Hiring Designers: Should You Go In-House or Try a Design Subscription?

If you’ve spent any time online, you’ve definitely come across brands like Netflix, Canva, or maybe your go-to VPN. What do they all have in common? Yep—subscription models.

So why are we, a motion design agency, talking about this? Because there’s a version of that for creative work too. It’s called DaaS, or Design as a Subscription. Instead of hiring in-house or going the traditional agency route, you pay a flat monthly fee and get ongoing design support—fast, flexible, and way less complicated.

Here’s what usually comes with it:

• Flat monthly pricing (no surprise fees)
• Unlimited design requests
• One task at a time, delivered in queue
• Unlimited revisions
• Quick turnaround—usually 1 to 3 days per task

And you’re not limited to one type of project. Depending on the provider, you can get everything from social posts and pitch decks to motion design, UI mockups, and explainer videos. It’s all about getting high-quality, on-brand design without the delays or back-and-forth that come with one-off projects.

Now compare that to having an in-house designer. They’re fully embedded, know the brand well, and are just a message away. Super valuable—but when you need a high volume of work, a range of styles, or faster turnaround, it can get a bit tight.

How People Utilise DaaS

So, how does DaaS actually work? It’s simple. You pay a flat monthly fee, submit multiple design request, and the work gets done one task at a time—fast. Turnarounds are usually quick, and revisions are included, so there’s no extra back-and-forth or surprise costs. It’s designed to keep things moving without all the usual friction.

This model has become a go-to for agencies and startups who need to move quickly. Instead of hiring in-house or waiting for a traditional agency to free up, they get dedicated project manager, multiple teams allocated to support. Whether it’s prepping for a last-minute pitch or launching a new product, DaaS gives teams the flexibility to scale without the delay.

What makes DaaS so appealing is how clean and predictable it is. You get high-quality design, on demand, with no long-term contracts, no HR overhead, and no unexpected invoices. Just fast execution, expert support, and a model that actually keeps up with the pace of your business.

How About In-House Hire?

Hiring a full-time, in-house designer means bringing someone directly into your team. They’re fully embedded in your day-to-day workflow and get to know your brand inside and out. From social graphics to internal decks, they’re hands-on with everything and become a go-to for all things visual.

One of the biggest reasons companies go this route is for creative collaboration. You get real-time feedback, quicker iterations, and a designer who’s closely aligned with your brand’s tone, style, and goals. It creates a tight feedback loop and helps keep everything on-brand without having to constantly re-explain the vision.

The upside? In-house teams bring consistency and cohesion over time. But it’s not without trade-offs. Hiring comes with a higher price tag—often over $60,000 per year, not including bonuses or additional benefits. For many companies, that’s a significant investment. And when creative needs start to scale quickly or shift across formats, having just one person on the team can make it hard to keep up.

DaaS vs. In-House Designers

Design subscriptions are perfect when you need fast, flexible creative support without the big overhead. You get quick turnarounds, easy scaling, and a flat monthly fee—no surprises, no drama. On the flip side, having an in-house designer means you’ve got someone fully in sync with your brand, right there for day-to-day collaboration. Super helpful for long-term consistency, but it can get expensive and harder to scale. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—it really depends on what your team needs most right now: speed and flexibility, or deep, ongoing creative support.`

Which Project Should Use Which?

What Project Work With DaaS

Ever feel like design needs pile up faster than you can keep up? Yeah, we’ve been there—and that’s where design subscriptions can really come in handy.

For teams that are moving fast and always have something on the go, having flexible, on-demand design support just makes life easier. Whether it’s a last-minute launch, a quick test, or a pile of content to get out the door, it’s nice knowing you’ve got backup.

Startups love it too. When you’re building an MVP or testing creative ideas, the last thing you want is to be slowed down by hiring or waiting on resources. DaaS lets you keep things moving without the headache.

And if you're on a marketing team that’s pumping out content non-stop, or part of an ecommerce brand with weekly promos, you know how hectic it gets. Design subscriptions help you stay on top of it all—without burning out your team.

When In-House Design Just Makes Sense

Let’s be honest—not every design challenge needs an in-house hire. But when it does, it’s usually because the work is deep, ongoing, and strategic. In-house designers shine when your team needs someone fully embedded—living and breathing your brand every day, and building relationships across departments.

Think big, multi-stakeholder projects. Maybe it’s a full product redesign, a new platform rollout, or an initiative that touches marketing, dev, and ops all at once. These projects have a lot of moving parts—and having a designer in the room (literally or virtually) helps keep everything aligned as things shift and evolve.

It’s also the right move if you’re doing heavy UX or product work that needs constant iteration and long-term thinking. Same goes for brand strategy or creative direction—where consistency, context, and cross-team collaboration really matter. If your design needs are steady, strategic, and tightly integrated into your day-to-day, in-house talent gives you the continuity and context to move fast without missing the mark.

Common Concerns for DaaS

If it’s something new or a little different from the norm, it’s totally fair to have some concerns. Running a design subscription service can be super rewarding, but it’s definitely not all smooth sailing. Once you start bringing on more clients, a few tricky challenges can start creeping in. From scope creep disguised as “small requests” to clients stretching the meaning of “unlimited,” here are some common hurdles that can catch you off guard if you’re not ready for them.

• Scope creep: “Redesign our app” sneaks in as a ‘simple request.’
• Scalability: Multiple client revisions create overwhelming backlogs.
• Abuse of “Unlimited”: Clients expecting full-time design output for a low monthly fee.
• Subscriber churn: Clients subscribe, get one big project, and unsubscribe.
• Burnout: Without limits, solo designers risk undercharging and overworking.

Case Study: Dove Hero

“Wait... Aren’t you a motion design agency? So why are you talking about Design-as-a-Subscription?”

That’s a fair question. While motion is at the heart of what we do, it's only one part of the bigger picture. We also offer brand design and UI design because great storytelling doesn’t stop at video. It flows through your product, your platform, your messaging, and every customer touchpoint.

Our Design-as-a-Subscription model is built to support exactly that. It gives brands the flexibility to scale creative output without compromising quality. When DoveHero came to us, they didn’t just need motion graphics. They needed a creative partner to elevate their brand, website, product experience, and content. Over the course of almost a year, we worked together to transform their design ecosystem into something cohesive, strategic, and ready to grow.

Project Scope

We provided end-to-end design support across multiple formats and platforms, ensuring a consistent and engaging brand experience from product to marketing.

The Challenge

DoveHero was ready for a complete brand transformation. They needed to stand out in a competitive space while improving the usability of their platform. The goal was to create a design system that delivered clarity, consistency, and a stronger user experience across their website, product, and marketing assets.

Our Approach

User-Centered UI/UX Design: We conducted a full platform audit to uncover friction points and improve layout, navigation, and overall flow.

Storytelling Through Motion: We created explainer videos and motion assets that made complex features easier to understand and more engaging to interact with.

Brand Consistency Across Assets: From marketing decks to web design, we applied a unified visual language that tied everything together.

What We Delivered

• Landing page and website design that combined clarity with strong visual storytelling
• Full UI/UX redesign of their web app for a more intuitive, seamless experience
• Optimized pricing page and campaign builder to support higher engagement and conversion
• Brand collateral including decks, business cards, and social-ready assets
• Redesigned CRM and lead recommendation UI to support smarter, data-driven workflows
• Explainer videos and branded motion graphics to communicate key features

Results and Impact

Improved engagement and conversions: The new designs led to better interaction rates and higher conversion across the site and product.

Stronger brand perception: DoveHero now presents as a professional, trustworthy brand in the marketing automation space

Streamlined user experience: The platform is easier to navigate and more enjoyable to use, making campaign management smoother for their users.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, like most decisions in business, choosing between DaaS and in-house design comes with trade-offs. The right fit depends on your team’s structure, your budget, and the kind of creative support you need to move things forward.

If your projects are ongoing, complex, and require someone fully embedded in your workflow, an in-house designer might be the right call. But if you’re moving fast, juggling multiple priorities, or need flexible support that adapts to your pace, a subscription model can be a smart, scalable solution.

If you're exploring options, feel free to browse our subscription pricing or book a quick call to see what kind of setup might work best for your team.