Side by side
Key data on both agencies. The accent dot marks where one leads.
| IDEO | UX&I GmbH | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 77/100 | ●85/100 |
| Hourly rate | €200/hr | ●€150-199/hr |
| Team size | ●50-99 | 10-49 |
| Location | London, United Kingdom | Berlin, Germany |
| Founded | — | 2014 |
| Tier | Free | Premium |
| Last reviewed | Feb 11, 2026 | ●Jul 1, 2026 |
What we said about each
What we said about IDEO
"IDEO publishes 15+ case studies spanning nearly 50 years, with standout projects for H&M (22% stock reduction, 34% sales increase via supply chain redesign), Teal Health (FDA-authorized at-home screening device tested with 220 participants), and Boom Supersonic (full-scale cabin prototyping leading to American Airlines order)—each showing documented research, prototyping, and measurable business outcomes. At €200+/hr, IDEO operates at the top of the market, and the work justifies the…"
— UXAgencies editorial team, reviewed Feb 11, 2026
Read full review →What we said about UX&I GmbH
"Nine published success stories follow one pattern: UX&I builds the client's internal UX capability—a discovery program, a UX-writing practice, a design-system governance model—then hands it off, several ending with the client's own team taking over. The methods are real (continuous discovery, story mapping, heuristic evaluation) and a few stories quantify effort (d. velop: 100+ user interviews, 4."
— UXAgencies editorial team, reviewed Jul 1, 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 IDEO if you need
- •larger team capacity for multi-stream or enterprise-scale programs
- •disclosed specialization in Retail
- •broader service offering — also covers Innovation
Choose UX&I GmbH if you need
- •closer collaboration at a smaller team scale
- •disclosed specialization in SaaS & B2B / AI/ML
- •broader service offering — also covers UX Audit and Design Systems
- •a higher overall editorial score
Strengths and watch-outs
Both upsides and risks, straight from our editorial assessments.
IDEO
✓ Strengths
- •Published case studies include specific business metrics—H&M saw 34% sales increase and 22% stock reduction; Teal Health achieved FDA authorization with 97% ease-of-use in a 220-person clinical study
- •Nearly 50-year track record with C-suite client testimonials from Ford, Moderna, and Intercorp—signals a firm that operates at the executive level, not just the project level
- •Work spans physical products (Boom cabin, Teal Wand, Fizik helmets), digital platforms (FEMSA/OXXO, Sephora), and organizational design (Ford, Moderna)—rare breadth backed by evidence in each category
⚠ Watch-outs
- •At €200+/hr with no published maximum rate, request a detailed scope and fee structure early—IDEO's engagements are typically large-scale and may not suit projects under six figures
- •London office is one of several global locations—confirm which team and office will lead your engagement, as case studies span US, Latin America, and European work
- •Most published case studies focus on strategy and product creation rather than ongoing UX design or interface optimization—if your need is iterative digital product improvement, clarify whether IDEO's model fits
UX&I GmbH
✓ Strengths
- •Ranked the most-recognized UX firm in Germany (2025 German UPA report), backed by 37 staff across five offices since 2014 and TÜV Rheinland certification—an established, low-risk vendor.
- •Works at the top of the German enterprise market—10 of the country's 15 largest companies, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Allianz—so large-organization procurement and complexity are familiar ground.
- •Structured for multi-year transformation over one-off projects: engagements like One Data and METRO ran three or more years.
⚠ Watch-outs
- •No product-level UX metrics (conversion, task completion, adoption) in published work—ask for outcome evidence if that's how you'll judge success.
- •The website and published case studies are in German, though the client base includes US tech firms—request English-language case studies if you need to evaluate the work yourself.
- •The model centers on strategy and enablement at €150-199/hr—if you need hands-on production of a fixed screen set, clarify who executes and the scope up front.
Service coverage
Where each agency overlaps and where each is unique.
Only IDEO
- •Innovation
Only UX&I GmbH
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.
IDEO
Rate: €200/hr
€96,000+
UX&I GmbH
Rate: €150-199/hr
€72,000–€95,520
For most general product engagements, UX&I GmbH delivers better ROI per hour. For Retail-specific work, IDEO's premium is justified by their declared specialization.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, IDEO or UX&I GmbH?
- UX&I GmbH is cheaper by roughly 15% — €175/hr median vs €200/hr at IDEO. The premium reflects either brand or specialization — see the editorial pull quotes for context.
- Which has more Healthcare experience, IDEO or UX&I GmbH?
- Both agencies publish Healthcare case studies. UX&I GmbH has the broader industry stack overall, with disclosed experience in SaaS & B2B, AI/ML, FinTech beyond their shared focus.
- Which scores higher overall, IDEO or UX&I GmbH?
- UX&I GmbH scores 85/100, 8 points higher than IDEO at 77/100. See our methodology for how scores are calculated.
- Which is faster to engage, IDEO or UX&I GmbH?
- IDEO is typically faster to engage — smaller team, fewer procurement gates. UX&I GmbH 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 IDEO and UX&I GmbH?
- Consider running parallel discovery briefs with IDEO and UX&I GmbH 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 July 2, 2026. Most recently reviewed: UX&I GmbH on July 1, 2026. How we rank