Pentagram vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.6/5) edges ahead of Pentagram (4.0/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked at accessible rates. Pentagram is the stronger option for brands wanting identity, packaging, digital design. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Pentagram vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Pentagram | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 | 2018 |
| HQ | London, UK (also New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and Austin) | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 24 partners plus their teams (total not published) | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim | A sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Pentagram vs Excited: overview
Pentagram
Five founding partners — Alan Fletcher, Theo Crosby, Colin Forbes, Kenneth Grange, and Mervyn Kurlansky — started Pentagram in London in 1972, and the firm still runs on the same unusual structure more than five decades later: 24 practicing-designer partners, each running their own team, sharing overhead and profits, with no single CEO. Pentagram calls itself the world's largest independent design consultancy, working from London, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and Austin across graphics, branding, products and packaging, and digital experiences — a broader scope than the pure product-design specialists elsewhere in this list.
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: Pentagram vs Excited
| Capability | Pentagram | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Pentagram vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Pentagram | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Pentagram vs Excited
| Criterion | Pentagram | 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: Pentagram vs Excited
| Dimension | Pentagram | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement, Packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Pentagram vs Excited: pros and cons
| Pentagram | |
|---|---|
| + | Owner-partners are the practicing designers and primary client contacts, not a layer of account management above the design team |
| + | Over five decades of continuous, independent operation since 1972 |
| + | Five-city studio footprint (London, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Austin) |
| + | Scope spans branding, packaging, and digital product design, useful for clients wanting more than pure UI work |
| - | Broader branding-and-identity focus means less concentrated digital-product-design specialization than boutiques built around SaaS or app UX specifically |
| - | Team size and per-partner capacity aren't published in a way that's easy to compare against other studios |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| 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 Pentagram?
A typical fit: brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement.
A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment.
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: Pentagram vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Pentagram |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Pentagram (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Pentagram |
| 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: Pentagram vs Excited
| Use case | Pentagram fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product | Strong | Limited | Pentagram |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Pentagram 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.
Pentagram (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product. If your situation matches that, Pentagram is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Pentagram vs Excited FAQ
Is Pentagram better than Excited?
Excited (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Pentagram's strongest advantage: owner-partners are the practicing designers and primary client contacts, not a layer of account management above the design team. Excited's strongest advantage: sustained Top 5 UX studio ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement.
How do Pentagram and Excited differ in pricing?
Pentagram uses project-based (not published) 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: Pentagram 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 Pentagram and Excited?
Pentagram's primary differentiator is: a 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim. 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 (24 partners plus their teams (total not published) vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.