Fantasy vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.5/5) edges ahead of Fantasy (3.8/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams wanting an award-winning specialist at mid-market rates. Fantasy is the stronger option for enterprises designing AI products, independent senior studio. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Fantasy vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Fantasy | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 2018 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA (also New York, NY) | Lviv, Ukraine (also Tallinn, Estonia) |
| Team size | Not published | 10–49 (Clutch listing) |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Independently owned for 25+ years, with recent enterprise AI platform work for BNY and Salesforce | A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Automotive & mobility | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
Fantasy vs Excited: overview
Fantasy
Fantasy, originally Fantasy Interactive, has stayed independent since 1999 while most agencies its age sold to a holding company. Its studios in San Francisco and New York have worked for Nike, Disney, Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify, Ford, Google, and Samsung. What's changed lately is the type of work. LBB Online credits list a Salesforce digital ecosystem redesign in June 2026 and a BNY enterprise AI platform and design system in July 2026, and the studio's own essays now focus on generative software. Team size still isn't published.
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: Fantasy vs Excited
| Capability | Fantasy | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Fantasy vs Excited
| Framework / platform | Fantasy | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Fantasy vs Excited
| Criterion | Fantasy | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Fantasy vs Excited
| Dimension | Fantasy | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Automotive & mobility | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Consumer product design for an established or legacy-adjacent brand, AI feature design layered onto an existing product | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Fantasy vs Excited: pros and cons
| Fantasy | |
|---|---|
| + | Independently owned since 1999, so there's no holding-company layer between you and the studio |
| + | Recent enterprise AI work, including a BNY AI platform and design system credited in July 2026 |
| + | Client history covering Nike, Disney, Microsoft, Netflix, and Spotify |
| + | Offers full-stack engineering alongside research and experience design |
| - | No published team size, so delivery capacity is hard to judge |
| - | Marquee clients suggest enterprise pricing, and no minimum is published |
| - | The AI-platform portfolio is recent, with fewer finished case studies than its older consumer work |
| 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 Fantasy?
A typical fit: consumer product design for an established or legacy-adjacent brand.
Independently owned for 25+ years, with recent enterprise AI platform work for BNY and Salesforce. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Automotive & mobility.
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: Fantasy vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Fantasy |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Excited |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Fantasy (Not published) vs Excited ($10K+ (per Clutch listing)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Fantasy |
| 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: Fantasy vs Excited
| Use case | Fantasy fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer product design for an established or legacy-adjacent brand | Strong | Limited | Fantasy |
| AI feature design layered onto an existing product | Strong | Limited | Fantasy |
| SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish | Limited | Strong | Excited |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Fantasy 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.
Fantasy (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need AI feature design layered onto an existing product. If your situation matches that, Fantasy is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Fantasy vs Excited FAQ
Is Fantasy better than Excited?
Excited (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Fantasy's strongest advantage: independently owned since 1999, so there's no holding-company layer between you and the studio. 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 Fantasy and Excited differ in pricing?
Fantasy uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. 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: Fantasy 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 Fantasy and Excited?
Fantasy's primary differentiator is: independently owned for 25+ years, with recent enterprise AI platform work for BNY and Salesforce. 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 (Not published vs 10–49 (Clutch listing)), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K+ (per Clutch listing)), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.