How much does a logo refresh cost compared with a full rebrand?

A refresh that updates the logo, colours and templates usually costs RM5,000 to RM15,000 in Malaysia or ₹1,50,000 to ₹5,00,000 in India. A full rebrand with strategy and a new identity system typically costs two to four times that, before rollout.

Will rebranding hurt my Google rankings?

Changing only the logo and design won't. Changing your domain or URLs can, unless you set up permanent 301 redirects from every old URL, use Search Console's Change of Address tool and keep the redirects for at least a year, as Google recommends.

Do I need a new trademark when I rebrand?

If the name or logo changes meaningfully, yes. Search the register first, then file for the new mark in each class and each country you trade in. Keep the old registration active until the transition is complete.

How long does rebranding take?

The identity design typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. Rolling it out across signage, packaging, print and digital usually takes another two to three months, depending on how many places the old brand appears.

Rebranding cost in Malaysia and India

A small-business rebranding costs about RM5,000 to RM15,000 in Malaysia, or ₹1,50,000 to ₹5,00,000 in India, for a new identity. A full rebrand with strategy and naming runs RM15,000 to RM50,000 or more. Rolling it out across signage, packaging, the website and trademarks can cost as much again.

Oct 10, 2026·5 min read

Rebranding cost at a glance

These ranges come from 2026 price guides published by branding studios in both countries. They cover the design work, before rollout.

Visual refresh (updated logo, colours, type and templates; same name): RM5,000 to RM15,000, or ₹1,50,000 to ₹5,00,000.
Full rebrand for an SME (strategy, positioning, new identity system, guidelines): RM15,000 to RM50,000, or ₹5,00,000 to ₹15,00,000.
Strategic rebrand for a larger company (research, naming, architecture across several brands): RM80,000 to RM150,000 and up in Malaysia, and similar multiples in India.

Large organisations sit in a different league. Lembaga Tabung Haji said in 2025 that its rebranding consortium's fee was RM5.9 million over three years, covering research, market studies, audits and branding plans.

Refresh, rebrand or rename?

The biggest cost decision comes before any design: how much you're changing.

A refresh keeps your name and the recognisable core of your logo, and modernises everything around it. Customers barely notice the switch. This is the right call for most businesses whose name still fits.

A rebrand changes the identity and often the positioning. It makes sense when you've moved into new markets, merged, or outgrown a look that signals "small" to the customers you now want.

A rename is the most expensive and the riskiest. You lose existing name recognition, need fresh trademark clearance, and usually change your domain. Do it only when the old name is a real problem: a legal conflict, a bad association, or a name that can't stretch to what you now do.

The rollout costs quotes leave out

The design invoice is often the smaller half of a rebrand. Before you approve a new identity, list every place the old one lives:

Signage: shopfront, office, directional signs and vehicles. Signboards often need fabrication time and, depending on your local council, approval.
Printed material: business cards, letterheads, brochures, menus, uniforms.
Packaging and product labels, including stock already printed.
Digital: website, apps, social profiles, email templates, WhatsApp Business profile, Google Business Profile photos.
Legal and admin: trademark filings, contracts and invoices with the new name.

Price guides in India list rollout lines such as signage at ₹15,000 to ₹3,00,000, reprints of stationery and packaging at ₹25,000 to ₹2,00,000, and a website update or rebuild at ₹40,000 to ₹6,00,000. Add those up before you decide between a refresh and a full rebrand.

Trademark costs

Clear and register the new mark before anything goes to print. A rebrand you can't protect is one a competitor can copy.

In India, the official trademark application fee is ₹4,500 per class when filed online by an individual, startup or small enterprise, and ₹9,000 per class for other applicants. In Malaysia, applications go to MyIPO, which also charges per class of goods or services.

Most businesses need two or three classes, so multiply accordingly. Registration in one country doesn't cover the other, so a business selling in both markets files in both.

Protect your search rankings during a rebrand

A rebrand that changes your domain can wipe out years of search visibility if it's handled carelessly. The rules are simple, and skipping them is expensive.

Google's site move guidance says to set up permanent 301 redirects from every old URL to its new equivalent, use the Change of Address tool in Search Console, and keep the redirects for as long as possible, generally at least a year. It also warns that visibility may fluctuate temporarily during the move.

If you can keep your existing domain and change only the visual identity, do. If you can't, plan the redirects before launch day, not after the traffic drops. Our SEO and analytics work covers site moves, and the same redirect rules apply on WordPress, Shopify and custom builds alike.

When a rebrand is worth it, and when it isn't

Rebrand when the brand is holding the business back in a way you can point to: customers misunderstand what you do, you've changed markets, or the look undercuts prices you now charge. A Malaysian business expanding into India, or the other way round, may also need a name and identity that work in both markets and languages.

Don't rebrand because the team is bored of the logo, because a competitor did, or to fix a product or service problem. Customers notice a new logo for a week; they notice a bad experience every time.

A quick test: if you can't write one sentence explaining what the rebrand will change for customers, it's too early to brief a designer.

Rebranding for both Malaysia and India

A business that sells in both countries has extra checks to make before it commits to a new name or mark:

Say it in every language you sell in. Test the name in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Hindi and any other language your customers use. A neutral word in one can be awkward, or mean something else, in another.
Check the trademark registers in both countries, in the classes you need, before any design work starts.
Check the domains and social handles. A matching .com, plus .my or .com.my and .in, is easier to secure before the announcement than after.
Plan the scripts. If the name will appear in Malay, Chinese, Tamil or Devanagari, the logo needs versions that work in each, not a font swap at the last minute.

What to put in a rebrand brief

A clear brief keeps quotes comparable and the project on budget. Give every studio the same one-page document covering:

Why you're rebranding, in one sentence about customers.
Whether the name changes, and what must stay recognisable.
Who your customers are, and three competitors you want to stand apart from.
Every place the brand appears today, from signage to invoices.
Markets and languages the brand must work in.
Your budget range and launch date.

Studios that respond with questions about item 1 are usually the ones worth hiring.

How long a rebrand takes

The identity work is usually the quick part. A focused brand identity project with us takes 2 to 4 weeks, including guidelines. Rollout takes longer: signage fabrication, packaging reprints and website updates can stretch over two to three months.

Plan the switch for a quieter season. Launching a new look in the middle of Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or Diwali promotions means reprinting campaign material twice.

If you're weighing a refresh against a full rebrand, our logo design cost guide covers the design side in detail, and our brand guidelines checklist covers what the new identity should ship with. When you're ready to scope it, see our branding work or get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a logo refresh cost compared with a full rebrand?: A refresh that updates the logo, colours and templates usually costs RM5,000 to RM15,000 in Malaysia or ₹1,50,000 to ₹5,00,000 in India. A full rebrand with strategy and a new identity system typically costs two to four times that, before rollout.
Will rebranding hurt my Google rankings?: Changing only the logo and design won't. Changing your domain or URLs can, unless you set up permanent 301 redirects from every old URL, use Search Console's Change of Address tool and keep the redirects for at least a year, as Google recommends.
Do I need a new trademark when I rebrand?: If the name or logo changes meaningfully, yes. Search the register first, then file for the new mark in each class and each country you trade in. Keep the old registration active until the transition is complete.
How long does rebranding take?: The identity design typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. Rolling it out across signage, packaging, print and digital usually takes another two to three months, depending on how many places the old brand appears.