Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Clearleft (4.0/5) edges ahead of Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) overall. Clearleft is the better choice for UK/EU orgs, independently owned UX consultancy. Fresh Consulting is the stronger option for Hardware/robotics product design alongside software UX. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clearleft | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2007 |
| HQ | Brighton, UK | Bellevue, WA, USA |
| Team size | Not published | 150+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.8 / 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 | Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Project-based (not published) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Miro | Figma, CAD tools, React |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting: 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.
Fresh Consulting
Fresh Consulting has run out of Bellevue, Washington since 2007, growing to 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering. That combination shows up in its project list: a robotic arm accelerated to launch for Ally Robotics, a first-of-its-kind robotic air hockey table built with Microsoft AI. The company's work spans medical, robotic, and industrial equipment alongside standard consumer and software product design — a physical-plus-digital range shared by only a handful of names in this list.
Services and capabilities: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
| Capability | Clearleft | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
| Framework / platform | Clearleft | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
| Criterion | Clearleft | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
| Dimension | Clearleft | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design | Robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering, Medical device UX and hardware design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting: 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 |
| Fresh Consulting | |
|---|---|
| + | 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering under one roof |
| + | Client work spans medical, robotic, and industrial equipment alongside consumer software |
| + | Named projects (Ally Robotics, Microsoft AI robotic air hockey table) demonstrate genuine hardware engineering capability |
| + | Nearly two decades of continuous operation since 2007 |
| - | Hardware-and-robotics emphasis may be a narrower fit for clients needing pure software/UI work |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| - | Single primary office location (Bellevue) offers less multi-region delivery than larger networks |
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 Fresh Consulting?
A typical fit: robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering.
Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation.
Decision matrix: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
| 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 | Fresh Consulting |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clearleft (Not published) vs Fresh Consulting (Not published) |
| 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 Fresh Consulting
| Use case | Clearleft fit | Fresh Consulting fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Medical device UX and hardware design | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting
Clearleft (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. One of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents.
Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need medical device UX and hardware design. If your situation matches that, Fresh Consulting is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clearleft vs Fresh Consulting FAQ
Is Clearleft better than Fresh Consulting?
Clearleft (4.0/5) 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. Fresh Consulting's strongest advantage: 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering under one roof.
How do Clearleft and Fresh Consulting differ in pricing?
Clearleft uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Fresh Consulting uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Clearleft or Fresh Consulting?
Fresh Consulting 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 Fresh Consulting?
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. Fresh Consulting's primary differentiator is: combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 150+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Healthcare, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.