30 flat logo design ideas

When you’re designing your logo, there are a lot of boxes you need to tick. You want your logo to be impactful and attention-grabbing. You want it to feel unique and true to your brand. You want it to feel timely and on-trend—but you also want it to feel classic and timeless (so you don’t have to go through a redesign and rebranding when the latest logo trends⁠(opens in a new tab or window) fall out of style).

Luckily, there’s one design style that ticks all of those boxes—and that’s flat design.

Flat design is an effective style for a variety of designs—but it’s especially effective for logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window) design. Let’s take a deep dive into why flat design can be a great option for creating impactful logos (and take a look at some well-designed flat logos for a bit of creative inspiration):

First things first—before we start exploring flat logos, let’s talk about why you even need a logo in the first place.

There are plenty of reasons why having an on-brand, well-designed logo is a non-negotiable for your (or any!) business, including:

• It acts as the face of your brand. Your logo is going to get a lot of face time with your customers; it’s on your website, your business cards⁠(opens in a new tab or window), your social media⁠(opens in a new tab or window) profiles, and any other place where your customers might interact with your brand. Your logo is like the face of your business—and because it’s one of the most consumer-facing elements of your brand identity⁠(opens in a new tab or window), it’s important to get it right.
• It’s the most recognizable element of your brand identity. As mentioned, your logo is the single brand design your customers are going to see the most—and, as such, your logo quickly becomes the element of your branding⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that your customers most recognize and tie back to your business.
• It’s your first impression. Like the saying goes, you only get to make a first impression once—and because your logo is so consumer-facing, it’s often the first impression you get to make on your customers.

Clearly, your logo design plays a huge part in your overall branding strategy and impact. And while there are plenty of ways to create an attention-grabbing logo design, flat logos are particularly impactful.

But the question is—why are flat logos so effective? And if you decide a flat logo is right for your brand, how can you make sure your logo design is a hit with your audience—and doesn’t fall flat? (Pun intended.)

Before we jump into why flat logos are so effective, let’s briefly cover what, exactly, flat design⁠(opens in a new tab or window) is.

Flat design is a style that strips away any three-dimensional elements in favor of a more “flat” design. There are a few defining characteristics of flat design, including:

• Strictly 2D. Again, flat design doesn’t use any three-dimensional design elements—and keeps things strictly 2D.
• Bright colors. Most flat designs embrace bright, bold, and contrasting colors, which adds visual interest to the 2D elements. While this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule (there are definitely flat designs that use neutral or more muted color palettes), bright colors are definitely common in flat designs.
• Simple, straightforward typography. At the core, flat design is a minimalist style—and as such, it keeps things simple and straightforward with fonts and typography.
• Clean, geometric shapes. Because there are no 3D elements, geometric shapes make up the majority of flat design.

Flat design may be simple, but it’s simple on purpose. By eliminating 3D elements (like texture, shadows, or gradients), you end up with a less distracting, more streamlined design—which can actually be more impactful than a busier logo.

Flat design works for a variety of design mediums (including web design, posters, and custom illustrations)—but it’s especially impactful when it comes to logos.

Flat design works especially well for logo design for a variety of reasons, including:

• Flat logo designs are visually streamlined. If your logo has too much going on, it could be visually overwhelming for your audience. Flat logo designs are simple and streamlined—but without sacrificing visual impact.
• Flat logo designs embrace color. People have extremely strong associations with color; it’s called color psychology—and when you understand those associations, you can use them to your advantage and to influence your audience. Because flat design embraces color, it gives you the opportunity to leverage color psychology—and design a logo with maximum impact.
• Flat logos strike the perfect balance between nostalgic and modern. Flat logos have the best of both worlds; their primary colors and 3D design give them a nostalgic, old-school look—while the clean, minimalist design evokes more of a modern feel.

Want to go flat for your logo design? Let’s take a look at a few flat logos to get those creative juices flowing and inspire your design:

Like the geometric look of this flat logo design? Capture the look with one of Canva’s logo templates, like the Pink and Purple Events & Party Entertainment Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window) or the White with Red Circles Photography Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

This gaming logo is a great example of flat design done well. Want to do the same for your gaming company? Get started with one of Canva’s templates, like the Game Shack Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window), the Green Illustrated Video Game Controller Vector YouTube Channel Cover⁠(opens in a new tab or window), or the Yellow and Black Game Consoles YouTube Channel Art⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

Launching your own barber shop? Start building your brand with one of Canva’s templates, like the Brown and Orange Vintage Barber Shop Beauty Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window) or the Black Retro Etsy Shop Icon⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

Want to incorporate a bee into your flat logo design? Try Canva’s Yellow Cute Animal Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template to capture the look. Or, if you want to embrace the yellow and black color palette in your flat logo—minus the bee—give the Yellow Lightning Icon Business Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template a try.

Like the retro look of this logo? Capture the look for a variety of designs with one of Canva’s templates, like the Cream with Cassette Tape Music Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window), the Blue and Cassette Illustration Retro Desktop Wallpaper⁠(opens in a new tab or window), or the Retro 80s Cassette Tape Desktop Wallpaper⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

Sometimes, taking a minimalist approach to flat logo design (like this logo) can have maximum impact. Get the look with one of Canva’s logo templates, like the Tan Square Icon Animals⁠(opens in a new tab or window) & Pets Logo or the Black Circle with Utensils Restaurant Logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

Flat design is one of the most effective styles for creating impactful logos that strike the perfect balance between timeless and on-trend. And now that you know how to create the perfect flat logo for your business, all that’s left to do? Get out there and get designing!