Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) edges ahead of Clearleft (4.0/5) overall. Gapsy Studio is the better choice for Fintech, SaaS, healthcare — perfect-rated boutique. 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 Gapsy Studio: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clearleft | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2014 |
| HQ | Brighton, UK | Dnipro, Ukraine |
| Team size | Not published | Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects) |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.5 / 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 perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a company that doesn't publish its own headcount |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Miro | Figma, Webflow, After Effects |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare, EdTech, E-commerce / retail |
Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio: 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.
Gapsy Studio
Gapsy Studio describes its own history as running "since 2014" — treated here as self-reported since it isn't independently confirmed — from Dnipro, Ukraine. Rather than stating a headcount, the company calls itself a "collective of creative professionals," pointing to 500+ completed projects and a 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews instead. Thirteen-plus international awards from Behance, Awwwards, FWA, CSS Winner, Titan Awards, and DesignRush back that rating, spanning fintech, SaaS, health, education, and retail work.
Services and capabilities: Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio
| Capability | Clearleft | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio
| Framework / platform | Clearleft | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | 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 | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio
| Criterion | Clearleft | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K (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 Gapsy Studio
| Dimension | Clearleft | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design | Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work, Healthcare or EdTech product redesign |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio: 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 |
| Gapsy Studio | |
|---|---|
| + | 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 public reviews — one of the highest verified scores in this list |
| + | 13+ international design awards across Behance, Awwwards, FWA, CSS Winner, Titan Awards, and DesignRush |
| + | 500+ completed projects demonstrates a substantial delivery track record |
| + | Covers five distinct industries (fintech, SaaS, health, education, retail) from one team |
| - | Doesn't publish a specific headcount, describing itself as a 'collective' — harder to gauge delivery capacity |
| - | Founding year is self-reported ('since 2014') rather than independently confirmed |
| - | Its broad five-industry positioning trades off some depth against single-vertical specialists like UXDA |
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 Gapsy Studio?
A typical fit: fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work.
A perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a company that doesn't publish its own headcount. Minimum engagement starts at $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare, EdTech, E-commerce / retail.
Decision matrix: Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio
| 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 | Gapsy Studio |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clearleft (Not published) vs Gapsy Studio ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Gapsy Studio |
| 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 Gapsy Studio
| Use case | Clearleft fit | Gapsy Studio fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work | Limited | Strong | Gapsy Studio |
| Healthcare or EdTech product redesign | Limited | Strong | Gapsy Studio |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clearleft vs Gapsy Studio
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a company that doesn't publish its own headcount.
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 Gapsy Studio FAQ
Is Clearleft better than Gapsy Studio?
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) 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. Gapsy Studio's strongest advantage: 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 public reviews — one of the highest verified scores in this list.
How do Clearleft and Gapsy Studio differ in pricing?
Clearleft uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Gapsy Studio uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K (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 Gapsy Studio?
Gapsy Studio 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 Gapsy Studio?
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. Gapsy Studio's primary differentiator is: a perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a company that doesn't publish its own headcount. They also differ in team size (Not published vs Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects)), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.