Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Work & Co (3.8/5) edges ahead of Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) overall. Work & Co is the better choice for premium brands, design plus production-grade engineering. Fresh Consulting is the stronger option for Hardware/robotics product design alongside software UX. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Work & Co | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2007 |
| HQ | Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY, USA | Bellevue, WA, USA |
| Team size | 425+ | 150+ |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.8 / 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 | Combines industrial design and hardware engineering (robotics, medical equipment) with software UX at 150+ person scale |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, dedicated team | Project-based (not published) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, React, Next.js | Figma, CAD tools, React |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting: 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.
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: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
| Capability | Work & Co | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
| Framework / platform | Work & Co | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
| Criterion | Work & Co | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
| Dimension | Work & Co | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | Healthcare, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand, E-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering | Robotics or industrial-equipment product design and engineering, Medical device UX and hardware design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting: 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 |
| 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 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 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: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
| 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 Fresh Consulting (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 Fresh Consulting
| Use case | Work & Co fit | Fresh Consulting 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 |
| 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: Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting
Work & Co (3.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) that outpaced its ~425-person headcount, delivered through an engineering-heavy design-and-build model.
Fresh Consulting (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need medical device UX and hardware design. If your situation matches that, Fresh Consulting is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Work & Co vs Fresh Consulting FAQ
Is Work & Co better than Fresh Consulting?
Work & Co (3.8/5) 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. Fresh Consulting's strongest advantage: 150+ specialists spanning industrial design, UX, strategy, and engineering under one roof.
How do Work & Co and Fresh Consulting differ in pricing?
Work & Co uses fixed project, dedicated team 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: Work & Co or Fresh Consulting?
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 Fresh Consulting?
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. 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 (425+ vs 150+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs Healthcare, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.