Projects by IF vs Onething Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Projects by IF (4.0/5) edges ahead of Onething Design (3.8/5) overall. Projects by IF is the better choice for Tech/public-sector, trust- and policy-aware design. Onething Design is the stronger option for multi-vertical companies, one firm across five industries. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Projects by IF vs Onething Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Projects by IF | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 | 2015 |
| HQ | London, UK | Gurugram, India (also Bangalore and San Francisco) |
| Team size | Not published | 52–73 |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.8 / 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 | Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Financial services / fintech | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility |
Projects by IF vs Onething Design: 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.
Onething Design
What's now Onething Design took its current name in 2015, renamed from an earlier predecessor called Ketchup Designs Studio, so the founding date is treated as approximate. The firm runs out of Gurugram, India with offices in Bangalore and San Francisco, reporting 52–73 employees depending on source. Where most boutiques in this list specialize narrowly, Onething goes wide: BFSI, consumer products, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive all sit inside one team's portfolio.
Services and capabilities: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| Capability | Projects by IF | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| Framework / platform | Projects by IF | 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 | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| Criterion | Projects by IF | 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: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| Dimension | Projects by IF | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Financial services / fintech | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Public-sector or government digital service design, Trust-and-safety product design for a technology platform | BFSI product design for a bank or insurer, Automotive digital interface design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Projects by IF vs Onething Design: 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 |
| Onething Design | |
|---|---|
| + | Covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals |
| + | US (San Francisco) and India (Gurugram, Bangalore) footprint supports round-the-clock delivery |
| + | $10K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) is accessible relative to most peers in this list |
| + | A decade of operation under its current name, with roots stretching back further |
| - | Founding year is approximate — the firm was renamed from an earlier predecessor in 2015 |
| - | Its broad five-industry positioning gives up some vertical-specific depth compared with specialists like UXDA |
| - | Reported employee count varies by source (52–73), making capacity planning less precise |
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 Onething Design?
A typical fit: BFSI product design for a bank or insurer.
Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both 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: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| 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 | Onething Design |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Projects by IF (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: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
| Use case | Projects by IF fit | Onething Design 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 |
| 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: Projects by IF vs Onething Design
Projects by IF (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A design practice built specifically around trust, regulation, and policy work for technology-enabled organizations, with clients spanning Google to the UK Government.
Onething Design (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need automotive digital interface design. If your situation matches that, Onething Design is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Projects by IF vs Onething Design FAQ
Is Projects by IF better than Onething Design?
Projects by IF (4.0/5) 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. Onething Design's strongest advantage: covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals.
How do Projects by IF and Onething Design differ in pricing?
Projects by IF uses project-based (not published) 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: Projects by IF 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 firm before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Projects by IF and Onething Design?
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. Onething Design's primary differentiator is: covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 52–73), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Healthcare vs Financial services / fintech, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each firm before making a decision.