Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Onething Design (3.8/5) edges ahead of Cyber-Duck (3.7/5) overall. Onething Design is the better choice for multi-vertical companies — BFSI to automotive, one team. 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 Onething Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Cyber-Duck | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2015 |
| HQ | Elstree, Hertfordshire, UK | Gurugram, India (also Bangalore and San Francisco) |
| Team size | 90+ | 52–73 |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 3.8 / 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 | Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence |
| 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, React | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility |
Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design: 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.
Onething Design
What's now Onething Design took its current name in 2015, renamed from an earlier predecessor called Ketchup Designs Studio, so the founding date is treated as approximate. The company runs out of Gurugram, India with offices in Bangalore and San Francisco, reporting 52–73 employees depending on source. While most boutiques in this list specialize narrowly, Onething goes wide: BFSI, consumer products, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive all sit inside one team's portfolio.
Services and capabilities: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
| Capability | Cyber-Duck | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
| Framework / platform | Cyber-Duck | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | 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: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
| Criterion | Cyber-Duck | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
| Dimension | Cyber-Duck | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Government or public-sector digital service UX, Regulated-industry (banking, healthcare charity) product design | BFSI product design for a bank or insurer, Automotive digital interface design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design: 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 |
| Onething Design | |
|---|---|
| + | Covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals |
| + | US (San Francisco) and India (Gurugram, Bangalore) footprint supports round-the-clock delivery |
| + | $10K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) is accessible relative to most peers in this list |
| + | A decade of operation under its current name, with roots stretching back further |
| - | Founding year is approximate — the company was renamed from an earlier predecessor in 2015 |
| - | Its broad five-industry positioning gives up some vertical-specific depth compared with specialists like UXDA |
| - | Reported employee count varies by source (52–73), making capacity planning less precise |
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 Onething Design?
A typical fit: BFSI product design for a bank or insurer.
Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence. Minimum engagement starts at $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility.
Decision matrix: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
| 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 | Onething Design |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Cyber-Duck (Not published) vs Onething Design ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Onething Design |
| 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 Onething Design
| Use case | Cyber-Duck fit | Onething Design fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government or public-sector digital service UX | Strong | Limited | Cyber-Duck |
| Regulated-industry (banking, healthcare charity) product design | Strong | Limited | Cyber-Duck |
| BFSI product design for a bank or insurer | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Automotive digital interface design | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Cyber-Duck vs Onething Design
Onething Design (3.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence.
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 Onething Design FAQ
Is Cyber-Duck better than Onething Design?
Onething Design (3.8/5) 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. Onething Design's strongest advantage: covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals.
How do Cyber-Duck and Onething Design differ in pricing?
Cyber-Duck uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Onething Design 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: Cyber-Duck or Onething Design?
Onething Design 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 Onething Design?
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. Onething Design's primary differentiator is: covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence. They also differ in team size (90+ vs 52–73), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Healthcare vs Financial services / fintech, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.