Work & Co vs Clearleft: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Clearleft (4.0/5) edges ahead of Work & Co (3.8/5) overall. Clearleft is the better choice for UK/EU orgs, independently owned UX consultancy. Work & Co is the stronger option for premium brands, design plus production-grade engineering. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Work & Co vs Clearleft: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Work & Co | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2005 |
| HQ | Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY, USA | Brighton, UK |
| Team size | 425+ | Not published |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) that outpaced its ~425-person headcount, delivered through an engineering-heavy design-and-build model | One of the first dedicated UX agencies in Europe (2005), still independently owned two decades later, with 100+ clients across five continents |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, dedicated team | Project-based (not published) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, React, Next.js | Figma, Sketch, Miro |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment |
Work & Co vs Clearleft: overview
Work & Co
Gene Liebel, Felipe Memoria, Joe Stewart, Mohan Ramaswamy, and Marcelo Eduardo launched Work & Co from Dumbo, Brooklyn in May 2013. Offices across the US, Latin America, and Europe followed, but headcount (roughly 425) never caught up with the client list — Apple, IKEA, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Pfizer, GoFundMe, Nike, and Disney have all hired this team, largely because design and front-end engineering happen inside the same group. Accenture Song acquired Work & Co in 2023.
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: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Capability | Work & Co | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Framework / platform | Work & Co | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Criterion | Work & Co | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Retainer |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Dimension | Work & Co | Clearleft |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment |
| Best use cases | Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand, E-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering | UK or European enterprise UX research and service design, Public-sector digital service design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Work & Co vs Clearleft: pros and cons
| Work & Co | |
|---|---|
| + | Client roster (Apple, IKEA, Google, Nike, Disney) is exceptional relative to headcount |
| + | Design and engineering under one roof cuts the hand-off risk of splitting vendors |
| + | 425+ people across the US, Europe, and Latin America give real multi-region capacity |
| + | Consistent record shipping flagship consumer digital products |
| - | Now part of Accenture Song, which shares a parent with the Accenture Song entry elsewhere in this list |
| - | A premium client base implies premium pricing even without a published minimum |
| - | Less vertical specialization (fintech, healthcare-specific) than boutiques built around one niche |
| 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 Work & Co?
A typical fit: flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand.
A client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) that outpaced its ~425-person headcount, delivered through an engineering-heavy design-and-build model. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, 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: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Work & Co |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Work & Co |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Work & Co (Not published) vs Clearleft (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Work & Co |
| 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: Work & Co vs Clearleft
| Use case | Work & Co fit | Clearleft fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand | Strong | Limited | Work & Co |
| E-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering | Strong | Limited | Work & Co |
| 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: Work & Co 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.
Work & Co (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need e-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering. If your situation matches that, Work & Co is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Work & Co vs Clearleft FAQ
Is Work & Co better than Clearleft?
Clearleft (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Work & Co's strongest advantage: client roster (Apple, IKEA, Google, Nike, Disney) is exceptional relative to headcount. Clearleft's strongest advantage: one of the earliest dedicated UX agencies in Europe, founded in 2005.
How do Work & Co and Clearleft differ in pricing?
Work & Co uses fixed project, dedicated team 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: Work & Co or Clearleft?
Work & Co 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 Work & Co and Clearleft?
Work & Co's primary differentiator is: a client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) that outpaced its ~425-person headcount, delivered through an engineering-heavy design-and-build model. 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 (425+ vs Not published), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.