ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Bakken & Bæck (4.2/5) edges ahead of ustwo (4.0/5) overall. Bakken & Bæck is the better choice for tech companies (AI, decentralized systems), design plus research. ustwo is the stronger option for Health, finance, and consumer teams wanting an employee-owned studio. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | ustwo | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 | 2011 |
| HQ | London, UK (also Malmö, Lisbon, and New York) | Oslo, Norway (also Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bonn, and London) |
| Team size | ~260 (last company figure, 2022; directories list 201–500) | 70+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | An employee-owned, B Corp-certified studio with a growing healthcare portfolio and clients like Google, DeepMind, and HSBC | 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 | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Sketch, Swift | Figma, React, Next.js |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products |
ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck: overview
ustwo
ustwo is owned by its employees and certified as a B Corp, an unusual structure for a studio of its size. Matt Miller and John Sinclair founded it in Shoreditch in 2004. Today it lists studios in London, Malmö, Lisbon, and New York, and its client logos include Google, DeepMind, HSBC, Lilly, Peloton, and National Grid. Healthcare is the growth area: the company said in 2025 that health and life sciences now make up a larger share of its work than ever, and that US expansion would continue through 2026. Monument Valley came from ustwo games, a separate company with its own leadership.
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: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Capability | ustwo | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Framework / platform | ustwo | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Criterion | ustwo | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Dimension | ustwo | Bakken & Bæck |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | Patient-facing digital health service design, Financial services app design for an enterprise bank | AI or conversational-product design for a fast-moving startup, Decentralized or crypto platform design and build |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck: pros and cons
| ustwo | |
|---|---|
| + | Employee-owned and a Certified B Corp, so there's no outside owner to answer to |
| + | Healthcare and life sciences work is growing, per the company's 2025 update |
| + | Clients include Google, DeepMind, HSBC, Lilly, and National Grid |
| + | Studios in London, Malmö, Lisbon, and New York |
| - | Latest public headcount is from 2022, so current capacity needs confirming |
| - | Monument Valley belongs to ustwo games, a separate company, so the studio's own credentials are client work |
| - | No published minimum engagement |
| 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 ustwo?
A typical fit: patient-facing digital health service design.
An employee-owned, B Corp-certified studio with a growing healthcare portfolio and clients like Google, DeepMind, and HSBC. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation.
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: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | ustwo |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | ustwo |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: ustwo (Not published) 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: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
| Use case | ustwo fit | Bakken & Bæck fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient-facing digital health service design | Strong | Limited | ustwo |
| Financial services app design for an enterprise bank | Strong | Limited | ustwo |
| 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: ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck
Bakken & Bæck (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A five-city European studio that blends design with genuine computer-science research depth, evidenced by recent AI work for Sierra and Coinbase.
ustwo (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need financial services app design for an enterprise bank. If your situation matches that, ustwo is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
ustwo vs Bakken & Bæck FAQ
Is ustwo better than Bakken & Bæck?
Bakken & Bæck (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. ustwo's strongest advantage: employee-owned and a Certified B Corp, so there's no outside owner to answer to. Bakken & Bæck's strongest advantage: design and computer-science research in one team, unusual for a boutique.
How do ustwo and Bakken & Bæck differ in pricing?
ustwo uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. 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: ustwo or Bakken & Bæck?
ustwo 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 ustwo and Bakken & Bæck?
ustwo's primary differentiator is: an employee-owned, B Corp-certified studio with a growing healthcare portfolio and clients like Google, DeepMind, and HSBC. 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 (~260 (last company figure, 2022; directories list 201–500) vs 70+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), 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.