Clearleft vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.6/5) edges ahead of Clearleft (4.0/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked, accessible rates. Clearleft is the stronger option for UK/EU orgs, independently owned UX consultancy. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clearleft vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clearleft | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2018 |
| HQ | Brighton, UK | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | Not published | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | One of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents | A sustained Top 5 global UX company ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Miro | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Clearleft vs Excited: overview
Clearleft
Andy Budd, Richard Rutter, and Jeremy Keith started Clearleft in Brighton, UK in 2005, at a point when "UX agency" barely existed as a category in Europe. Two decades later the company has worked with 100+ clients across five continents — Virgin Holidays, Channel 4, Penguin Random House, and public-sector clients like Brighton & Hove City Council among them — spanning user research, service design, prototyping, and front-end engineering. Unlike several names in this list, Clearleft has stayed independently owned since founding.
Excited
Excited opened in Lviv, Ukraine in 2018 and has grown to 100+ designers while holding a repeated spot among Clutch's Top 5 UX companies globally. Around 70% of its Clutch reviewers specifically name quality and creativity — an unusually direct signal in review data most companies don't get. The company narrows deliberately to SaaS and fintech, covering UX/UI, product design, branding, and motion design, with delivery experience across 20+ countries.
Services and capabilities: Clearleft vs Excited
| Capability | Clearleft | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clearleft vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Clearleft | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Clearleft vs Excited
| Criterion | Clearleft | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Clearleft vs Excited
| Dimension | Clearleft | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clearleft vs Excited: pros and cons
| Clearleft | |
|---|---|
| + | One of the earliest dedicated UX agencies in Europe, founded in 2005 |
| + | Independently owned for two decades, unlike several acquired names in this list |
| + | 100+ clients across five continents, spanning financial services, government, media, and technology |
| + | Service range covers user research, service design, prototyping, and front-end engineering |
| - | Team size isn't published in available sources, making capacity planning harder without a direct conversation |
| - | UK-based office footprint offers less multi-region coverage than global agency networks |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| Excited | |
|---|---|
| + | Sustained Top 5 UX company ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement |
| + | About 70% of Clutch reviewers specifically cite quality and creativity, a strong qualitative signal |
| + | Purpose-built around SaaS and fintech, giving real vertical depth |
| + | Delivery experience across 20+ countries demonstrates broad operational reach |
| - | The claimed 15M+ user reach figure is self-reported and independently unverifiable |
| - | Ukraine-based team carries the same regional-continuity considerations as other Ukraine-rooted companies |
| - | SaaS/fintech specialization means less fit outside those two verticals |
Who should choose Clearleft?
A typical fit: UK or European enterprise UX research and service design.
One of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment.
Who should choose Excited?
A typical fit: SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company.
A sustained Top 5 global UX company ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Clearleft vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Clearleft |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clearleft (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Clearleft |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Clearleft vs Excited
| Use case | Clearleft fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clearleft vs Excited
Excited (4.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A sustained Top 5 global UX company ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity.
Clearleft (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need public-sector digital service design. If your situation matches that, Clearleft is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clearleft vs Excited FAQ
Is Clearleft better than Excited?
Excited (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Clearleft's strongest advantage: one of the earliest dedicated UX agencies in Europe, founded in 2005. Excited's strongest advantage: sustained Top 5 UX company ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement.
How do Clearleft and Excited differ in pricing?
Clearleft uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Excited uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Clearleft or Excited?
Excited is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Clearleft and Excited?
Clearleft's primary differentiator is: one of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents. Excited's primary differentiator is: a sustained Top 5 global UX company ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.