Artone Studio vs HEX Studio: Which Design Partner Fits Startups Best?
TL,DR
HEX Studio is a high-end creative agency known for full-cycle brand projects that include strategy, a new website, illustration, and marketing assets. Most fixed-bid projects start at $30k and can range to $150k. They sometimes work monthly on a custom basis, including maintenance and a flexible “subscription” model when deliverables are not fixed.
Artone Studio is a small, senior, embedded design partner for startups. We work on a flexible monthly subscription at $3,995, or custom scopes. Founders get fast, product-minded design across product, brand, and web, including Framer development, with no contracts and a 75 percent first-week refund.
Verdict: HEX Studio suits high-budget brand programs with broad creative scope. Artone Studio is the smarter, more agile choice for early-stage founders who need ongoing, cross-functional design with predictable cost and speed.
What Each Service Is
HEX Studio positions as a creative partner for select full-cycle brand engagements. Their best offer bundles strategy, end-to-end website, custom illustration, and marketing assets. They also support maintenance and can engage monthly with a squad when scope is not fixed, collaborating on timelines.
Artone Studio is a senior, hands-on design studio built for startups and growing teams. We focus on product design, web design, and branding, plus Framer development. Our model gives founders ongoing access to high-level design without hiring overhead, with week-to-week momentum and quick iterations that feel in-house.
Pricing and Value
HEX Studio
Fixed-bid projects generally start at $30k and can range up to $150k. They sometimes offer monthly collaboration and discounted maintenance, but monthly rates are custom and not publicly listed. This suits well-funded teams seeking a comprehensive brand and site overhaul.
Artone Studio
$3,995 per month with roughly 2 to 3 tasks per week, unlimited stakeholders and brands, Slack collaboration, optional calls, and a 75 percent refund in the first week if not satisfied. Pause or cancel anytime. For early-stage teams balancing burn, this delivers predictable access to senior design at a fraction of typical agency retainers.
Delivery Model and Speed
HEX Studio works in traditional agency phases for strategy, creative concept, and production. This ensures depth for brand programs, but timelines tend to follow milestone-based schedules. Their flexible monthly option exists for fluid initiatives, though details are custom.
Artone Studio is built for velocity. Requests land in Slack or via Loom. Most tasks complete within two business days. Larger initiatives like full sites or design systems are split into focused tasks with updates every 24 to 48 hours. The cadence stays tight so founders maintain momentum without waiting on long cycles.
Services and Capabilities
Service scope
HEX Studio: Brand strategy, visual identity, end-to-end websites, custom illustration, marketing assets, creative direction. Occasional monthly collaboration and discounted maintenance for ongoing brand, product design, and website support.
Artone Studio: Product design for web and mobile, design systems, UI and UX audits, web design and Framer development, brand identity and brand assets, pitch decks and marketing design. Focused on accelerating product-market fit and conversion, not just aesthetics.
Capabilities table
Category | Artone Studio | HEX Studio |
|---|---|---|
Product design, SaaS UI/UX | Yes | Available on select ongoing engagements |
Web design | Yes | Yes |
Framer development | Yes | Not publicly listed |
Brand identity and strategy | Yes | Yes, core strength |
Illustration and motion | Available per scope | Yes, part of full-cycle offers |
Engagement model | $3,995 monthly or custom project | Fixed-bid $30k to $150k, custom monthly available |
Refunds, flexibility | 75 percent refund in week one, pause anytime | Not publicly listed |
Collaboration and Communication
HEX Studio collaborates through defined briefs, milestones, and approvals. They can also agree on monthly timelines for broader creative output without a fixed deliverables list. This suits teams that want an agency-led process and curated art direction.
Artone Studio embeds in Slack and works asynchronously. Founders get frequent updates, quick iterations, and clear scoping of each task. The experience feels like adding an in-house senior design function, without the overhead or hiring lag.
Clients, Credibility, and Recognition
HEX Studio curates a premium aesthetic and looks for projects where the identity can extend into physical products. Their focus is on high-impact brand work that pairs creative strategy with crafted execution.
Artone Studio combines startup traction with enterprise credibility. We have partnered with Samsung, Lenovo, and Logitech, and with startups backed by Y Combinator, Global Brain, and Pioneer Fund. Our work has earned recognition on Awwwards and Landbook, plus a Site of the Year nomination by Framer. We also contributed to campaigns awarded at the Global Effie Awards. This balance of craft and startup speed helps founders move from concept to measurable outcomes.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Aspect | Artone Studio | HEX Studio |
|---|---|---|
Primary fit | Early-stage startups, SaaS, growth teams | High-budget brand and web programs |
Pricing transparency | $3,995 monthly | Fixed bids from $30k to $150k, custom monthly rates |
Contract flexibility | Cancel or pause anytime | Proposal-based, scope and timeline set per project |
Speed | 24 to 48 hour turnarounds on typical tasks | Milestone-driven timelines |
Scope breadth | Product, brand, web, Framer | Brand, website, illustration, marketing assets |
Collaboration | Slack-first, embedded | Agency-led, can do monthly squad on custom terms |
Risk management | 75 percent refund in week one | Not publicly listed |
Developer handoff | Framer build included | Not publicly listed |
When Artone Studio Is the Better Fit
You need ongoing, cross-functional design across product, web, and brand without hiring.
You want transparent pricing, fast cycles, and the ability to pause or cancel.
You are iterating toward product-market fit and prefer a senior partner embedded in your workflow.
You value Framer development alongside design to launch quickly and own the site.
You need consistent velocity across many small to medium tasks.
When HEX Studio Can Be a Good Fit
You want a comprehensive brand transformation with strategy, identity, website, illustration, and marketing assets as a single program.
You have a larger budget and prefer a fixed-bid, milestone-driven engagement.
You want an agency-led creative squad for a fluid monthly initiative without predefined deliverables.
You care about tangibly extending identity into physical products and merchandise.
Final Take
HEX Studio is a strong choice for high-budget brand programs that demand a curated creative direction and rich asset production.
Artone Studio is the practical, founder-friendly alternative for startups that need continuous senior design, rapid iteration, and clear pricing. If you are aiming for speed, focus, and measurable progress across product, brand, and web, Artone is the better fit.
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