How Much Does a Rebrand Cost? A General Pricing Guide for 2026
If you're researching rebrands, you've probably discovered that most agencies treat pricing like it’s state secret. You'll get a lot of "let's hop on a call" and "every project is custom," but almost nothing that gives you a real ballpark. We get it. Nobody likes talking about money. But understanding costs upfront helps you budget properly, set realistic expectations, and avoid sticker shock later. So let's remove the mystery and talk real numbers and all things rebrand.
The Short Answer
A professional rebrand typically costs anywhere from $15,000 to $250,000+, depending on scope, complexity, and who's doing the work.
Yeah, that's a huge range. But "rebrand" can mean anything from refreshing your logo to completely rebuilding your entire brand strategy, identity system, messaging platform, website, and go-to-market materials.
Let's break down what you can expect to get at different price points.
Tier 1: The Brand Refresh ($5K - $25K)
What you get: Updated logo and basic brand marks, simple brand guidelines, primary color palette, basic typography system, maybe some social media templates.
Who this works for: Small businesses or early-stage startups that need something professional but don't require deep strategy or extensive brand or creative applications.
The reality: This is visual identity work without the strategic foundation. It can look great, but if your core brand issues are about positioning, messaging, or differentiation, a logo refresh won't solve them. It's like getting a new paint job when you actually need to rebuild the engine.
Tier 2: The Strategic Rebrand ($25K - $75K)
What you get: Brand strategy and positioning work, competitive analysis and market research, refined messaging framework, complete visual identity system (logo, colors, typography, graphic elements), comprehensive brand guidelines, core brand applications (business cards, letterhead, basic templates), maybe a website redesign concept (but not full development).
Who this works for: Growing startups and mid-market companies that need both strategic clarity and professional design execution. This is the sweet spot for most companies going through a meaningful rebrand.
The reality: This is where you start solving real brand problems. You're not just making things look different. You're defining what your brand stands for, how it's positioned against competitors, and creating a cohesive system that can scale. This is the level where rebrands start driving real business impact.
Tier 3: The Full-Scale Transformation ($75K - $250K+)
What you get: Comprehensive brand strategy (naming, positioning, messaging, voice, values), deep market and audience research, complete visual identity system with extensive applications, website design and development, marketing collateral suite (pitch decks, one-pagers, case study templates, sales materials), brand activation and launch strategy, ongoing support during rollout.
Who this works for: Established companies, enterprise organizations, or well-funded startups that need to rebrand at scale across multiple touchpoints, markets, or product lines.
The reality: This is a company-defining initiative. You're not just changing how you look. You're often repositioning in the market, entering new categories, or preparing for a major inflection point (acquisition, IPO, major pivot). The price reflects the scope, risk, and business impact.
What Drives the Cost?
Strategy depth: Light touch vs. full strategic overhaul with extensive research can add $10K-$75K depending on the level of effort.
Visual complexity: Simple logo vs. extensive brand system with custom typography, graphic elements, iconography and illustration systems ranges from $15K to $100K+.
Number of applications/deliverables: Every touchpoint requires design work. Website alone can be $30K-$150K. Each additional touchpoint can add between $2K-$20K.
Who's doing the work: Freelancers ($50-$250/hour), small agencies like us ($5K-$75K total), mid-size agencies ($75K-$200K), big-name consultancies ($200K-$1M+).
Note: More expensive doesn't always mean better. It often means more layers, longer timelines, and higher overhead. You can find yourself paying for free lunch Fridays and iced lattes on tap sometimes with larger agencies.
Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Beyond the agency fee, budget for:
- Your teams Internal time: 40-100 hours of leadership time in workshops, reviews, and approvals
- Implementation time: Rolling out the new brand across every touchpoint with your partner
- Photography/videography: $5K-$25K for custom assets
- Website development: $20K-$100K+ if not included
- Launch activation: PR, events, internal comms, customer communications
How to Think About Budget
Startups: 2-5% of annual revenue or 5-10% of marketing budget. Pre-revenue or seed stage? Start with $15K-$50K.
Established companies: 1-3% of revenue or 10-20% of annual marketing budget. For a company doing $10M in revenue, a $100K rebrand is defensible.
Venture-backed: Allocate at milestones. Post-seed: $15K-$35K, Series A: $40K-$80K, Series B+: $100K+.
The ROI Question
A rebrand isn't like buying ads where you can directly track ROAS. But here's what we see when companies do this right: Shorter sales cycles (prospects "get it" faster), higher conversion rates (trust drives action), better talent acquisition (people want to work for brands they admire), premium pricing power (strong brands command higher prices), improved team alignment (everyone rallying around a clear story).
The real ROI: A rebrand removes friction from every customer interaction. It's the difference between pushing a boulder uphill versus letting gravity do some of the work.
What Should You Actually Spend?
- Don't cut corners on strategy. A beautiful brand built on shaky positioning is just expensive confusion.
- Match your investment to your ambition. If you're trying to compete with established players or enter new markets, invest accordingly.
- Think in phases if budget is tight. Start with strategy and core identity, then expand applications over time.
- Choose partners, not vendors. The right agency will care about your outcomes, not just their deliverables.
Ready to Talk Real Numbers?
We'll give you a straight answer about what your rebrand could cost, what you'd get for that investment, and whether it's the right move for your business right now.
