Clay vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.6/5) edges ahead of Clay (4.0/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked at accessible rates. Clay is the stronger option for B2B SaaS, AI, fintech — big-tech client credibility. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clay vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2018 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size | A sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity |
| Pricing model | Fixed project | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Framer, Webflow | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Clay vs Excited: overview
Clay
Clay — clay.global, not to be confused with the unrelated AI sales-data company at clay.com — keeps an unusually thin public profile for a studio whose client list includes Coinbase, Uber, SendGrid, MoneyLion, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon, Toyota, and Samsung. Neither its founding year nor its team size is published or independently confirmed. What's clear from the portfolio: deep, repeated experience across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech product design, based out of San Francisco with significant NYC-based client work.
Excited
Excited opened in Lviv, Ukraine in 2018 and has scaled to 100+ designers while holding a repeated spot among Clutch's Top 5 UX studios worldwide. Roughly 70% of its Clutch reviewers specifically name quality and creativity — an unusually direct signal for review data most studios don't get. The studio deliberately narrows to SaaS and fintech clients, covering UX/UI, product design, branding, and motion design, with delivery experience across 20+ countries.
Services and capabilities: Clay vs Excited
| Capability | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Criterion | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Dimension | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup, Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clay vs Excited: pros and cons
| Clay | |
|---|---|
| + | Client list — Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon — is exceptional for a studio that doesn't publish its own size |
| + | Deep, repeated experience across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech product design |
| + | San Francisco base with substantial NYC-based client engagement history |
| + | Combines UX, branding, and web/product design under one team |
| - | Founding year isn't published or independently confirmed by any source outside the company |
| - | Team size isn't published either, making capacity planning harder for larger programs |
| - | Easily confused online with the unrelated AI company Clay (clay.com) — confirm you're looking at clay.global |
| Excited | |
|---|---|
| + | Sustained Top 5 UX studio ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement |
| + | About 70% of Clutch reviewers specifically cite quality and creativity, a strong qualitative signal |
| + | Purpose-built around SaaS and fintech, giving real vertical depth |
| + | Delivery experience across 20+ countries demonstrates broad operational reach |
| - | The claimed 15M+ user reach figure is self-reported and independently unverifiable |
| - | Ukraine-based team carries the same regional-continuity considerations as other Ukraine-rooted studios |
| - | SaaS/fintech specialization means less fit outside those two verticals |
Who should choose Clay?
A typical fit: AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup.
An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Who should choose Excited?
A typical fit: SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company.
A sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Clay vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Clay |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clay (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Clay |
| 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: Clay vs Excited
| Use case | Clay fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clay vs Excited
Excited (4.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity.
Clay (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand. If your situation matches that, Clay is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clay vs Excited FAQ
Is Clay better than Excited?
Excited (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Clay's strongest advantage: client list — Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon — is exceptional for a studio that doesn't publish its own size. Excited's strongest advantage: sustained Top 5 UX studio ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement.
How do Clay and Excited differ in pricing?
Clay uses fixed project pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Excited uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Clay or Excited?
Excited is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each studio before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Clay and Excited?
Clay's primary differentiator is: an unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Excited's primary differentiator is: a sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. They also differ in team size (Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.