Excited vs Bakken & Bæck: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.5/5) edges ahead of Bakken & Bæck (4.2/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams wanting an award-winning specialist at mid-market rates. Bakken & Bæck is the stronger option for tech companies (AI, decentralized systems), design plus research. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Excited vs Bakken & Bæck: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Excited | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2011 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (also Tallinn, Estonia) | Oslo, Norway (also Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bonn, and London) |
| Team size | 10–49 (Clutch listing) | 70+ |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech | A five-city European studio that blends design with genuine computer-science research depth, evidenced by recent AI work for Sierra and Coinbase |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, dedicated team | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Framer, After Effects | Figma, React, Next.js |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products |
Excited vs Bakken & Bæck: overview
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+.
Bakken & Bæck
Johan Bakken and Tobias Bæck founded Bakken & Bæck in 2011; Bæck still runs it as CEO. Around 70 people work across Oslo, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bonn, and London, and several hold computer-science PhDs, which shows in the work. Recent projects include conversational AI products with Sierra and decentralized platforms with Coinbase, alongside IKEA and Norwegian payments app Vipps. The studio takes products from early exploration through launch instead of handing over a design phase and leaving.
Services and capabilities: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Capability | Excited | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Framework / platform | Excited | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | ✓ |
| Framer | ✓ | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Criterion | Excited | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Accessible | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Dimension | Excited | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | AI or conversational-product design for a fast-moving startup, Decentralized or crypto platform design and build |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Excited vs Bakken & Bæck: pros and cons
| 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 |
| Bakken & Bæck | |
|---|---|
| + | Design and computer-science research in one team, unusual for a boutique |
| + | Recent AI and crypto work for Sierra and Coinbase |
| + | Offices in five European cities |
| + | Consumer clients like IKEA and Vipps alongside deep-tech work |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement |
| - | Europe-only offices give US clients limited working-hour overlap |
| - | Its AI- and crypto-heavy recent portfolio is a narrower fit for traditional industries |
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.
Who should choose Bakken & Bæck?
A typical fit: AI or conversational-product design for a fast-moving startup.
A five-city European studio that blends design with genuine computer-science research depth, evidenced by recent AI work for Sierra and Coinbase. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Decision matrix: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Excited |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Excited ($10K+ (per Clutch listing)) vs Bakken & Bæck (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Bakken & Bæck |
| 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: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
| Use case | Excited fit | Bakken & Bæck fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Strong | Limited | Excited |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Strong | Limited | Excited |
| AI or conversational-product design for a fast-moving startup | Limited | Strong | Bakken & Bæck |
| Decentralized or crypto platform design and build | Limited | Strong | Bakken & Bæck |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Excited vs Bakken & Bæck
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.
Bakken & Bæck (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need decentralized or crypto platform design and build. If your situation matches that, Bakken & Bæck is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Excited vs Bakken & Bæck FAQ
Is Excited better than Bakken & Bæck?
Excited (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Excited's strongest advantage: 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 verified reviews, with 5.0 sub-scores for quality and willingness to refer. Bakken & Bæck's strongest advantage: design and computer-science research in one team, unusual for a boutique.
How do Excited and Bakken & Bæck differ in pricing?
Excited uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K+ (per Clutch listing). Bakken & Bæck uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Excited or Bakken & Bæck?
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 Excited and Bakken & Bæck?
Excited's primary differentiator is: a 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech. Bakken & Bæck's primary differentiator is: a five-city European studio that blends design with genuine computer-science research depth, evidenced by recent AI work for Sierra and Coinbase. They also differ in team size (10–49 (Clutch listing) vs 70+), minimum engagement ($10K+ (per Clutch listing) vs Not published), 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.