Clearleft vs Nomensa: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Clearleft (4.0/5) edges ahead of Nomensa (3.9/5) overall. Clearleft is the better choice for UK/EU orgs, independently owned UX consultancy. Nomensa is the stronger option for Government, banking, healthcare — accessibility built in. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clearleft vs Nomensa: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clearleft | Nomensa |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2001 |
| HQ | Brighton, UK | Bristol, UK (also London and Amsterdam) |
| Team size | Not published | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.9 / 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 | Built around accessibility and psychology-informed UX from its 2001 founding, now one of Europe's largest specialist UX agencies at 100+ people |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Project-based (not published) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Miro | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech |
Clearleft vs Nomensa: 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.
Nomensa
Simon Norris, Sally Lincoln, and Alastair Campbell founded Nomensa in 2001 around a specific combination: psychology, user-centered design, and accessibility. Now running from Bristol, London, and Amsterdam with 100+ people, the company calls itself one of Europe's largest specialist UX agencies, serving banking, e-commerce, education, entertainment, government, and healthcare clients. Accessibility isn't an add-on service here — auditing, testing, training, and consultancy sit alongside standard UX design work.
Services and capabilities: Clearleft vs Nomensa
| Capability | Clearleft | Nomensa |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clearleft vs Nomensa
| Framework / platform | Clearleft | Nomensa |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Clearleft vs Nomensa
| Criterion | Clearleft | Nomensa |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Retainer |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Clearleft vs Nomensa
| Dimension | Clearleft | Nomensa |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech |
| Best use cases | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design | Government or public-sector digital accessibility compliance, Banking or healthcare UX requiring built-in accessibility auditing |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clearleft vs Nomensa: 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 |
| Nomensa | |
|---|---|
| + | Accessibility expertise built into the practice since 2001, not added later as a compliance afterthought |
| + | 100+ people across Bristol, London, and Amsterdam is a genuinely large specialist UX team |
| + | Serves banking, e-commerce, education, government, and healthcare — sectors where accessibility compliance matters most |
| + | Independently founded and still operating under its original leadership focus |
| - | Accessibility-and-psychology specialization may be a narrower fit for clients whose priority is pure visual design |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| - | European office footprint (Bristol, London, Amsterdam) offers less overlap with US or APAC business hours |
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 Nomensa?
A typical fit: government or public-sector digital accessibility compliance.
Built around accessibility and psychology-informed UX from its 2001 founding, now one of Europe's largest specialist UX agencies at 100+ people. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech.
Decision matrix: Clearleft vs Nomensa
| 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 | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clearleft (Not published) vs Nomensa (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 Nomensa
| Use case | Clearleft fit | Nomensa fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Government or public-sector digital accessibility compliance | Limited | Strong | Nomensa |
| Banking or healthcare UX requiring built-in accessibility auditing | Limited | Strong | Nomensa |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clearleft vs Nomensa
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.
Nomensa (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need banking or healthcare UX requiring built-in accessibility auditing. If your situation matches that, Nomensa is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clearleft vs Nomensa FAQ
Is Clearleft better than Nomensa?
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. Nomensa's strongest advantage: accessibility expertise built into the practice since 2001, not added later as a compliance afterthought.
How do Clearleft and Nomensa differ in pricing?
Clearleft uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Nomensa 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 Nomensa?
Nomensa 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 Nomensa?
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. Nomensa's primary differentiator is: built around accessibility and psychology-informed UX from its 2001 founding, now one of Europe's largest specialist UX agencies at 100+ people. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech, Healthcare).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.