A quote is a description of a project, and the price is only its last line. When a founder sends us two quotes and asks which is better value, the honest answer is usually that they cannot be compared yet, because one of them does not say what it includes. Below are the eight lines that make a quote comparable, in the order they should appear, with what to ask when one is missing.
The eight lines
- Deliverables, itemised. Not "packaging design". "Front, back and side panels for 250 g and 1 kg; three variants; one outer case; one shelf-ready tray." Every SKU and size is a line, because every one is work, and because you will add SKUs later and need to know what a new one costs.
- Languages. Which languages are designed, not translated, and who sets the Arabic. In the Gulf this line decides whether the pack reads as local. See our note on what moves cost in Saudi Arabia.
- Concepts and revisions. How many directions at the concept stage, and how many revision rounds at each stage after that. Also, what counts as a new round. A quote without this line has no end date.
- Print-ready files and dielines. Who supplies the dieline (usually the converter), whether the studio builds the artwork to it, and whether bleed, colour specification and finishes are marked. The most expensive mistakes in packaging happen between the design file and the printer, so this line is where a cheap quote and a complete quote diverge.
- Source files and IP. Which open files you receive, in what format, and when the rights transfer. Our terms, for reference: source files and IP on final payment. If a quote says licence only, or source files at extra cost, price in what you will pay the day you change studio.
- Timeline in stages. Brief, direction, design, production, with a date for each and what the client has to supply by when. A single "four weeks" is a hope, not a plan.
- Payment milestones. Tied to the stages above. Milestones protect both sides; a fifty-fifty split with nothing in between protects neither.
- Currency and tax. SAR, USD or AED; VAT included or excluded; and, if the studio is outside Saudi Arabia, who bears any withholding tax that may apply to the payment. This line is the difference between the quote and the invoice, and it should be agreed before the project, not discovered at the end.
Same number, different quote
| Line | A vague quote | A comparable quote |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverables | Packaging design | Front, back, side for 250 g and 1 kg; three variants; one outer |
| Languages | Not mentioned | Arabic and English designed together; Arabic set in-house |
| Revisions | Revisions included | Three concepts; two rounds per stage; a new direction after approval is a new round |
| Print-ready files | Artwork built to the converter's dieline; bleed, colour spec and finishes marked | |
| Files and IP | Not mentioned | Source files and IP transferred on final payment |
| Timeline | Four weeks | Brief week 1; direction weeks 1 to 2; design weeks 2 to 5; production week 6; client supplies copy by day 5 |
| Payment | 50% deposit, 50% on delivery | Milestones at brief, direction approval, final files |
| Currency and tax | SAR 20,000 | SAR 20,000, VAT stated; withholding responsibility agreed in writing |
The second column is not more expensive. It is the same number with the project attached. It is also the only column you can hold a studio to.
Three questions when a line is missing
- "What is not included?" A good studio answers this faster than "what is included", because they have thought about it.
- "What happens if we add a SKU in month six?" The answer tells you whether you are buying a system or a pack.
- "Can you put that in the proposal?" Anything agreed on a call and not written down was not agreed.
Get a quote you can compare
Send any studio the five facts that make a quote accurate: how many products and sizes, whether the name and positioning exist, where it sells, when it launches, and a budget range. With those, we return an itemised proposal inside a day, with all eight lines on it. Read the twelve questions to ask a studio alongside this, look at the work, and tell us about the project.
Frequently asked questions
What should a packaging design quote include?
Deliverables itemised by SKU and size, the languages designed and who sets the Arabic, the number of concepts and revision rounds per stage, print-ready file and dieline responsibility, source files and when the IP transfers, a timeline in stages, payment milestones, and the currency with tax stated.
Should I get the source files at the end of a design project?
Yes. Expect the open source files and the intellectual property to transfer to you on final payment. If a quote offers a licence only or charges extra for source files, factor in what you will pay again when you change studio or add products.
How many revision rounds are normal?
Two structured rounds per stage after the direction is approved is a common professional standard. Unlimited revisions usually means direction was never agreed and the project has no defined end.
Why does the quote need to state currency and tax?
Because that line is the difference between the quote and the invoice. Ask whether the fee is in SAR, USD or AED, whether VAT is included, and, for a studio outside Saudi Arabia, who bears any withholding tax that may apply. Agree it in writing before the project starts.