Clay vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.5/5) edges ahead of Clay (4.1/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams wanting an award-winning specialist at mid-market rates. Clay is the stronger option for B2B SaaS, AI, fintech — big-tech credibility, low profile. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Clay vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2018 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Lviv, Ukraine (also Tallinn, Estonia) |
| Team size | Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) | 10–49 (Clutch listing) |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size | A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech |
| Pricing model | Fixed project | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | $50K+ (per Clutch listing) | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Framer, Webflow | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Clay vs Excited: overview
Clay
Clay (clay.global, unrelated to the AI sales-data company at clay.com) publishes little about itself and a lot about its clients: Coinbase, Uber, SendGrid, MoneyLion, Meta, Google, Slack, Snapchat, Amazon, Toyota, and Samsung. Its Clutch profile fills some gaps with a 4.8 rating across 30 verified reviews, a $50K+ minimum project, and hourly rates of $150–$199. Reviewers mostly praise its project management and delivery timing. Founding year and team size remain unconfirmed outside the company.
Excited
Excited holds a 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 verified reviews as of November 2026, and the agency says Clutch has consistently placed it in the top 5 of its global UX leaders matrix. Founded in Lviv in 2018, it added a Tallinn office and keeps its practice narrow: UX/UI, product design, branding, and motion for SaaS and fintech clients. Its awards shelf has grown too, with four Red Dot, three Webby, two Lovie, and one iF award listed on its site. Clutch reviewers most often mention project management and communication, and the listed minimum is $10K+.
Services and capabilities: Clay vs Excited
| Capability | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Criterion | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | $50K+ (per Clutch listing) | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Accessible | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Clay vs Excited
| Dimension | Clay | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup, Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Clay vs Excited: pros and cons
| Clay | |
|---|---|
| + | 4.8 Clutch rating across 30 verified reviews, with reviewers praising structured project management |
| + | Client list includes Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack, and Amazon |
| + | Repeated work across B2B, SaaS, AI, and fintech products |
| + | Branding, UX, and product design come from one team |
| - | Founding year and team size aren't published or independently confirmed |
| - | $50K+ minimum and $150–$199 hourly rates (per Clutch listing) put it above most boutiques here |
| - | Easily confused with the unrelated AI company at clay.com |
| Excited | |
|---|---|
| + | 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 verified reviews, with 5.0 sub-scores for quality and willingness to refer |
| + | Four Red Dot, three Webby, two Lovie, and one iF award (per company website) |
| + | SaaS and fintech focus builds genuine domain depth |
| + | $10K+ minimum and $50–$99 hourly rates (per Clutch listing) |
| - | Clutch lists 10–49 employees, which limits capacity for large parallel workstreams |
| - | Lviv headquarters carries the same continuity questions as other Ukraine-based teams, partly offset by the Tallinn office |
| - | SaaS/fintech focus makes it a weaker fit for healthcare or consumer work |
Who should choose Clay?
A typical fit: AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup.
An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Minimum engagement starts at $50K+ (per Clutch listing). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Who should choose Excited?
A typical fit: SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company.
A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech. Minimum engagement starts at $10K+ (per Clutch listing). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech.
Decision matrix: Clay vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Clay |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Excited |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Clay |
| 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: Clay vs Excited
| Use case | Clay fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI or fintech product design for a Series A-C startup | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| Consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand | Strong | Limited | Clay |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Clay vs Excited
Excited (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech.
Clay (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need consumer app design for a high-growth B2B SaaS brand. If your situation matches that, Clay is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Clay vs Excited FAQ
Is Clay better than Excited?
Excited (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Clay's strongest advantage: 4.8 Clutch rating across 30 verified reviews, with reviewers praising structured project management. Excited's strongest advantage: 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 verified reviews, with 5.0 sub-scores for quality and willingness to refer.
How do Clay and Excited differ in pricing?
Clay uses fixed project pricing with a minimum engagement of $50K+ (per Clutch listing). Excited uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K+ (per Clutch listing). Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Clay 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 agency before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Clay and Excited?
Clay's primary differentiator is: an unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size. Excited's primary differentiator is: a 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech. They also differ in team size (Boutique-to-mid (unconfirmed; not published by the company) vs 10–49 (Clutch listing)), minimum engagement ($50K+ (per Clutch listing) vs $10K+ (per Clutch listing)), and primary industries served (SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.