The Best UI/UX Companies in 2021

Looking for a UI/UX design company to hire? Here are some of the biggest names in the industry.

The scope of graphic design services is quite vast, and indeed UX and UI design are also a part of it. If you want to create a website, mobile or desktop app, you need to work with a UI/UX designer.

So how are these two different again?

User interface (UI) design is the creation of the look of a website or an app. It means choosing the colors, fonts and organizing the layout so that the users know what is important.

User experience (UX) design is solving a particular problem within the design. It actually didn’t originate in web design, but these days it mostly refers to creating mobile or web design that allows users to solve a particular problem. For example, let’s say you have a money transfer app. The UI designer will make sure everything looks good and trustworthy, and in the first instance, the visitors know what this app is.

However, it’s the job of the UX designer to ensure that the use of the product (in this case transferring money) is obvious for users, and the process itself is seamless and easy to understand.

UI/UX design agencies take care of both of these aspects of web design for you, along with some additional perks such as help with digital marketing, as well as website or app development. If you’re looking for a UI/UX design company to partner with, here are a few top UI design services in the world.

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1. Ramotion

Founded in 2009, this California-based digital product design agency has some serious experience, and an impressive client list including Mozilla Firefox, Netflix and Salesforce. However, aside from the big names, they also helped their startup clients raise over $750 million, and created products that increased ROI. As an industry leader, this digital agency can afford to pick their projects, so they pride themselves on being able to work closely with only a few clients at a time.

2. Clay

Clay is a UI/UX design and branding agency based in San Francisco. One glance at their company website will show you their unique and creative approach in web design and development. These digital experts use behavioral science to create the best-performing products. Their digital strategy approach includes a thorough research process, interviews with all key stakeholders and user research. They’ve worked with giants such as Google, Samsung and Coca Cola.

3. Bakken & Bæck

If you’re looking for a design partner in the European timezone, then this Norwegian web design agency is certainly a worthy contender. They have offices in Oslo, Amsterdam, London and Bonn. This company puts a strong focus on user experience design: they like to test out their products in real-life situations as early as possible, and encourage designers, developers, writers and marketers to work closely together to deliver the best digital experiences.

4. Ideo

Design thinking is a non-linear process of creating user friendly products, by empathizing with the users’ problems, prototyping and testing different design solutions .The global design company Ideo is often credited as the ones who first coined the term.

It makes sense then, that when it comes to user friendly design, their approach can hardly be beat. They have over 700 employees in 9 locations across Europe, Asia and the US. Today, the industry giant is also focused on making a positive impact through design thinking, so aside from numerous industries ranging from fintech to health and wellness, they also have a lot of experience in community-driven design products, digital transformation and education.

5. Codal

It can be difficult to make a distinction between a web design firm and a digital agency, since the latter usually encompasses the former. But take one look at Codal’s website and you’ll immediately see what this agency specializes in: web and mobile app development, user interface design, user experience design and data visualization. They’re also unique for being ecommerce specialists, so if you need a design boost for your online or SaaS business, Codal could make the perfect partner. They’ve often worked with young, innovative companies that require modern digital design solutions.

6. Neuron

The founders of Neuron actually started out in architecture, so their approach to app or website design and development has a particularly good foundation (excuse the pun). Their training allowed them a layered design process that includes a lot of research and planning (e.g. wireframing and workflows) before you get to the prototyping and testing. If you’re a fan of this methodical approach, then a company that served the likes of GM and Sony will certainly be able to fulfill your needs. Even though they’re a large, established design firm, they like to work with smaller, innovative companies on projects that allow them to explore new creative possibilities.

7. Frog

Frog is a global design company and strategy consultancy. They’re real veterans with over 50 years of experience in visual design, brand identity creation, and later on web development and design. Their website features several case studies which offer a fantastic insight into how their design process works, and how they respond to the individual needs and requests of their clients and their target audiences.

8. Momentum Design Lab

Momentum is another San Francisco-based company that (as they say) thrives on “being a part of a community of thinkers, dreamers and doers”. Their rich portfolio includes beautiful interfaces, interactive design and a user-centered digital experience. They’ve worked on some very “trendy” projects such as a new product for the social media management platform Social Code that allows its users to better segment and visualize audience data.

9. Beyond

If you’d like to collaborate with the design agency, then Beyond’s approach might be the right fit. They claim to work closely with their clients to “solve their business challenges”, which is especially important in UX/UI design. This also means they don’t just deliver a single product; working with business leaders and key strategists, they provide a roadmap and product strategy that will help the business move forward, even after the initial design work is done. Their client list includes Facebook and Google.

10. Code and Theory

Code and Theory is a creative agency that focuses on digital design. They claim to approach “digital as a strategy, not just as a tactic”, meaning that every design project they take on is viewed in the grand scheme of a business’s success. They have plenty of experience in the fintech industry, and have worked with some big players from the world of media, such as BBC and NBC.

A UI design solution for small businesses?

While all of the design agencies on this list without any doubt provide high-quality work and array of services that can help businesses grow, their rates (usually a few thousands, or tens of thousands), are by no means attainable for smaller businesses or bootstrapped startups.

Luckily, there are a few alternatives out there. There are plenty of freelancer platforms, such as Fiverr, Upwork and others, where you can find quality UI designers that charge reasonable hourly rates.

However, if you’re looking for something that’s more viable in the long term (both in regards to your budget and ease of work), then you should definitely consider giving unlimited design services a try. ManyPixels is one of the best unlimited design services, providing thousands of clients with stunning UI designs almost every day! Check out some of our best work for a taste of what we can do, or schedule a demo and let us know how we can help!