Best Product Design Studios

Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient: full comparison for 2026

Quick verdict

Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) edges ahead of The Gradient (4.3/5) overall. Gapsy Studio is the better choice for fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated boutique with a large completed-project history.. The Gradient is the stronger option for fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native studio that limits its client roster to preserve senior attention.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.

Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient: head-to-head summary

Criterion Gapsy Studio The Gradient
Founded 2014 2016
HQ Dnipro, Ukraine Lviv, Ukraine
Team size Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects) 11–50
Rating 4.5 / 5 4.3 / 5
Best for Fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated boutique with a large completed-project history. Fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native studio that limits its client roster to preserve senior attention.
Pricing model Fixed project, dedicated team Fixed project, retainer
Min. engagement $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) Not published
Primary tech stack Figma, Webflow, After Effects Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Design systems/Storybook
Industries served Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare, EdTech, E-commerce / retail Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce / retail

Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient: overview

Gapsy Studio

Gapsy Studio, based in Dnipro, Ukraine, describes itself as operating 'since 2014' (also citing '9+ years of experience'; treated here as self-reported). Rather than publish a headcount, it positions itself as a 'collective of creative professionals' behind 500+ completed projects, backed by a 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews and 13+ international awards (Behance, Awwwards, FWA, CSS Winner, Titan Awards, DesignRush) for its UI/UX, branding, motion, and web/app development work across fintech, SaaS, health, education, and retail clients.

The Gradient

The Gradient doesn't publish a confirmed founding year in available sources, though its Clutch profile carries 55 reviews implying several years of track record. Based in Lviv, Ukraine, the studio keeps a deliberately small team of 11–50 employees by design, stating it works with fewer clients at a time to preserve senior attention on each engagement — and its client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG, Dubai Financial Market) is strong for a self-consciously boutique studio positioned as AI-native across fintech, healthcare, and retail.

Services and capabilities: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Capability Gapsy Studio The Gradient
Product design
UX research
Branding
Web development
Mobile development
Design systems

Tech stack comparison: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Framework / platform Gapsy Studio The Gradient
Figma
Webflow N/A
React N/A
Framer N/A N/A
Adobe Creative Suite N/A
Design systems/Storybook N/A
After Effects N/A

Pricing comparison: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Criterion Gapsy Studio The Gradient
Minimum engagement $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) Not published
Engagement models Fixed project, Dedicated team Fixed project, Retainer
Rate transparency Minimum disclosed Minimum disclosed
Price tier Accessible Mid-market

Target audience comparison: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Dimension Gapsy Studio The Gradient
Best company size Startup to mid-market Startup to mid-market
Best industries Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce / retail
Best use cases Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work, Healthcare or EdTech product redesign AI-native product design for a fintech or healthcare platform, Retail digital product design for an established brand
Typical project type Fixed project Fixed project

Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient: pros and cons

Gapsy Studio
+ 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 public reviews — one of the highest verified scores in this list
+ 13+ international design awards across Behance, Awwwards, FWA, CSS Winner, Titan Awards, and DesignRush
+ 500+ completed projects demonstrates a substantial delivery track record
+ Covers five distinct industries (fintech, SaaS, health, education, retail) from one team
- Doesn't publish a specific headcount, describing itself as a 'collective' — harder to gauge delivery capacity
- Founding year is self-reported ('since 2014') rather than independently confirmed
- Its broad five-industry positioning trades off some depth against single-vertical specialists like UXDA
The Gradient
+ Notable client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG, Dubai Financial Market) is strong for a deliberately small studio
+ AI-native positioning is a genuine differentiator versus generalist product design shops
+ Deliberately limits its client roster, which the studio frames as preserving senior attention per project
+ 55 Clutch reviews imply a substantial track record despite the unconfirmed founding year
- Founding year is not confirmed in available sources beyond an implied multi-year track record
- Deliberately small team (11–50) by design limits capacity for very large or multi-workstream programs
- Minimum engagement is not published, requiring a direct conversation for budget planning

Who should choose Gapsy Studio?

Gapsy Studio is the right choice for fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated boutique with a large completed-project history..

A 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards from Behance, Awwwards, and FWA. Minimum engagement starts at $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare, EdTech, E-commerce / retail.

Who should choose The Gradient?

The Gradient is the right choice for fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native studio that limits its client roster to preserve senior attention..

A deliberately small, AI-native studio with a notable client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG) unusual for its self-limited scale. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce / retail.

Decision matrix: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Your situation Recommended choice
You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope Gapsy Studio
You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme Gapsy Studio
Your budget is at the lower end Compare: Gapsy Studio ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) vs The Gradient (Not published)
You need specialist depth in a specific vertical Gapsy Studio
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: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Use case Gapsy Studio fit The Gradient fit Winner
Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work Strong Strong Both equally
Healthcare or EdTech product redesign Strong Strong Both equally
AI-native product design for a fintech or healthcare platform Limited Strong The Gradient
Retail digital product design for an established brand Strong Strong Both equally
Fixed-price product build Limited Limited Both equally
Dedicated design team augmentation Limited Limited Both equally

Verdict: Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient

Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards from Behance, Awwwards, and FWA. It is best for fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated boutique with a large completed-project history..

The Gradient (4.3/5) is the better choice when fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native studio that limits its client roster to preserve senior attention.. If your situation matches those criteria, The Gradient is a competitive option.

Related comparisons

Gapsy Studio vs The Gradient FAQ

Is Gapsy Studio better than The Gradient?

Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Gapsy Studio is better for fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated boutique with a large completed-project history.. The Gradient is better for fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native studio that limits its client roster to preserve senior attention..

How do Gapsy Studio and The Gradient differ in pricing?

Gapsy Studio uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). The Gradient uses fixed project, retainer 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: Gapsy Studio or The Gradient?

The Gradient 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 Gapsy Studio and The Gradient?

Gapsy Studio's primary differentiator is: a 5.0/5.0 clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards from behance, awwwards, and fwa. The Gradient's primary differentiator is: a deliberately small, ai-native studio with a notable client list (qatar airways, philips, daimler ag) unusual for its self-limited scale. They also differ in team size (Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects) vs 11–50), minimum engagement ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software vs Financial services / fintech, Healthcare).

Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.