MetaLab
SaaS and fintech product design studio behind Slack, Uber, and Coinbase interfaces.
What is MetaLab?
Founded in 2006 by Andrew Wilkinson, MetaLab became a subsidiary of Canadian holding company Tiny in January 2017 — an ownership detail worth disclosing. Headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia and operating remote-first across 17 countries with 160+ employees, MetaLab has designed products for Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Nike, Midjourney, and Headspace. The studio runs full product engagements spanning research, strategy, UX, UI, design systems, and front-end.
MetaLab was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (remote-first). The firm employs 160+ people and works primarily with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products sectors. Its primary differentiator is: Design credits spanning Slack, Uber, Coinbase, and Midjourney give MetaLab one of the strongest SaaS/fintech portfolios in this list.
MetaLab tech stack and services
| Service area | Details |
|---|---|
| SaaS product design from research through design system | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Consumer product UI overhaul for a high-growth brand | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
MetaLab use cases
Short answer: MetaLab is best suited for well-funded SaaS and fintech companies that need full-stack product design from research through design systems..
| Use case | Industries | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS product design from research through design system | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Consumer product UI overhaul for a high-growth brand | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
MetaLab pricing
Short answer: MetaLab uses a fixed project, dedicated team pricing approach. Minimum engagement starts at $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable).
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed project | From $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) | Well-defined scope |
| Dedicated team | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
MetaLab pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Design portfolio includes Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, and Midjourney — an exceptional client list for a 160-person studio | -Became a subsidiary of holding company Tiny in 2017 — worth disclosing though the founding team and brand remain in place |
| +Remote-first across 17 countries gives genuine round-the-clock delivery coverage | -Reported $150K+ typical minimum (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) puts it out of reach for early-stage startups |
| +Full-stack engagement model covers research, strategy, UX, UI, and design systems in one team | -High-profile client roster means longer lead times for new engagements |
| +Nearly two decades of continuous operation under the same founding brand |
MetaLab vs alternatives
How MetaLab compares to the other top Product Design agencies.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenomenon Studio | Venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand,... | HIPAA-compliant, NN/g-certified, full-cycle team with a 5.0 Clutch rating and 120+ shipped products behind $500M+ in client fundraising | 4.8 | Full comparison |
| IDEO | Large enterprises running multi-year, cross-functional design transformation programs... | The originating human-centered-design consultancy, with roughly 24 studios worldwide and decades of enterprise transformation case studies | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Frog | Enterprises needing design that spans both digital products... | One of the few agencies in this list spanning both software and physical/IoT hardware design, at Capgemini Invent scale | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| R/GA | Large consumer and enterprise brands that need product... | Combines digital product design with marketing/brand strategy under one roof, now operating independently after its 2025 buyout from IPG | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Accenture Song | Large regulated enterprises (banking, telecom, automotive) needing design... | 36 global studios and 2,000+ design specialists operating inside Accenture's enterprise transformation practice, giving unmatched scale and compliance coverage | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Work & Co | Premium consumer and enterprise brands that need design... | Engineering-led product design studio with an unusually premium client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) for its size | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Huge Inc | Large enterprise brands comfortable with a big, recently-restructured... | One of the largest and longest-running digital agencies on this list, post-merger with Hero Digital under AEA Investors ownership | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Clay | B2B SaaS, AI, and fintech companies that want... | Deep B2B/SaaS/AI/fintech design experience with a client list (Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack) unusually strong for an unconfirmed-size boutique | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| ustwo | Enterprise and consumer product teams that want a... | Combines enterprise client work (JPMorgan) with genuine consumer product craft, evidenced by its own award-winning game Monument Valley | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Ramotion | Startups and mid-market companies that need brand identity... | Combines brand identity work with UX/UI and app development, serving a wide range from startups to Fortune 500 clients | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Fireart Studio | Startups and mid-market companies that want a single... | 700+ delivered projects across 200+ clients with independently-verified 'Leading UX Design Team' recognition on Clutch | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Qubstudio | Fintech, logistics, and healthcare companies needing anything from... | Ranked #1 UX/UI agency on Clutch's 2026 rankings with 90+ reviews, backed by Red Dot Design Award recognition | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Excited | SaaS and fintech product teams that want a... | Consistently ranked Top 5 UX agency worldwide by Clutch, with roughly 70% of reviews citing quality and creativity by name | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Gapsy Studio | Fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated... | 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international design awards from Behance, Awwwards, and FWA | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Goji Labs | Startups, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits needing strategy-led product design... | 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree that explicitly serves nonprofits and entrepreneurs alongside funded startups, a broader accessibility stance than most boutiques | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Eleken | SaaS companies that want an embedded designer on... | Subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month) exclusively for SaaS, backed by a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| UXDA | Banks and fintech companies that want a studio... | The only agency in this roster exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Onething Design | Companies needing a single studio that covers BFSI,... | Unusually broad industry coverage (BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive) from one studio with US and India delivery presence | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Topflight Apps | Healthcare, fintech, and AI startups that want a... | Monthly-subscription engagement style built specifically around healthcare, fintech, and AI app development | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| UX studio | B2B SaaS teams with complex products that need... | Research-first methodology comparable in rigor to Phenomenon Studio's own discovery-first approach, applied specifically to complex B2B SaaS products | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Halo Lab | E-commerce, marketing-site, and web-app teams that want a... | Top-1 Dribbble Team globally with 70+ design awards and a 4.9 Clutch rating across 60+ reviews | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Spaceberry Studio | Budget-conscious SaaS, AI, and mobile app teams that... | One of the most accessible entry points in this roster via a subscription-style engagement model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract | 3.8 | Full comparison |
MetaLab FAQ
What is MetaLab?
Founded in 2006 by Andrew Wilkinson, MetaLab became a subsidiary of Canadian holding company Tiny in January 2017 — an ownership detail worth disclosing. Headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia and operating remote-first across 17 countries with 160+ employees, MetaLab has designed products for Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Nike, Midjourney, and Headspace. The studio runs full product engagements spanning research, strategy, UX, UI, design systems, and front-end.
How much does MetaLab charge?
MetaLab uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing. Minimum engagement starts at $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable). A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does MetaLab use?
MetaLab works with Figma, Framer, Design systems/Storybook, React, Webflow. Primary industries served include SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Is MetaLab right for enterprise?
Well-funded SaaS and fintech companies that need full-stack product design from research through design systems.. 160+ team size. Key consideration: Became a subsidiary of holding company Tiny in 2017 — worth disclosing though the founding team and brand remain in place.
What are the best MetaLab alternatives?
The best alternatives to MetaLab depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Phenomenon Studio: hipaa-compliant, nn/g-certified, full-cycle team with a 5.0 clutch rating and 120+ shipped products behind $500m+ in client fundraising
- IDEO: the originating human-centered-design consultancy, with roughly 24 studios worldwide and decades of enterprise transformation case studies
- Frog: one of the few agencies in this list spanning both software and physical/iot hardware design, at capgemini invent scale
Compare MetaLab with other Product Design agencies
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with MetaLab before making a decision.