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99designs

Design contests — $40 per new client launch, 60-day cookie

  • Freelancing & Work From Home
  • by 99designs
  • Design contests and projects (client-side pricing) · Design marketplace — logos, brands, covers
  • undefined
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our honest take

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Terms verified Oct 11, 2026 against the vendor's own program page.

Quick verdict

Best for
Designers entering contests
Skip if
Client-side commission — referring designers earns nothing
Skip if
Client-side commission — referring designers earns nothing
Price
Design contests and projects (client-side pricing) (Design marketplace — logos, brands, covers)
Affiliate payout
$40 for every new customer who launches a contest or project, $20 for returning customers; 60-day cookie; Impact; payout minimum/schedule follow Impact
The catch
Contest-model criticism (spec work) belongs in any honest review
Our rating
2/5 — honest take
Last verified
Oct 11, 2026
Check 99designs pricing →

Our honest take

The design-marketplace slot: $40 when a referred client launches a contest, $20 when a past client comes back — a returning-customer bounty is genuinely unusual and worth quoting. The spec-work debate is the honest-review angle on the designer side; the affiliate cash lives on the buyer side. Both facts in one listing.

Who it's for

Designers entering contests — and the small businesses who hire through them

What you get

  • The contest marketplace where small businesses buy logos and brands
  • $40 new-client / $20 returning bounties
  • 60-day cookie on considered creative purchases

99designs — questions

Is 99designs legit?

99designs is a real product from 99designs with its own checkout — check their current refund terms before buying. Legit ≠ worth it for you, though: weigh the cons above against where you actually are. Our score: 2/5.

Why does Make Money HQ link with affiliate links?

Because it keeps the directory free and independent. The commission comes out of the vendor's side, not your price. We'd rather be transparent and keep your trust — it's the only asset a directory has.