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How much does it actually cost to be a designer? 👀
I did the math on my yearly essentials:
🎨 Adobe — $172/year
🌐 Internet — $25/month
🤖 Claude — $200/year
☁️ Google Drive — $50/year
🍎 Apple storage — $9.99/month
✨ Contra — $29/month
Typography, mockups and other assets are project-dependent, so I only buy them when needed.
I also use ChatGPT, Figma and Notion without paid subscriptions.
That puts my basic yearly setup at around $843.
And that's before the coffee. ☕️
What does your designer setup cost you?
It’s so crazyyyy
Right? The costs start to accumulate
Google Drive $50/month?
Well, not really, the actual plan I have is for annual USD 50 😊
That Claude line stood out, I feel that one. Curious whether tallying it all up changed how you price projects, or was this more just a gut-check exercise?
Wow that's incredible
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
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Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
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Hello People! 👋
This is my first day on Contra.
I’m a multidisciplinary designer working across branding, web, product UI & social media. Just published my first project here and I’m slowly building out the rest of my profile.
For those who’ve been on Contra for a while, what actually helped you land your first client here?
Welcome to Contra Leena!! 👏
Just wrapped up a self-initiated branding + packaging project for WINK, a playful functional beverage concept.
The goal was to make functional drinks feel less clinical, less aggressive, and more fun.
I explored the strategy, playful typography, flavor system, and a 330ml can packaging system across:
• Yuzu + Ginger + Berry
The idea was simple: Function × Flavor × Personality.
Really enjoyed pushing this one from strategy all the way through packaging and art direction.
Would love to hear what you think of the final direction 👀
Really love the concept!
Interior Design Website | Minimal, Modern & Conversion Focused
A clean, modern website concept designed for an interior design brand, combining minimal layouts, strong visual hierarchy, and warm imagery to create a premium digital experience.
The design focuses on making the brand feel trustworthy and sophisticated while guiding visitors naturally toward starting a project. From the bold hero section and project showcase to the clear CTA and social proof, every element is designed with both aesthetics and usability in mind.
Services:
UI/UX Design
Web Design
Responsive Design
Landing Page Design
Conversion Focused Design
Clean layout and strong visual hierarchy. The spacing, typography, and color balance make the user journey feel smooth and intuitive. Great work on this!