By Noah Bergström, Design Editor
Last updated September 2, 2026
02 of 7 in the rankingSan Francisco, United States
Clay
Clay ranks second of seven in our editorial ranking at 87 out of 100: a 10 to 49 person design studio in San Francisco, United States, rated 4.8 on Clutch across 32 reviews, with a $50,000 minimum.
A San Francisco brand and interface studio for enterprise, with Facebook and Google named
Key facts
- Clutch rating
- 4.8 / 5
- 32 reviews
- Minimum project
- $50,000+
- Hourly band
- $150 to $199/hr
- Team size
- 10 to 49
- Clutch band
- Founded
- 2009
- Offices
- 3
- San Francisco, CA / New York, NY / Austin, TX
Clay as a studio
Clay is one of the few studios in this batch where branding is a named, weighted practice. Its tagline calls it a UI/UX design and branding agency in San Francisco and lists Facebook, Google and Slack among clients. Clutch puts UX/UI design at 30 percent, web design 30 percent, branding 20 percent and low-code 10 percent. Enterprise is 70 percent of the client base and fintech 40 percent of industries. Founded 2009 with 10 to 49 people across San Francisco, New York and Austin, it charges $150 - $199 / hr with a $50,000+ minimum.
Who it fits
Hire Clay when you are an enterprise or well-funded fintech that wants identity, website and product interface designed as one system by a senior US studio with big-name references. It is not for early budgets; the $50,000+ floor and enterprise weighting say so plainly.
Strengths
- Branding at 20 percent of the mix, with a comprehensive brand identity and a brand system refresh in reviews.
- Animation and a scalable design framework credited for an AI web app MVP.
- Three US offices at boutique scale, with a 4.8 across 32 Clutch reviews.
Watch-outs
- A $50,000+ minimum and $150 - $199 / hr rates put it out of range for most startups.
- Enterprise at 70 percent of clients means process and stakeholder management, not scrappy iteration.
Evidence
- Service mix: UX/UI design 30 percent, web design 30 percent, branding 20 percent, low-code development 10 percent; design share 80 percent.
- A Clutch reviewer says the team "created wireframes, visual mockups, animations, and design assets for an AI-powered web app MVP".
- Offices in San Francisco, New York and Austin; founded 2009; clients 70 percent enterprise, 20 percent mid-market.
Editorial score: 2 of 7
Clay is the strongest second pick in this ranking at 87 out of 100, and the closest thing on the list to a full-service partner that still designs like a boutique. Its 37 out of 40 on design taste is the second-highest score here, built on a client list that runs Meta, Google, Slack, Coinbase and Stripe, with fintech and crypto brands doing most of the heavy lifting, and its 24 out of 25 on craft is the highest in the field: a decade of documented process sits behind the polish. What keeps it at second is scope. Clay sells brand identity and product design as one package, and its 14 out of 20 on specialization reflects a portfolio where the identity work talks at least as loudly as the interface work. The provenance is also muddier than the polish suggests: the studio dates itself to 2016 while Clutch lists 2009, and Clutch puts the headcount in a 10-to-49 band against the roughly 78 people Clay reports itself, a gap worth resolving on the first call if bench size matters to your scope. The review trail is otherwise strong, at 4.8 across 32 reviews.
87/100
- Design Taste
- 37/40
- Craft & Portfolio
- 24/25
- Specialization
- 14/20
- Team Depth
- 12/15
Best for: Funded companies that want brand identity and product design from one team
What Clay reports it does
Self-reported shares from the studio’s Clutch profile. Design disciplines are 80% of the service mix; identity work (branding and graphic design) is 20% and interface work (UX/UI and product design) is 30%.
Service mix
Industry mix
Client mix
What clients hired Clay for
“Clay provided branding and UX/UI services for a real estate AI assistant company. The team was responsible for developing a comprehensive brand identity and creating design wireframes and a handoff app file.”
Clutch reviewer, project summary
“Clay offered UX/UI design and branding services for a portfolio management solutions company. The team was responsible for redesigning the client's website, focusing on UX/UI, and refreshing their brand system.”
Clutch reviewer, project summary
“A software company hired Clay for UI/UX design services. The team created wireframes, visual mockups, animations, and design assets for an AI-powered web app MVP. They also built a scalable design framework.”
Clutch reviewer, project summary
“Clay redesigned a website's UX/UI for an education company. The team built the front- and backend, integrated the client's sister company into the platform, and added navigation and post-purchase functionalities.”
Clutch reviewer, project summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clay a branding agency or a UX agency?
Both by its own description. Its tagline calls it a UI/UX design and branding agency, and Clutch shows branding at 20 percent alongside UX/UI and web design at 30 percent each. Reviews include a full brand identity and a brand system refresh.
Who are Clay's clients?
Its tagline names Facebook, Google and Slack. On Clutch, enterprise is 70 percent of the client base and fintech is 40 percent of the industry mix, with B2B services and healthcare at 20 percent each.
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Facts per Clutch profile, retrieved August 24, 2026: https://clutch.co/profile/clay. Editorially independent. No studio paid to be included or ranked.