Frog vs Clearleft: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Clearleft (4.0/5) edges ahead of Frog (3.7/5) overall. Clearleft is the better choice for UK/EU orgs, independently owned UX consultancy. Frog is the stronger option for enterprises needing digital plus physical hardware design. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Frog vs Clearleft: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Frog | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 | 2005 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Brighton, UK |
| Team size | 2,000+ | Not published |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software, inside Capgemini Invent's enterprise consulting scale | One of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents |
| Pricing model | Project-based, enterprise consulting engagements | Project-based (not published) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro | Figma, Sketch, Miro |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment |
Frog vs Clearleft: overview
Frog
Three ownership changes separate today's frog from its 1969 start as Esslinger Design in Germany — Aricent, then Altran, then Capgemini, which folded the studio into Capgemini Invent in 2019. Capgemini has since merged Fahrenheit 212, Idean, and June21 into the same brand, landing at roughly 2,000 people across 35 studios. What survives all that consolidation: frog still designs physical hardware — IoT, automotive, medical devices — alongside software, a combination most peers on this list no longer offer.
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.
Services and capabilities: Frog vs Clearleft
| Capability | Frog | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Frog vs Clearleft
| Framework / platform | Frog | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | ✓ | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Frog vs Clearleft
| Criterion | Frog | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Frog vs Clearleft
| Dimension | Frog | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment |
| Best use cases | IoT and connected hardware product design, Automotive and smart-home interface design | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Frog vs Clearleft: pros and cons
| Frog | |
|---|---|
| + | Rare combined software-plus-physical-hardware design capability in this list |
| + | 35 global studios support multi-region enterprise programs |
| + | More than five decades of brand history and design case studies |
| + | Access to Capgemini Invent's broader technology-consulting bench |
| - | Operates as a Capgemini Invent brand today, not an independent company — worth disclosing to prospective clients |
| - | Absorbed several legacy agencies (Fahrenheit 212, Idean, June21) under one brand, which can mean inconsistent staffing |
| - | Consulting-firm process overhead can slow fast-moving engagements relative to boutique companies |
| 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 |
Who should choose Frog?
A typical fit: IoT and connected hardware product design.
Still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software, inside Capgemini Invent's enterprise consulting scale. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare.
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.
Decision matrix: Frog vs Clearleft
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Frog |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Frog (Not published) vs Clearleft (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Frog |
| 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: Frog vs Clearleft
| Use case | Frog fit | Clearleft fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IoT and connected hardware product design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| Automotive and smart-home interface design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| UK or European enterprise UX research and service design | Limited | Strong | Clearleft |
| Public-sector digital service design | Limited | Strong | Clearleft |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Frog vs Clearleft
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.
Frog (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need automotive and smart-home interface design. If your situation matches that, Frog is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Frog vs Clearleft FAQ
Is Frog better than Clearleft?
Clearleft (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Frog's strongest advantage: rare combined software-plus-physical-hardware design capability in this list. Clearleft's strongest advantage: one of the earliest dedicated UX agencies in Europe, founded in 2005.
How do Frog and Clearleft differ in pricing?
Frog uses project-based, enterprise consulting engagements pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Clearleft 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: Frog or Clearleft?
Frog 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 Frog and Clearleft?
Frog's primary differentiator is: still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software, inside Capgemini Invent's enterprise consulting scale. 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. They also differ in team size (2,000+ vs Not published), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.