Top Print Design Agencies

A print design agency is an agency that specializes in crafting visual materials specifically designed for physical printing. Its team of expert print designers goes beyond just creating attractive graphics — they have a strong understanding of the technicalities of executing designs on physical platforms. 

Print design is often confused with printing itself, as clients usually expect these two services to go hand in hand. Although some print design agencies offer both customarily, this is not always the case, as the printing process is another discipline altogether. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the services you can expect from a print design agency: 

• Concept development: It works collaboratively with you to understand your brand, target audience, and project goals. The company develops creative concepts that resonate with your vision through brainstorming sessions and initial sketches. 
• Visual design: Its skilled print designers create high-quality visuals, including illustrations, typography, and photography integration, to bring your concepts to life. 
• Layout and design execution: The agency designs layouts for various print materials, ensuring a clear and visually appealing presentation of your content. These can include brochures, flyers, business cards, postcards, posters, packaging, and more. 
• Pre-press preparation: It handles the technical aspects of preparing your design files for printing. This includes ensuring all assets meet printing requirements. 

Print design companies offer various solutions that amplify a brand identity by designing the client’s end products that will be printed. They can be your one-stop shop for all your print design needs, from initial concept development to final output delivery. Specifically, they create meticulous designs for brand collaterals, such as: 

• Business cards: Print designers prioritize creating a clear and concise layout that conveys your contact information and brand identity effectively. They use strategic font choices and information placement to ensure your name and title stand out, making a lasting impression on potential contacts. 
• Book covers: The cover art plays a crucial role in attracting readers. Designers create eye-catching visuals that pique curiosity and accurately represent the book's content or magazine’s theme. They consider the genre and target demographic to create covers that resonate with potential readers. 
• Magazines: Print designers ensure a clear, visually appealing layout that easily guides the reader through various articles and sections. 
• Brochures and flyers: Prioritize concise messaging that effectively conveys information about your products, services, or events. It incorporates a strong call to action (CTA), encouraging readers to take the next step, whether to visit your website or contact you directly. 
• Banners, signage and stationery: Designed for larger-than-life displays, while ensuring elements are clear and impactful from a distance. Print design companies recommend materials suitable for the intended location and purpose of the banner or signage, considering factors like durability and weather resistance. 
• Posters and billboards: Print designers prioritize creating a powerful visual statement with a clear copy that viewers can easily grasp in a short time. They use bold colors, typography, and strong composition to ensure the poster or billboard grabs attention, even from a distance or while passing by quickly. 

Other types of print designs include:  

• Greeting cards or invitations 
• Calendars 
• T-shirts 
• Stickers 
• Shopping bags 

One example of a successful print design project is the case study of The Bellevue Residences, a condominium tower offering 5-star hotel services. The condominium tower contacted Fishfinger because it needed a logo for different print materials and facilities of the condominium. The logo needed to encompass the tower's prestige, timeless personality and its various amenities. 

Fishfinger designed the brand identity by incorporating a serif typeface to convey a sense of heritage and sophistication while keeping the font readable. The company also established a visual connection between the primary logo and sub-logos for different facilities, by cropping and rotating the letter “B” from the main logo. The design element tied everything together visually, reinforcing the concept of having everything you need under one roof at The Bellevue Residences. Moreover, Fishfinger paired soft, muted earth tones with a touch of subdued gold and brass to communicate a sense of luxury, thus creating an elegant and sophisticated aesthetic. 

As a result, the collaboration created a cohesive brand identity reflected in The Bellevue Residences’ print materials, such as signages, business cards, stationery, key cards, and welcome gift bags.  

In an overview, the difference between a graphic designer and a print designer is their medium and scope of work. These two areas of expertise are usually referred to interchangeably because of the often overlapping in what they do, but here is a more detailed illustration of their fundamental differences: 

Print design agencies charge for their services differently based on factors, such as project complexity, type of print design, and the location of the print design agency. 

Here is an illustrated breakdown of the pricing according to different print design services: 

On DesignRush, the top 50 print design agencies charge an average of $107 per hour. Roughly 27.8% of print designers on DesignRush accept projects with a minimum budget of less than $1,000, while 1% require a $50,000+ minimum budget. 

You should hire a print design agency to gain access to a team of skilled professionals who can translate your vision into impactful and visually stunning print designs. These materials will elevate your brand image and contribute significantly to your marketing success and overall return on investment. Essentially, a print design agency helps businesses: 

• Boost brand awareness: First impressions matter, and professionally designed print materials create a lasting positive impact. According to the Data and Marketing Association, 87% of people who received printed mail have been influenced to make online purchases. 
• Achieve consistency in branding: A reputable print design agency will ensure consistent brand messaging across all your print materials, from brochures to business cards. This consistency strengthens brand recognition and builds trust with your customers. 
• Gain technical knowledge: Print design involves various technical aspects, such as pre-press preparation, understanding bleed areas, color profiles, and resolution requirements. Hiring a print design company ensures these technical details are handled correctly, avoiding costly printing errors. 
• Save time: Designing print materials yourself can be time-consuming, especially if you lack design experience. A print design company can handle the entire process efficiently, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. 
• Get fresh perspectives: A professional designer can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your project. They can help you explore new design trends and create unique print materials that stand out from the competition. 
• Increase revenue: Eye-catching visuals and clear messaging can significantly improve your marketing performance. Studies show that high-quality design leads to higher conversion rates, attracting more customers and generating leads. According to statistics, companies with a strong design culture had a 32% higher revenue growth and 56% higher total return to shareholders. 

Hiring a print design company doesn’t just elevate your physical assets —it also improves your overall brand identity. The case study of Prodigar Travel, an agency known for creating bespoke travel experiences, is a perfect example. The agency needed a logo refresh to modernize its look and print materials, so it contacted FRIENDLY LABEL to address these challenges. 

FRIENDLY LABEL implemented a redesign focusing on two key areas: typography and color. While the iconic Prodigar Travel symbol remained, the team upgraded its surrounding typography. The designers selected a modern serif typeface with clean lines, balancing tradition and innovation. 

The team maintained the existing sophisticated color palette while accentuating more of its gold and deep teal hues. These colors evoke a sense of luxury, reliability, and the vastness of the travel landscapes Prodigar Travel offers its clients. 

The refreshed Prodigar Travel logo has successfully elevated the brand’s presence, and now the modern design resonates with a growing client base that seeks upscale travel experiences. The client achieved an enhanced brand recall through the consistency of the new branding, which now extends across all marketing materials — from print to digital. This solidified Prodigar Travel’s market position as a leader in providing luxury travel experiences. 

To choose the best print design company for your business, you should have a clear vision of your brand’s identity, determine the budget, know your audience, and start looking for ideal candidates. Furthermore, the following detailed steps will help you successfully choose the best print designer for your needs: 

• Define your brand identity: Have a clear view of your brand image. What message do you want to convey? What emotions do you want to evoke in your target audience? A clear brand identity helps attract print designers who can translate your vision into visuals. 
• Know what you need: Determine your initial plan for the design. Brochures, flyers, packaging, or something else? A clear idea of the project's scope helps shortlist designers with relevant experience. 
• Identify budget: Determine how much you’re willing to spend on the print design. 
• Know your audience: Understanding your ideal customer’s demographics and preferences is crucial. This will help you choose a designer who can tailor the print design to that specific audience. 
• Find potential print designers: Explore online listings in DesignRush to find print design agencies. Utilize filters based on location, team size, and budget. 
• Assess the companies’ portfolios: On their websites, look for print designers whose past work aligns with your brand identity and target audience. A strong portfolio showcases their design skills, versatility, and understanding of print design principles. 
• Talk to past clients: Reaching out to past clients is an excellent way to gain valuable insights into a print design company’s work ethic, capabilities, and overall fit for your project. 
• Shortlist candidates: Narrow your list of qualified print designers and contact their teams to express your interest in working with them on your print design project. 
• Ask about their creative process: A well-defined creative process fosters collaboration and ensures your vision is translated effectively into the final design. By understanding their approach, you can assess if it aligns with your working style and communication preferences. 
• Send a request for proposal: Send them a request for proposal (RFP) and ask for a project breakdown, including milestones, scope, schedule, costs, and other desired deliverables. 
• Consider collaboration process: See if the print design company deploys a collaborative process that involves consistent brainstorming sessions, feedback discussions during concept development, and revision cycles. This allows you to actively participate in shaping the design direction and feel invested in the final product. 
• Know the team’s experience: Ask for the designer’s bios, personal portfolios, and areas of specialization. Look for a team with a creative and problem-solving approach. They should be able to overcome challenges and suggest innovative solutions that meet your needs. 
• Choose the print design agency: Based on your gathered insights, choose the company that best suits your needs, budget, and creative process. 

Still figuring things out? Reach us via DesignRush Marketplace, and we will send you the list of suitable agencies that can tailor their proposals to your needs — for free. 

Leveraging our agency's filters, you can find the best print design agency on DesignRush. Shortlist them by choosing from our broad range of prices — from under $1,000 to above $50,000. We also cater to mid-range budgets, and feature agencies’ hourly price rates in our listings. 

To get you started, some print design agencies accept a minimum budget below $1,000, including Techxide, Infinity Media Designs, Cálamo & Cran, and Spirilio Graphic & Web Design. 

If you want to partner with agencies with a solid portfolio and a higher budget requirement, consider established names like Mazzarello Media & Arts, Inspire Visual, and Laidlaw Group which charge between $10,000 and $25,000. For those who have more than $50,000 to spend on print design services, agencies like Work & Co., Big Buzz. and Fazer offer complex print design services. 

Our agency directory also lets you browse agency profiles to better understand their areas of expertise, see their winning case studies, and read client reviews. This way, you can compare print design companies comprehensively and find the best fit for your project, budget, and art style. 

Before hiring a print design company, you should ask questions to set clear expectations about the project. These questions will help you assess the print design agency’s experience, style, and communication process: 

Its Relevant Background 

1. What designs have you worked on in the same industry as ours? 
2. Do you specialize in any specific print design service? 
3. How would you define your team’s art style? 
4. What design software or design technologies does your team use? 
5. How does your team keep up with the changing trends in the design market? 

Its Services and Processes 

1. How does your print design process work? 
2. What is your timeline for a print design project from conceptualization to final presentation? 
3. What services are included in your price structures? 
4. Do you also offer copywriting services? 
5. Can you connect me with trusted suppliers if you don’t provide in-house printing services? 

Related to Your Project 

1. Based on the initial information presented, what general print design idea would fit my project? 
2. Can you create the design within our brand guidelines? 
3. Will you designate a team for our project, or will an individual designer handle it? 
4. Are the designs original or based on stock art or templates? 
5. How will you consider our target audience for this print design? 
6. Who will be our point of contact on your team? 
7. How will you handle confidential client information and project files? 
8. How will you handle unforeseen challenges that may arise during the project? 
9. How many rounds of revisions are included in your fees? 
10. What is your approval process for the final design? 

The best print design companies in the US are: