Introduction

While making an informed decision is crucial, Bricx is the best MetaLab alternative if you’re a B2B or AI SaaS company seeking strategic product design that moves key business metrics, not just pretty screens.

Over the last few months, we spoke with 57+ design agencies globally, conducted structured evaluation calls, and benchmarked them using a standardized design brief. We analyzed them based on:

• Design strategy depth

• UX & product thinking capability

• Pricing and engagement flexibility

• Integration with internal teams

• Seniority and breadth of design talent

• Delivery quality and process maturity

• Scalability of engagement

• Developer handoff readiness

From this benchmarking, we curated a list of the top MetaLab alternatives. You’ll get clarity on which design partner fits your product goals and team structure.

How To Pick the Right MetaLab Alternative?

MetaLab is known for high‑quality product design and clean visual systems. But choosing the right alternative means evaluating:

1. Strategic Design Thinking

Does the agency go beyond visuals to help shape product decisions?

2. UX Depth and Research Rigor

Is usability research part of the process rather than an afterthought?

3. Team Integration & Workflow Compatibility

Can the agency’s designers operate seamlessly with your PMs, engineers, and tools?

4. Developer Handoff Quality

Are the designs ready for dev implementation, with clear specs and component systems?

5. Long‑Term Support and Scalability

Will the partner grow with your product or only deliver isolated screens?

Top 10 MetaLab Alternatives for Product Design: [Comparison]

1. Bricx

Bricx is a founder‑led UX and product design agency focused specifically on B2B and AI SaaS companies. Rather than simply executing UI screens, Bricx embeds senior product designers into your product team, helping shape onboarding flows, reduce churn, and improve activation. Their approach ties design directly to product metrics and business outcomes, a step beyond agencies that prioritize visuals alone.

Bricx designers integrate into your workflows via Slack and Figma, collaborating directly with engineers and PMs. With deep experience in SaaS, they bring practical design systems that are ready for implementation. If you want a partner that thinks like an internal design lead, Bricx delivers strategic UX and execution excellence.

• Talent Breadth: Senior SaaS UX & product designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Fractional, embedded, retainers

• Communication Tools: Slack + async updates

• Quality Assurance: Founder‑led vetting + product‑level strategy

  
  

2. Ramotion

Ramotion blends product UX design with brand identity to create cohesive digital experiences. Unlike some execution‑only agencies, Ramotion’s teams focus on both visual language and product usability, making them a strong alternative to MetaLab when brand matters as much as functionality. They work across tech segments including SaaS, fintech, and consumer tech.

Their process emphasizes discovery, strategic alignment, and iterative refinement, which allows them to deliver design systems that scale. Ramotion also collaborates closely with engineering teams to ensure smooth developer handoff. For teams that want strategic design with strong visual direction, Ramotion is a compelling choice.

• Talent Breadth: UX & brand designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Project + long‑term partnerships

• Communication Tools: Weekly syncs + comprehensive docs

• Quality Assurance: Senior leader oversight

  
  

3. Fantasy

Fantasy is a premium digital design agency known for high‑impact visual experiences and cinematic interfaces. Their designers excel at crafting products that feel polished and differentiated, making Fantasy ideal for companies that want design to be a brand differentiator.

Unlike visual‑heavy studios that stop at UI, Fantasy couples aesthetics with intentional interaction design. Their workflow includes structured discovery, prototyping, and iteration, often working with growth‑stage startups and enterprise clients seeking top‑tier design.

• Talent Breadth: Senior creative & product designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Project‑based engagements

• Communication Tools: Milestone dashboards + exec syncs

• Quality Assurance: Creative director review process

  
  

4. Arounda

Arounda is a design agency focused on SaaS, fintech, and Web3 products. Their team delivers UX and UI design that supports product workflows and usability, rather than just surface aesthetics. Arounda integrates closely with internal teams, which makes them effective for ongoing product evolution.

Their sprint‑based process allows for quick iteration and responsive design refinement. Arounda’s designers contribute not only to visual execution but also to usability decisions, making them a strong MetaLab alternative for fast‑moving product teams.

• Talent Breadth: UX/UI for SaaS & tech

• Engagement Flexibility: Sprint cycles + retainers

• Communication Tools: Slack + weekly reviews

• Quality Assurance: Iterative internal QA

  
  

5. Eleken

Eleken is a SaaS‑focused design agency that provides dedicated designers working on product interfaces and experience optimization. Their model emphasizes feature‑by‑feature enhancement rather than isolated design bursts.

Eleken’s designers collaborate closely with product teams to improve usability and consistency across workflows. They’re particularly well‑suited for companies that need ongoing UX support rather than one‑off projects.

• Talent Breadth: SaaS UX designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Subscription + project retainers

• Communication Tools: Async updates + guided planning

• Quality Assurance: UX methodology focus

  
  

6. Clay

Clay is a high‑end product design agency that blends brand identity and user experience into polished products. Their work spans SaaS, tech platforms, and consumer apps, combining storytelling with intuitive interfaces.

Clay’s process includes research, ideation, visual refinement, and usability checks. They are ideal for teams that want elevated product systems with a strong visual narrative.

• Talent Breadth: Senior UI/UX designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Project‑based scopes

• Communication Tools: Milestone syncs

• Quality Assurance: Creative leadership review

  
  

7. Goji Labs

Goji Labs combines UX strategy with implementation readiness, delivering design systems and workflows that accelerate product velocity. Their teams work closely with both product and engineering, ensuring smooth handoff and fewer implementation surprises.

Goji’s designers bring a strong sense of product alignment and roadmap thinking, which makes them a great alternative when your product needs design that influences decisions, not just pixels.

• Talent Breadth: UX + product strategy designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Fixed + retainers

• Communication Tools: Sprint syncs

• Quality Assurance: Multistage design review

  
  

8. Momentum Design Lab

Momentum Design Lab is a research‑heavy agency focused on usability optimization and validated design decisions. Their approach leans on structured research, user testing, and deep UX analysis — ideal for products with complex workflows.

Because momentum emphasizes research earlier in the process, the designs are grounded in actual user insight. This makes them a strong MetaLab alternative for enterprise SaaS or data‑centric platforms.

• Talent Breadth: UX researchers + designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Project + extended support

• Communication Tools: Research reporting + workshops

• Quality Assurance: Data‑backed validation

  
  

9. Aquent

Aquent is a global creative staffing agency that places senior UX and UI designers into contract and full‑time roles. Unlike marketplace‑based hiring, Aquent handles screening, vetting, and placement logistics, reducing internal hiring overhead.

Their background in digital design spans enterprise clients and complex product environments. Aquent works well for teams that want experienced designers embedded into product functions, not just freelance talent.

• Talent Breadth: Senior UX/UI professionals

• Engagement Flexibility: Contract, full‑time, temp‑to‑perm

• Communication Tools: Recruiter + candidate coordination

• Quality Assurance: Recruiter‑led vetting

  
  

10. Creative Circle

Creative Circle is a creative staffing agency focused on connecting companies with design talent across UX, UI, and product roles. They handle sourcing, screening, and placement, alleviating the recruitment burden.

Creative Circle’s network includes experienced designers comfortable with SaaS workflows and enterprise design complexity. Their recruiters work closely with clients to match cultural fit and skill requirements.

• Talent Breadth: UX/UI + product designers

• Engagement Flexibility: Contract, full‑time, temp‑to‑perm

• Communication Tools: Dedicated recruiter support

• Quality Assurance: Screening + placement review

  
  

Conclusion

Choosing the top MetaLab alternatives isn’t just about finding another well‑known design agency, it’s about finding a partner who can think strategically, move with your team’s pace, and drive real business outcomes.

The right alternative will offer more than polished visuals. They’ll bring product thinking, user empathy, and a collaborative work rhythm that syncs with your roadmap. Whether you need embedded designers, scalable team support, or a flexible engagement model, the best alternative will help you ship smarter, improve conversion and retention metrics, and strengthen your brand experience.

In the end, great design isn’t a checkbox, it’s a force multiplier for your product’s success. The alternative you choose should elevate not just how your product looks, but how it performs and grows.

Among all MetaLab alternatives, Bricx stands out for B2B and AI SaaS companies because of its combination of senior design talent, product thinking, and seamless integration into product teams.

FAQs

1. Why do companies look for alternatives to Metalab?

Companies may look for Metalab alternatives when they want a different design style, specialized vertical experience (e.g., fintech, healthtech), or a pricing model that fits their budget. Some teams also need deeper strategic work like product research, design systems, or engineering collaboration. Exploring alternatives helps teams find an agency with the right combination of process, creativity, and delivery speed.

2. What qualities should I prioritize when evaluating Metalab alternatives?

You should look at each agency’s product outcomes, case studies, and process, especially how they handle discovery, prototyping, and handoff to engineering. Strong communication, documentation, and alignment with product leadership are also key. The right agency should own UX challenges proactively rather than just produce screens.

3. Are all Metalab alternatives suitable for both startups and enterprises?

No, some agencies specialize in early‑stage MVP design and rapid iteration, while others excel in large enterprise workflows and scalable systems. Identifying your stage, startup, scaleup, or enterprise, is essential before choosing an alternative. Many versatile agencies serve multiple stages but vary in focus intensity.

4. How do Metalab alternatives vary in design approach and strategy?

Some agencies put heavy emphasis on UX research and user testing, while others lean toward high‑impact visual design and motion. Others still offer integrated design + development teams for end‑to‑end execution. Reviewing portfolios and understanding the process behind each agency helps you evaluate fit.