R/GA vs UXDA: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
UXDA (4.3/5) edges ahead of R/GA (3.7/5) overall. UXDA is the better choice for Banks/fintech, exclusively financial-services UX. R/GA is the stronger option for large brands, product design plus brand strategy. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
R/GA vs UXDA: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | R/GA | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 | 2015 |
| HQ | New York City, NY, USA | Riga, Latvia |
| Team size | ~2,000 | 25+ |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Fuses product design with marketing and brand strategy for large platforms, now independently owned for the first time in over two decades | The only firm in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer for ongoing programs | Fixed project, retainer |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects | Figma, Sketch, Design systems/Storybook |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech |
R/GA vs UXDA: overview
R/GA
R/GA has been headquartered in New York City since 1977, expanding to ten countries that include Austin, London, São Paulo, Singapore, and Stockholm. Interpublic Group owned the firm for 23 years before an independent buyout in March 2025, backed by private equity firm Truelink Capital — recent enough that clients should ask directly how the transition has settled. Through all of it, the pitch has stayed the same: digital product design fused with marketing and brand strategy for large consumer and enterprise platforms.
UXDA
Alex Kreger and co-founder Linda launched UXDA (Financial UX Design) in 2015, keeping the team deliberately small — 25+ multidisciplinary specialists in Riga, Latvia. A decade later, that narrow focus has produced 150+ banking and fintech digital platforms defined or governed across 39 countries. There's no branding or consumer-product work here; every engagement is financial-services UX, making UXDA the clearest single-vertical fintech specialist in this list.
Services and capabilities: R/GA vs UXDA
| Capability | R/GA | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: R/GA vs UXDA
| Framework / platform | R/GA | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: R/GA vs UXDA
| Criterion | R/GA | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Retainer |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: R/GA vs UXDA
| Dimension | R/GA | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment | Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Consumer platform redesign tied to a brand relaunch, Enterprise digital product with a marketing/campaign component | Bank digital platform redesign, Fintech app UX for a regulated market |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
R/GA vs UXDA: pros and cons
| R/GA | |
|---|---|
| + | Combines product design with marketing and brand strategy under one roof |
| + | Ten-country presence spans North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific |
| + | Nearly five decades of case studies and enterprise brand relationships |
| + | Independently owned again since its March 2025 buyout, after 23 years inside Interpublic Group |
| - | Still stabilizing operationally after a recent (2025) private-equity-backed ownership change |
| - | Marketing-first positioning means less pure product-design specialization than boutique firms |
| - | Scale and pricing suit large-brand budgets more than early-stage product teams |
| UXDA | |
|---|---|
| + | Exclusive financial-services focus gives it domain expertise generalist firms simply can't match |
| + | 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries over a decade |
| + | Small, senior 25+ team keeps client relationships direct rather than layered through account management |
| + | A decade of continuous, single-vertical operation compounds domain knowledge over time |
| - | The exclusive fintech focus is a real limitation for any client outside financial services |
| - | $30K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) runs higher than most 25-person boutiques |
| - | Small team size (25+) caps capacity for very large, multi-workstream programs |
Who should choose R/GA?
A typical fit: consumer platform redesign tied to a brand relaunch.
Fuses product design with marketing and brand strategy for large platforms, now independently owned for the first time in over two decades. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment.
Who should choose UXDA?
A typical fit: bank digital platform redesign.
The only firm in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries. Minimum engagement starts at $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: R/GA vs UXDA
| 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 | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: R/GA (Not published) vs UXDA ($30K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | R/GA |
| 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 UXDA
| Use case | R/GA fit | UXDA fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer platform redesign tied to a brand relaunch | Strong | Limited | R/GA |
| Enterprise digital product with a marketing/campaign component | Strong | Limited | R/GA |
| Bank digital platform redesign | Limited | Strong | UXDA |
| Fintech app UX for a regulated market | Limited | Strong | UXDA |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: R/GA vs UXDA
UXDA (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. The only firm in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries.
R/GA (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need enterprise digital product with a marketing/campaign component. If your situation matches that, R/GA is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
R/GA vs UXDA FAQ
Is R/GA better than UXDA?
UXDA (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. R/GA's strongest advantage: combines product design with marketing and brand strategy under one roof. UXDA's strongest advantage: exclusive financial-services focus gives it domain expertise generalist firms simply can't match.
How do R/GA and UXDA differ in pricing?
R/GA uses project-based, retainer for ongoing programs pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. UXDA uses fixed project, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of $30K (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 UXDA?
R/GA 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 R/GA and UXDA?
R/GA's primary differentiator is: fuses product design with marketing and brand strategy for large platforms, now independently owned for the first time in over two decades. UXDA's primary differentiator is: the only firm in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries. They also differ in team size (~2,000 vs 25+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each firm before making a decision.