AS | Ankit Sarawagi|Founder, CFOmatrix·June 2026·11 min read | Updated Jun 2026 |
- A word mark protects the name in any font, style or colour; a device mark protects the logo exactly as shown.
- If you file only one, a word mark is usually the stronger choice because most disputes are about the name, not the artwork.
- A device mark is narrower: it protects the specific design, so a copied name in a different font may slip through.
- Each is a separate filing with its own fee per class: ₹4,500 for individuals, startups and MSMEs; ₹9,000 for other entities (e-filing).
- For a serious brand, file both: word mark for the name, device mark for the logo. Combined, shape and sound marks cover special cases.
| ₹4,500 E-filing fee per class for individuals, startups and MSMEs (per mark) | 2 marks A word mark and a device mark are separate filings, each with its own fee | 10 years Validity of any registered mark, renewable every 10 years via Form TM-R |
To keep this concrete we will follow one brand: Brewly, a D2C coffee startup. Its brand name is the word “Brewly”, and its logo is the word “Brewly” set in a custom font inside a coffee-bean shape. We will use Brewly to show what a word mark protects, what a device mark protects, and why most brands end up filing both.
What Is a Word Mark?
A word mark protects the text or word itself, regardless of how it is written. Once registered, nobody can use that name (or a deceptively similar one) for similar goods or services, no matter the font, size, style, colour or layout they choose.
This is the broadest and usually the most valuable form of protection, because most real-world disputes are about the name, not the artwork. If a competitor launches a similar coffee brand and calls it “Brewly” in any typeface, a registered word mark on “Brewly” lets you stop them.
You file a word mark when your brand name is the core asset and you want freedom to redesign the logo over time without losing protection. Startups often change logos in the first few years; a word mark keeps the name locked while the visuals evolve.
If your budget allows only one filing, start with the word mark. It travels with your name across every future logo, pack, website and ad, which is where brand value really lives.
What Is a Device Mark?
A device mark protects a specific logo, stylised text, graphic, symbol or design exactly as it appears, including its particular fonts, colours and layout. You submit the logo image, and the protection attaches to that visual as filed.
A device mark is the right choice when your visual identity is distinctive and central to how customers recognise you, for example a unique symbol, a stylised wordmark, or a logo with a memorable graphic. For Brewly, the coffee-bean symbol with the custom lettering is a device mark.
The trade-off is that a device mark is narrower. It protects the design as a whole, not the plain name. If a competitor copies only the word “Brewly” in an ordinary font and uses a totally different logo, a device mark alone gives weaker protection than a word mark would.
A device mark is also the route for a logo that has no words at all (think a pure symbol), or for names that are hard to register as plain words because they are descriptive. A distinctive design can earn protection where a generic word cannot.
Word Mark vs Device Mark: Compared
Here is the head-to-head. The short version: a word mark is broader and protects the name; a device mark is narrower and protects the look.
| Word Mark | Device Mark | |
|---|---|---|
| Protects | The name as text | The logo or design as shown |
| Scope | Broad: any font, colour, style | Narrow: that specific visual |
| Survives a redesign? | Yes, name stays protected | Weakens if logo changes a lot |
| Best for | Distinctive brand names | Distinctive logos and symbols |
| Government fee | Same, per class, per mark | Same, per class, per mark |
| Watch out | Hard to get if name is descriptive | Plain-text copycats may slip through |
Word mark = the name. Device mark = the picture. The name protects you in any font; the picture protects only that exact picture. If you want both the name and the look locked, you need two filings.
Cost: Does It Cost More to File Both?
Yes. A word mark and a device mark are two separate marks, so each carries its own government filing fee, and the fee is charged per class, per mark. Filing both means paying the fee twice for each class you cover.
Individual, DPIIT-recognised startup, or MSME / Udyam small enterprise: ₹4,500 per class. So a word mark plus a device mark in one class is about ₹9,000 in government fees.
Other entities (companies, LLPs, larger businesses): ₹9,000 per class. The same word-plus-device pair in one class is about ₹18,000 in government fees. Professional or attorney charges, if any, are extra. Always verify current fees on ipindia.gov.in.
For Brewly, filing the word mark “Brewly” and the device mark (the coffee-bean logo) in one class as a DPIIT-recognised startup costs roughly ₹9,000 in government fees. The founders saw that as cheap insurance: the word mark stops name copycats, the device mark stops logo copycats.
To claim the lower ₹4,500 fee you must actually qualify and prove it: an Individual, a DPIIT-recognised startup, or an MSME / Udyam-registered small enterprise. Attach the Udyam or DPIIT certificate. A private limited company without that status pays ₹9,000 per class.
Combined, Shape and Sound Marks
Word and device are the two you will use most, but India recognises other types of marks under the Trade Marks Act, 1999. Here is where each fits.
Combined or composite mark
A combined (composite) mark protects the word and the logo together as one image, for example the name “Brewly” inside the coffee-bean symbol. It is filed as a device mark, so it is one application and one fee. It is convenient, but the protection attaches to the combination, so it is weaker than a standalone word mark for defending the name on its own. Treat it as a shortcut, not a substitute for a separate word mark.
Shape mark
A shape mark protects a distinctive product shape or packaging, like an unusual bottle. It is harder to register because you must show the shape is distinctive and not purely functional.
Sound mark
A sound mark protects a distinctive audio identity, such as a jingle or start-up tone. It is filed with the audio and a representation of the sound, and is far less common for early-stage businesses.
Colour marks also exist (protecting a specific colour or colour combination), but, like shape and sound marks, they are hard to register and need strong proof of distinctiveness. For almost every founder, the practical decision is word mark, device mark, or both.
Which Should You File?
The right answer depends on budget and what makes your brand recognisable. Use this simple rule of thumb.
- File a word mark if your brand name is distinctive and you may redesign the logo. This is the default first filing for most startups.
- File a device mark if your logo or symbol is itself distinctive and central to recognition, or if your name is too descriptive to register as plain text.
- File both if the brand matters and the budget allows. The word mark guards the name, the device mark guards the look. This is the safest choice for any serious business.
- Consider a combined mark only as a budget shortcut when name and logo are always used together and you cannot file two marks.
A practical sequence for a funded startup: file the word mark first to lock the name early (logos change), then add the device mark once the logo is final. You can use the TM symbol on both from the date of filing, so you are protected while applications are pending.
Founder Watch-Outs
A few mistakes show up again and again. Avoid these and your filing money does real work.
- Filing only a device mark when the name is the asset. If a copycat just steals the name in a different font, a device mark alone may not stop them. Protect the name with a word mark.
- Filing the wrong class. The fee is per class. A coffee brand selling goods and also running cafes may need more than one class. File in the class(es) that match what you actually sell.
- Locking a logo too early as your only mark. Early-stage logos change. A device-only strategy can leave you re-filing after every rebrand.
- Skipping the search. Run a trademark search before filing either type. Spending on a mark that is already taken wastes the fee and the months.
- Misusing the (R) symbol. You can use TM on a word or device mark from filing, but the (R) symbol is allowed only after the mark is registered. Using (R) before registration is an offence.
“A word mark protects your name in every font that has not been invented yet. A device mark protects exactly the logo you filed. Most brands need both, and they cost less than one bad dispute.”
Ankit Sarawagi, CFOmatrixFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a word mark and a device mark in India?
A word mark protects the text or word itself, in any font, style, size or colour, so nobody can use that name for similar goods or services. A device mark protects a specific logo, stylised text, graphic or design exactly as shown, including its particular colours and layout. A word mark is broader and protects the brand name; a device mark is narrower and protects the visual identity.
Should I file a word mark or a device mark?
If you can only file one, a word mark is usually the stronger choice because it protects your brand name in any visual form, which is what most disputes are about. File a device mark when your logo or visual design is itself distinctive and central to recognition. The safest approach for a serious brand is to file both, since each is a separate filing with its own government fee per class.
Is a word mark or device mark cheaper to file in India?
Both cost the same government filing fee, which is per class and per mark. For e-filing it is ₹4,500 per class for an individual, a DPIIT-recognised startup or an MSME or Udyam-registered small enterprise, and ₹9,000 per class for other entities such as companies and LLPs. A word mark and a device mark are two separate marks, so filing both means paying the fee twice per class. Always verify current fees on ipindia.gov.in.
Does a device mark protect the words inside the logo?
Not strongly on its own. A device mark protects the logo as a whole image. If a competitor copies only the name in a plain or different font, a device mark gives weaker protection than a word mark would. That is why many brands file the word mark for the name and a device mark for the distinctive logo.
What is a combined or composite mark?
A combined or composite mark is a single application that protects the word and the logo together as one image, for example a brand name set inside a specific symbol. It is filed as a device mark. It is convenient and one fee, but the protection attaches to the combination, so it is weaker than a standalone word mark for defending the name alone.
Can I file a word mark first and a device mark later?
Yes. Many founders file the word mark first to lock the brand name, then add a device mark once the logo is final, since logos often change in the early stages. Each is a separate application with its own fee and timeline. You can use the TM symbol on both from the date of filing.
Can you trademark a shape or a sound in India?
Yes. The Trade Marks Act, 1999 allows shape marks (a distinctive product shape or packaging), colour marks and sound marks (a distinctive jingle or tone), in addition to word and device marks. These are less common and harder to register because you must prove the mark is distinctive and not purely functional. Check current requirements on ipindia.gov.in.
This is general information, not legal advice. Trademark rules, forms and government fees can change; always verify current fees and requirements on the official IP India website (ipindia.gov.in) and consult a qualified trademark agent or attorney about your specific situation.
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AS | Founder, CFOmatrix | Finance Strategy & Equity Compliance CFOmatrix is a knowledge platform focused on how finance actually works inside growing companies. Every insight is shaped by real operating experience across startups and growth-stage companies, including cross-border setups. |