I’m Kayla, and I run a small shop that lives online. I had a mess of needs. New web pages. Fresh ads. A logo tweak. A Black Friday banner. You know what? I was tired of chasing freelancers.
So I tried a bunch of “unlimited” design services for web work. Real paid months. Real files. Real wins and misses. For anyone exploring alternatives alongside these subscription services, take a peek at the boutique studio 2Experts Design to compare approach and pricing.
Let me explain how it went.
What I Needed (and Why I Was Picky)
- Website page designs in Figma
- Hero images that don’t look like stock mush
- Email headers that match the site
- Facebook ads, IG carousels, and a few banners
- A few small logos and an icon set
- Sometimes Webflow build, not just a pretty mockup
I wanted speed. But I also wanted care. Hard mix, right?
Penji: Fast Starts, Clean Files
Month 1, I used Penji. Their app felt simple. I tossed in a brief for a bakery site refresh. I asked for:
- A new homepage hero (big photo, bold button)
- A sticky header design
- Mobile layouts
Turnaround was 24–48 hours per round. They gave me Figma files and SVG icons. The hero shot had warm colors and a cute overlay pattern. It felt homey, which fit the brand. On mobile, the button sat above the fold. Nice.
Real example: I got three ads for our fall sale in two days. 1080×1080, 1080×1350, 1200×628. I asked for a warmer orange and better kerning. They fixed it that same day.
What I liked:
- Clear comments in Figma
- Strong color sense
- Solid mobile work
What bugged me:
- First passes can feel safe
- Big redesigns take more rounds
Price for me was mid-tier. No coding—just design. Fair.
ManyPixels: Reliable Rhythm, Sharp Layouts
Month 2, I switched to ManyPixels. (If you’re curious, they break down their approach to unlimited design in detail on their blog.) I needed a SaaS landing page design with a pricing table and a features grid. I gave them a Notion doc and some competitor pages I liked.
They mapped the hero, then the sections. The pricing block used clear contrast. CTA stood out. The icons felt on-brand after the second try.
Real example: I asked for a set of three email headers for a welcome flow. They sent two themes. I picked one, and they rolled it into the other emails. That saved time later.
What I liked:
- Calm, steady flow
- Good grid work
- Clean spacing
What bugged me:
- First drafts look a bit “template-y” at times
- Animations or fancy bits aren’t their thing
Quick side note: They’re sitting on a healthy pile of Trustpilot reviews if you want outside opinions.
Again, no code work. But the Figma was neat and ready for handoff.
Kimp: Big Volume, Friendly Fixes
Month 3, I tried Kimp. They use Trello, which I like for queue stuff. I stacked my board with:
- A Shopify product page mockup
- Four IG carousels
- An infographic on shipping times
They hit the carousels fast. Bright, bold, and scroll-friendly. The infographic looked fun. It told a simple story with small visuals and short lines. The product page needed two more rounds, but it landed.
Real example: I sent a quick Loom video, pointing at a weird fold on our current site. They redid the fold with a trust bar and short bullets. It boosted time on page by a hair. Small win, but still a win.
What I liked:
- High volume
- Kind replies
- Great with social sets
What bugged me:
- Web page structure needed a bit more push from me
- Colors leaned bright unless I gave stricter rules
They offer video on another plan. I stuck with static.
Flocksy: Design and Build, But Slower
I tried Flocksy when I needed a simple Webflow landing page live, not just a mockup. I gave them a Figma file from Penji and copy from my doc.
They built it in Webflow over a week. There were three rounds:
- Fix padding on tablet
- Lighten a hover state
- Swap an icon set
Real example: A “Book a Demo” page with a form and FAQ. They set the CMS for FAQs. No headache for me later.
What I liked:
- They can code the page
- Good for small, real launches
What bugged me:
- Slower than pure design services (makes sense)
- You must “queue” tasks; only one active at a time
Worth it when you need the build done too.
Design Pickle: Polished Brand Work
I used Design Pickle for brand kits, icons, and blog art. Their QA felt tight. The icon set was tidy with even stroke weight. The blog images kept the same angle and color tone across posts.
Real example: I asked for a full pricing page design. They did it, but it took four rounds to get a bold hero that didn’t look stock. Once it clicked, it clicked.
What I liked:
- Strong brand guardrails
- Smooth handoff files (AI, PSD, SVG)
What bugged me:
- Web page flair took time
- Same-day speed needs a higher plan
The Truth About “Unlimited”
Here’s the thing. “Unlimited” means you can send many tasks. But they work on one at a time. You can ask for tons. You’ll still wait in the line. That’s fair, but it’s a thing.
Typical stuff I saw:
- One active task per designer
- 24–48 hours per round for static designs
- Faster for small tweaks, slower for big pages
- Figma, AI, PSD, and PNGs given
- Revisions are fine, but clear briefs win
Prices change, but most sat in the $400–$1,000 per month range when I paid. Add-ons cost more (motion, code, extra users).
For anyone who wants the blow-by-blow—screenshots, pricing receipts, and raw Figma links—you can dive into the full case study where I unpack every detail.
Real Wins I Got
- A bakery homepage hero that felt warm and sold more gift cards
- A SaaS landing layout that made the CTA pop
- A set of IG carousels that boosted saves
- A Webflow “Demo” page live without me touching CSS
- A clean icon set that tied the brand together
Small gains stacked up. Not magic. But steady.
What Bugged Me (Across the Board)
- Big strategy still lives with you
- Brand voice can slip if your brief is thin
- Fancy web effects? Not really part of this
- You can’t rush five big tasks at once
I learned to plan my queue on Mondays. I teed up the next thing before I slept. Not fun, but it worked.
Tips That Saved Me Time
- Share a Loom tour of your site. Point at the “pain” spots.
- Give three links you like. Say why.
- Post a brand kit: colors, fonts, voice notes, no fluff.
- Ask for mobile first when it matters.
- Batch sizes: ad sets in three sizes, headers in a theme.
- Approve one pattern, then roll it out. Fewer edits later.
Quick sidebar—after marathon design sprints, some founders look for an off-the-clock way to unwind. If that’s you, the adults-only social network Fuckbook lets you browse local profiles and chat without commitments, giving you a stress-free break before diving back into your task queue.
For creatives who’d rather reboot with an in-person massage than more screen time, especially if you’re near Central Queensland, check out Rubmaps Gladstone — it lists local parlors, user reviews, and pricing details so you can choose a legit spot and avoid any awkward surprises.
So, Which One Would I Keep?
- Heavy web design (Figma pages, clean structure): ManyPixels or Penji
- Lots of social and promos, plus web bits: Kimp
- Need the page built in Webflow too: Flocksy
- Brand kit, icons, tidy polish: Design Pickle
My current mix? I keep Penji for pages and ads. I ping Flocksy only when I need a real build. It’s not cheap, but it beats losing a week hunting for help.
Do these services replace a full team? No. But for steady work—new pages, ad sets, email headers—they help you keep moving. And some weeks, that’s the whole game, right?