build their business. Working with them will yield much better results than working with a mid-range agency. With the same budget;
• With the help of freelancers it is convenient to solve one-time problems, and “plug” the direction, where it is not profitable to take a staff member;
• Freelancer is more flexible in terms of adjustment to the needs of the client;
• The freelancer can execute the urgent order faster, than an agency. But not every freelancer.

Disadvantages of freelancers:

• Above risks of the stall of terms as if freelancer gets ill – there will be no one to replace it (if it works one);
• There can be problems with money transfer on a cashless basis, as the freelancer work directly in cash
• It is extremely difficult to distinguish between a specialist and a non-specialist, especially if you do not know where to order services. It will take a long time to find a freelancer;
• Freelancers are specialists, but not managers, which can affect the style of communication with the client. They can communicate with you in the way you are used to.

Advantages and disadvantages of agencies

Advantages of agencies:

• As a rule, well-established business processes. The project goes “along the conveyor line” faster and the risk of delays is less;
• It is easier to make a choice because there are industry leaders, ratings, recommendations and  you can collect the necessary information faster and easier about the agency than about a private specialist;
• There are no problems with the registration of documents for accounting.

Shortcomings of agencies:

• As a rule, a high budget for work;
• In agency, your project can be given out to the beginner who will ” study ” on it with all the following consequences. This risk is particularly high if you have a modest budget;
• You will not be able to communicate with the direct performer;
• Agencies do not accept small orders, clients with small budgets;
• An agency is less flexible than a freelancer. If you need to do something that does not require a “standard conveyor” – you will not do so.

Finally, who to work with – a freelancer or an agency?

• If you are a large company and can afford to work with a market leader, you should turn to agencies like FuseLab Creative Company
• If you need an individual approach and/or have a modest budget, it is better to look at the freelance, but not to demand a diamond work.
• If you are working in any field and you need one-off services in any field from time to time, it is easier and cheaper to find a smart freelancer with whom you can constantly cooperate.
• In other cases, compare the pros and cons of freelancers and make a decision.