Different Types of Logo Grids and When to Use Them
Kwaku Amprako is a logo design expert & visual identity designer, speaker, educator, and founder of Akrivi — Shaping the future of logo and identity design. Get in touch→
Logo grids help designers build structured, scalable, and visually consistent logos.
Whether you’re creating a minimalist mark or a complex brand system, using the right grid can improve balance, alignment, and presentation.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most commonly used logo grid types, when to use each one, and how they apply to real design projects.
The 6 Types of Logo Grids (and When to Use Them):
- Square Grids – Great for clean, balanced logos using geometric forms
- Golden Ratio Grids – Ideal for luxury and timeless brand aesthetics
- Isometric Grids – Perfect for tech, gaming, and futuristic logo styles
- Hex Grids – Best for modular, complex layouts with visual rhythm
- Custom Grids – For bespoke branding projects with unique design needs
- Lockup Grids – Horizontal, vertical, and condensed layouts for consistent logo and text alignment across formats
What Is a Logo Grid?
A logo grid is a geometric framework that helps designers build logos with balanced proportions, consistent spacing, and clean alignment.
While it may seem limiting at first, a grid actually enhances creativity by offering a structured foundation that improves readability, precision, and visual harmony.
Studies in design psychology have shown that people naturally respond to structured visuals as more trustworthy and aesthetically pleasing.
That’s why the world’s top designers continue to rely on grid systems for crafting professional, scalable logo designs.
👉 Want to dive deeper into how logo grids work?
Check out my blog: What is a Logo Grid? 3 Reasons Every Designer Should Use One
Key Benefits of Using Logo Grids
- Optical Balance: Helps account for visual weight differences, ensuring a harmonious look.
- Scalability: A well-gridded logo maintains clarity and consistency at any size.
- Efficiency: Using pre-built frameworks or tools saves time and reduces revisions.
- Professionalism: Clients and stakeholders view gridded logos as more sophisticated and considered.
Now let’s explore the different types of grids and where each excels.
1. Square Logo Grids
Square grids are the simplest form of logo grids, composed of equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines.
Best For
- Logos based on geometric shapes
- Tech companies or brands seeking clean, minimalist identities
- Beginners practicing foundational grid work
Use Case Example
Square grids are often used for logos requiring a strong, stable feel — think finance, tech startups, or architecture firms.
Tip
Use Akrivi Gridit’s Square Grid Template (available as an Ai file) to get a head start on your square grid logos.
2. Golden Ratio Grids
The golden ratio (~1.618) is a mathematical principle found in nature, architecture, and art. Golden ratio grids use circles and rectangles based on this ratio to construct balanced, naturally appealing logos.
Best For
- Luxury brands
- High-end product lines
- Institutions emphasizing heritage and timelessness
Use Case Example
Companies like Apple and Twitter famously incorporate golden ratio principles into their logo designs to achieve elegance and visual appeal.
Tip
Akrivi offers a Golden Ratio Grid Template for Adobe Illustrator to automate the construction process and save valuable time.
3. Isometric Grids
Isometric grids use 30-degree angles to create three-dimensional-looking structures without traditional perspective distortion.
Best For
- Tech-focused branding
- Gaming and entertainment logos
- Brands embracing futurism or innovation
Use Case Example
An isometric grid can help create dynamic, dimensional logos for SaaS platforms or virtual reality startups.
Tip
Download the Isometric Grid Template through Akrivi’s free resources to align your designs accurately without tedious manual setup.
4. Hex Grids
Hexagonal grids offer a unique geometric base that introduces movement, modularity, and visual rhythm into logo design.
With their evenly spaced angles and repeating patterns, hex grids are especially useful when designing logos that need a sense of connectivity, balance, or complexity.
Best For
- Modular or tech-based branding
- Gaming and futuristic logos
- Brands emphasising connection or innovation
Use Case Example
A blockchain platform or futuristic tech brand might use a hex grid to emphasize precision and modular scalability in its visual identity.
Tip
With Akrivi Gridit’s Base Grid Generator™, you can instantly create precise hexagon logo grids inside Adobe Illustrator — for the first time ever.
Easily customise the scale and spacing to fit your design needs and build modular logos with structure and consistency.
5. Custom Logo Grids
Sometimes, the project calls for a grid tailored entirely to the concept, using unique measurements, curves, or intersecting lines to build a one-of-a-kind structure.
Best For
- Bespoke branding projects
- Artistic or conceptual brands
- High-budget, high-visibility campaigns
Use Case Example
A museum or an art gallery logo might rely on a completely custom-built grid to reflect its ethos.
6. Lockup Grids (Horizontal, Vertical, Condensed)
Lockup grids help arrange logos, taglines, and visual elements into neat, professional configurations.
Subtypes
- Horizontal Lockup: Logo and text aligned horizontally
- Vertical Lockup: Logo and text stacked vertically
- Condensed Lockup: Optimized for narrow spaces or condensed typefaces
Best For
- Corporate identity packages
- Print collateral and website headers
- Ensuring consistency across formats
Use Case Example
A brand might use a horizontal lockup for their website masthead, but a vertical lockup for mobile app branding.
Tip
Akrivi Gridit provides free scripts for Horizontal, Vertical, and Condensed Lockup Grids inside Adobe Illustrator, allowing designers to automate their lockups with precision.
When Should You Use Each Grid?
As a logo design expert with nearly a decade of experience, I’ve learned that choosing the right grid depends on the style and purpose of the logo.
While every project is unique, here’s a helpful guide to when each type of grid works best:
Generate All Logo Grids Instantly with Gridit™ Base Grid Generator™
As a logo designer, I’ve spent years creating grids manually — and I know how easy it is to make small alignment errors that ruin an otherwise great design.
That’s why I built Akrivi Gridit’s Base Grid Generator™ — to eliminate those mistakes and streamline the process.
It’s the first Adobe Illustrator extension that lets you instantly generate Square, Golden Ratio, Isometric, and Hex grids — all within your Illustrator workspace.
You can select your grid type, adjust the scale, and start designing with confidence in just a few clicks.
Whether you’re building for minimalist tech brands or complex modular layouts, this tool was designed for logo designers who care about structure, speed, and precision.
On a mission to simplify brand identity design, I build tools and workflows that help designers work faster, smarter, and with more precision—minus the friction.
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