AKQA vs ANML: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
ANML (3.7/5) edges ahead of AKQA (3.6/5) overall. ANML is the better choice for B2B, healthcare, AI startups wanting a small senior team. AKQA is the stronger option for fortune 500 enterprises, design within a global agency network. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
AKQA vs ANML: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | AKQA | ANML |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 | 2012 |
| HQ | London, UK | United States (specific city not published) |
| Team size | ~6,000 | ~10 (per LinkedIn) |
| Rating | 3.6 / 5 | 3.7 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group | One of the smallest teams in this pool, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work |
| Pricing model | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) | Fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Sketch |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Healthcare, SaaS / B2B software |
AKQA vs ANML: overview
AKQA
Ajaz Ahmed launched AKQA in London in 1994 at 21, before finishing university, betting early on the commercial web. The firm stayed independent until WPP acquired it in 2012, and in 2020 WPP merged it with Grey Group to form AKQA Group — the agency now runs roughly 6,000 people across 50 countries. More than half of the Fortune 500's top 20 companies have been clients, and AKQA has broadened well past its web-agency roots into product and spatial design and, more recently, AI-driven experience work.
ANML
ANML (Animal) has operated since 2012 with a team so small — LinkedIn lists roughly 10 employees — that it barely registers next to the enterprise names in this pool. No specific HQ city appears in available sources, so it's treated here simply as US-based. The trade-off for that scale is direct access: clients work with senior people from day one, on a deliberately narrow set of engagements concentrated in B2B, healthcare, and AI.
Services and capabilities: AKQA vs ANML
| Capability | AKQA | ANML |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: AKQA vs ANML
| Framework / platform | AKQA | ANML |
|---|---|---|
| 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: AKQA vs ANML
| Criterion | AKQA | ANML |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Fixed project |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: AKQA vs ANML
| Dimension | AKQA | ANML |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Healthcare, SaaS / B2B software |
| Best use cases | Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work, Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | B2B SaaS product design for a small, senior team, Healthcare product UX with a boutique company |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
AKQA vs ANML: pros and cons
| AKQA | |
|---|---|
| + | 6,000 people across 50 countries make it one of the largest networks in this pool |
| + | More than half of the Fortune 500's top 20 companies have been clients |
| + | Three decades of history, from an independent 1994 startup through its current WPP-backed scale |
| + | Broadened beyond web design into product, spatial, and AI-driven experience work |
| - | Fully absorbed into WPP's AKQA Group since 2020, so clients are hiring a large network agency, not an independent studio |
| - | Enterprise scale and pricing are less accessible to startups or small product teams |
| - | Broad, agency-network positioning means less concentrated product-design specialization than boutique studios |
| ANML | |
|---|---|
| + | 13 years of continuous operation since 2012 |
| + | Very small (~10 person) team means direct access to senior designers on every project |
| + | Focused specifically on B2B, healthcare, and AI rather than spreading across unrelated verticals |
| + | Boutique scale keeps overhead — and likely pricing — lower than mid-size companies |
| - | HQ city is not explicitly published in available sources, making delivery-location verification harder |
| - | A ~10-person team caps capacity for large or multi-workstream programs |
| - | Minimum engagement is not published, so budget planning requires a direct conversation |
Who should choose AKQA?
A typical fit: fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work.
A 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech.
Who should choose ANML?
A typical fit: B2B SaaS product design for a small, senior team.
One of the smallest teams in this pool, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, SaaS / B2B software.
Decision matrix: AKQA vs ANML
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | AKQA |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | AKQA |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: AKQA (Not published) vs ANML (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | AKQA |
| 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: AKQA vs ANML
| Use case | AKQA fit | ANML fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work | Strong | Limited | AKQA |
| Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | Strong | Limited | AKQA |
| B2B SaaS product design for a small, senior team | Limited | Strong | ANML |
| Healthcare product UX with a boutique company | Limited | Strong | ANML |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: AKQA vs ANML
ANML (3.7/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. One of the smallest teams in this pool, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work.
AKQA (3.6/5) is worth a look if you need enterprise experience design backed by a large global network. If your situation matches that, AKQA is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
AKQA vs ANML FAQ
Is AKQA better than ANML?
ANML (3.7/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. AKQA's strongest advantage: 6,000 people across 50 countries make it one of the largest networks in this pool. ANML's strongest advantage: 13 years of continuous operation since 2012.
How do AKQA and ANML differ in pricing?
AKQA uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. ANML uses fixed project 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: AKQA or ANML?
AKQA is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between AKQA and ANML?
AKQA's primary differentiator is: a 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group. ANML's primary differentiator is: one of the smallest teams in this pool, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work. They also differ in team size (~6,000 vs ~10 (per LinkedIn)), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Healthcare, SaaS / B2B software).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.