Premium design that gets startups funded

We're Contrast, a design studio helping early-stage companies fast-track their way to product-market fit and beyond.

Apps, websites, or brands - we got you covered

As simple as it gets — get continuous design support across any number of projects, for a flat monthly fee. Pause or cancel anytime.

See Pricing
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Updates delivered every 48 hours after our kick-off call.
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Get the VIP treatment. You'll be  1 of only 5 clients.
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Get unlimited revisions until you're 200% happy.
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Get answers fast with daily support in Slack.

Save over $60.000/year on design services with no compromise on quality

Add a senior designer to your team in days, not weeks. The best part? It’s 50% cheaper than hiring.

An average senior designer in the US gets paid $150.000 per year + benefits. We do it for half that, and we're not average.

What’s the catch?
There is none. Over a decade of experience and a set of processes and resources which we've refined over time help us deliver faster and better.

Words from our customers.
You're in good company.

Simon Laurent portraitPortrait of Sarosh Mawani from Invisibly

"Contrast Studio's work resulted in a 53% quarterly growth rate."

Simon Laurent
Founder @ Havr
5.0
See our project for Simon
Designed several features for Havr's novel smartlock system.

"Contrast is an amazing design partner for any start-up looking to level up their digital products."

Matt Mochary
Founder @ Mochary Method
Close-up image of the sidebar design in the companyOS app by Matt Mochary
See our project for Matt
Concept to MVP in only 2 months, followed by several improvements.

"Contrast had an incredible design eye, and all the UI screens designed were beautiful."

Sarosh Mawani
Product Manager @ Invisibly
5.0
See our project for Sarosh
We're helping design the mobile and web apps of a rewards platform.
See more verified testimonials on clutch.com

Thought partners helping you navigate uncertainty

Entrepreneurship is a tough game. We saw great ideas fail because of poor execution.

That's where we come in. Team up with us and gain a seasoned design partner who'll steer you clear of newbie blunders and pave the way for future growth. We've got all your design needs covered, from interface design, to brand identity design, and marcom design.

Get design support

Book a free discovery call to learn how we can help you “outdesign” your competition without breaking the bank.

Book a call

Get access to over
$250,000 in software discounts

In addition to our design services, all our clients get access to a marketplace of software discounts with a total value of over $250,000. “Value-packed” might be an understatement.

Explore Discounts

Take one of only 5 client seats

With us, you're not just another client. You're one of only 5 handpicked partners. We intentionally limit bandwidth to make sure you get the attention you deserve.

Get our subscription
We helped raise over

$15 million

We've been around for over

10 years

Our clients span

8 timezones

About the studio

Contrast is a Bucharest-based interface and brand design studio, founded in the summer of 2023 by Călin Balea after over a decade of helping companies across the US and Western Europe to design delightful products and lovable brands.
Pricing page design for an edtech companyMobile app design for Toyota companion appLanding page design for Romanian law firmMobile app design for a job board for the construction industry showing the job application flow

Web Apps
iOS & Android Apps
High-Converting Websites
Design Systems
Brand Identity Design
Brand Guidelines
Pitch Deck Design
Social Media Graphics
and more..

A one-stop shop
for all your design needs.

Pricing

Continuous design support across multiple projects. It's like having a full-time designer with founder experience on your team.

$5,999/mo.

Access to all our design services
percent-sign
Access to over $250k in software discounts
Tasks delivered every 2 days
Daily support via Slack
Up to 90 min./week for calls
Developer documentation
board-2
Project management in Notion
Webflow development
Best for teams who can execute but need a senior designer to point them in the right direction and fill knowledge gaps.

$2,999/mo.

Daily support in Slack and Figma
Creative direction and product design consulting
45-min strategy call every month
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Access to over $250k in software discounts
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No execution of design tasks
Regina Gerbeaux portrait
"High quality, fast, day in and day out"
Regina Gerbeaux, COO
Prefer a fixed price?
Tell us about your project.
Request a quote
Pricing does not include fees for card payments or wire transfers.

Frequently asked questions

How do you work? Tell me about your project management process.

We move fast and work in short iteration cycles. That's the start-up way. You'll receive updates on prioritized tasks every 48 hours on average. An update can be a completed task or a progress report towards a larger one. Updates come in the form of a video recording and a comment in Slack and/or Notion. That brings us to the next point.

We use Notion for project management. We'll set up a page for your company. This is where you'll be able to add product documentation, brand guidelines, graphic assets, etc. This is also where you'll use a kanban board to list out all the tasks you want us to work on.

Finally, as you probably expect, we use Figma for all interface design work. You'll have full transparency into what we're doing. For all other design work (brand identity, print materials, social media assets) we use the Adobe Creative Cloud apps.

How much can you get done in a month?

Based on our experience, we typically deliver around 2 tasks per week. The exact timing depends on the scope, but when tasks are well-defined, we move quickly. For instance, we completed 45 tasks over 6 months for a client in New York—some big, some small.

To give you an idea, if you needed a new landing page and provided all the necessary materials (text, specs, creative direction, brand assets), we could deliver the first iteration within 48 hrs.

We understand these are just estimates. To ensure we meet your expectations and minimize risk, we offer a two-week trial period. This allows you to test our service, complete some tasks, and see if we're the right fit—all at a moderate cost.

Why should I work with you?

Firstly, we pride ourselves on our efficiency and focus. We deliver 80% of the value with 20% of the effort, which means that we can work quickly and remain focused on achieving results.

Secondly, we believe in speaking our minds and keeping our clients in check. Sometimes, employees may feel uncomfortable about speaking up, but we do not have that issue. As we are not dependent on any single client, we can express our opinions in a respectful manner without fear of negative consequences.

Finally, we are more than just a service provider. With over a decade of experience, we have the expertise to be a valuable thought partner. We are not only here to complete projects, but also to contribute to strategy and decision making.

How many hours are included in the subscription packages?

We're all about value, not clock-watching. Our packages are focused on delivering results, not counting minutes. In fact, speed is our ally – the quicker we get it done, the more valuable it is for you. Expect updates or task completions every 2 days.

Also, don't worry, we're not spreading ourselves thin. We keep our client list short and sweet, giving you the VIP treatment. Your project gets the love and attention it truly deserves.

What do you do best?

We specialize in digital product design, namely UI, UX, and brand identity design. So far we've designed interfaces for dozens of apps for both web and mobile platforms. Our capabilities cover the entire design process, from product strategy and UX design, to high-fidelity interface (UI) design. We love a good challenge. Try us.

How are you different from other design agencies?

We're partners in your journey, not just service providers. We become embedded in your team, take ownership, and self-organize to deliver on projects that help achieve business goals. We're also a membership-based studio, meaning we have a limited number of seats. This allows us to focus on giving each client the best experience possible.

You're expensive. Why does it cost so much?

Our price is a reflection of the value we're confident we can provide. A senior designer costs around $140k/yr (+benefits). We can provide the same service (or even better) for half that cost, helping you potentially save over $60.000 per year.

Who are the designers on your team?

Contrast Studio was founded by Calin, a designer with over a decade of experience working with companies all over the US and Western Europe. Most of the work is done by him. When necessary, we expand our bandwidth and capabilities with the help of other top-notch designers.

Can we have a call to see if we're a good fit?

Definitely! In fact, we require a call before we take on a client. Please book a call to get started.