Side by side
Key data on both agencies. The accent dot marks where one leads.
| IDEO | UX Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 77/100 | 77/100 |
| Hourly rate | €200/hr | ●€70-100/hr |
| Team size | ●50-99 | 10-49 |
| Location | London, United Kingdom | Budapest, Hungary |
| Founded | — | — |
| Tier | Free | Free |
| Last reviewed | ●Feb 11, 2026 | Feb 10, 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 Studio
"UX Studio's portfolio of 20+ case studies shows genuine research-driven process—their Oxa wearable project documents diary studies, workshops, and usability testing across a year-long engagement, earning a Red Dot Design Award. Projects like Inquisita (legal tech) and OverseeAI (insurance AI) demonstrate structured discovery with persona development, process mapping, and user validation. Research engagements with enterprise clients including a major streaming platform and a global tech company…"
— UXAgencies editorial team, reviewed Feb 10, 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 Healthcare / Retail
- •broader service offering — also covers Service Design and Innovation
Choose UX Studio if you need
- •a more cost-effective engagement (~135% lower rate)
- •closer collaboration at a smaller team scale
- •disclosed specialization in SaaS & B2B
- •broader service offering — also covers UX/UI Design and User Research
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 Studio
✓ Strengths
- •Research engagements with major enterprise clients (streaming and tech) alongside startups—signals the team can operate at different scales
- •Named client testimonials from Brenntag, Finshape, and Keystone Academic—verifiable references across enterprise and startup segments
- •Broad service range covering UX audit, training, and consulting alongside core design—useful if your needs evolve beyond the initial project scope
⚠ Watch-outs
- •Published case studies rarely include specific business metrics—ask for conversion rates, adoption data, or ROI figures from past engagements
- •Website claims 8+ industry verticals from healthcare to cybersecurity—verify depth in your specific domain rather than assuming equal specialization
- •Team of '40+ experts' covers designers, researchers, and consultants—confirm exact team composition and availability for your project timeline
- •Several case studies focus on early-stage products (PoC, MVP, prototypes)—if you need scaling support for mature products, ask for relevant examples
Service coverage
Where each agency overlaps and where each is unique.
Only IDEO
- •Service Design
- •Innovation
- •Product Design
Both
None.
Only UX Studio
- •UX/UI Design
- •User Research
- •Design Systems
- •UX Audit
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 Studio
Rate: €70-100/hr
€33,600–€48,000
For most general product engagements, UX Studio delivers better ROI per hour. For Healthcare-specific work, IDEO's premium is justified by their declared specialization.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, IDEO or UX Studio?
- UX Studio is cheaper by roughly 135% — €85/hr median vs €200/hr at IDEO. The premium reflects either brand or specialization — see the editorial pull quotes for context.
- Which scores higher overall, IDEO or UX Studio?
- Both score equally well overall (77/100). The deciding factor is specialization — see the editorial quotes and Strengths sections above. Full methodology.
- Which is faster to engage, IDEO or UX Studio?
- UX Studio is typically faster to engage — smaller team, fewer procurement gates. IDEO 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 Studio?
- Consider running parallel discovery briefs with IDEO and UX Studio 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: IDEO on February 11, 2026. How we rank