MetaLab
The studio behind Slack, Uber, and Coinbase product design.
What is MetaLab?
Andrew Wilkinson founded MetaLab in 2006; it became a subsidiary of Canadian holding company Tiny in January 2017, an ownership fact worth disclosing. Operating remote-first across 17 countries from a Victoria, British Columbia base with 160+ employees, its portfolio includes Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Nike, Midjourney, and Headspace. Full engagements run the arc from research and strategy through UX, UI, design systems, and front-end, inside one team.
MetaLab was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (remote-first). The firm employs 160+ people and works primarily with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products sectors. Its primary differentiator is: A portfolio spanning Slack, Uber, Coinbase, and Midjourney — among the strongest SaaS/fintech track records here.
MetaLab tech stack and services
| Service area | Details |
|---|---|
| SaaS product design from research through design system | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
| Consumer product UI overhaul for a high-growth brand | Available for SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products clients |
MetaLab use cases
Short answer: MetaLab is best suited for well-funded SaaS and fintech companies needing a full-stack product design partner from research through design systems..
| Use case | Industries | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS product design from research through design system | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Fintech app redesign for a funded startup | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
| Consumer product UI overhaul for a high-growth brand | SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech | Figma, Framer |
MetaLab pricing
Short answer: MetaLab uses a fixed project, dedicated team pricing approach. Minimum engagement starts at $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable).
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed project | From $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) | Well-defined scope |
| Dedicated team | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
MetaLab pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Portfolio includes Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, and Midjourney — exceptional for a 160-person studio | -Became a Tiny subsidiary in 2017 — worth disclosing even though the founding team and brand remain |
| +Remote-first across 17 countries enables round-the-clock delivery coverage | -Reported $150K+ typical minimum (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable) is out of reach for early-stage startups |
| +Full-stack engagement model spans research, strategy, UX, UI, and design systems in one team | -High-profile client roster can mean longer lead times for new engagements |
| +Nearly two decades under the same founding brand |
MetaLab vs alternatives
How MetaLab compares to the other top Product Design studios.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenomenon Studio | Companies whose brand, website, or product has outgrown... | A 5.0 Clutch rating, HIPAA compliance, and NN/g certification behind 120+ shipped products and $500M+ in client fundraising | 4.9 | Full comparison |
| IDEO | Enterprises running multi-year design transformation programs with substantial... | The studio that originated human-centered design, backed by roughly 24 locations and decades of enterprise case studies | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Accenture Song | Large, regulated enterprises (banking, telecom, automotive) needing design... | 36 global studios and 2,000+ specialists — the largest footprint and compliance coverage in this list | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Work & Co | Premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired... | An engineering-led delivery model behind a client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) unusually strong for its headcount | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Clay | B2B SaaS, AI, and fintech companies wanting a... | A client list (Coinbase, Uber, Meta, Google, Slack) unusually strong relative to its unconfirmed, boutique-scale headcount | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| ustwo | Enterprise and consumer product teams wanting a studio... | Pairs enterprise client work (JPMorgan) with self-published consumer product craft, proven through its own game Monument Valley | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Ramotion | Startups and mid-market companies wanting brand identity and... | Combines brand identity work with UX/UI and app development for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Fireart Studio | Startups and mid-market companies wanting one studio to... | 700+ delivered projects for 200+ clients backed by an independently-verified 'Leading UX Design Team' Clutch recognition | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Qubstudio | Fintech, logistics, and healthcare companies needing anything from... | #1 UX/UI studio on Clutch's 2026 rankings across 90+ reviews, with Red Dot Design Award recognition on top | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Excited | SaaS and fintech product teams wanting a Clutch... | A repeat Clutch Top-5 global UX ranking, with roughly 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Gapsy Studio | Fintech, SaaS, and healthcare teams wanting a perfect-rated... | A 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards from Behance, Awwwards, and FWA | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Goji Labs | Startups, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits wanting strategy-led product design... | A 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree that explicitly extends beyond funded startups to nonprofits and individual entrepreneurs | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Eleken | SaaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for... | A subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month), SaaS-only, with a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| UXDA | Banks and fintech companies wanting a studio exclusively... | The only studio in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Onething Design | Companies needing one studio that covers BFSI, consumer,... | Unusually broad five-industry coverage from one team, with delivery presence spanning the US and India | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Topflight Apps | Healthcare, fintech, and AI startups preferring a monthly... | A monthly-subscription engagement model built specifically around healthcare, fintech, and AI app development | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| UX studio | B2B SaaS teams with complex products wanting research... | A research-first methodology comparable in rigor to Phenomenon Studio's own discovery-first approach, applied specifically to complex B2B SaaS products | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Halo Lab | E-commerce, marketing-site, and web-app teams wanting a Top-1... | A Top-1 Dribbble Team ranking worldwide plus 70+ design awards and a 4.9 Clutch rating across 60+ reviews | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| ANML | B2B, healthcare, and AI startups wanting a very... | One of the smallest teams in this list, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Momentum Design Lab | Clients specifically wanting a long-tenured Silicon Valley studio... | Nearly a quarter-century of continuous operation, one of the oldest studios in this list by founding date | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Spaceberry Studio | Budget-conscious SaaS, AI, and mobile app teams wanting... | One of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| The Gradient | Fintech, healthcare, and retail clients wanting an AI-native... | A deliberately small, AI-native studio with a notable client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG) unusual for its self-limited scale | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Orbix Studio | Seed-to-Series-B B2B SaaS, fintech, and healthtech startups wanting... | The newest studio in this list, built specifically around the seed-to-Series-B funded startup stage | 3.6 | Full comparison |
MetaLab FAQ
What is MetaLab?
Andrew Wilkinson founded MetaLab in 2006; it became a subsidiary of Canadian holding company Tiny in January 2017, an ownership fact worth disclosing. Operating remote-first across 17 countries from a Victoria, British Columbia base with 160+ employees, its portfolio includes Slack, Uber, Coinbase, Robinhood, Nike, Midjourney, and Headspace. Full engagements run the arc from research and strategy through UX, UI, design systems, and front-end, inside one team.
How much does MetaLab charge?
MetaLab uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing. Minimum engagement starts at $150K+ (per industry roundups; independently unverifiable). A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does MetaLab use?
MetaLab works with Figma, Framer, Design systems/Storybook, React, Webflow. Primary industries served include SaaS / B2B software, Financial services / fintech, Consumer products.
Is MetaLab right for enterprise?
Well-funded SaaS and fintech companies needing a full-stack product design partner from research through design systems.. 160+ team size. Key consideration: Became a Tiny subsidiary in 2017 — worth disclosing even though the founding team and brand remain.
What are the best MetaLab alternatives?
The best alternatives to MetaLab depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Phenomenon Studio: a 5.0 clutch rating, hipaa compliance, and nn/g certification behind 120+ shipped products and $500m+ in client fundraising
- IDEO: the studio that originated human-centered design, backed by roughly 24 locations and decades of enterprise case studies
- Accenture Song: 36 global studios and 2,000+ specialists — the largest footprint and compliance coverage in this list
Compare MetaLab with other Product Design studios
Verify all details directly with MetaLab before making a decision.