Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Fresh Tilled Soil (3.9/5) edges ahead of Doberman (3.8/5) overall. Fresh Tilled Soil is the better choice for Mid-market, enterprise — long-tenured Boston UX boutique. Doberman is the stronger option for Nordic/European enterprises, service design backed by EY network. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Doberman | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 | 2005 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden (also Oslo and Copenhagen) | Boston, MA, USA |
| Team size | 100+ (within EY's global network) | 11–50 |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Nearly three decades of Nordic service-and-product-design work, now backed by EY's global consulting network after its majority-stake acquisition | 700+ delivered projects over two decades from a compact 11–50 person team, now operating inside the ADK Group |
| Pricing model | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) | Fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite | Figma, Sketch, React |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products |
Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil: overview
Doberman
Doberman started in Stockholm in 1998 and grew into a 100+ person design and innovation firm with studios in Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen before EY acquired a majority stake, folding it into EY's much larger consulting network. Its client list spans Google, Swedish banks, and public-sector organizations, and Doberman positions itself around service and product innovation rather than pure visual design — helping organizations design new services and customer experiences, not just interfaces.
Fresh Tilled Soil
Fresh Tilled Soil opened in Boston in 2005, building a UX/UI design and front-end development practice with clients including FedEx, GE, Titleist, and Boston Private Bank across more than 700 projects. In 2020 the firm joined ADK Group, operating today as "Fresh Tilled Soil, an ADK Group Company" — a detail worth knowing since it's no longer fully independent. The team stays compact at 11–50 people, keeping the studio boutique in feel even inside a larger group structure.
Services and capabilities: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Capability | Doberman | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Framework / platform | Doberman | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Criterion | Doberman | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Dimension | Doberman | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | Service design for a Nordic bank or public-sector organization, Product innovation engagement backed by a large consulting network | UX/UI redesign for a mid-market or enterprise brand, Front-end development paired with UX design for an existing product |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil: pros and cons
| Doberman | |
|---|---|
| + | Nearly three decades of continuous operation since 1998, longer than most European boutiques on this list |
| + | Three-city Nordic studio footprint (Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen) |
| + | EY's majority-stake backing provides access to a much larger global consulting network |
| + | Client list includes Google alongside major Swedish banks and public-sector organizations |
| - | Majority acquired by EY, so clients are hiring into a large consulting network rather than an independent boutique |
| - | Nordic-centered office footprint may mean less overlap with US or APAC business hours |
| - | Team size figures blend Doberman's own ~100 staff with EY's much larger combined network, making direct capacity comparison harder |
| Fresh Tilled Soil | |
|---|---|
| + | 700+ delivered projects since 2005 across a named client list including FedEx and GE |
| + | Two decades of continuous operation under the same brand |
| + | Compact 11–50 person team keeps client relationships direct |
| + | ADK Group membership since 2020 adds access to a broader group's resources |
| - | No longer fully independent — operates as part of ADK Group since 2020 |
| - | An 11–50 person team caps capacity for very large, multi-workstream programs |
| - | Pricing and minimum engagement size aren't published |
Who should choose Doberman?
A typical fit: service design for a Nordic bank or public-sector organization.
Nearly three decades of Nordic service-and-product-design work, now backed by EY's global consulting network after its majority-stake acquisition. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation.
Who should choose Fresh Tilled Soil?
A typical fit: UX/UI redesign for a mid-market or enterprise brand.
700+ delivered projects over two decades from a compact 11–50 person team, now operating inside the ADK Group. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products.
Decision matrix: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Doberman |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Fresh Tilled Soil |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Doberman (Not published) vs Fresh Tilled Soil (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Doberman |
| 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: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Use case | Doberman fit | Fresh Tilled Soil fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service design for a Nordic bank or public-sector organization | Strong | Limited | Doberman |
| Product innovation engagement backed by a large consulting network | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| UX/UI redesign for a mid-market or enterprise brand | Limited | Strong | Fresh Tilled Soil |
| Front-end development paired with UX design for an existing product | Limited | Strong | Fresh Tilled Soil |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil
Fresh Tilled Soil (3.9/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. 700+ delivered projects over two decades from a compact 11–50 person team, now operating inside the ADK Group.
Doberman (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need product innovation engagement backed by a large consulting network. If your situation matches that, Doberman is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Doberman vs Fresh Tilled Soil FAQ
Is Doberman better than Fresh Tilled Soil?
Fresh Tilled Soil (3.9/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Doberman's strongest advantage: nearly three decades of continuous operation since 1998, longer than most European boutiques on this list. Fresh Tilled Soil's strongest advantage: 700+ delivered projects since 2005 across a named client list including FedEx and GE.
How do Doberman and Fresh Tilled Soil differ in pricing?
Doberman uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Fresh Tilled Soil 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: Doberman or Fresh Tilled Soil?
Fresh Tilled Soil is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each agency before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Doberman and Fresh Tilled Soil?
Doberman's primary differentiator is: nearly three decades of Nordic service-and-product-design work, now backed by EY's global consulting network after its majority-stake acquisition. Fresh Tilled Soil's primary differentiator is: 700+ delivered projects over two decades from a compact 11–50 person team, now operating inside the ADK Group. They also differ in team size (100+ (within EY's global network) vs 11–50), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Enterprise transformation, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.