A well-designed poster is important because it piques viewers’ interest in the subject it depicts. This is true for all posters, whether they’re for movies, festivals or concerts, cities, public transportation schedules and maps, or decorative posters. Even posters that serve a utilitarian purpose, like subway posters, have to be engaging and make their points clearly, often with minimal use of text so they reach the widest audience possible.
The best freelance poster designers create designs that communicate with viewers as directly as possible. Meet our top picks:
The 10 best freelance poster designers to hire in 2019
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Book cover
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Poster
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Other design
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Logo design
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Magazine cover
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Other business or advertising
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other book or magazine
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Signage
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Banner ad
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Brochure
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Sticker
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Other art or illustration
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Social media page
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Other web or app design
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Logo & business card
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Illustration or graphics
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Business card
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other web or app design
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Poster
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PowerPoint template
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Other business or advertising
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Brochure
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Other design
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Web page design
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Signage
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Banner ad
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Logo design
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Email
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Infographic
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T-shirt
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Facebook cover
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Landing page design
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Other book or magazine
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Business card
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Card or invitation
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Brand guide
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3D
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Book cover
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Poster
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Banner ad
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Business card
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Brochure
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Signage
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Other design
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Menu
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Stationery
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Other business or advertising
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Logo design
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Other web or app design
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Other book or magazine
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Illustration or graphics
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Book cover
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Logo & business card
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Facebook cover
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Card or invitation
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Car, truck or van wrap
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Infographic
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Web page design
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Social media page
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PowerPoint template
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Other packaging or label
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Email
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3D
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Poster
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other business or advertising
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Signage
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Banner ad
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Infographic
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Brochure
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Other design
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Product label
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Logo design
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Social media page
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Illustration or graphics
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Book cover
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Stationery
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PowerPoint template
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Facebook cover
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Email
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Business card
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T-shirt
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Product packaging
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Other web or app design
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Other art or illustration
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Icon or button
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Other design
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other business or advertising
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Other web or app design
-
Banner ad
-
Web page design
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Poster
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Facebook cover
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Brochure
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Landing page design
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Signage
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Email
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Logo design
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Product packaging
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Product label
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Stationery
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Social media page
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Infographic
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Book cover
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Illustration or graphics
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Business card
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Other book or magazine
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Other art or illustration
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Other packaging or label
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Other Graphic Design
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Icon or button
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Card or invitation
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Logo & social media pack
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Print or packaging design
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PowerPoint template
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Menu
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Magazine cover
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Flash banner
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Clothing or apparel
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Button or icon
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Other business or advertising
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Poster
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Other design
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Signage
-
Banner ad
-
Brochure
-
Logo design
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Car, truck or van wrap
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Illustration or graphics
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Business card
-
PowerPoint template
-
Other art or illustration
-
Infographic
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Other web or app design
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Menu
-
Product label
-
Other packaging or label
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Stationery
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Social media page
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Logo & business card
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Book cover
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Illustration or graphics
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Poster
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Character or mascot
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Banner ad
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Other design
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Icon or button
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Product packaging
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Other book or magazine
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Social media page
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Other art or illustration
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Logo design
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Facebook cover
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Logo & brand identity pack
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T-shirt
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Logo & social media pack
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Merchandise
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Infographic
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Card or invitation
How did we choose these as the best poster designers?
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Being named one of the top freelance poster designers is no small feat. Our in-house team carefully hand-vets all the designers on our platform to find the ones we think are the best of the best. Here’s how we choose our top 10:
Quality

Every designer on 99designs is sorted into one of three categories:
- Entry level
- Mid level
- Top level
Our top 10 poster designers are top level designers. To achieve top level status, a designer has to have a strong portfolio full of pieces that have satisfied past clients and a history of being a consummate professional in all client interactions. Top level poster designers also consistently create original, engaging poster concepts and execute them with strong technical skills.
Experience with poster design
It’s probably obvious, but we’ve gotta make it clear: to be one of the top poster designers, a designer has to have a portfolio full of successful poster designs. You might be a great app designer or an amazing illustrator, but that doesn’t mean you have the skills to be a top notch poster designer.
Professionalism
Professionalism is key to being named one of the top poster designers. A designer who creates great designs, but doesn’t have a reputation for communicating and working well with clients won’t make the cut. To us, professionalism means:
- Responsiveness
- A willingness to listen and incorporate constructive criticism
- Clear communication
What to think about when hiring a poster designer
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Creating an effective poster takes skill. Sure, poster designers can also be great artists, but being a talented artist doesn’t mean somebody is a good poster designer. When evaluating portfolios consider:

- Are you intrigued? If you saw their work on a wall would you stop to look.
- Have they done posters like the one you’re commissioning before? If you need a poster for a music festival, don’t choose a designer whose portfolio only contains movie posters
- Have they designed posters for your intended audience? If you’re targeting an affluent, educated audience, you need a poster that speaks to them, rather than one that speaks to the blue collar crowd. Similarly, posters for children and teens look different from posters aimed at adults, and if you need a poster that’ll connect with people from many different cultures, your poster is going to look a lot different from one designed for a local audience
- Do you get all the information you need from the posters in their portfolio? For example, if you’re looking at a movie poster, do you see the title, director and producers’ names, and release date clearly? Does this information come through naturally, or do you have to search for them?
Are you ready to hire a fantastic poster designer?
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We chose our top poster designers based on their record of creating awesome, effective posters for clients. To connect with your audience and communicate clearly and directly, hire a top freelance poster designer who’s proven they have the technical skills and sense of style to design posters that work.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for in our top 10, search our platform for a poster designer who can create the poster you need.