Projects by IF vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.6/5) edges ahead of Projects by IF (4.0/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams, top-ranked specialist, accessible rates. Projects by IF is the stronger option for Tech/public-sector, trust- and policy-aware design. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Projects by IF vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Projects by IF | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 | 2018 |
| HQ | London, UK | Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | Not published | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A design practice built specifically around trust, regulation, and policy work for technology-enabled organizations, with clients spanning Google to the UK Government | A sustained Top 5 global UX firm ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Financial services / fintech | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Projects by IF vs Excited: overview
Projects by IF
Sarah Gold founded Projects by IF in London in 2016, building a strategic design practice around a specific problem: helping technology-enabled organizations design for trust at scale. That focus — spanning product and experience design, digital strategy, regulation and policy work, and technology architecture — has produced client relationships with Google, the UK Government, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, an unusual combination of big tech and public-sector work for a studio this size.
Excited
Excited opened in Lviv, Ukraine in 2018 and has scaled to 100+ designers while holding a repeated spot among Clutch's Top 5 UX firms worldwide. Roughly 70% of its Clutch reviewers specifically name quality and creativity — an unusually direct signal for review data most firms don't get. The firm deliberately narrows to SaaS and fintech clients, covering UX/UI, product design, branding, and motion design, with delivery experience across 20+ countries.
Services and capabilities: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Capability | Projects by IF | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Projects by IF | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Criterion | Projects by IF | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $20K (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: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Dimension | Projects by IF | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Financial services / fintech | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Public-sector or government digital service design, Trust-and-safety product design for a technology platform | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Projects by IF vs Excited: pros and cons
| Projects by IF | |
|---|---|
| + | Purpose-built around trust and regulation-aware design, a genuine specialty few boutiques on this list offer |
| + | Client list combines big tech (Google) with public-sector work (UK Government), demonstrating range within its niche |
| + | Founder-led since 2016 under CEO Sarah Gold, giving a consistent point of view across engagements |
| + | Services span product design through policy and regulatory design, useful for regulated or public-facing products |
| - | Team size isn't published in available sources, making capacity planning harder for large programs |
| - | Trust-and-policy specialization is a narrower fit for clients wanting pure visual or brand design |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| Excited | |
|---|---|
| + | Sustained Top 5 UX firm ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement |
| + | About 70% of Clutch reviewers specifically cite quality and creativity, a strong qualitative signal |
| + | Purpose-built around SaaS and fintech, giving real vertical depth |
| + | Delivery experience across 20+ countries demonstrates broad operational reach |
| - | 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 firms |
| - | SaaS/fintech specialization means less fit outside those two verticals |
Who should choose Projects by IF?
A typical fit: public-sector or government digital service design.
A design practice built specifically around trust, regulation, and policy work for technology-enabled organizations, with clients spanning Google to the UK Government. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Financial services / fintech.
Who should choose Excited?
A typical fit: SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company.
A sustained Top 5 global UX firm ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Projects by IF |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Projects by IF (Not published) vs Excited ($20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Projects by IF |
| 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: Projects by IF vs Excited
| Use case | Projects by IF fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public-sector or government digital service design | Strong | Limited | Projects by IF |
| Trust-and-safety product design for a technology platform | Strong | Limited | Projects by IF |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Projects by IF vs Excited
Excited (4.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A sustained Top 5 global UX firm ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity.
Projects by IF (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need trust-and-safety product design for a technology platform. If your situation matches that, Projects by IF is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Projects by IF vs Excited FAQ
Is Projects by IF better than Excited?
Excited (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Projects by IF's strongest advantage: purpose-built around trust and regulation-aware design, a genuine specialty few boutiques on this list offer. Excited's strongest advantage: sustained Top 5 UX firm ranking worldwide by Clutch, not a one-off placement.
How do Projects by IF and Excited differ in pricing?
Projects by IF uses project-based (not published) 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: Projects by IF 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 firm before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Projects by IF and Excited?
Projects by IF's primary differentiator is: a design practice built specifically around trust, regulation, and policy work for technology-enabled organizations, with clients spanning Google to the UK Government. Excited's primary differentiator is: a sustained Top 5 global UX firm ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Healthcare vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each firm before making a decision.