What an in-house designer really costs in Australia
The salary is only the start. Here is the maths for a mid-weight graphic designer:
| Cost line | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary, mid-weight designer | A$75,000 | A$6,250 |
| Superannuation at 12% | A$9,000 | A$750 |
| Subtotal before anything else | A$84,000 | A$7,000 |
| Then add | payroll tax (depending on your state and payroll size), workers' comp, software licences, a laptop, leave cover and recruitment fees | |
Salary: average for a mid-weight graphic designer in Australia (Glassdoor figure, reported by Academy Xi, 2026). Super guarantee: 12% from 1 July 2025. Your numbers will vary by city and seniority.
And one designer usually means one skill. Motion and video editing are often a second hire, or work that goes to a freelancer at a day rate.
Side by side
| In-house designer | asmixo Growth plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | A$7,000+ all-in | A$2,900 flat |
| Time to start | 8–12 weeks to advertise, interview, hire and onboard | Next Monday |
| Skills | Usually design or editing, rarely both | Design, motion, video, email, packaging |
| Hours | Office hours, minus leave and sick days | Brief by 5pm, drafts by 9am |
| Exit | Notice periods, redundancy | 14 days' notice |
| In the room | Yes | No, remote only |
Already hiring? Cover the gap
A common situation: the designer role is advertised, the hire is two or three months away, and the calendar won't wait. A subscription covers the gap from Monday. When your hire lands, give 14 days' notice. You can also keep a smaller plan for the motion and video your new hire may not cover.
When you should hire instead
A subscription is not always the right answer. Hire in-house if:
- you need someone physically present: in the office, on shoots, at events;
- your work needs constant live back-and-forth through the day, not a brief-and-draft rhythm;
- you need 3D, photography or voiceover as a core part of the role;
- your volume would keep two or more full-time designers busy.
What you get instead
Starter
A$1,950 /month
20 social and ad designs, 3 motion ads, 2 email campaigns, 1 print piece.
Growth · most picked
A$2,900 /month
30 designs, 6 motion ads, 4 short-form video edits, 4 email campaigns, 2 print or packaging pieces.
Full Stack
A$3,900 /month
35 designs, 8 motion ads, 8 video edits, 4 email campaigns, 2 print or packaging pieces, 1 landing page. Two active requests.
Prices in Australian dollars, per month, flat. The numbers show a typical month for one brand, not a cap. The month builder prices your exact mix.
Every file is designed by one senior designer, ASM Mitul, with 9+ years in the market and 4,500+ projects for 650+ clients worldwide. You talk to the person doing the work, not an account manager.