Banner ad design services: what to buy and what to avoid

What the service should deliver

Start with the file list. A banner design can mean one web graphic, a group of static display ads or a full campaign adapted for several platforms. Those are different jobs. Ask for the platform, placement, pixel dimensions and file type of every item before work starts.

The design should also survive resizing. A wide leaderboard has room for a headline, image and call to action. A narrow mobile placement may need shorter copy and a different crop. Simply shrinking the master can make the logo unreadable or push the offer outside the useful area. Good production keeps the campaign recognisable while adjusting the layout for each shape.

• A written list of platforms, placements, dimensions and file types.
• The editable source file if it is part of the agreed scope, plus the final upload-ready exports.
• A named master design that you approve before the remaining formats are produced.
• Clear treatment of copy, logos, image crops and calls to action at small sizes.
• A final check against the platform requirements current on the delivery date.

Spec compliance is more than matching the canvas dimensions. Static and HTML5 placements can have different file, animation and account requirements. The supplier should ask where the ads will run, then prepare the files for that destination. A vague promise that an ad is “web ready” is not enough.

Price, revisions and timing

Compare prices only after matching the scope. European studio quotes fall in a broad band for static work, with HTML5 work reaching much higher totals. Design subscriptions were priced as monthly commitments. Those figures are not directly comparable with a fixed campaign set because the number of concepts, formats and revision rounds varies. The useful comparison is the total cost for the exact files you need.

Price bands as of October 2026, source: competitor research. Confirm the current scope and price with each provider before ordering.

A revision round should have a plain definition. Ask whether one round can contain several comments, whether revisions apply only to the master, and what happens after resizing begins. Feedback is cheaper to handle on one approved design than across a complete folder of exports.

Be careful with turnaround promises that skip the inputs. Timing depends on when the brief, copy, brand assets and feedback arrive. Ask what starts the clock, what pauses it, and whether the quoted time covers the master or the complete set. A reliable supplier will separate design time from the time spent waiting for your approval.