AKQA vs Onething Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Onething Design (3.7/5) edges ahead of AKQA (3.6/5) overall. Onething Design is the better choice for companies needing BFSI, healthcare, automotive design under one roof. 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 Onething Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | AKQA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 | 2015 |
| HQ | London, UK | Gurugram, India (also Bangalore and San Francisco) |
| Team size | ~6,000 | 52–73 |
| 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 | Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence |
| Pricing model | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) | Fixed project, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility |
AKQA vs Onething Design: 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.
Onething Design
What's now Onething Design took its current name in 2015, renamed from an earlier predecessor called Ketchup Designs Studio, so the founding date is treated as approximate. Headquartered in Gurugram, India with offices in Bangalore and San Francisco, the company reports 52–73 employees depending on source. Where most of this pool's boutiques specialize narrowly, Onething goes wide: BFSI, consumer products, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive all sit inside the same team's portfolio.
Services and capabilities: AKQA vs Onething Design
| Capability | AKQA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: AKQA vs Onething Design
| Framework / platform | AKQA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: AKQA vs Onething Design
| Criterion | AKQA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: AKQA vs Onething Design
| Dimension | AKQA | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work, Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | BFSI product design for a bank or insurer, Automotive digital interface design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
AKQA vs Onething Design: 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 |
| Onething Design | |
|---|---|
| + | Covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals |
| + | US (San Francisco) and India (Gurugram, Bangalore) footprint supports round-the-clock delivery |
| + | $10K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) is accessible relative to most peers in this pool |
| + | A decade of operation under its current name, with roots stretching back further |
| - | Founding year is approximate — the company was renamed from an earlier predecessor in 2015 |
| - | Its broad five-industry positioning gives up some vertical-specific depth compared with specialists like UXDA |
| - | Reported employee count varies by source (52–73), making capacity planning less precise |
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 Onething Design?
A typical fit: BFSI product design for a bank or insurer.
Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence. Minimum engagement starts at $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable). Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility.
Decision matrix: AKQA vs Onething Design
| 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 Onething Design ($10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Onething Design |
| 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 Onething Design
| Use case | AKQA fit | Onething Design 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 | Strong | Both equally |
| BFSI product design for a bank or insurer | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Automotive digital interface design | Limited | Strong | Onething Design |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: AKQA vs Onething Design
Onething Design (3.7/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence.
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 Onething Design FAQ
Is AKQA better than Onething Design?
Onething Design (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. Onething Design's strongest advantage: covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals.
How do AKQA and Onething Design differ in pricing?
AKQA uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Onething Design uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10K (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: AKQA or Onething Design?
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 Onething Design?
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. Onething Design's primary differentiator is: covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence. They also differ in team size (~6,000 vs 52–73), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Financial services / fintech, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.