Agency Comparison
AREA 17 vs Cyber-Duck
Comparing UX/UI Design options: Paris vs London.
Side by side
Key data on both agencies. The accent dot marks where one leads.
| AREA 17 | Cyber-Duck | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 77/100 | 77/100 |
| Hourly rate | €150-199/hr | ●€75-125/hr |
| Team size | 50-249 | 50-99 |
| Location | Paris, France | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | — | — |
| Tier | Free | Free |
| Last reviewed | Feb 11, 2026 | Feb 11, 2026 |
What we said about each
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 →What we said about Cyber-Duck
"Cyber-Duck (now CACI Digital Experience) publishes detailed case studies for major UK institutions—the Bank of England project documents persona development, content strategy for 4,500+ pages, user testing, and measurable outcomes (308% social traffic increase, 30% longer session times). ISO-certified across human-centred design (9241), quality (9001), and security (27001), with 170+ awards over 20 years. Best for government, healthcare, and finance organizations requiring ISO-accredited UX…"
— 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 AREA 17 if you need
- •disclosed specialization in E-commerce / AI/ML
- •broader service offering — also covers Web Development and Brand Strategy
Choose Cyber-Duck if you need
- •a more cost-effective engagement (~75% lower rate)
- •disclosed specialization in Healthcare / Government
- •broader service offering — also covers Accessibility and Digital Strategy
Strengths and watch-outs
Both upsides and risks, straight from our editorial assessments.
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
Cyber-Duck
✓ Strengths
- •National Highways project passed GDS Alpha assessment on first attempt—directly relevant if your project must meet Government Digital Service standards
- •Private sector clients visible alongside public sector: Handelsbanken, Worcester Bosch, Cadbury—the ISO-accredited process applies to commercial engagements, not just government
- •Deloitte Technology Fast 500 recognition signals sustained business growth and operational maturity beyond design delivery
⚠ Watch-outs
- •Now part of CACI Digital Experience—confirm team continuity and whether original Cyber-Duck principals lead your engagement
- •ISO-certified process and public sector compliance overhead may mean longer timelines—clarify turnaround expectations upfront
Service coverage
Where each agency overlaps and where each is unique.
Only AREA 17
- •Web Development
- •Brand Strategy
Both
- •UX/UI Design
Only Cyber-Duck
- •Accessibility
- •Digital Strategy
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.
AREA 17
Rate: €150-199/hr
€72,000–€95,520
Cyber-Duck
Rate: €75-125/hr
€36,000–€60,000
For most general product engagements, Cyber-Duck 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, AREA 17 or Cyber-Duck?
- Cyber-Duck is cheaper by roughly 75% — €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, AREA 17 or Cyber-Duck?
- Both agencies publish FinTech case studies. Cyber-Duck has the broader industry stack overall, with disclosed experience in Healthcare, Government, Education beyond their shared focus.
- Which scores higher overall, AREA 17 or Cyber-Duck?
- Both score equally well overall (77/100). The deciding factor is specialization — see the editorial quotes and Strengths sections above. Full methodology.
- When should I consider both AREA 17 and Cyber-Duck?
- Consider running parallel discovery briefs with AREA 17 and Cyber-Duck 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: AREA 17 on February 11, 2026. How we rank