PRICE GUIDE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH · 2026–2027
Illustrator cost in the UK
£50–£1,000 per project. Typically £175.
An illustrator in the UK typically charges £50–£1,000 per project, with about £175 the average for a single commissioned piece. Complexity, number of illustrations, usage rights, style and deadline decide the project price.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does an illustrator cost in the UK?
| Low end | £50 | a simple spot illustration |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £175 | what most people pay |
| High end | £1,000 | a set with commercial usage rights |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the agencies and freelancers near you.
What moves the price
- Complexity — a detailed scene takes far longer than a simple spot illustration
- Number of pieces — a set of illustrations for a book or website costs more in total
- Usage rights — illustrations for advertising or packaging are licensed at higher fees than personal use
- Style — painted or highly detailed styles take more hours than flat vector work
- Revisions — extra rounds of sketches and changes add time
- Deadline — rush illustration commissions squeeze the work and carry a premium
WHAT YOU GET
What an illustrator booking includes
Takes: Single pieces take days; book projects and sets take weeks or months. Not included: Extended usage rights, printing, framing, extra revision rounds and animation are usually priced separately.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common illustrator jobs
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Illustrator near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Agree a clear brief with reference images so the illustrator needs fewer sketches
- License only the uses you need rather than buying all rights
- Commission a set of illustrations together rather than one at a time
Before you book
- Ask the illustrator for a portfolio in the style you want
- Agree the licence in writing, as copyright usually stays with the illustrator
- Confirm sizes and file formats for print and web
- Agree payment stages, often a deposit on sketches and the balance on delivery
Illustrator cost: questions people ask
Typically £50–£1,000 per project in the UK, with about £175 the average for a single piece. Simple spot illustrations sit at the bottom and sets with commercial rights at the top.
Single pieces take days. Book projects and large sets take weeks or months.
Under UK copyright law the illustrator normally keeps the copyright and grants you a licence. Buying the copyright outright usually costs more.
Many can, but it helps to share brand guidelines and examples early.
Extra usage rights, printing, framing, more revisions and animation are commonly separate.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, based on published UK illustrator and design price guides. They show the national range per project, not a quote.
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