Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Fresh Tilled Soil (3.9/5) edges ahead of Frog (3.7/5) overall. Fresh Tilled Soil is the better choice for Mid-market, enterprise — long-tenured Boston UX boutique. Frog is the stronger option for Enterprises, digital plus physical product design, one team. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Frog | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 | 2005 |
| HQ | San Francisco, CA, USA | Boston, MA, USA |
| Team size | 2,000+ | 11–50 |
| Rating | 3.7 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software — a combined scope most of its peers have abandoned | 700+ delivered projects over two decades from a compact 11–50 person team, now operating inside the ADK Group |
| Pricing model | Project-based, enterprise consulting engagements | Fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro | Figma, Sketch, React |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products |
Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil: overview
Frog
The frog name has carried through several owners since its 1969 start as Esslinger Design — Aricent, then Altran, then Capgemini, which folded the studio into Capgemini Invent in 2019. Since then, Capgemini has consolidated Fahrenheit 212, Idean, and June21 under the same brand, landing at roughly 2,000 people across 35 studios. The trait that still separates frog from most names on this list: it designs physical products — IoT devices, automotive interiors, medical hardware — with the same team that handles software, a combination getting rarer every year.
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: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Capability | Frog | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Framework / platform | Frog | 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 |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Criterion | Frog | 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: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Dimension | Frog | Fresh Tilled Soil |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | IoT and connected hardware product design, Automotive and smart-home interface design | 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 |
Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil: pros and cons
| Frog | |
|---|---|
| + | Combined software-and-hardware design capability spanning IoT, automotive, and medical devices |
| + | 35 studios worldwide support genuine multi-region enterprise delivery |
| + | Over five decades of design history and case studies to draw on |
| + | Capgemini Invent backing adds broader technology-consulting resources on top of design |
| - | Now a Capgemini Invent brand rather than an independent studio — a structural fact worth disclosing to clients |
| - | Multiple legacy agencies (Fahrenheit 212, Idean, June21) were folded into the frog name, risking inconsistent team continuity |
| - | Large consulting-firm overhead can slow faster-moving engagements relative to boutique studios |
| 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 Frog?
A typical fit: IoT and connected hardware product design.
Still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software — a combined scope most of its peers have abandoned. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Healthcare.
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: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Frog |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Fresh Tilled Soil |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Frog (Not published) vs Fresh Tilled Soil (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Frog |
| 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: Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil
| Use case | Frog fit | Fresh Tilled Soil fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IoT and connected hardware product design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| Automotive and smart-home interface design | Strong | Limited | Frog |
| 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: Frog 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.
Frog (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need automotive and smart-home interface design. If your situation matches that, Frog is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Frog vs Fresh Tilled Soil FAQ
Is Frog better than Fresh Tilled Soil?
Fresh Tilled Soil (3.9/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Frog's strongest advantage: combined software-and-hardware design capability spanning IoT, automotive, and medical devices. Fresh Tilled Soil's strongest advantage: 700+ delivered projects since 2005 across a named client list including FedEx and GE.
How do Frog and Fresh Tilled Soil differ in pricing?
Frog uses project-based, enterprise consulting engagements 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: Frog or Fresh Tilled Soil?
Frog 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 Frog and Fresh Tilled Soil?
Frog's primary differentiator is: still designs physical hardware (IoT, automotive, medical devices) alongside software — a combined scope most of its peers have abandoned. 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 (2,000+ vs 11–50), 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 agency before making a decision.