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Professional profiles considered

A professional designer possesses a high degree of technical and artistic training, as well as professional ethics. With analytical and advisory capabilities for their clients, they design with purpose, are able to monitor the smooth progress of a project, provide solutions and create value in all sectors of economic, social and cultural life.

Copryce classifies professionals into five distinct categories: freelancers with 1 to 5 years of experience, those with 6 to 15 years of experience, those with over 15 years of experience, small businesses with up to 9 employees, and specialists (whether freelancers or belonging to a small business).

Default settings

Copryce displays an average hourly rate for design creation, updated annually by professional organizations. The hourly rate is multiplied by an average timeframe divided into 3 phases. The total falls within a price range. Costs are indicative; they do not hinder free competition, as users are not obligated to stay within the amounts estimated by this guide.

Adjustments

You can customize the hourly rate and VAT rate, uncheck the display of Copryce's default data. You can adjust the timeframe for each phase according to the specificity of the design creation project.

Price variations

Creation fees vary according to factors such as: — project urgency (normal or urgent deadline); — structural costs, depending on whether the activity takes place at home, in a workshop, collectively or in an agency; — social charges according to status; — designer's experience; — geographical location, although it has little impact.

Not included

— Additional technical fees or specific travel costs; — additional services, such as technical monitoring at a manufacturer.

Related or complementary disciplines

Some projects involve multiple domains. Use keyword search on the homepage to identify them and see their classification.

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Copryce is based on practices observed in the design industry and the producer price index for industry, commerce and services. The producer price index is a cyclical indicator showing the monthly evolution of transaction prices for economic activities. It measures the evolution of the average price of all goods and related services resulting from this activity and sold on the domestic market. Copryce updates these indices annually.

What do they compensate?

Fees compensate for work, a task: the study, project conception, creation of the work.

Why 3 phases?

The design project conception process is progressive. Research and first project(s) (phase 1) and development of the selected project (phase 2) require exchanges between the designer and client. Project execution (phase 3) is the action of moving from project to work completion (not to be confused with potential specific technical cost items, additional, on which copyright is not calculated).

Pricing each phase can facilitate their successive billing if the project extends over a long term. Any phase started is owed by the client even if they do not complete the project (professional organization recommendation).

Copryce method

Copryce transforms qualification, expertise and time necessary for project creation into timeframes.

Can the timeframe be modified?

Yes, timeframes can be modified according to each project's specificity. For example, the number of proposals to provide during research and first project(s) (phase 1) is variable and may require timeframe adaptation.

Can multiple examples be combined?

Yes, some examples correspond to a global project, others are modular and can be added to refine the user's search.

The standard used by Copryce

When a designer, regardless of discipline, creates a commissioned work, like any work, it falls under intellectual property framework. The designer holds the copyright. Therefore, no one can use their work without explicit consent. In commissioning framework, it's not the work itself that is sold, but its reproduction right for a defined and time-limited use by contract. This means a client cannot reproduce a creation (an image or volume) without prior agreement with the designer. To grant a third party the right to reproduce their work, the designer must make a rights transfer specifying in time and space the nature of transferred rights. The same applies to their representation right which consists of communicating the work to the public by any process, notably via Internet.

What do they compensate?

Copyright compensates commercial use of the creation. Depending on the scope of work use, these rights can be higher than creation fees. This is a logical source of author compensation.

Calculation method

Copyright transfer can be estimated freely as a flat rate or proportionally to distribution. Copryce uses this latter method. Four coefficients corresponding to four types of limitations provided by law (exclusive or non-exclusive use, geographical area, media scope and duration) are established. Total fees are then multiplied by total coefficients to provide total copyright amount.

Rights proportional to distribution

— Exclusivity or Non-exclusivity. In most cases, a transfer can be considered non-exclusive: the work can be reproduced by multiple clients simultaneously or successively (e.g., a photograph); or the work can be adapted across multiple media within the same project requiring multiple quotes (e.g., an illustration for a poster, brochure and website).

A transfer can be considered exclusive when: the work is reproduced for a unique client (e.g., a logo); or on unique media (e.g., furniture for a major brand); or the designer is asked not to exploit the work in any form during the entire transfer duration, including not presenting it in exhibitions or portfolio.

— Usage area: geographical zone where the work is used.

— Duration: the shorter the duration, the more rights proportional to distribution decrease; the longer it is, the more they increase. Copyright transfer duration is established according to a creation's lifespan. It's in the designer's and client's interest to renew rights transfer at the rhythm of creation renewal, rather than seeking negotiation of definitive transfer. Or alternatively, opt for a royalty contract.

• Maximum legal duration provided by law may vary from country to country; it may be equivalent to definitive copyright transfer. In Europe, for example, it's 70 years after the author's death.

— Scope: evaluation of the number of distinct media on which the work is reproduced and their quantities; evaluation of space attendance (e.g., small business or major retailer); evaluation of website traffic (e.g., .fr or .com...); evaluation of audience size (e.g., low-audience TV show or prime time).

Payment installment for flat-rate exploitation rights

This option is reasonable when usage duration exceeds one year. The designer must be rewarded for this service. As exploitation rights calculation is degressive, the major portion is payable in the first two years.

Royalty contracts, also called "royalties"

For commissioned work intended for publishing and sale, there's an alternative consisting of compensating copyright by allocating a royalty calculated on revenue generated from model sales. This is frequent practice in publishing, music industry or products. Rights payment installment facilitates agreement between designers and clients. (See also Preamble page.)

Copyright paid as royalties can be calculated based on the amount proposed by Copryce, according to objectives and work exploitation duration. Combining flat-rate copyright over a short duration initially, then switching to royalties is also conceivable. Consult a specialized lawyer.

Precise project and usage description

To remove any ambiguity about the requested creation and its use, using specifications written by the client, the service should be described very precisely.

Quote encompassing copyright transfer to fees: usage (exclusivity, area, duration, scope) is specified here in the first paragraph.

Fees and deadlines

Copryce simplifies hours into working days, which is more realistic in managing normal deadlines, especially when working on multiple projects simultaneously.

Quote encompassing copyright transfer to fees: copyright amount is distributed within the fee amount.

Copyright

The transfer indicates work usage limits. Detailing each right amount (exclusivity, area, duration, scope) is not mandatory; the total may suffice.

Quote encompassing copyright transfer to fees: the mention "All rights transferred for the above-mentioned use" refers to usage described in the quote's first paragraph (creation object and its use).

Quote total, recommended presentation

The quote distinguishes rights amount from fees amount. We recommend this method because in case of client bankruptcy particularly, copyright can benefit from privileged ranking of owed debts.

Additional costs

Don't forget them (no copyright calculated on them), for example: — project-specific technical costs, such as material supply (wood, metal, plexiglass...); — particular travel expenses; — modifications requested by client during realization involving project reworking (author corrections); — other services, such as art direction or manufacturer monitoring.

General contractual conditions

Determined by the designer, they indicate notably the modalities concerning: — modifications or interpretations of creation by client; — creator's signature; — delivery of written commission in compliance with quote terms; — if there's competition, informing the designer from the first meeting; — research compensation; — client correction costs; — fee and copyright payment modalities; — payment modalities in case of project cancellation; — project ownership; — jurisdiction in case of dispute.

For more information, contact a professional organization.