Side by side
Key data on both agencies. The accent dot marks where one leads.
| Alasta | AREA 17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 64/100 | ●77/100 |
| Hourly rate | ●€75-125/hr | €150-199/hr |
| Team size | 2-9 | ●50-249 |
| Location | Paris, France | Paris, France |
| Founded | — | — |
| Tier | Free | Free |
| Last reviewed | Feb 11, 2026 | Feb 11, 2026 |
What we said about each
What we said about Alasta
"Alasta lists 40+ projects with recognizable French tech clients—Swan, Hexa, MemoBank, Coinhouse, Qovery, Gatling. Select case studies show genuine UX depth: E2C involved a year-long immersion across France with user interviews, iterative testing, and phased product strategy; Kinomap documents user interviews, collaborative workshops, navigation redesign, and onboarding optimization for a fitness app with 40,000+ videos. Process documentation varies—E2C and Kinomap show real methodology, while…"
— UXAgencies editorial team, reviewed Feb 11, 2026
Read full review →What we said about AREA 17
"AREA 17 publishes 10 detailed client partnerships including OpenAI, Saint Laurent, The New York Times, and Fondation Cartier—case studies show brand strategy, design system development, and technical architecture (React, headless CMS, Salesforce Commerce Cloud). The team includes named strategists with UX specializations across Paris and New York offices. At €150–199/hr, the rate matches the evidence: enterprise-grade work for global organizations with multi-year engagements."
— UXAgencies editorial team, reviewed Feb 11, 2026
Read full review →Best for
Where each agency measurably leads — on pricing, team capacity, declared specializations, and editorial scoring. Use these to match an agency to your project priorities.
Choose Alasta if you need
- •a more cost-effective engagement (~43% lower rate)
- •closer collaboration at a smaller team scale
- •disclosed specialization in SaaS & B2B
- •broader service offering — also covers Brand Design and Product Design
Choose AREA 17 if you need
- •larger team capacity for multi-stream or enterprise-scale programs
- •disclosed specialization in E-commerce / AI/ML
- •broader service offering — also covers Web Development and Brand Strategy
- •a higher overall editorial score
Strengths and watch-outs
Both upsides and risks, straight from our editorial assessments.
Alasta
✓ Strengths
- •E2C case study shows year-long user immersion, iterative testing, and phased product strategy for a government initiative—genuine research depth
- •Kinomap documents user interviews, collaborative workshops, and full app overhaul including onboarding, navigation, and gamification design
- •40+ projects with verifiable French tech clients and LinkedIn testimonials from named founders
⚠ Watch-outs
- •Process depth varies significantly—E2C and Kinomap show methodology, but most of the 40+ projects are visual thumbnails without narratives; ask which engagement model applies to your project
- •No published measurable outcomes (conversion rates, retention metrics)—request specific results data if evidence-based ROI matters for your decision
- •Team size of 2–9 with 40+ clients and varying engagement depth—confirm dedicated capacity and seniority for your timeline
AREA 17
✓ Strengths
- •10 published client partnerships with verifiable global brands—OpenAI, Saint Laurent, NYT, Getty, Fondation Cartier, ElevenLabs
- •Case studies show full technical stack delivery (React, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Twill CMS) alongside brand and UX strategy
- •Named leadership and UX strategy team across Paris and New York offices with 20+ year history
⚠ Watch-outs
- •Published case studies emphasize strategy and brand transformation over detailed UX research artifacts—if your project requires documented usability testing, request specific examples
- •At €150–199/hr with enterprise focus, likely not cost-effective for smaller projects—confirm minimum engagement size before committing
- •Strongest visible evidence is in arts/culture and luxury verticals—if your industry is outside these areas, request relevant case studies directly
Service coverage
Where each agency overlaps and where each is unique.
Industry coverage
Where each agency overlaps and where each is unique.
Pricing math
Estimated cost of a typical 12-week senior engagement (~480 hours), at each agency's published rate.
Alasta
Rate: €75-125/hr
€36,000–€60,000
AREA 17
Rate: €150-199/hr
€72,000–€95,520
For most general product engagements, Alasta delivers better ROI per hour. For E-commerce-specific work, AREA 17's premium is justified by their declared specialization.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Alasta or AREA 17?
- Alasta is cheaper by roughly 43% — €100/hr median vs €175/hr at AREA 17. The premium reflects either brand or specialization — see the editorial pull quotes for context.
- Which has more FinTech experience, Alasta or AREA 17?
- Both agencies publish FinTech case studies. AREA 17 has the broader industry stack overall, with disclosed experience in E-commerce, AI/ML beyond their shared focus.
- Which scores higher overall, Alasta or AREA 17?
- AREA 17 scores 77/100, 13 points higher than Alasta at 64/100. See our methodology for how scores are calculated.
- Which is faster to engage, Alasta or AREA 17?
- Alasta is typically faster to engage — smaller team, fewer procurement gates. AREA 17 operates with longer lead times (typical 4–6 week onboarding), reflecting larger-scale program work. Confirm engagement timelines directly with each before signing.
- When should I consider both Alasta and AREA 17?
- Consider running parallel discovery briefs with Alasta and AREA 17 if your project spans multiple workstreams, you want competitive proposals to compare scope and approach, or you're undecided between the specialization angles each brings (see the Best for cards above). Most engagements ultimately go with one — but the parallel-brief phase is a low-cost way to validate fit.
Read the full reviews
Side-by-side comparison is a starting point. The full editorial reviews include portfolio analysis, case studies, and the buyer-strength / watch-out detail behind the bullets above.
Comparison last updated May 29, 2026. Most recently reviewed: Alasta on February 11, 2026. How we rank