SPCSHP vs UXDA: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
UXDA (4.3/5) edges ahead of SPCSHP (3.8/5) overall. UXDA is the better choice for Banks/fintech, exclusively financial-services UX. SPCSHP is the stronger option for consumer brands, design plus creative storytelling. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
SPCSHP vs UXDA: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | SPCSHP | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 | 2015 |
| HQ | Brooklyn, NY, USA | Riga, Latvia |
| Team size | Not published (historically ~50+) | 25+ |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A quarter-century of creative digital work (JetBlue, YouTube, Samsung, BMW) under a 2024 rebrand from Big Spaceship to SPCSHP, now backed by MSQ | 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 (not published) | Fixed project, retainer |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Sketch, Design systems/Storybook |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Media & entertainment, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech |
SPCSHP vs UXDA: overview
SPCSHP
Michael Lebowitz founded Big Spaceship in Brooklyn in 2000, building a creative digital firm known for early-2000s work with JetBlue, YouTube, Samsung Galaxy, BMW, and NBC. UK marketing group MSQ acquired the firm in October 2024, and it now operates under the name SPCSHP — a rebrand recent enough that some case studies and press still reference the original name. The firm's roots are in interactive creative and brand storytelling rather than pure enterprise product design, a lineage that still shows in its client work.
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: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Capability | SPCSHP | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Framework / platform | SPCSHP | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Criterion | SPCSHP | 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: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Dimension | SPCSHP | UXDA |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Media & entertainment, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Consumer brand digital product design with a creative-storytelling emphasis, Campaign-adjacent product design for a media or entertainment brand | Bank digital platform redesign, Fintech app UX for a regulated market |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
SPCSHP vs UXDA: pros and cons
| SPCSHP | |
|---|---|
| + | A quarter-century of continuous operation since its 2000 founding as Big Spaceship |
| + | Named client work spans JetBlue, YouTube, Samsung Galaxy, BMW, GE, Microsoft, and Google |
| + | MSQ backing since October 2024 provides access to a larger marketing and creative network |
| + | Creative-and-brand-storytelling roots differentiate it from purely process-driven enterprise design firms |
| - | Rebranded from Big Spaceship to SPCSHP in 2024 — recent enough that some public case studies and reviews still reference the old name |
| - | Acquired by MSQ in 2024, so clients are hiring into a larger network rather than an independent studio |
| - | Team size isn't published in current sources, making capacity planning harder without a direct conversation |
| 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 SPCSHP?
A typical fit: consumer brand digital product design with a creative-storytelling emphasis.
A quarter-century of creative digital work (JetBlue, YouTube, Samsung, BMW) under a 2024 rebrand from Big Spaceship to SPCSHP, now backed by MSQ. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Media & entertainment, Enterprise transformation.
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: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | SPCSHP |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: SPCSHP (Not published) vs UXDA ($30K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | SPCSHP |
| 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: SPCSHP vs UXDA
| Use case | SPCSHP fit | UXDA fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer brand digital product design with a creative-storytelling emphasis | Strong | Limited | SPCSHP |
| Campaign-adjacent product design for a media or entertainment brand | Strong | Limited | SPCSHP |
| 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: SPCSHP 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.
SPCSHP (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need campaign-adjacent product design for a media or entertainment brand. If your situation matches that, SPCSHP is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
SPCSHP vs UXDA FAQ
Is SPCSHP better than UXDA?
UXDA (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. SPCSHP's strongest advantage: a quarter-century of continuous operation since its 2000 founding as Big Spaceship. UXDA's strongest advantage: exclusive financial-services focus gives it domain expertise generalist firms simply can't match.
How do SPCSHP and UXDA differ in pricing?
SPCSHP uses project-based (not published) 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: SPCSHP or UXDA?
SPCSHP 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 SPCSHP and UXDA?
SPCSHP's primary differentiator is: a quarter-century of creative digital work (JetBlue, YouTube, Samsung, BMW) under a 2024 rebrand from Big Spaceship to SPCSHP, now backed by MSQ. 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 (Not published (historically ~50+) vs 25+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $30K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Media & entertainment vs Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each firm before making a decision.