Here’s a practical guide to affordable branding options for startups, with typical price ranges, pros/cons, what to buy first, and money-saving tips so you get a professional look without overspending.

Best low-cost routes (what they are + typical costs)

• Freelance marketplaces — hire individual designers on Fiverr or Upwork. You can get a simple logo or basic brand assets for $20–$400; more experienced freelancers or package deals run higher. Good balance of price and customization if you vet portfolios and reviews. (Fiverr.com)
• Design contest / marketplace services — platforms like 99designs run logo + basic brand bundles with fixed prices (examples from about $299 for a simple logo up to $599+ for a brand-identity pack; larger packages $1,000+). Useful if you want many concepts from different designers. (99designs.com)
• DIY / template + editor tools — Canva, Wix Logo Maker, Looka, Tailor Brands and similar let you build logos and brand kits cheaply (often $0–$50 one-off or $10–50/month for pro plans). Faster and cheapest, but templates can be less unique. Recent tools also add AI-assisted brand kit generation. (TechRadar.com)
• Newer AI-driven brand builders — platforms (e.g., Lovart, other AI suites) can generate coordinated brand kits and many assets quickly for modest subscription fees (examples reported around $29/month for some tools). Great for speed and low cost, but still needs human polish for uniqueness. (tomsguide.com)
• Small/indie studios or student designers — fixed-rate packages often start around $500–$2,500 for a tidy small-brand package (logo + color palette + simple usage guide). More control than templates but higher cost than marketplaces.

What a bootstrap-friendly “minimum” branding package should include

• Primary logo in vector (SVG/EPS) and PNG/JPG versions (color + monochrome).
• Color palette (HEX/RGB/CMYK values).
• Primary and secondary fonts (or web-safe alternatives + font files/licenses).
• Simple usage notes: spacing, minimum sizes, and dos/don’ts (1–2 pages).
• Social media profile/header images sized for main channels.
  Buying these first gets you a coherent public face without a full brand book.

How to choose the right route for your startup

• If budget < $200 and speed matters: use a logo maker or experienced lower-tier Fiverr gig; expect to DIY other assets. (Fiverr.com)
• If $200–$1,500: hire a vetted freelancer on Upwork or a mid-tier Fiverr/marketplace package — you’ll get more customization, revisions, and better ownership terms. (Upwork.com)
• If $600+: consider 99designs’ brand packs or a small boutique/studio for a stronger, more strategic identity (and multiple concepts). (99designs.com)

Money-saving tips that don’t sacrifice quality

• Start with a clear, short creative brief (what problem you solve, target audience, 3 logo examples you like/dislike). Clear briefs reduce revisions and cost.
• Buy only the essentials first (logo + color + font); add collateral later as revenue allows.
• Combine AI/DYI + human polish: use an AI/logo maker to create a concept, then hire a mid-tier freelancer for refinement. This often beats starting from scratch with a high-price agency. (tomsguide.com)
• Negotiate fixed-price packages with defined deliverables and revision limits (helps control scope creep).
• Ask for full ownership / copyright transfer in writing — don’t assume it’s included. Many marketplaces show ownership policies but always confirm. (99designs.com)

Typical timeline to expect

• DIY/AI: hours to 1–3 days.
• Freelancers (single designer): 3–14 days depending on revisions.
• Contests/marketplaces (99designs-style): 7–14 days for initial concepts and selection.
• Studio/agency: 2–6+ weeks depending on strategy and deliverables.

Quality-control checklist before you finalize

• Do you have vector files (.SVG/.EPS/.AI)?
• Is the logo legible at small sizes and in monochrome?
• Are font licenses included or clearly documented?
• Is ownership/copyright assignment written into the contract?
• Do you have export-ready sizes for web and print (social headers, favicon, business card sizes)?

Where to look next (quick shortlist)

• Fiverr — for very low-cost gigs and tiered options. Good for prototypes or very small budgets. (Fiverr.com)
• Upwork — hire vetted freelancers with hourly or fixed pricing; more control and typically higher quality at mid-ranges. (Upwork.com)
• 99designs — contests and fixed brand-identity packs when you want many concepts from multiple designers. (99designs.com)
• Canva / Wix Logo Maker / Tailor Brands / Looka — fast DIY solutions and brand-kit exports. Good for founders who will iterate quickly. (TechRadar.com)
• Emerging AI brand tools (examples like Lovart) — for rapid, low-cost multi-asset generation (evaluate uniqueness and then refine with a human). (tomsguide.com)

If you want, I can:

• Suggest a 1-page brief template you can send to designers or plug into a logo maker; or
• Recommend specific Fiverr/Upwork search terms and budget settings for your needs; or
• Sketch a minimal ordering plan (what to buy first, and what to add later) based on a sample budget you give.

Which of those would help you most right now?