Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) edges ahead of Pentagram (4.0/5) overall. Gapsy Studio is the better choice for Fintech, SaaS, healthcare — perfect-rated boutique. 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 Gapsy Studio: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Pentagram | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 | 2014 |
| HQ | London, UK (also New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and Austin) | Dnipro, Ukraine |
| Team size | 24 partners plus their teams (total not published) | Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects) |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.5 / 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 perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a studio that doesn't publish its own headcount |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Webflow, After Effects |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare, EdTech, E-commerce / retail |
Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio: 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.
Gapsy Studio
Gapsy Studio describes its own history as running "since 2014" — treated here as self-reported since it isn't independently confirmed — from Dnipro, Ukraine. Instead of a headcount, the studio calls itself a "collective of creative professionals," pointing to 500+ completed projects and a 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews. Thirteen-plus international awards from Behance, Awwwards, FWA, CSS Winner, Titan Awards, and DesignRush back that rating, spanning fintech, SaaS, health, education, and retail work.
Services and capabilities: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
| Capability | Pentagram | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
| Framework / platform | Pentagram | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | ✓ |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
| Criterion | Pentagram | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K (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 Gapsy Studio
| Dimension | Pentagram | Gapsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement, Packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product | Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work, Healthcare or EdTech product redesign |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio: 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 |
| 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 |
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 Gapsy Studio?
A typical fit: fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work.
A perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a studio that doesn't publish its own headcount. 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.
Decision matrix: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
| 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 | Gapsy Studio |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Pentagram (Not published) vs Gapsy Studio ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| 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: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
| Use case | Pentagram fit | Gapsy Studio 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 |
| Fintech app UI/UX with brand identity work | Limited | Strong | Gapsy Studio |
| Healthcare or EdTech product redesign | Limited | Strong | Gapsy Studio |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Pentagram vs Gapsy Studio
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a studio that doesn't publish its own headcount.
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 Gapsy Studio FAQ
Is Pentagram better than Gapsy Studio?
Gapsy Studio (4.5/5) 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. Gapsy Studio's strongest advantage: 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 public reviews — one of the highest verified scores in this list.
How do Pentagram and Gapsy Studio differ in pricing?
Pentagram uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Gapsy Studio uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K (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 Gapsy Studio?
Gapsy Studio 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 Gapsy Studio?
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. Gapsy Studio's primary differentiator is: a perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a studio that doesn't publish its own headcount. They also differ in team size (24 partners plus their teams (total not published) vs Collective model, size not published (500+ completed projects)), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech, SaaS / B2B software).
Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.