MetaLab vs Instrument

Between MetaLab and Instrument, MetaLab is the stronger pick on our scoring: it ranks third of seven at 83 out of 100 against Instrument at 81, and takes 35 out of 40 on design taste to 34.

The table below puts their Clutch facts side by side, and the two lists after it say which one to pick depending on whether you are buying identity, interface, or both.

Side by side

Fact	MetaLab	Instrument
Editorial rank	3 of 7	4 of 7
Editorial score	83/100	81/100
Design taste (of 40)	35	34
Craft and portfolio (of 25)	22	22
Clutch rating	No Clutch rating	No Clutch rating
Minimum project	$100,000+	$250,000+
Hourly band	Undisclosed	$200 to $300/hr
Team size (Clutch)	50 to 249	250 to 999
Founded	2006	2002
Headquarters	Vancouver, Canada	Portland, United States
Top service	Product Design (40%)	UX/UI Design (30%)
Branding + graphic design share	10%	0%
UX/UI + product design share	65%	30%
Top industry	Not listed	Media & Entertainment (20%)
Largest client segment	Mid-Market (50%)	Enterprise (50%)
Design share of services	75%	50%

In brief

MetaLab

Metalab's own line is simple: we make interfaces. It describes itself as the team behind interfaces used by billions of people, working since 2006 with companies it names as Slack, Coinbase, Amazon, Google and TED. It is 50 to 249 people in Vancouver and Victoria, and its mix is product design 40 percent, UX/UI 25 percent, branding 10 percent, custom software 25 percent, a 75 percent design share. Mid-market clients are half the book. The minimum project is $100,000+; hourly rates are undisclosed. There is no Clutch rating or review on record.

Instrument

Instrument is a 250 to 999 person studio in Portland, Oregon, founded in 2002. Its mix is UX/UI design 30 percent, digital strategy 20 percent, web development 20 percent and video production 10 percent, a 50 percent design share. Industries split evenly across media and entertainment, B2B services, software and retail at 20 percent each, and clients are exactly half enterprise, half mid-market, with no startups at all. The minimum project is $250,000+ at $200 to $300 per hour. There is no Clutch rating or review on record.

Which one to choose

Each point below is derived from a fact where the two profiles differ, so the same fact never argues both ways.

Choose MetaLab if

You want a lower published floor: MetaLab starts at $100,000 against Instrument's $250,000.
You want a boutique where the senior designers do the work: MetaLab runs at 50 to 249 people rather than Instrument's 250 to 999.
You are buying identity, typography and a visual system: MetaLab reports 10% branding and graphic design against Instrument's 0%.
You are buying interface and product detail rather than a brand: MetaLab reports 65% UX/UI and product design against Instrument's 30%.
Taste is the deciding factor: we score MetaLab 35 out of 40 on design taste against 34 for Instrument.
You trust our overall scoring: MetaLab ranks #3 with 83/100 against #4 at 81.

Choose Instrument if

You need a bigger bench: Instrument lists 250 to 999 people on Clutch, MetaLab lists 50 to 249.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you choose MetaLab or Instrument?

MetaLab, on our scoring. It ranks third of seven at 83 out of 100 against Instrument at 81, and leads on design taste at 35 out of 40 to 34 and on specialization at 13 out of 20 to 12. Instrument is the better fit where its own strengths matter more to you: big-tech and consumer brands that need brand plus product plus campaign in one engagement.

How do MetaLab and Instrument differ on price?

MetaLab publishes a $100,000 minimum and an undisclosed hourly rate; Instrument publishes a $250,000 minimum and $200 to $300 per hour. That puts MetaLab in first at 2.5 times the lower floor, so the entry ticket, not the day rate, is usually what decides this one. Both figures are self-reported on Clutch and were retrieved August 24, 2026.

How do MetaLab and Instrument differ on scope?

MetaLab reports 10% branding and graphic design against 65% UX/UI and product design; Instrument reports 0% and 30%. On bench, MetaLab lists 50 to 249 people on Clutch and Instrument lists 250 to 999, which is the difference between senior designers on the work directly and the capacity to run several workstreams at once. Buy identity from whichever leads the first pair of numbers, interface from whichever leads the second.

Other comparisons with MetaLab or Instrument

Clutch facts retrieved August 24, 2026 from MetaLab and Instrument. Editorial scores from our methodology. Editorially independent. No studio paid to be included or ranked.