Clay vs Netguru: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Clay (4.0/5) edges ahead of Netguru (4.0/5) overall. Clay is the better choice for B2B SaaS, AI, fintech — big-tech credibility, low profile. Netguru is the stronger option for companies wanting design plus full development, one team. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clay vs Netguru: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clay | Netguru |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2008 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Poznań, Poland |
| Team size | Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) | 600–900+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size | Combines product design with full software delivery at a scale (600–900+ people, 1,000+ projects) most boutiques on this list can't match |
| Pricing model | Fixed project | Fixed project, dedicated team, T&M |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Framer, Webflow | Figma, React, Node.js |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, E-commerce / retail |
Clay vs Netguru: overview
Clay
Clay — clay.global, not to be confused with the unrelated AI sales-data company at clay.com — keeps an unusually low public profile for a studio whose client list includes Coinbase, Uber, SendGrid, MoneyLion, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon, Toyota, and Samsung. Neither its founding year nor its team size is published or independently confirmed, which is itself worth flagging to prospective clients doing due diligence. What is clear from its portfolio is deep, repeated experience across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech product design, based out of San Francisco with significant NYC-based client work.
Netguru
Wiktor Schmidt and Jakub Filipowski started Netguru in Poznań, Poland, in May 2008. Nearly two decades later it runs six Polish offices — Poznań, Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Białystok — and a team reported between 600 and 900+ people, delivering more than 1,000 projects. Netguru pairs product design with full software development for brands like IKEA, Volkswagen, OLX, Delivery Hero, Wolt, and Vinted, plus fintech client Solarisbank, and has picked up a Clutch Leader Award and a spot on the FT 1000 Europe's Fastest Growing Companies list.
Services and capabilities: Clay vs Netguru
| Capability | Clay | Netguru |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clay vs Netguru
| Framework / platform | Clay | Netguru |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | N/A | ✓ |
| Framer | ✓ | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Clay vs Netguru
| Criterion | Clay | Netguru |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Clay vs Netguru
| Dimension | Clay | Netguru |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, E-commerce / retail |
| Best use cases | AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup, Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | Large-scale SaaS or e-commerce product design and development, Fintech product build requiring both design and engineering at scale |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clay vs Netguru: pros and cons
| Clay | |
|---|---|
| + | Client list — Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon — is exceptional for a studio that doesn't publish its own size |
| + | Deep, repeated experience across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech product design |
| + | San Francisco base with substantial NYC-based client engagement history |
| + | Combines UX, branding, and web/product design under one team |
| - | Founding year isn't published or independently confirmed by any source outside the company |
| - | Team size isn't published either, making capacity planning harder for larger programs |
| - | Easily confused online with the unrelated AI company Clay (clay.com) — confirm you're looking at clay.global |
| Netguru | |
|---|---|
| + | 600–900+ person team across six Polish offices supports large, multi-workstream programs |
| + | 1,000+ delivered projects and a Clutch Leader Award back up the scale claim with independent recognition |
| + | Client list spans IKEA, Volkswagen, OLX, Delivery Hero, and fintech client Solarisbank |
| + | Pairs design with full development, reducing hand-off risk between design and engineering vendors |
| - | Reported team size varies by source (600 to 900+), making exact capacity harder to pin down |
| - | Scale suited to larger programs may mean less individualized attention than a boutique studio offers |
| - | Broad software-development focus means somewhat less concentrated design-only specialization than research-led boutiques |
Who should choose Clay?
A typical fit: AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup.
An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Who should choose Netguru?
A typical fit: large-scale SaaS or e-commerce product design and development.
Combines product design with full software delivery at a scale (600–900+ people, 1,000+ projects) most boutiques on this list can't match. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, E-commerce / retail.
Decision matrix: Clay vs Netguru
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Clay |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Netguru |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Clay (Not published) vs Netguru (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Clay |
| 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: Clay vs Netguru
| Use case | Clay fit | Netguru fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| Large-scale SaaS or e-commerce product design and development | Limited | Strong | Netguru |
| Fintech product build requiring both design and engineering at scale | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clay vs Netguru
Clay (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size.
Netguru (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need fintech product build requiring both design and engineering at scale. If your situation matches that, Netguru is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clay vs Netguru FAQ
Is Clay better than Netguru?
Clay (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Clay's strongest advantage: client list — Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon — is exceptional for a studio that doesn't publish its own size. Netguru's strongest advantage: 600–900+ person team across six Polish offices supports large, multi-workstream programs.
How do Clay and Netguru differ in pricing?
Clay uses fixed project pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Netguru uses fixed project, dedicated team, t&m pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Clay or Netguru?
Netguru is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each agency before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Clay and Netguru?
Clay's primary differentiator is: an unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Netguru's primary differentiator is: combines product design with full software delivery at a scale (600–900+ people, 1,000+ projects) most boutiques on this list can't match. They also differ in team size (Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) vs 600–900+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.