Work & Co vs Eleken: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Eleken (4.1/5) edges ahead of Work & Co (3.9/5) overall. Eleken is the better choice for saaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for an embedded designer instead of negotiating a fixed-price project.. Work & Co is the stronger option for premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired tightly with production-grade front-end engineering.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Work & Co vs Eleken: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Work & Co | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2015 |
| HQ | Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY, USA | Distributed team, roots in Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 425+ | 40+ to 100+ (approximate; reported figures vary by source) |
| Rating | 3.9 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best for | Premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired tightly with production-grade front-end engineering. | SaaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for an embedded designer instead of negotiating a fixed-price project. |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, dedicated team | Subscription (dedicated full-time or part-time designer) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, React, Next.js | Figma, Design systems/Storybook, Miro |
| Industries served | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | SaaS / B2B software |
Work & Co vs Eleken: overview
Work & Co
Five co-founders — Gene Liebel, Felipe Memoria, Joe Stewart, Mohan Ramaswamy, and Marcelo Eduardo — launched Work & Co in Dumbo, Brooklyn in May 2013; the studio now spans offices across the US, Latin America, and Europe. A client roster including Apple, IKEA, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Pfizer, GoFundMe, Nike, and Disney is exceptional for a 425-person studio, reflecting an engineering-heavy model where design and front-end build happen inside the same team. Work & Co is now part of Accenture Song, an ownership detail worth disclosing.
Eleken
Eleken, rooted in Kyiv, Ukraine since 2015, operates today as a distributed team reported anywhere from 40+ to 100+ designers depending on source (treated as approximate). Instead of quoting a project fee, Eleken sells a subscription — roughly $6,599/month for a dedicated full-time designer, part-time also available — a genuinely different model from the fixed-price and T&M norm elsewhere in this list. A 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects and 70+ published case studies backs its SaaS-only focus on complex B2B, AI, data, and geospatial or low-code/no-code products.
Services and capabilities: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Capability | Work & Co | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Framework / platform | Work & Co | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | N/A | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Criterion | Work & Co | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Dedicated team | Subscription |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Dimension | Work & Co | Eleken |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare | SaaS / B2B software |
| Best use cases | Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand, E-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering | Embedded product designer for an ongoing SaaS roadmap, Complex B2B or AI product design on a monthly subscription |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Subscription |
Work & Co vs Eleken: pros and cons
| Work & Co | |
|---|---|
| + | Client roster (Apple, IKEA, Google, Nike, Disney) is exceptional relative to headcount |
| + | Design and engineering under one roof cuts the hand-off risk of splitting vendors |
| + | 425+ people across the US, Europe, and Latin America give real multi-region capacity |
| + | Consistent record shipping flagship consumer digital products |
| - | Now part of Accenture Song, which shares a parent with the Accenture Song entry elsewhere in this list |
| - | A premium client base implies premium pricing even without a published minimum |
| - | Less vertical specialization (fintech, healthcare-specific) than boutiques built around one niche |
| Eleken | |
|---|---|
| + | 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ completed projects and 70+ published case studies |
| + | Subscription pricing gives predictable monthly cost instead of a large fixed-price contract |
| + | SaaS-only focus, including complex B2B, AI, data, and geospatial products, builds real vertical depth |
| + | Part-time subscription option available for teams that don't need a full-time designer |
| - | Reported team size varies widely by source (40+ to 100+), making capacity planning imprecise |
| - | SaaS-only positioning rules it out for consumer, healthcare, or brand-led engagements |
| - | Subscription pricing can cost more than a fixed-price project for a short, well-defined engagement |
Who should choose Work & Co?
Work & Co is the right choice for premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired tightly with production-grade front-end engineering..
An engineering-led delivery model behind a client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) unusually strong for its headcount. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare.
Who should choose Eleken?
Eleken is the right choice for saaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for an embedded designer instead of negotiating a fixed-price project..
A subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month), SaaS-only, with 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: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Work & Co |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Work & Co |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Work & Co (Not published) vs Eleken ($6,599/month (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Work & Co |
| 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: Work & Co vs Eleken
| Use case | Work & Co fit | Eleken fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagship consumer app redesign for a global brand | Strong | Limited | Work & Co |
| E-commerce platform rebuild with heavy front-end engineering | Strong | Limited | Work & Co |
| 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: Work & Co vs Eleken
Eleken (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month), SaaS-only, with a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects. It is best for saaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for an embedded designer instead of negotiating a fixed-price project..
Work & Co (3.9/5) is the better choice when premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired tightly with production-grade front-end engineering.. If your situation matches those criteria, Work & Co is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Work & Co vs Eleken FAQ
Is Work & Co better than Eleken?
Eleken (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Work & Co is better for premium consumer and enterprise brands wanting design paired tightly with production-grade front-end engineering.. Eleken is better for saaS teams wanting a predictable monthly subscription for an embedded designer instead of negotiating a fixed-price project..
How do Work & Co and Eleken differ in pricing?
Work & Co uses fixed project, dedicated team 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: Work & Co 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 studio before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Work & Co and Eleken?
Work & Co's primary differentiator is: an engineering-led delivery model behind a client roster (apple, ikea, nike, disney) unusually strong for its headcount. Eleken's primary differentiator is: a subscription embedded-team model (~$6,599/month), saas-only, with a 4.9 clutch rating across 200+ projects. They also differ in team size (425+ 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 (Consumer products, Enterprise transformation vs SaaS / B2B software).
Verify all details directly with each studio before making a decision.