Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Pentagram (4.0/5) edges ahead of Spaceberry Studio (3.7/5) overall. Pentagram is the better choice for brands wanting identity, packaging, digital design. Spaceberry Studio is the stronger option for budget-conscious SaaS/AI teams, low-commitment subscription. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Pentagram | Spaceberry Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 | 2016 |
| HQ | London, UK (also New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and Austin) | Ukraine (also London, UK) |
| Team size | 24 partners plus their teams (total not published) | 12–50 |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.7 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim | One of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract |
| Pricing model | Project-based (not published) | Monthly subscription (dedicated designer) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $4.5K/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Framer, Webflow |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Consumer products |
Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio: overview
Pentagram
Five founding partners — Alan Fletcher, Theo Crosby, Colin Forbes, Kenneth Grange, and Mervyn Kurlansky — started Pentagram in London in 1972, and the firm still runs on the same unusual structure more than five decades later: 24 practicing-designer partners, each running their own team, sharing overhead and profits, with no single CEO. Pentagram calls itself the world's largest independent design consultancy, working from London, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and Austin across graphics, branding, products and packaging, and digital experiences — a broader scope than the pure product-design specialists elsewhere in this list.
Spaceberry Studio
Spaceberry Studio began in 2016 as "MainCode Agency," rebranding to Spaceberry in 2020 — 2016 is used as the founding year here since it's the same continuous team and entity. Based in Ukraine with an additional London office, the studio runs 12–50 employees depending on source, selling subscription-style UI/UX design for SaaS, AI, and mobile apps rather than quoting fixed-price projects — one of two subscription models in this list alongside Eleken.
Services and capabilities: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Capability | Pentagram | Spaceberry Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✗ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Framework / platform | Pentagram | Spaceberry Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | ✓ |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | ✓ |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Criterion | Pentagram | Spaceberry Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $4.5K/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Subscription |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Dimension | Pentagram | Spaceberry Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment | SaaS / B2B software, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | Brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement, Packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product | Ongoing SaaS product design on a monthly subscription, AI product UI/UX design for a lean startup team |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Subscription |
Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio: pros and cons
| Pentagram | |
|---|---|
| + | Owner-partners are the practicing designers and primary client contacts, not a layer of account management above the design team |
| + | Over five decades of continuous, independent operation since 1972 |
| + | Five-city studio footprint (London, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Austin) |
| + | Scope spans branding, packaging, and digital product design, useful for clients wanting more than pure UI work |
| - | Broader branding-and-identity focus means less concentrated digital-product-design specialization than boutiques built around SaaS or app UX specifically |
| - | Team size and per-partner capacity aren't published in a way that's easy to compare against other studios |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
| Spaceberry Studio | |
|---|---|
| + | Subscription pricing (from ~$4.5K/month, per company website; independently unverifiable) is one of the lowest barriers to entry here |
| + | Focused specifically on SaaS, AI, and mobile apps rather than spreading thin across many verticals |
| + | London, UK location adds geographic diversification alongside its Ukraine base |
| + | Continuous operation since 2016, spanning its 2020 rebrand from MainCode Agency |
| - | Smallest reported team-size band (12–50) among the boutiques in this list, limiting capacity for large programs |
| - | Rebranded from MainCode Agency in 2020, so some pre-2020 case studies may appear under the earlier name |
| - | Subscription-only model may not suit clients preferring a single fixed-price contract with a defined end date |
Who should choose Pentagram?
A typical fit: brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement.
A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Media & entertainment.
Who should choose Spaceberry Studio?
A typical fit: ongoing SaaS product design on a monthly subscription.
One of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract. Minimum engagement starts at $4.5K/month (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in SaaS / B2B software, Consumer products.
Decision matrix: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Pentagram |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Pentagram (Not published) vs Spaceberry Studio ($4.5K/month (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Pentagram |
| 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: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
| Use case | Pentagram fit | Spaceberry Studio fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand identity and digital product design bundled into one engagement | Strong | Limited | Pentagram |
| Packaging or physical-product design alongside a digital product | Strong | Limited | Pentagram |
| Ongoing SaaS product design on a monthly subscription | Limited | Strong | Spaceberry Studio |
| AI product UI/UX design for a lean startup team | Limited | Strong | Spaceberry Studio |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio
Pentagram (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim.
Spaceberry Studio (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need AI product UI/UX design for a lean startup team. If your situation matches that, Spaceberry Studio is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Pentagram vs Spaceberry Studio FAQ
Is Pentagram better than Spaceberry Studio?
Pentagram (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Pentagram's strongest advantage: owner-partners are the practicing designers and primary client contacts, not a layer of account management above the design team. Spaceberry Studio's strongest advantage: subscription pricing (from ~$4.5K/month, per company website; independently unverifiable) is one of the lowest barriers to entry here.
How do Pentagram and Spaceberry Studio differ in pricing?
Pentagram uses project-based (not published) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Spaceberry Studio uses monthly subscription (dedicated designer) pricing with a minimum engagement of $4.5K/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: Pentagram or Spaceberry Studio?
Spaceberry Studio is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each studio before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Pentagram and Spaceberry Studio?
Pentagram's primary differentiator is: a 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim. Spaceberry Studio's primary differentiator is: one of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract. They also differ in team size (24 partners plus their teams (total not published) vs 12–50), minimum engagement (Not published vs $4.5K/month (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs SaaS / B2B software, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.