10 Biggest Logo Design Trends for 2021

Whether you are a designer working on client projects or a small business owner who’s keen to take control of your company’s visual identity and logo design, we can help you find a logo template to kickstart your creativity.

Embrace up-to-the-minute design trends and user-friendly templates to come up with a logo that communicates what your company stands for and sets it apart from the competition.

Watch the video or carry on reading to learn about the logo design trends for 2021. This year, while some brands are going minimal and low key with symbols, geometric and gradient logos, others are taking inspiration from vintage design, monogram and hand-drawn styles. The choice is yours!

Broadly speaking, there are three distinct kinds of logo: image-based, text-based and combination. So before you even embark on your logo design journey, you need to understand their differences and think about which would resonate most with your brand and your audience. 

Image-based logos feature a symbol and might be abstract (Pepsi, Microsoft) or literal (Shell, Apple). Text-based logos feature a company name (Google), a monogram (HP) or an initial (McDonald’s). Not surprisingly, a combination logo incorporates both a symbol and text into their design (Lacoste, Firefox). 

A strong logo is an essential part of your brand’s identity. It should be eye-catching, instantly recognisable, relevant and consistent across all of your marketing materials – from your company website and social media profiles to your business cards and invoices. 

Grab your customers’ attention and make your business logo memorable by tapping into current design trends and exploring the templates that can help you achieve the look you are after. 

Just as a business logo communicates what your company is about, personal branding should capture who you are and what you do. Strengthen your visual identity with a logo that brings your work to life, and remember, with an Envato Elements subscription you can access logo templates that make the design process simple, speedy and affordable.

Here are 10 design trends and logo templates that can kickstart your creativity today.

Proof that it’s actually better to fade away, designers are adding depth and dimension to logos through the use of 3D gradients. Whether that means taking in the whole rainbow, transitioning between two colors or simply fading to black (or white). This fully editable alphabet by Sentavio twists and folds over itself like a ribbon, while pastel color progressions add to the dynamic look and feel.

Choosing the right font is crucial when it comes to communicating a personal brand or business identity, that’s why our Envato experts keep a keen eye on the latest logo lettering trends. Minimalism is a movement we’ve seen gaining momentum in recent years, with brands going out their way to avoid decorative flourishes and unnecessary details. These stripped-back letters do just that, making it the ideal choice for a modern, social-first company or individual.

Say so much (with so little) thanks to a punchy image-based logo that prioritizes shapes and symbols over words and letters. With just a few simple circles that merge and mingle, this abstract Technology Logo screams science, medicine and engineering, without actually representing anything specific.

Once the domain of dodgy bathrobes, many of today’s big brands have opted for the monogram approach. Think YSL, GE, H&M… even tennis pro Roger Federer has gotten in on the initials-only act. This logo trend lets the letters do the talking, while offering plenty of scope for creative combinations and overlapping elements. Like this logo template by ilhamtaro, which brings a high-end serif style to the trend.

Scalable symbols are a great way to add memorable elements to your visual identity, which can then be carried across a range of marketing collateral and digital platforms to boost brand recognition. Learn from those who have harnessed the eye-catching appeal of some of our favorite mathematical shapes – from HSBC’s triangles to the trefoil-inspired Adidas leaves – and try them out for yourself with the recurring hexagons featured in this honeycomb logo template. It’s perfect for generating, er, buzz.

In an age when brands want to demonstrate their authenticity and down-to-earth approach, handwriting seems like the obvious choice. In fact, it’s one of the most popular organic graphic design trends we are witnessing right now. Featuring 18 logo designs, the delicate blooms and berries included in this wildflower image and text template are fully customisable, while 13 watercolor elements add an extra touch of whimsy.

This traditionally analogue artform continues to reach new heights thanks to the cutting-edge tools and technology that are available to today’s graphic designers, and we’ve been watching the latest illustration styles with interest. The trend for bright and bold imagery works brilliantly when it comes to logo design, like this collection of line-drawn real estate icons that can be used in color or monochrome design to convey a sense of place.

Similar to hand drawn and illustration logo trends, line drawing is all about straight-to-the-point simplicity and clean, uncomplicated imagery. Comprising 10 pre-made logos and a range of free fonts, this set by telllu quite literally communicates a human touch through a series of hands holding leafy sprigs and sparking starbursts. Perfect for wellness brands, blogs and channels, use this monochrome or single-color template to send a message of holistic healing.

Step back in time with this logo trend that celebrates a Mad Men-era look and feel, and is all about carefully crafted lettering, old-school images and retro design styles that replicate traditional printing methods. Appealing to the well-groomed gent about town, this barber shop logo template replicates a copper-plate engraving effect and features editable colors and text.

Our trip down memory lanes continues with a round-up of retro graphic design trends, which includes a loving look at the neon colors, futuristic fonts and angular patterns that defined the unforgettable style of the 80s. Tap into the era that brought us Optimus Prime, R2D2 and The Terminator with this retro robot logo template.

Want more? Envato Elements has all your logo needs covered. And, to give your next creative project a head start, don’t forget to subscribe to the Envato YouTube channel.