Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken: full comparison for 2026
Last updated: July 2026
Quick verdict
Phenomenon Studio (4.8/5) edges ahead of Eleken (4.2/5) overall. Phenomenon Studio is the better choice for venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand, website, or product has outgrown its current design and needs a single senior team to own the full rebuild end to end.. Eleken is the stronger option for saaS companies that want an embedded designer on a predictable monthly subscription instead of a fixed-price project contract.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Phenomenon Studio | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2015 |
| HQ | Europe (entities in the USA, Estonia, and Switzerland) | Distributed team, roots in Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 70+ | 40+ to 100+ (approximate; reported figures vary by source) |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best for | Venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand, website, or product has outgrown its current design and needs a single senior team to own the full rebuild end to end. | SaaS companies that want an embedded designer on a predictable monthly subscription instead of a fixed-price project contract. |
| Pricing model | Project-based, full-cycle engagements (fixed scope or retainer — not published; contact for quote) | Subscription (dedicated full-time or part-time designer) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Webflow, React | Figma, Design systems/Storybook, Miro |
| Industries served | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech | SaaS / B2B software |
Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken: overview
Phenomenon Studio
Phenomenon Studio is a boutique product design and development agency founded in 2019 that partners with companies whose brand, website, or product no longer reflects what the business has become — from venture-backed startups to established market leaders. One senior team owns the work end to end, from strategy through design, development, and post-launch support, with clients working directly with senior practitioners. The team of 70+ senior specialists is based in Europe, with legal entities in the USA, Estonia, and Switzerland, serving SaaS, fintech, healthcare, and EdTech clients. Across 120+ product launches, Phenomenon's clients have collectively raised $500M+.
Eleken
Founded in 2015 with roots in Kyiv, Ukraine, Eleken operates as a distributed team and reports 40+ to 100+ designers depending on source (treated as approximate). The studio uses a subscription pricing model — roughly $6,599/month for a dedicated full-time designer, with part-time also available — a distinctive engagement model versus the project-based competitors elsewhere in this roster. Eleken holds a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects and 70+ published case studies, and is SaaS-only, working on complex B2B, AI, data, and geospatial and low-code/no-code products through an embedded-team model.
Services and capabilities: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Capability | Phenomenon Studio | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Framework / platform | Phenomenon Studio | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | ✓ | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Criterion | Phenomenon Studio | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Subscription |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Dimension | Phenomenon Studio | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare | SaaS / B2B software |
| Best use cases | Redesigning a dated SaaS product ahead of a Series B raise, Rebuilding a healthcare platform to meet HIPAA compliance and modern UX standards | Embedded product designer for an ongoing SaaS roadmap, Complex B2B or AI product design on a monthly subscription |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Subscription |
Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken: pros and cons
| Phenomenon Studio | |
|---|---|
| + | 5.0 rating on Clutch across 40+ DesignRush reviews and Top 1000/Top Design Company recognitions in 2025-2026 |
| + | HIPAA compliance verified and monitored by Compliancy Group — rare among boutique product design agencies |
| + | Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) UX Certified and a Webflow Experts partner (101, CMS, experts, and layouts tiers) |
| + | Full-cycle ownership from strategy through post-launch support, avoiding hand-offs between separate design and dev vendors |
| + | x2 average projects per client — most clients return for a second engagement, a strong repeat-business signal |
| + | 120+ product launches with clients that have collectively raised $500M+ in investment |
| - | Discovery-first approach can feel slower at the start for clients who prioritize getting something built as fast as possible, though the upfront investment reduces downstream risk |
| - | Does not provide product marketing or growth marketing services — clients needing post-launch growth work need a separate agency |
| - | Pricing is not published; a discovery call is required for any project-specific quote |
| Eleken | |
|---|---|
| + | 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ completed projects and 70+ published case studies |
| + | Subscription embedded-team model gives predictable monthly cost versus a large fixed-price contract |
| + | SaaS-only focus, including complex B2B, AI, data, and geospatial products, builds genuine vertical depth |
| + | Part-time subscription option available for teams that don't need a full-time dedicated designer |
| - | Reported team size varies widely by source (40+ to 100+), making capacity planning less precise |
| - | SaaS-only positioning means no fit for consumer, healthcare, or brand-led engagements |
| - | Subscription model can cost more than a fixed-price project for short, well-defined engagements |
Who should choose Phenomenon Studio?
Phenomenon Studio is the right choice for venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand, website, or product has outgrown its current design and needs a single senior team to own the full rebuild end to end..
HIPAA-compliant, NN/g-certified, full-cycle team with a 5.0 Clutch rating and 120+ shipped products behind $500M+ in client fundraising. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Healthcare, EdTech.
Who should choose Eleken?
Eleken is the right choice for saaS companies that want an embedded designer on a predictable monthly subscription instead of a fixed-price project contract..
Subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month) exclusively for SaaS, backed by a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects. Minimum engagement starts at $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software.
Decision matrix: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Phenomenon Studio |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Phenomenon Studio |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Phenomenon Studio (Not published) vs Eleken ($6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Phenomenon Studio |
| 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: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
| Use case | Phenomenon Studio fit | Eleken fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redesigning a dated SaaS product ahead of a Series B raise | Strong | Limited | Phenomenon Studio |
| Rebuilding a healthcare platform to meet HIPAA compliance and modern UX standards | Strong | Limited | Phenomenon Studio |
| Embedded product designer for an ongoing SaaS roadmap | Limited | Strong | Eleken |
| Complex B2B or AI product design on a monthly subscription | Limited | Strong | Eleken |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken
Phenomenon Studio (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. HIPAA-compliant, NN/g-certified, full-cycle team with a 5.0 Clutch rating and 120+ shipped products behind $500M+ in client fundraising. It is best for venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand, website, or product has outgrown its current design and needs a single senior team to own the full rebuild end to end..
Eleken (4.2/5) is the better choice when saaS companies that want an embedded designer on a predictable monthly subscription instead of a fixed-price project contract.. If your situation matches those criteria, Eleken is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Phenomenon Studio vs Eleken FAQ
Is Phenomenon Studio better than Eleken?
Phenomenon Studio (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Phenomenon Studio is better for venture-backed startups and established market leaders whose brand, website, or product has outgrown its current design and needs a single senior team to own the full rebuild end to end.. Eleken is better for saaS companies that want an embedded designer on a predictable monthly subscription instead of a fixed-price project contract..
How do Phenomenon Studio and Eleken differ in pricing?
Phenomenon Studio uses project-based, full-cycle engagements (fixed scope or retainer — not published; contact for quote) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Eleken uses subscription (dedicated full-time or part-time designer) pricing with a minimum engagement of $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable). Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Phenomenon Studio or Eleken?
Eleken 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 Phenomenon Studio and Eleken?
Phenomenon Studio's primary differentiator is: hipaa-compliant, nn/g-certified, full-cycle team with a 5.0 clutch rating and 120+ shipped products behind $500m+ in client fundraising. Eleken's primary differentiator is: subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month) exclusively for saas, backed by a 4.9 clutch rating across 200+ projects. They also differ in team size (70+ vs 40+ to 100+ (approximate; reported figures vary by source)), minimum engagement (Not published vs $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech vs SaaS / B2B software).
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.