IDEO vs Work & Co: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Work & Co (3.8/5) edges ahead of IDEO (3.6/5) overall. Work & Co is the better choice for premium brands, design paired with strong engineering. IDEO is the stronger option for enterprises that want design capability built inside their own teams. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
IDEO vs Work & Co: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | IDEO | Work & Co |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1991 | 2013 |
| HQ | San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA (offices in the US, UK, and China) | Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY, USA |
| Team size | Not published (about a third of staff cut before 2025, per Fortune) | ~400 (at the 2024 Accenture acquisition) |
| Rating | 3.6 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Three decades of human-centered design history, now aimed at building clients' in-house design and innovation capability | An engineering-heavy studio whose client list (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) outsizes its ~400-person team, now part of Accenture Song |
| Pricing model | Project-based, enterprise engagements (not published) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | $300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite | Figma, React, Next.js |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare |
IDEO vs Work & Co: overview
IDEO
IDEO's last few years have been rough. Fortune reported in May 2026 that the firm had cut about a third of its staff, closed its Munich and Tokyo offices, and watched revenue fall below $100M from roughly $300M four years earlier. Mike Peng, who joined IDEO in 2006 and helped open the Tokyo studio, became CEO in 2025 and is pushing the firm toward teaching client organizations to run design work themselves. The history is still real: IDEO formed in 1991 from four merged studios, designed the original Apple mouse, and has belonged to the kyu collective under Hakuhodo DY Holdings since kyu first invested in 2016. Industry roundups still put typical minimums near $300K (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable).
Work & Co
Five co-founders started Work & Co in Dumbo, Brooklyn, in May 2013: Gene Liebel, Felipe Memoria, Joe Stewart, Mohan Ramaswamy, and Marcelo Eduardo. Its client list is out of proportion to its size. Apple, IKEA, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Pfizer, GoFundMe, Nike, and Disney have all hired a studio of roughly 400 people, largely because designers and front-end engineers ship together on the same team. Accenture announced its acquisition in January 2024, and the studio now operates within Accenture Song while keeping its own brand and careers site.
Services and capabilities: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Capability | IDEO | Work & Co |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Design systems | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Framework / platform | IDEO | Work & Co |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A |
Pricing comparison: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Criterion | IDEO | Work & Co |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | $300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Accessible | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Dimension | IDEO | Work & Co |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy paired with design execution, Large-scale patient experience redesign for a hospital system | Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand, E-commerce platform rebuild requiring heavy front-end engineering |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
IDEO vs Work & Co: pros and cons
| IDEO | |
|---|---|
| + | Still the reference point for human-centered design methods, with case studies going back to the original Apple mouse |
| + | CEO Mike Peng has a stated plan to train client teams so they keep designing after IDEO leaves |
| + | Publishes original research, including a 2026 Innovation Quotient survey of more than 250 product and innovation executives |
| + | Membership in Hakuhodo DY Holdings' kyu collective opens the door to sister firms when a project needs them |
| - | Fortune's May 2026 reporting describes a one-third staff cut and closed Munich and Tokyo offices, so ask exactly who would staff your project |
| - | A reported $300K+ typical minimum (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) keeps it out of reach for startups |
| - | Part of the kyu collective owned by Hakuhodo DY Holdings since 2016, so it isn't a fully independent firm |
| Work & Co | |
|---|---|
| + | Client list of Apple, IKEA, Google, Nike, and Disney is rare for a studio of about 400 people |
| + | Designers and engineers ship together, so there's no hand-off to a separate build vendor |
| + | Offices across the US, Europe, and Latin America |
| + | Long record of flagship consumer launches |
| - | Part of Accenture Song since Accenture's 2024 acquisition, the same parent as the Accenture Song listing here |
| - | No published minimum, though the client list points to premium pricing |
| - | Fewer fintech- or healthcare-specific case studies than vertical specialists |
Who should choose IDEO?
A typical fit: enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy paired with design execution.
Three decades of human-centered design history, now aimed at building clients' in-house design and innovation capability. Minimum engagement starts at $300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare.
Who should choose Work & Co?
A typical fit: flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand.
An engineering-heavy studio whose client list (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) outsizes its ~400-person team, now part of Accenture Song. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare.
Decision matrix: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | IDEO |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | IDEO |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: IDEO ($300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable)) vs Work & Co (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | IDEO |
| 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: IDEO vs Work & Co
| Use case | IDEO fit | Work & Co fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy paired with design execution | Strong | Limited | IDEO |
| Large-scale patient experience redesign for a hospital system | Strong | Limited | IDEO |
| Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand | Limited | Strong | Work & Co |
| E-commerce platform rebuild requiring heavy front-end engineering | Limited | Strong | Work & Co |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: IDEO vs Work & Co
Work & Co (3.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. An engineering-heavy studio whose client list (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) outsizes its ~400-person team, now part of Accenture Song.
IDEO (3.6/5) is worth a look if you need large-scale patient experience redesign for a hospital system. If your situation matches that, IDEO is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
IDEO vs Work & Co FAQ
Is IDEO better than Work & Co?
Work & Co (3.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. IDEO's strongest advantage: still the reference point for human-centered design methods, with case studies going back to the original Apple mouse. Work & Co's strongest advantage: client list of Apple, IKEA, Google, Nike, and Disney is rare for a studio of about 400 people.
How do IDEO and Work & Co differ in pricing?
IDEO uses project-based, enterprise engagements (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of $300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable). Work & Co 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: IDEO or Work & Co?
Work & Co 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 IDEO and Work & Co?
IDEO's primary differentiator is: three decades of human-centered design history, now aimed at building clients' in-house design and innovation capability. Work & Co's primary differentiator is: an engineering-heavy studio whose client list (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) outsizes its ~400-person team, now part of Accenture Song. They also differ in team size (Not published (about a third of staff cut before 2025, per Fortune) vs ~400 (at the 2024 Accenture acquisition)), minimum engagement ($300K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Consumer products, Enterprise transformation).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.