Frog vs Fresh Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) edges ahead of Frog (3.7/5) overall. Fresh Consulting is the better choice for Hardware/robotics product design alongside software UX. 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 Fresh Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Frog | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 | 2007 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Bellevue, WA, USA |
| Team size | 2,000+ | 150+ |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software, inside Capgemini Invent's enterprise consulting scale | Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale |
| 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, CAD tools, React |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
Frog vs Fresh Consulting: 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.
Fresh Consulting
Fresh Consulting has run out of Bellevue, Washington since 2007, growing to 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering. That combination shows up in its project list: a robotic arm accelerated to launch for Ally Robotics, a first-of-its-kind robotic air hockey table built with Microsoft AI. The company's work spans medical, robotic, and industrial equipment alongside standard consumer and software product design — a physical-plus-digital range shared by only a handful of names in this list.
Services and capabilities: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
| Capability | Frog | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
| Framework / platform | Frog | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | 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: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
| Criterion | Frog | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
| Dimension | Frog | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | IoT and connected hardware product design, Automotive and smart-home interface design | Robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering, Medical device UX and hardware design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Frog vs Fresh Consulting: 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 |
| Fresh Consulting | |
|---|---|
| + | 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering under one roof |
| + | Client work spans medical, robotic, and industrial equipment alongside consumer software |
| + | Named projects (Ally Robotics, Microsoft AI robotic air hockey table) demonstrate genuine hardware engineering capability |
| + | Nearly two decades of continuous operation since 2007 |
| - | Hardware-and-robotics emphasis may be a narrower fit for clients needing pure software/UI work |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| - | Single primary office location (Bellevue) offers less multi-region delivery than larger networks |
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 Fresh Consulting?
A typical fit: robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering.
Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation.
Decision matrix: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
| 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 | Fresh Consulting |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Frog (Not published) vs Fresh Consulting (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 Fresh Consulting
| Use case | Frog fit | Fresh Consulting fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IoT and connected hardware product design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| Automotive and smart-home interface design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| Robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Medical device UX and hardware design | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Frog vs Fresh Consulting
Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale.
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 Fresh Consulting FAQ
Is Frog better than Fresh Consulting?
Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) 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. Fresh Consulting's strongest advantage: 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering under one roof.
How do Frog and Fresh Consulting differ in pricing?
Frog uses project-based, enterprise consulting engagements pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Fresh Consulting 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 Fresh Consulting?
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 Fresh Consulting?
Frog's primary differentiator is: still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software, inside Capgemini Invent's enterprise consulting scale. Fresh Consulting's primary differentiator is: combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale. They also differ in team size (2,000+ vs 150+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Healthcare, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.