R/GA vs Onething Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Onething Design (3.9/5) edges ahead of R/GA (3.8/5) overall. Onething Design is the better choice for companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive design without switching vendors per vertical.. R/GA is the stronger option for large consumer and enterprise brands that need product design fused with marketing-led brand strategy across multiple regions.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
R/GA vs Onething Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | R/GA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 | 2015 |
| HQ | New York City, NY, USA | Gurugram, India (also Bangalore and San Francisco) |
| Team size | ~2,000 | 52–73 |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Best for | Large consumer and enterprise brands that need product design fused with marketing-led brand strategy across multiple regions. | Companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive design without switching vendors per vertical. |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer for ongoing programs | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility |
R/GA vs Onething Design: overview
R/GA
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in New York City, R/GA operates from ten countries including Austin, London, São Paulo, Singapore, and Stockholm. R/GA spent 23 years inside Interpublic Group before completing an independent buyout in March 2025 with private equity partner Truelink Capital — a recent ownership change worth disclosing. The firm's positioning fuses digital product and service design with marketing and technology, producing strong enterprise and consumer platform work for large brands.
Onething Design
Onething Design was renamed from a 2014 predecessor ('Ketchup Designs Studio') in 2015, so its founding year is treated as approximate. Headquartered in Gurugram, India with additional locations in Bangalore and San Francisco, the studio reports 52–73 employees depending on source. Onething serves a broader industry spread than most fintech-only specialists — BFSI, consumer products, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive — making industry breadth its defining trait.
Services and capabilities: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Capability | R/GA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Framework / platform | R/GA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Criterion | R/GA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Dimension | R/GA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Consumer platform redesign tied to a brand relaunch, Enterprise digital product with a marketing/campaign component | BFSI product design for a bank or insurer, Automotive digital interface design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
R/GA vs Onething Design: pros and cons
| R/GA | |
|---|---|
| + | Fuses product design with marketing and brand strategy, useful for clients who need both under one vendor |
| + | Global presence across ten countries covering North America, Europe, Latin America, and APAC |
| + | Nearly five decades of brand and case-study history |
| + | Now operating independently after a 2025 buyout, following 23 years inside Interpublic Group |
| - | Recent (March 2025) ownership change from Interpublic Group to a private-equity-backed independent structure — still stabilizing post-buyout |
| - | Marketing-led positioning means less pure product-design specialist depth than boutique studios |
| - | Scale suits large brand budgets more than startup-stage product teams |
| Onething Design | |
|---|---|
| + | Covers five distinct industries from one team, useful for multi-vertical clients |
| + | US (San Francisco) and India (Gurugram, Bangalore) delivery footprint supports round-the-clock work |
| + | $10K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) is accessible relative to most competitors in this list |
| + | A decade of operation under its current name, with roots stretching back further |
| - | Founding year is approximate — the studio was renamed from an earlier predecessor in 2015 |
| - | Broad five-industry positioning trades off some vertical-specific depth against specialists like UXDA |
| - | Reported employee count varies by source (52–73), making capacity planning less precise |
Who should choose R/GA?
R/GA is the right choice for large consumer and enterprise brands that need product design fused with marketing-led brand strategy across multiple regions..
Combines digital product design with marketing/brand strategy under one roof, now operating independently after its 2025 buyout from IPG. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment.
Who should choose Onething Design?
Onething Design is the right choice for companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive design without switching vendors per vertical..
Unusually broad industry coverage (BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive) from one studio with US and India delivery presence. Minimum engagement starts at $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility.
Decision matrix: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | R/GA |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Onething Design |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: R/GA (Not published) vs Onething Design ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Onething Design |
| 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: R/GA vs Onething Design
| Use case | R/GA fit | Onething Design fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer platform redesign tied to a brand relaunch | Strong | Limited | R/GA |
| Enterprise digital product with a marketing/campaign component | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| BFSI product design for a bank or insurer | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Automotive digital interface design | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: R/GA vs Onething Design
Onething Design (3.9/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Unusually broad industry coverage (BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive) from one studio with US and India delivery presence. It is best for companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive design without switching vendors per vertical..
R/GA (3.8/5) is the better choice when large consumer and enterprise brands that need product design fused with marketing-led brand strategy across multiple regions.. If your situation matches those criteria, R/GA is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
R/GA vs Onething Design FAQ
Is R/GA better than Onething Design?
Onething Design (3.9/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. R/GA is better for large consumer and enterprise brands that need product design fused with marketing-led brand strategy across multiple regions.. Onething Design is better for companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive design without switching vendors per vertical..
How do R/GA and Onething Design differ in pricing?
R/GA uses project-based, retainer for ongoing programs pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Onething Design uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K (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: R/GA or Onething Design?
Onething Design 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 R/GA and Onething Design?
R/GA's primary differentiator is: combines digital product design with marketing/brand strategy under one roof, now operating independently after its 2025 buyout from ipg. Onething Design's primary differentiator is: unusually broad industry coverage (bfsi, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive) from one studio with us and india delivery presence. They also differ in team size (~2,000 vs 52–73), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Financial services / fintech, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.