Cyber-Duck vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.6/5) edges ahead of Cyber-Duck (3.7/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked, accessible rates. Cyber-Duck is the stronger option for public-sector UK orgs, proven public-trust client list. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Cyber-Duck vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Cyber-Duck | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2018 |
| HQ | Elstree, Hertfordshire, UK | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 90+ | 100+ |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A UX and development practice built on public-sector and regulated-industry trust (Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK), now backed by CACI | 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, React | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise transformation | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Cyber-Duck vs Excited: overview
Cyber-Duck
Danny Bluestone founded Cyber-Duck in 2005 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, building a UX and software development practice that grew to 90+ staff across the UK and Europe before CACI acquired it, an ownership change worth disclosing. Client relationships include the Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK Verify partner CitizenSafe, the Commonwealth of Nations, Sport England, and Mitsubishi Electric — a client list skewed toward public-sector and regulated-industry work.
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: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Capability | Cyber-Duck | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Cyber-Duck | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Criterion | Cyber-Duck | 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: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Dimension | Cyber-Duck | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise transformation | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Government or public-sector digital service UX, Regulated-industry (banking, healthcare charity) product design | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Cyber-Duck vs Excited: pros and cons
| Cyber-Duck | |
|---|---|
| + | Client list (Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK Verify, Commonwealth of Nations) demonstrates genuine public-sector trust |
| + | 90+ staff across the UK and Europe supports mid-size delivery capacity |
| + | Two decades of continuous operation since 2005 |
| + | CACI acquisition provides access to a larger UK consulting and data-analytics organization |
| - | Acquired by CACI — no longer an independently owned agency, worth disclosing to prospective clients |
| - | Public-sector-heavy client list may be a less direct fit for consumer or startup-stage clients |
| - | 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 Cyber-Duck?
A typical fit: government or public-sector digital service UX.
A UX and development practice built on public-sector and regulated-industry trust (Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK), now backed by CACI. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise transformation.
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: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Cyber-Duck |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Cyber-Duck (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Cyber-Duck |
| 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: Cyber-Duck vs Excited
| Use case | Cyber-Duck fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government or public-sector digital service UX | Strong | Limited | Cyber-Duck |
| Regulated-industry (banking, healthcare charity) product design | Strong | Limited | Cyber-Duck |
| 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: Cyber-Duck 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.
Cyber-Duck (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need regulated-industry (banking, healthcare charity) product design. If your situation matches that, Cyber-Duck is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Cyber-Duck vs Excited FAQ
Is Cyber-Duck better than Excited?
Excited (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Cyber-Duck's strongest advantage: client list (Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK Verify, Commonwealth of Nations) demonstrates genuine public-sector trust. Excited's strongest advantage: sustained Top 5 UX company ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement.
How do Cyber-Duck and Excited differ in pricing?
Cyber-Duck 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: Cyber-Duck 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 Cyber-Duck and Excited?
Cyber-Duck's primary differentiator is: a UX and development practice built on public-sector and regulated-industry trust (Bank of England, Cancer Research UK, GOV.UK), now backed by CACI. 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 (90+ vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Healthcare vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.