Phenomenon Studio vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Phenomenon Studio (4.9/5) edges ahead of Excited (4.6/5) overall. Phenomenon Studio is the better choice for founders needing one accountable team, not a design/dev hand-off. Excited is the stronger option for SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked specialist, accessible pricing. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Phenomenon Studio vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Phenomenon Studio | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2018 |
| HQ | Europe (entities in the USA, Estonia, and Switzerland) | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 70+ | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.9 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Runs a mandatory discovery phase before design work starts, then keeps the same senior team through development and post-launch support — a structural choice most competitors on this list don't make | Repeatedly ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch, with roughly 70% of reviews citing quality and creativity by name |
| Pricing model | Project-based, full-cycle engagements (fixed scope or retainer — not published; contact for quote) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Webflow, React | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Phenomenon Studio vs Excited: overview
Phenomenon Studio
Phenomenon Studio starts nearly every engagement the same way: a structured discovery phase before any design work begins, so the team that shapes the roadmap and the team that ships the product are the same senior group from day one. That full-cycle model — strategy, design, development, and post-launch support under one roof — is a large part of why clients come back for a second project roughly twice as often as they don't. Founded in 2019 and built around 70+ senior specialists across entities in the USA, Estonia, and Switzerland, the studio works with SaaS, fintech, healthcare, and EdTech teams whose brand, website, or product no longer matches what the business has become. Its 120+ shipped products sit behind more than $500M in client fundraising, a HIPAA compliance program verified by Compliancy Group, NN/g UX certification, and a 5.0 rating on Clutch.
Excited
Founded in 2018 in Lviv, Ukraine, Excited has scaled to 100+ designers while holding a spot among Clutch's Top 5 UX agencies worldwide — not a one-time placement, but a repeated ranking. Roughly 70% of its Clutch reviewers cite quality and creativity by name, an unusually specific signal. The agency's practice is deliberately narrow: UX/UI, product design, branding, and motion design, built specifically around SaaS and fintech clients, with work shipped to 20+ countries.
Services and capabilities: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Capability | Phenomenon Studio | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Phenomenon Studio | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Criterion | Phenomenon Studio | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Dimension | Phenomenon Studio | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | A SaaS product entering a Series B raise that needs its interface rebuilt before investor diligence, A healthcare platform that must hit HIPAA compliance while modernizing its UX | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Phenomenon Studio vs Excited: pros and cons
| Phenomenon Studio | |
|---|---|
| + | Discovery phase precedes design work on every engagement, reducing the odds of shipping the wrong thing well |
| + | One team owns strategy through post-launch support — no hand-off between separate design and development vendors |
| + | 5.0 Clutch rating held across 40+ DesignRush reviews, plus Top 1000 and Top Design Company recognitions logged in 2025 and 2026 |
| + | HIPAA compliance is independently verified and monitored by Compliancy Group, not just self-declared |
| + | NN/g UX certification and Webflow Experts partner status (101, CMS, experts, and layouts tiers) back the design credentials with third-party standards |
| + | A meaningful share of clients return for a second engagement, a repeat-business rate most single-project studios don't reach |
| - | The upfront discovery phase adds time before any visible design work ships — a real cost for teams that want to move straight into production |
| - | No product or growth marketing services on offer; teams need a separate vendor for post-launch promotion |
| - | Quotes require a discovery call — there's no published price list to budget against upfront |
| Excited | |
|---|---|
| + | Repeatedly ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch — a sustained ranking, not a one-off |
| + | About 70% of Clutch reviewers cite quality and creativity specifically, a strong qualitative signal |
| + | Built specifically around SaaS and fintech, giving genuine vertical depth |
| + | Work shipped to 20+ countries demonstrates broad delivery experience |
| - | The claimed 15M+ user reach figure is self-reported and independently unverifiable |
| - | Ukraine-based team carries the same regional-continuity considerations as other Ukraine-rooted studios here |
| - | SaaS/fintech focus limits fit for buyers in healthcare, consumer, or other verticals |
Who should choose Phenomenon Studio?
A typical fit: a SaaS product entering a Series B raise that needs its interface rebuilt before investor diligence.
Runs a mandatory discovery phase before design work starts, then keeps the same senior team through development and post-launch support — a structural choice most competitors on this list don't make. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech.
Who should choose Excited?
A typical fit: SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company.
Repeatedly ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch, with roughly 70% of reviews citing quality and creativity by name. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Phenomenon Studio |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Phenomenon Studio |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Phenomenon Studio (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Phenomenon Studio |
| 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: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
| Use case | Phenomenon Studio fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A SaaS product entering a Series B raise that needs its interface rebuilt before investor diligence | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| A healthcare platform that must hit HIPAA compliance while modernizing its UX | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Phenomenon Studio vs Excited
Phenomenon Studio (4.9/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Runs a mandatory discovery phase before design work starts, then keeps the same senior team through development and post-launch support — a structural choice most competitors on this list don't make.
Excited (4.6/5) is worth a look if you need fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish. If your situation matches that, Excited is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Phenomenon Studio vs Excited FAQ
Is Phenomenon Studio better than Excited?
Phenomenon Studio (4.9/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Phenomenon Studio's strongest advantage: discovery phase precedes design work on every engagement, reducing the odds of shipping the wrong thing well. Excited's strongest advantage: repeatedly ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch — a sustained ranking, not a one-off.
How do Phenomenon Studio and Excited differ in pricing?
Phenomenon Studio uses project-based, full-cycle engagements (fixed scope or retainer — not published; contact for quote) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Excited uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Phenomenon Studio or Excited?
Excited 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 Phenomenon Studio and Excited?
Phenomenon Studio's primary differentiator is: runs a mandatory discovery phase before design work starts, then keeps the same senior team through development and post-launch support — a structural choice most competitors on this list don't make. Excited's primary differentiator is: repeatedly ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch, with roughly 70% of reviews citing quality and creativity by name. They also differ in team size (70+ vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), 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.