MetaLab vs Excited: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Excited (4.5/5) edges ahead of MetaLab (4.1/5) overall. Excited is the better choice for SaaS/fintech teams wanting an award-winning specialist at mid-market rates. MetaLab is the stronger option for well-funded SaaS/fintech, full-stack design through design systems. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
MetaLab vs Excited: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | MetaLab | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 | 2018 |
| HQ | Vancouver, BC, Canada (also Victoria; remote-first) | Lviv, Ukraine (also Tallinn, Estonia) |
| Team size | 50–249 (Clutch listing; company has cited 160+) | 10–49 (Clutch listing) |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A design portfolio (Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Midjourney) that outsizes its 160-person headcount, covering the full stack from research through design systems | A 5.0 Clutch rating across 56 reviews and four Red Dot awards, focused narrowly on SaaS and fintech |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, dedicated team | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | $100K+ (per Clutch listing) | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Framer, Design systems/Storybook | Figma, Framer, After Effects |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech |
MetaLab vs Excited: overview
MetaLab
MetaLab designed interfaces that hundreds of millions of people use daily: Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Headspace, and Midjourney, plus newer work for Windsurf and The Athletic. Andrew Wilkinson founded it in 2006, and it has been part of his holding company Tiny since 2017, now sitting in Tiny's Beam operating group. Clutch lists the studio with a Vancouver headquarters, a Victoria office, and 50–249 employees working largely remotely. Engagements cover research, strategy, UX, UI, and design systems from one team. Its Clutch listing gives a $100K+ minimum, below the $150K figure older industry roundups cited.
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: MetaLab vs Excited
| Capability | MetaLab | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: MetaLab vs Excited
| Framework / platform | MetaLab | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | ✓ | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: MetaLab vs Excited
| Criterion | MetaLab | Excited |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | $100K+ (per Clutch listing) | $10K+ (per Clutch listing) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Accessible | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: MetaLab vs Excited
| Dimension | MetaLab | 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 | SaaS product design from research through design system delivery, Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | SaaS product redesign for a growth-stage company, Fintech UX/UI overhaul with motion design polish |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
MetaLab vs Excited: pros and cons
| MetaLab | |
|---|---|
| + | Portfolio covers Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Midjourney, and Windsurf |
| + | Remote-first team spread across many countries supports long delivery days |
| + | Research, strategy, UX, UI, and design systems come from one team |
| + | Two decades under the same founding brand |
| - | Owned by Andrew Wilkinson's holding company Tiny since 2017 |
| - | A $100K+ minimum (per Clutch listing) is still beyond most early-stage budgets |
| - | No client reviews on its Clutch profile, so references have to come from the studio |
| 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 MetaLab?
A typical fit: SaaS product design from research through design system delivery.
A design portfolio (Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Midjourney) that outsizes its 160-person headcount, covering the full stack from research through design systems. Minimum engagement starts at $100K+ (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: MetaLab vs Excited
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | MetaLab |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | MetaLab |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Excited |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | MetaLab |
| 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: MetaLab vs Excited
| Use case | MetaLab fit | Excited fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS product design from research through design system delivery | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| 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: MetaLab 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.
MetaLab (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need fintech app redesign for a funded startup. If your situation matches that, MetaLab is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
MetaLab vs Excited FAQ
Is MetaLab better than Excited?
Excited (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. MetaLab's strongest advantage: portfolio covers Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Midjourney, and Windsurf. 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 MetaLab and Excited differ in pricing?
MetaLab uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $100K+ (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: MetaLab or Excited?
MetaLab 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 MetaLab and Excited?
MetaLab's primary differentiator is: a design portfolio (Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Midjourney) that outsizes its 160-person headcount, covering the full stack from research through design systems. 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 (50–249 (Clutch listing; company has cited 160+) vs 10–49 (Clutch listing)), minimum engagement ($100K+ (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.