Head to head · Both in our editorial top 7 · Facts retrieved August 24, 2026
Instrument vs Clay
Between Instrument and Clay, Instrument is the stronger overall pick: it ranks #5 of 7 on our list at 8.41/10, against #7 and 8.35 for Clay. Instrument is best for series D+ or public companies with an enterprise brand-campaign budget; Clay is best for companies that want branding and website design bundled into one engagement.
The table below puts their Clutch facts side by side, and the two lists after it say which one to pick depending on what kind of website you are buying.
Side by side
| Fact | Instrument | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial rank | #5 of 7 | #7 of 7 |
| Editorial score | 8.41/10 | 8.35/10 |
| Clutch rating | No Clutch rating | 4.8 / 5 (32 reviews) |
| Minimum project | $250,000+ | $50,000+ |
| Hourly band | $200 to $300/hr | $150 to $199/hr |
| Team size (Clutch) | 250 to 999 | 10 to 49 |
| Founded | 2002 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Portland, United States | San Francisco, United States |
| Top service | UX/UI Design (30%) | UX/UI Design (30%) |
| Web design + development share | 20% | 30% |
| Low-code / CMS build share | 0% | 10% |
| Branding share | 0% | 20% |
| Top industry | Media & Entertainment (20%) | Fintech & Financial Services (40%) |
| Largest client segment | Enterprise (50%) | Enterprise (70%) |
| Design share of services | 50% | 80% |
In brief
Instrument
Instrument is a Portland, Oregon agency founded in 2002 with 250 to 999 people and no Clutch rating or reviews. UX/UI design is 30 percent of its listed work, digital strategy 20 percent, web development 20 percent and video production 10 percent. Its industries are media, B2B services, software and retail at 20 percent each, and clients are split evenly between enterprise and mid-market. The minimum project is $250,000+ at $200 to $300 an hour. No web design, branding or low-code line is listed, and there are no reviews to evidence conversion results.
Clay
Clay is a San Francisco agency founded in 2009 with 10 to 49 employees and offices in New York and Austin, rated 4.8 across 32 Clutch reviews. UX/UI design and web design are 30 percent each of its services, branding 20 percent and low-code development 10 percent. Fintech is 40 percent of its industries and clients are 70 percent enterprise. Reviews include a website redesigned with a refreshed brand system for a portfolio management company, and an education website rebuilt front and back end. Minimum project $50,000+ at $150 - $199 / hr.
Which one to choose
Each point below is derived from a fact where the two profiles differ, so the same fact never argues both ways.
Choose Instrument if
- You need a bigger bench: Instrument lists 250 to 999 people on Clutch, Clay lists 10 to 49.
- You trust our scoring: Instrument ranks #5 with 8.41/10 against #7 at 8.35.
Choose Clay if
- You want a lower published floor: Clay starts at $50,000 against Instrument's $250,000.
- You weight review volume: Clay has 32 Clutch reviews to Instrument's 0.
- You prefer a smaller senior team: Clay runs at 10 to 49 people rather than Instrument's 250 to 999.
- You are buying a marketing website rather than product UX: Clay reports 30% web design and development work against Instrument's 20%.
- Your marketing team needs to run the site without engineers: Clay lists low-code development at 10% against Instrument's 0%.
- The website ships with a rebrand: Clay reports 20% branding work against Instrument's 0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Other comparisons with Instrument or Clay
Clutch facts retrieved August 24, 2026 from Instrument and Clay. Editorial scores from our methodology. No paid placements. Every rank on this list is editorially assigned.