Doberman vs Onething Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Doberman (3.8/5) edges ahead of Onething Design (3.8/5) overall. Doberman is the better choice for Nordic/European enterprises, service design backed by EY network. Onething Design is the stronger option for companies wanting BFSI, healthcare, automotive — one studio, five verticals. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Doberman vs Onething Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Doberman | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 | 2015 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden (also Oslo and Copenhagen) | Gurugram, India (also Bangalore and San Francisco) |
| Team size | 100+ (within EY's global network) | 52–73 |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.8 / 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 | 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, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite | Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite |
| Industries served | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation, Healthcare, Automotive & mobility |
Doberman vs Onething Design: 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.
Onething Design
What's now Onething Design took its current name in 2015, renamed from an earlier predecessor called Ketchup Designs Studio — so its founding date is treated as approximate. The studio runs out of Gurugram, India with offices in Bangalore and San Francisco, reporting 52–73 employees depending on source. Where most of the boutiques in this list specialize in one or two verticals, Onething goes broad: BFSI, consumer products, enterprise, healthcare, and automotive all sit inside one team's portfolio.
Services and capabilities: Doberman vs Onething Design
| Capability | Doberman | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Doberman vs Onething Design
| Framework / platform | Doberman | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | N/A | 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 Onething Design
| Criterion | Doberman | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable) |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Doberman vs Onething Design
| Dimension | Doberman | Onething Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation | Financial services / fintech, Consumer products, Enterprise transformation |
| Best use cases | Service design for a Nordic bank or public-sector organization, Product innovation engagement backed by a large consulting network | BFSI product design for a bank or insurer, Automotive digital interface design |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Doberman vs Onething Design: 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 |
| 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 roster |
| + | A decade of operation under its current name, with roots stretching back further |
| - | Founding year is approximate — the studio 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 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 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: Doberman vs Onething Design
| 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 | Onething Design |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Doberman (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: Doberman vs Onething Design
| Use case | Doberman fit | Onething Design 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 |
| 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: Doberman vs Onething Design
Doberman (3.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. Nearly three decades of Nordic service-and-product-design work, now backed by EY's global consulting network after its majority-stake acquisition.
Onething Design (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need automotive digital interface design. If your situation matches that, Onething Design is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Doberman vs Onething Design FAQ
Is Doberman better than Onething Design?
Doberman (3.8/5) 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. Onething Design's strongest advantage: covers five distinct industries from a single team, useful for clients working across multiple verticals.
How do Doberman and Onething Design differ in pricing?
Doberman 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: Doberman or Onething Design?
Onething Design 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 Onething Design?
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. 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 (100+ (within EY's global network) vs 52–73), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10K (per company website; independently unverifiable)), and primary industries served (Financial services / fintech, Enterprise transformation vs Financial services / fintech, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.