During one of my recent discovery calls a business owner unexpectedly asked me: “So how much does brand identity usually cost?” I have never had such a straightforward question directed to me. But I also understood that the person on the other side trusted me enough to ask it.

At the same time I am certain that cost lingers in the entrepreneurs’ minds a lot. Especially if they are self-funded and it’s their first business venture the risk is quite high for them. I can imagine that most founders in Dubai get wildly different quotes with no explanation why. To answer this specific question in that moment I had to say numbers from the top of my head, something I knew roughly and what I considered when I priced my services. And then I decided to do more research about the brand identity packages in Dubai and learn more details for myself.

Here is what I found out, and some examples include Dubai-based independent brand designers I know. Others are approximate estimates depending whether it is a a freelancer, boutique studio, or large and established agency. I will share at the end the pros and cons of hiring each so that the decision what’s right for you as an entrepreneur becomes clearer.

Brand identity pricing landscape in Dubai

Based on the current market data we are talking about four tiers of investment options:

• Tier 01 — Basic logo package: ranges between AED 5,000 and 10,000. This includes entry-level freelancers who deliver fast oftentimes templated solutions with limited strategy.
• Tier 02 — Brand identity: ranges between AED 10,000 and 40,000. We are talking about experienced independent designers and small studios. The project will include everything from logo suite, color palette, typography, guidelines to supporting bespoke brand elements. The brand strategy is also covered to provide custom solution and ensure the brand identity system is scaleable.
• Tier 03 — Full brand system: ranges from AED 40,000 to 120,000. This means boutique agencies who deliver detailed brand strategy, full visual system, bilingual assets, extended applications, product design.
• Tier 04 — Enterprise brand: AED 120,000 and above. This level is reserved for large agencies. Apart from the brand strategy and identity this usually includes: deep analysis of the market and the opportunity, multi-market rollout, brand architecture, governance, product range design, production and supplier strategy.

Comparing brand identity investment options

Now, that we familiarized ourselves with the options let’s compare them. I will refer to independent brand designers and agencies and we will cover examples like price, communication, speed, breadth, and who should consider each one.

	Independent Designer	Agency
Price	Lower (no overhead)	Higher (team, ops, margins)
Communication	Direct with the designer doing the work	Often a project manager layer
Speed	Flexible, often faster	Process-driven timelines
Breadth	Focused scope, specialist	Can handle large concurrent work streams
Best for	Founders, SMEs, focused identity work	Corporate rebrands, multi-market, big teams

Your brand’s immediate needs

Moving from here I’d ask myself simple questions:

What do I need from the project to best support my business right now?

As a hospitality startup, do I need a 100-page brand book?

As wellness founder do I need enterprise architecture?

As a community specialist do I need a comprehensive analysis of the market?

As a lifestyle brand do I need comprehensive design and product range from conception to execution?

Which one SaltBorn is and is it right for you?

SaltBorn Creative is what Tier 02 looks like when done by an experienced independent designer. The investment starts from 5900 AED for the brand identity covering the essentials: logo system, color palette, typography pairing, brand board or concise brand book. The level of investment goes up if we want to create a complete identity with supporting icons, infographics, illustrations, etc. My clients usually hire me because the process is highly hands on and personalized, meaning no cookie cutters! I work with founders and SMEs in lifestyle, hospitality, wellness, community, and creative industries.

Get in touch and tell me all about your brand and let’s see if we are a good fit for each other.