Viewpoint
The Art and Science of Pricing
The featured creatives and studios shared hard-earned wisdom on how to value your work, protect your time, and sustain your creative practice.
Pricing creative work isn’t a spreadsheet formula you crack once and forget; it’s a mix of knowing your worth, understanding your client, and balancing the present with your long-term goals. We asked featured creatives and studios to share the key Dos and Don’ts they’ve learned when pricing their work. What came back is raw, honest, and incredibly useful for any designer or freelancer navigating the money conversation.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned,” says Chandni Poddar, is to always charge for overtime and extra rounds of changes. It’s easy to be overly accommodating, but when a client takes your time for granted and you end up in an endless loop of edits, it doesn’t just burn you out; it also dilutes the integrity of the work. What started as a clear concept can end up looking like a random mishmash of feedback.
Her advice is equally firm when it comes to underpricing: “If a client is heavily underpricing you, or pulling the tricks like, ‘you’ll get great exposure/ experience’ in exchange for a super low fee, just run. Your time and creativity are worth more than that. If someone doesn’t see the value in paying for your work now, chances are they won’t value your time later either.”
And finally, she adds a tip that’s as much about process as pricing: “Give clients space to sit with the work before jumping into feedback. Letting things breathe for a day or two helps them absorb it properly and come back with more thoughtful, constructive notes. It leads to a much smoother process.”
For Devalok, pricing is about far more than what a client can pay right now. “One of the first principles we follow is: avoid thinking of money as the only measure of value. Pricing creative work is not just about what a client can pay in the moment, but what can be built over time, together,” they explain.
A branding project can be priced at $25,000 or $5,000. What changes is the context: who the client is, what their vision holds, and what kind of longterm value can emerge from the relationship. We pay close attention to who we work with. Vision, alignment, and ambition matter. Sometimes, we adjust our pricing not to reduce value, but to create space for collaboration, especially when we see real potential.
Their biggest takeaway? “Look for different forms of value. Yes, revenue keeps a studio running. But equally important are equity opportunities, the strength of a client’s network, and the kind of creative freedom a project brings. Every project shapes the future of the studio in some way. Pricing should reflect not just the present transaction, but the direction you’re headed together.”
Moshimbo approaches pricing with a value-first mindset:
Do: Price for the value, not just the deliverables. Think beyond hours, consider impact, clarity, ownership, and how your work moves the needle for their brand or business.
Do: Share the “why” behind your pricing. Transparency builds trust and positions you as a partner, not a vendor.
Do: Say no when the numbers don’t align. It protects both your time and your reputation.
Don’t: Don’t underprice to win the project. It almost always leads to resentment, blurry boundaries, or burnout.
Don’t: Don’t price with just your studio in mind. Consider what the client is gaining, not just what you’re giving.
Don’t: Don’t compare your pricing to others blindly. Every studio brings a different value to the table.
Pavan Rajurkar believes sustaining a freelance practice is about rhythm, “knowing when to push, when to pause, and how to stay clear even when work is unpredictable.”
Creatively, he treats routine as a support system: “I kept personal projects or small explorations running in the background - not for client work or social media, just to stay curious and connected to my own style. I also started tracking where my energy went each week - not just time, but focus - which helped me identify what drained me vs. what moved things forward.”
On the financial side, he became more intentional: “I started tracking patterns - which clients paid on time, which types of projects had smoother timeliness and leaned into those more”.
His personal Dos and Don’ts:
Do: Anchor your price to responsibility, not just the deliverable.
Do: Keep a soft buffer in mind for revisions or delays, even if not visible to the client.
Do: Review and update your pricing every few months, as your value evolves.
Don’t: Avoid difficult conversations; clarity early on saves trouble later.
Don’t: Let urgency override your terms. If someone needs something “ASAP,” it should reflect in the cost.
Don’t: Rely only on good intentions; professional systems protect both sides..
“The first and most important thing is to have a little confidence in yourself,” Rsquare advises. “Even before a client rejects a quotation, a lot of students convince themselves they don’t deserve to be paid a certain amount. We’re not saying you should start quoting outrageous numbers right away, but have some faith in yourself and don’t be ashamed to talk about money.”
Calculate your expenses - rent, groceries, software, your time, even if someone else is covering them now. “If you were paying for your life yourself, you wouldn’t think twice about asking to be paid. You’re not being greedy, you’re just being realistic and professional.”
They also suggest the importance of budgeting for hidden costs like render farms, plugins, and stock audio. And yes, always have a contract: “It doesn’t need to be written by a lawyer, it just needs to exist. It sets expectations for deliverables, payment terms, timelines, and revisions. Studios do this as standard practice, so don’t be afraid to do the same.”
Finally, reminded us to choose projects for the right reasons, not guilt, and to protect our time and curiosity. “You’re not a robot. Burnout helps no one.”
Sayan Mukharjee’s philosophy is simple but powerful:
Do: Know your worth. Evaluate the value you bring through your skills, experience, and unique style.
Do: Communicate clearly. Be transparent with clients about what’s included in your pricing.
Do: Consider the time and effort involved. Break down projects by how many days they’ll take, and price accordingly.
Don’t: Underprice to win a project; it devalues your practice and hurts the creative ecosystem.
Don’t: Compare blindly. Every artist has a different process and journey.
Don’t: Overlook passion projects. They may not pay, but they’re essential for growth
