Clay
A San Francisco studio whose clients include Coinbase, Slack, and Google.
What is Clay?
Clay (clay.global), based in San Francisco with substantial NYC client history, doesn't publish a founding year — tagged here as unconfirmed — and its team size is likewise not independently verifiable, best treated as boutique-to-mid-size. Coinbase, Uber, SendGrid, MoneyLion, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon, Toyota, and Samsung round out a client list reflecting deep B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech experience. Note: this is the design studio at clay.global, distinct from the unrelated AI sales-data company also named Clay (clay.com).
Clay was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA. The firm employs Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) people and works primarily with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products sectors. Its primary differentiator is: A client list (Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack) unusually strong relative to its unconfirmed, boutique-scale headcount.
Clay tech stack and services
| Service area | Details |
|---|---|
| AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Combined brand and product design engagement | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
Clay use cases
Short answer: Clay is best suited for b2B SaaS, AI, and fintech companies wanting a boutique studio with a big-tech-caliber client list..
| Use case | Industries | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Combined brand and product design engagement | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
Clay pricing
Short answer: Clay uses a fixed project pricing approach. Minimum engagement starts at Not published.
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed project | From Not published | Well-defined scope |
| Retainer | Monthly rate; not public | Ongoing AI engineering |
Clay pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Client list (Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon) is exceptional for a boutique-to-mid-size studio | -Founding year is not independently confirmed outside the company's own materials |
| +Deep, specific track record across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech product design | -Team size is neither published nor independently verifiable, complicating capacity planning for large programs |
| +San Francisco base with strong NYC client relationships | -Easily confused with the unrelated AI company Clay (clay.com) — confirm you're researching clay.global |
| +Combines UX design, branding, and web/product design under one roof |
Clay vs alternatives
How Clay compares to the other top Product Design studios.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenomenon Studio | Companies whose brand, website, or product has outgrown... | A 5.0 Clutch rating, HIPAA compliance, and NN/g certification behind 120+ shipped products and $500M+ in client fundraising | 4.9 | Full comparison |
| IDEO | Enterprises running multi-year design transformation programs with substantial... | The studio that originated human-centered design, backed by roughly 24 locations and decades of enterprise case studies | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Accenture Song | Large, regulated enterprises (banking, telecom, automotive) needing design... | 36 global studios and 2,000+ specialists — the largest footprint and compliance coverage in this list | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Work & Co | Premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired... | An engineering-led delivery model behind a client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) unusually strong for its headcount | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| MetaLab | Well-funded SaaS and fintech companies needing a full-stack... | A portfolio spanning Slack, Uber, Coinbase, and Midjourney — among the strongest SaaS/fintech track records here | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| ustwo | Enterprise and consumer product teams wanting a studio... | Pairs enterprise client work (JPMorgan) with self-published consumer product craft, proven through its own game Monument Valley | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Ramotion | Startups and mid-market companies wanting brand identity and... | Combines brand identity work with UX/UI and app development for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Fireart Studio | Startups and mid-market companies wanting one studio to... | 700+ delivered projects for 200+ clients backed by an independently-verified 'Leading UX Design Team' Clutch recognition | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Qubstudio | Fintech, logistics, and healthcare companies needing anything from... | #1 UX/UI studio on Clutch's 2026 rankings across 90+ reviews, with Red Dot Design Award recognition on top | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Excited | SaaS and fintech product teams wanting a Clutch... | A repeat Clutch Top-5 global UX ranking, with roughly 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Gapsy Studio | Fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated... | A 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards from Behance, Awwwards, and FWA | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Goji Labs | Startups, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits wanting strategy-led product design... | A 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree that explicitly extends beyond funded startups to nonprofits and individual entrepreneurs | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Eleken | SaaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for... | A subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month), SaaS-only, with a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| UXDA | Banks and fintech companies wanting a studio exclusively... | The only studio in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Onething Design | Companies needing one studio that covers BFSI, consumer,... | Unusually broad five-industry coverage from one team, with delivery presence spanning the US and India | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Topflight Apps | Healthcare, fintech, and AI startups preferring a monthly... | A monthly-subscription engagement model built specifically around healthcare, fintech, and AI app development | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| UX studio | B2B SaaS teams with complex products wanting research... | A research-first methodology comparable in rigor to Phenomenon Studio's own discovery-first approach, applied specifically to complex B2B SaaS products | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Halo Lab | E-commerce, marketing-site, and web-app teams wanting a Top-1... | A Top-1 Dribbble Team ranking worldwide plus 70+ design awards and a 4.9 Clutch rating across 60+ reviews | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| ANML | B2B, healthcare, and AI startups wanting a very... | One of the smallest teams in this list, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Momentum Design Lab | Clients specifically wanting a long-tenured Silicon Valley studio... | Nearly a quarter-century of continuous operation, one of the oldest studios in this list by founding date | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Spaceberry Studio | Budget-conscious SaaS, AI, and mobile app teams wanting... | One of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| The Gradient | Fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native... | A deliberately small, AI-native studio with a notable client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG) unusual for its self-limited scale | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Orbix Studio | Seed-to-Series-B B2B SaaS, fintech, and healthtech startups wanting... | The newest studio in this list, built specifically around the seed-to-Series-B funded startup stage | 3.6 | Full comparison |
Clay FAQ
What is Clay?
Clay (clay.global), based in San Francisco with substantial NYC client history, doesn't publish a founding year — tagged here as unconfirmed — and its team size is likewise not independently verifiable, best treated as boutique-to-mid-size. Coinbase, Uber, SendGrid, MoneyLion, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon, Toyota, and Samsung round out a client list reflecting deep B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech experience. Note: this is the design studio at clay.global, distinct from the unrelated AI sales-data company also named Clay (clay.com).
How much does Clay charge?
Clay uses fixed project pricing. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does Clay use?
Clay works with Figma, Framer, Webflow, Adobe Creative Suite. Primary industries served include SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Is Clay right for enterprise?
B2B SaaS, AI, and fintech companies wanting a boutique studio with a big-tech-caliber client list.. Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) team size. Key consideration: Founding year is not independently confirmed outside the company's own materials.
What are the best Clay alternatives?
The best alternatives to Clay depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Phenomenon Studio: a 5.0 clutch rating, hipaa compliance, and nn/g certification behind 120+ shipped products and $500m+ in client fundraising
- IDEO: the studio that originated human-centered design, backed by roughly 24 locations and decades of enterprise case studies
- Accenture Song: 36 global studios and 2,000+ specialists — the largest footprint and compliance coverage in this list
Compare Clay with other Product Design studios
Verify all details directly with Clay before making a decision.