Your logo is the first thing customers remember about your company. It's the foundation of your visual identity and an investment that pays off for the entire lifetime of your business. Yet many entrepreneurs don't give logo design the attention it deserves. How to then keep a brand consistent across every channel, I explain in my article on what a brand manual contains.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the entire logo design process -- from the initial brief to final deliverables.
Quick answer: how a logo is made and what it costs
The process: brief and competitor research → 2–3 concepts → refining the chosen one → handover in vector curves and every variant (light, dark, single-colour, favicon). With me that takes 7–10 days.
The price: a professional logo starts at 8,000 CZK, a visual identity with a manual at 18,000 CZK and the complete package at 40,000 CZK. The difference isn't hours spent in a design tool — it's how many variants and applications you get ready to use.
Ownership: the source files are yours, and written permission to use the logo without restriction is part of the price. Copyright itself cannot be transferred under Czech law — what transfers is a licence. Details below.
AI generators: fine for a throwaway mark. Not for a brand you intend to protect and use for ten years — I explain why below.
Why a Quality Logo Matters
A logo isn't just a pretty picture. It serves several key functions:
- Identification -- sets you apart from the competition
- Trust -- a professional logo builds credibility
- Memorability -- people remember visuals better than text
- Consistency -- unifies all your company's communications
- Value -- a logo becomes a valuable brand asset over time
Studies show that customers need 5--7 touchpoints with a brand before they remember it. A strong logo significantly accelerates this process.
Types of Logos: Which Style to Choose?
Wordmark (Logotype)
A logo made entirely from the typographic treatment of the company name. Examples: Google, Coca-Cola, FedEx.
Best for: companies with a short, unique name.
Symbol (Logomark)
A graphic symbol without text. Examples: Apple, Nike, Mastercard.
Best for: established brands that don't need text alongside the symbol.
Combination Mark
A combination of symbol and text. The most common and versatile type.
Best for: most companies, especially new brands.
Emblem
A logo enclosed in a geometric shape. Examples: Starbucks, Harley-Davidson.
Best for: traditional industries, restaurants, breweries, sports clubs.
Monogram
A logo made from initials. Examples: IBM, HBO, LV.
Best for: companies with long names.
The Logo Design Process Step by Step
1. Brief and Analysis (1--2 days)
Everything starts with a thorough brief. A good designer will ask you about:
- Target audience -- who are you selling to?
- Brand values -- what do you want to communicate?
- Competition -- what do logos in your industry look like?
- Usage -- where will the logo appear?
- Preferences -- what styles do you like and dislike?
The more precise the brief, the better the result. Don't underestimate this phase.
2. Research and Moodboard (2--3 days)
The designer explores your industry, competition, and trends. They create a moodboard -- a collage of inspirations, colors, and styles that define the direction of the design.
3. Sketching and Concepts (3--5 days)
An experienced designer creates dozens of sketches on paper before even touching a computer. From these, they select the 3--5 strongest concepts for digital execution.
4. Digital Execution (2--3 days)
Selected concepts are converted into vector graphics. At this stage, the designer refines:
- Proportions and geometry
- Typography
- Colors
- Legibility at various sizes
5. Presentation and Selection (1 day)
The designer presents 2--3 logo variations in context -- on business cards, website, social media. You see how the logo will work in practice.
6. Revisions and Finalization (2--5 days)
After selecting the final variation, revisions follow. Typically 2--3 rounds of revisions are included. Common adjustments include color changes, proportion tweaks, or minor typographic corrections.
7. File Delivery
You receive the final logo in a complete set of formats:
- Vector formats: AI, SVG, EPS, PDF
- Raster formats: PNG (transparent background), JPG
- Variations: color, black and white, negative, simplified
- Brand manual: guidelines for logo usage
How Much Does Logo Design Cost?
The price depends on the designer's experience and project scope.
| Level | Price Range | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Online generator | 0--500 CZK | A generic logo with no originality |
| Junior designer | 2 000--8 000 CZK | Basic design, limited revisions |
| Experienced designer | from 8 000 CZK (8 000--25 000 CZK) | Professional process, brand manual |
| Studio / agency | 25 000--100 000 CZK | Complete branding, strategy |
| Top agency | 100 000--500 000+ CZK | Corporate identity, testing |
My recommendation: For most small and mid-sized businesses, the ideal investment is 10 000--25 000 CZK. You get a professional logo with a complete process and all deliverables.
Logo Design With an AI Generator: When It's Enough and When It Isn't
The question of 2026: "Why pay a designer when AI can generate a logo in five minutes?" Fair question – and the fair answer is: sometimes a generator really is enough.
When a generator is enough: you're testing an idea, launching a hobby project, or need a temporary logo for an MVP you'll redo in six months anyway. For a few hundred crowns you get a usable result and risk nothing.
When it isn't: you're building a brand you plan to invest in for years. Generators assemble logos from the same templates and symbols for thousands of companies at once – the uniqueness you could protect as a trademark simply doesn't emerge (and with some tools, even your rights to the output are questionable). You get no vector source files for print, no thought-through variants for small sizes (try reading a generated logo as a 16-pixel favicon), and above all no thinking about what the logo should say about your business.
The practical rule: a generator is a sketch, not an identity. Once the brand starts earning, the investment in professional design pays back in never having to redo the logo two years later.
Licensing and copyright: what you actually buy with a logo
This is the most common misunderstanding in the field, and it comes down to one rule of Czech copyright law: copyright itself cannot be transferred. The designer who created the logo remains its author. What transfers is a licence — permission to use the work.
In the handover document, check three things:
| What you need | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exclusive licence without restrictions | scope (where and how you may use it), territory, duration, and the right to modify or sub-licence |
| Source files in vector curves | without .ai/.svg you're tied to the supplier forever: every edit goes through them |
| Licences for embedded assets | fonts carry their own licence; a logo built on a font without a commercial licence is a time bomb |
With me, source files and an exclusive unrestricted licence are part of the price — in writing, not promised over the phone.
A trademark is not the same as a logo
A licence from the designer gives you the right to use the logo. It does not give you the right to stop competitors from using a similar mark — that requires a trademark. According to the Czech Industrial Property Office, a national application costs 5,000 CZK for up to three classes of goods and services, each additional class is 500 CZK, and registration is valid for ten years from the filing date (renewable).
I'm not a lawyer or a patent attorney — for a contested mark, a registrability search is worth doing before you start printing business cards.
What about a logo from an AI generator?
With generator output it is unclear who the author is and what rights you hold; terms differ between tools and change over time. For a brand you intend to protect with a trademark that's an unnecessary risk — and the same logo can be used simultaneously by anyone who typed a similar prompt.
7 Qualities of a Great Logo
Before you approve the final design, make sure it meets these criteria:
- Simplicity -- a good logo is easy to remember
- Timelessness -- avoid trendy styles that will look dated in a year
- Versatility -- must work from a business card to a billboard
- Relevance -- should match your industry and target audience
- Uniqueness -- must not resemble competitors
- Legibility -- must be recognizable even at 16px
- Adaptability -- works in both color and black and white
Most Common Logo Design Mistakes
Too Many Details
A complex logo is hard to reproduce and remember. Less is more.
Chasing Trends
Trends come and go. The gradients and 3D effects of 2010 look outdated today. Build on timeless design.
Poor Typography
Using Comic Sans or another inappropriate font can ruin even a great concept. Typography must match the brand's character.
Copying Competitors
Inspiration is fine, copying is not. Your logo must be original and distinctive.
Deciding by Committee
Don't send designs to all employees for a vote. Trust the professional and decide within a small team.
How to Spot a Good Designer
When choosing a designer, look for:
- Portfolio -- check previous work, ideally in your industry
- Process -- a professional has a clearly defined workflow
- References -- satisfied clients are the best endorsement
- Communication -- a good designer asks questions, listens, and explains
- Deliverables -- should provide a complete set of files
What to Do After Your Logo Is Created
A logo is just the beginning. For a consistent brand, you'll need (and why it pays off, I summarize in my article on why you should invest in branding):
- Brand colors -- defined in CMYK, RGB, and HEX
- Typography -- fonts for headings and body text
- Business cards and letterhead -- your first print materials
- Social media templates -- profile and cover images
- Brand manual -- guidelines for proper usage
Frequently asked questions
How much does a logo cost?
A professional logo starts at 8,000 CZK (3 concepts, refinement of the chosen one, a set of variants and source files). A visual identity with a manual starts at 18,000 CZK and the complete package including print materials at 40,000 CZK. Offers for a few hundred usually mean a generator template with no rights and no variants.
Who owns the copyright to a logo?
Under Czech law copyright cannot be transferred, so the designer remains the author. What you receive is a licence — permission to use the logo. Insist on an exclusive one, unrestricted in scope and territory, with the right to modify, plus source files in vector curves.
Do I have to register the logo as a trademark?
You don't have to, but without a trademark you have no tool to stop competitors from using a similar mark. A national application at the Czech Industrial Property Office costs 5,000 CZK for up to three classes (500 CZK each additional) and registration lasts ten years from filing.
How long does creating a logo take?
With me, 7–10 days from an approved brief: research, two or three concepts, one round of revisions on the chosen variant and handover of the full set. Longer timelines usually mean more rounds of feedback, not more design work.
Is a logo from an AI generator good enough?
For a short-term or internal purpose, yes. For a brand you plan to use for years, no: the rights are uncertain, real-world variants are missing, and anyone else can end up with the same output. See the licensing section above.
Sources and links
- Czech Industrial Property Office — national trademark application — 5,000 CZK for up to three classes, valid 10 years
- Act No. 121/2000 Coll., the Czech Copyright Act — non-transferability of copyright, licence terms
Conclusion
Logo design is an investment in your company's future. A quality logo will serve you for years and become the symbol of your brand. Don't cut corners -- but you also don't have to spend a fortune. The key is finding an experienced designer who understands your industry and can translate your vision into a powerful visual.
Need a logo or complete corporate identity? Take a look at my graphic design and logo creation service or get in touch -- I have experience with dozens of branding projects.