Clearleft vs UXDA: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
UXDA (4.3/5) edges ahead of Clearleft (4.0/5) overall. UXDA is the better choice for banks and fintech, exclusively financial-services UX. 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 UXDA: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clearleft | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2015 |
| HQ | Brighton, UK | Riga, Latvia |
| Team size | Not published | 25+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.3 / 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 | The only company in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, retainer |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Miro | Figma, Sketch, Design systems/Storybook |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech |
Clearleft vs UXDA: 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.
UXDA
Alex Kreger and co-founder Linda launched UXDA (Financial UX Design) in 2015, keeping the team deliberately small — 25+ multidisciplinary specialists in Riga, Latvia. A decade later, that narrow focus has produced 150+ banking and fintech digital platforms defined or governed across 39 countries. UXDA doesn't do branding or consumer-product work; every engagement is financial-services UX, making it the clearest single-vertical fintech specialist in this list.
Services and capabilities: Clearleft vs UXDA
| Capability | Clearleft | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clearleft vs UXDA
| Framework / platform | Clearleft | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Clearleft vs UXDA
| Criterion | Clearleft | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Retainer |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Clearleft vs UXDA
| Dimension | Clearleft | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design | Bank digital platform redesign, Fintech app UX for a regulated market |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clearleft vs UXDA: 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 |
| UXDA | |
|---|---|
| + | Exclusive financial-services focus gives it domain expertise generalist companies simply can't match |
| + | 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries over a decade |
| + | Small, senior 25+ team keeps client relationships direct rather than layered through account management |
| + | A decade of continuous, single-vertical operation compounds domain knowledge over time |
| - | The exclusive fintech focus is a real limitation for any client outside financial services |
| - | $30K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) runs higher than most 25-person boutiques |
| - | Small team size (25+) caps capacity for very large, multi-workstream programs |
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 UXDA?
A typical fit: bank digital platform redesign.
The only company in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries. Minimum engagement starts at $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Clearleft vs UXDA
| 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 UXDA ($30K (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 UXDA
| Use case | Clearleft fit | UXDA fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Strong | Limited | Clearleft |
| Bank digital platform redesign | Limited | Strong | UXDA |
| Fintech app UX for a regulated market | Limited | Strong | UXDA |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clearleft vs UXDA
UXDA (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. The only company in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries.
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 UXDA FAQ
Is Clearleft better than UXDA?
UXDA (4.3/5) 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. UXDA's strongest advantage: exclusive financial-services focus gives it domain expertise generalist companies simply can't match.
How do Clearleft and UXDA differ in pricing?
Clearleft uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. UXDA uses fixed project, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of $30K (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 UXDA?
UXDA 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 UXDA?
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. UXDA's primary differentiator is: the only company in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 25+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.