Huge Inc vs AKQA: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
AKQA (3.6/5) edges ahead of Huge Inc (3.5/5) overall. AKQA is the better choice for fortune 500 enterprises, design within a global agency network. Huge Inc is the stronger option for large enterprise brands, big-agency scale mid-transition. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Huge Inc vs AKQA: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Huge Inc | AKQA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 1994 |
| HQ | Manhattan, NYC, USA (relocated from Brooklyn Oct 2025) | London, UK |
| Team size | ~1,240 | ~6,000 |
| Rating | 3.5 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | One of the oldest agency names in this pool, freshly rebuilt through a 2024 AEA Investors acquisition and Hero Digital merger | 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 |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech |
Huge Inc vs AKQA: overview
Huge Inc
Huge started in Brooklyn in 1999 under founders David Skokna, Sasha Kirovski, Gene Liebel, and Aaron Shapiro, spending most of its history inside Interpublic Group before AEA Investors bought it in December 2024 and merged it with Hero Digital. A relocation to Manhattan followed in October 2025. Post-merger, the combined agency runs around 1,240 people, with engagement sizes following large-agency norms rather than a published rate.
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.
Services and capabilities: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Capability | Huge Inc | AKQA |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Framework / platform | Huge Inc | AKQA |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | ✓ | N/A |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | N/A |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Criterion | Huge Inc | AKQA |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Dimension | Huge Inc | AKQA |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech |
| Best use cases | Enterprise brand and digital product redesign, Large-scale web platform modernization | Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work, Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Huge Inc vs AKQA: pros and cons
| Huge Inc | |
|---|---|
| + | 26 years of enterprise digital design history and case studies |
| + | Post-merger headcount (~1,240) supports significant delivery capacity |
| + | Covers brand, product, and web design/development under one roof |
| + | Recent Hero Digital merger brings additional capabilities into the brand |
| - | Sold to private equity firm AEA Investors in December 2024 and merged with Hero Digital — a recent ownership change still settling |
| - | Long tenure inside Interpublic Group followed by a 2024 sale means less continuity than an independently owned company |
| - | Engagement sizes aren't published, complicating budget planning for smaller teams |
| 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 |
Who should choose Huge Inc?
A typical fit: enterprise brand and digital product redesign.
One of the oldest agency names in this pool, freshly rebuilt through a 2024 AEA Investors acquisition and Hero Digital merger. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products.
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.
Decision matrix: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Huge Inc |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | AKQA |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Huge Inc (Not published) vs AKQA (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: Huge Inc vs AKQA
| Use case | Huge Inc fit | AKQA fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise brand and digital product redesign | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large-scale web platform modernization | Strong | Limited | Huge Inc |
| Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work | Limited | Strong | AKQA |
| Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Huge Inc vs AKQA
AKQA (3.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. 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.
Huge Inc (3.5/5) is worth a look if you need large-scale web platform modernization. If your situation matches that, Huge Inc is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Huge Inc vs AKQA FAQ
Is Huge Inc better than AKQA?
AKQA (3.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Huge Inc's strongest advantage: 26 years of enterprise digital design history and case studies. AKQA's strongest advantage: 6,000 people across 50 countries make it one of the largest networks in this pool.
How do Huge Inc and AKQA differ in pricing?
Huge Inc uses project-based, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. AKQA uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) 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: Huge Inc or AKQA?
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 Huge Inc and AKQA?
Huge Inc's primary differentiator is: one of the oldest agency names in this pool, freshly rebuilt through a 2024 AEA Investors acquisition and Hero Digital merger. 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. They also differ in team size (~1,240 vs ~6,000), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Enterprise transformation, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.