Alternatives & competitors

Top 10 Essential Designs alternatives

Snapshot

Essential Designs at a glance

Here's what Essential Designs has listed on this profile:

Hourly rate: $50 - $99
Minimum project size: $10,000+
Company size: 10 - 49 employees
Founded: 2008

Listed locations:

HQ: Vancouver, Canada

Primary service focus ("Focus"):

100%
Custom Software Development

Direction focus

50%Web Development
50%Mobile Development

Platforms

20%AWS
20%Linux server
20%Windows server
10%GCP
10%Azure
10%Other
10%Heroku

Side by side

Quick comparison

All numbers below are taken from the alternatives page cards (rate, min project, size, founded, location/presence, focus).

	Essential Designs	Sunflower Lab	AITECHMA	Digital Fusion
Tagline	Custom Software Development Specialists	INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION	Software Design and Development As A Service	FileMaker Experts - Innovation For Work
Foundation year	2008	2010	2017	1999
Min. project size	$10,000+	$25,000+	$1,000+	$10,000+
Hourly rate	$50 - $99	$50 - $99	$25 - $49	$150 - $199
Employees	10 - 49	50 - 249	10 - 49	10 - 49
Headquarters	Vancouver, Canada	Somerset, United States	Lagos, Nigeria	Christchurch, New Zealand
Services	100% 100%Custom Software	100% 100%Custom Software	100% 100%Custom Software	100% 100%Custom Software
Industries	50% 50%Other	100% 100%Information technology	90% 90%Information technology	—
Client sizes	60% 60%Small Business (<$10M)	—	40% 40%Midmarket ($10M - $1B)	100% 100%Small Business (<$10M)

Top 10 alternatives to Essential Designs

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#01Sunflower Lab
INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
View Portfolio
Pros
- Impressive design process noted
- Experienced with larger projects
- Good user feedback on designs
Cons
- Higher minimum project size
- Significantly higher hourly rate
- May be overqualified for smaller projects
$50 - $99
50 - 249
Founded in 2010
$25,000+
Somerset
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#02AITECHMA
Software Design and Development As A Service
View Portfolio
Pros
- Competitive pricing
- Positive user feedback on project completion
- Focus on software design as a service
Cons
- Limited to Nigeria, may affect outreach
- Newer company may lack experience
- Team size could limit project capacity
$25 - $49
10 - 49
Founded in 2017
$1,000+
Lagos
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#03Digital Fusion
FileMaker Experts - Innovation For Work
View Portfolio
Pros
- Established company with great reputation
- Strong user feedback on professionalism
- Expertise in FileMaker and innovation
Cons
- High hourly rate compared to Essential Designs
- Minimum project size is high
- Geographic limitations may exist
$150 - $199
10 - 49
Founded in 1999
$10,000+
Christchurch
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#04Elluminati Inc
On Demand Mobile App Development Company
View Portfolio
Pros
- Strong understanding of business models
- Positive user feedback
- Competitive pricing
Cons
- Limited to mobile app development
- Only established in 2012
- Requires minimum project size of $5,000
$25 - $49
50 - 249
Founded in 2012
$5,000+
Rajkot
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#05Decabits Software
Web & Mobile Development Company
View Portfolio
Pros
- Innovative solution provider
- Cost-effective with good user feedback
- Established in a growing market
Cons
- Minimum project size is high
- Limited experience compared to older agencies
- Newer firm, thus may lack resources
$25 - $49
10 - 49
Founded in 2018
$25,000+
Delhi
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#06freevision
We build great web & mobile applications
View Portfolio
Pros
- Moderate pricing similar to Essential Designs
- Good customer service as per feedback
- Balanced team size for diverse projects
Cons
- Limited geographic recognition
- Similar agency offerings with competition
- Established slightly later than Essentials
$50 - $99
10 - 49
Founded in 2012
$10,000+
Bratislava
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#07Exelor
Web and mobile app development services
View Portfolio
Pros
- Very low project thresholds
- Growing expertise in web development
- Flexible pricing
Cons
- Very small team limits resources
- Newly established may lack stability
- Limited user feedback available
$25 - $49
2 - 9
Founded in 2019
$5,000+
Kharkiv
Verified
Focus
50% Custom Software
50%50% Custom Software
50%50% AI SaaS Development
#08Vindaloo Softtech Pvt. Ltd.
Custom Software Development
View Portfolio
Pros
- Lower hourly rates than Essential Designs
- Well-established in the US market
- Suitable for small to medium projects
Cons
- Limited user opinions available
- Fewer years of experience
- Fewer employees might limit scalability
$25 - $49
10 - 49
Founded in 2016
$10,000+
New York City
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#09Trunao LLC
Easy to Use, manage infinite data Hustle free with Trunao
View Portfolio
Pros
- Very low minimum project size
- Lowest hourly rate among competitors
- Simple and user-friendly solutions
Cons
- Newer company with limited credibility
- Very small team, fewer resources
- Potentially less experience in large projects
< $25 / hr
2 - 9
Founded in 2017
$1,000+
Fremont
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software
#10jiWeb Technologies
Software Solutions
View Portfolio
Pros
- Strong team size for larger projects
- Competitive pricing for services
- Specialized in software solutions
Cons
- Only recently established
- User opinions not available
- Higher rates compared to Trunao LLC
$25 - $49
50 - 249
Founded in 2017
$10,000+
Mohali
Verified
Focus
100% Custom Software
100%100% Custom Software

Decide with confidence

How to choose

Quick pointers comparing pricing, location and capabilities across leading alternatives.

Cost and engagement

Vindaloo Softtech offers lower hourly rates ($25 - $49) compared to Essential Designs.

Trunao LLC has a significantly lower project entry point ($1,000+) which makes it accessible for smaller budgets.

jiWeb Technologies also matches Essential Designs' project size minimums but at a lower hourly rate.

Digital Fusion, despite higher rates ($150 - $199), may offer superior specialization for high-budget projects.

Geography

Decabits Software and Elluminati Inc. provide competitive services from India, which can offer cost benefits for U.S. companies looking to outsource.

AITECHMA and jiWeb Technologies from Nigeria and India respectively may offer compelling benefits for businesses seeking global development support.

Sunflower Lab and Digital Fusion are strong competitors within the U.S., ideal for clients wanting local partnerships.

Trunao LLC operates within the U.S., making them a suitable option for companies needing local expertise.

Capabilities and tech

Essential Designs, alongside Digital Fusion, offers high-quality custom software solutions, making them strong contenders for specific technology needs.

Sunflower Lab combines business, technology, and innovation for a comprehensive development approach.

Vindaloo Softtech brings a diverse technology stack at a competitive price point, enhancing its value proposition.

AITECHMA offers a streamlined design and development service which can cater to various customer needs efficiently.

Guidance

Recommendations

Pick the right agency for your needs with these quick pointers.

Trunao LLC is ideal for startups or small businesses with its low project minimum of $1,000 and hourly rates under $25.
Consider Sunflower Lab or Digital Fusion for projects requiring U.S.-based expertise and local engagement, especially at higher budgets.
Essential Designs is suitable for companies seeking a reliable long-term partnership in custom software development due to their established presence since 2008.
Digital Fusion excels with its niche in FileMaker and business innovation, making it a strong choice for specialized B2B projects.
Essential Designs and Sunflower Lab both provide tailored custom solutions ideal for businesses facing specific operational challenges.

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