Pricing Studio Work: Hourly, Fixed and Value-Based

Three ways to price design work, what each rewards and where each goes wrong. Most small studios end up using all three.

Hourly

You bill for time spent. It is simple and safe when scope is unknown, but it punishes efficiency and makes clients watch the clock.

Fixed fee

One price for a defined result. Clients like the certainty. You carry the risk of underestimating, so the scope must be written down precisely.

Value-based

The fee reflects what the outcome is worth to the client. It rewards results over hours, and needs a client who can discuss outcomes in numbers.

Choosing

• Discovery and open-ended research: hourly, with a cap.
• Well-understood deliverables: fixed.
• Work tied to a measurable result: value-based.

Whatever the model

State what is included, what a change costs and when payment is due. See getting paid on time.

rev. 2026-10-14