Where Does Your Design Budget Actually Go?
“What’s the difference between you and an agency?” I get asked this quite a lot. While I could say I’m the wizard behind the curtain, I don’t want to do agencies a disservice.
Where Does Your Design Budget Actually Go?
“What’s the difference between you and an agency?”
I get asked this quite a lot. While I could say I’m the wizard behind the curtain, I don’t want to do agencies a disservice. I work with some amazing agencies, and there are definitely businesses that NEED an agency over anyone else.
The difference is all in the structure.
With an agency, you're paying for account management, project coordination, studio overheads, plus the designer's time. That setup works well when you need multiple disciplines or you're operating at scale.
With an embedded designer, you're paying for the designer's time. Direct collaboration and faster decisions. That works well when you're early-stage, need speed, and want someone close to the product.
Neither is ‘better’ but it’s worth knowing where your money goes so you can choose what fits.
