Akendi Review 2026: UX Research, Design and Training From Toronto

Introduction

Have you ever watched someone use your website for the first time? Not a colleague, a real customer. It's humbling. They miss the big green button you were so proud of. They click on a picture that isn't a link. They read the menu three times and still can't find the contact page.

Most teams never see this, because they never watch. They guess, launch and hope. And then they wonder why the analytics look the way they do. A single afternoon of watching real people would have told them more than a month of meetings.

Akendi has built a whole firm around that afternoon. It's a UX research and design company founded in 2007 in Toronto, with offices in Ottawa, Cambridge (UK) and Brooklyn. Clients include ARM, McAfee, Aviva, the NHS and Health Canada. Clutch lists $5,000+ projects at $100–$149 per hour, with a 4.8 rating from 4 reviews.

The Short Answer: Is Akendi Worth It?

Yes, if you want proper user research and evidence-based design, especially in healthcare, finance or government. It also trains teams, which is a nice bonus. Just agree on scope clearly.

How I Wrote This Review

Quick disclosure: I run a design studio, and it appears in the alternatives table. Akendi is a research specialist and I'm not, so we rarely overlap. But you deserve to know.

I haven't hired Akendi. On October 31, 2026, I read its Clutch profile, its four reviews and what it publishes about its training courses. I couldn't load its full case studies from my workspace, so my opinion on its design work comes from client feedback rather than seeing every screen.

Who Is Akendi?

Akendi was founded in 2007 by Tedde van Gelderen, who is still president. Its leadership includes Daniel Iaboni (Chief Experience Officer) and Siobhan Kennedy (Head of UX), per Clutch.

What makes Akendi a little different is that it also runs UX certification training for practitioners. Firms that teach their methods usually understand them deeply. Clients span finance, healthcare, energy and government, including ARM, McAfee, Aviva, the NHS and Health Canada. Having offices in Canada, the UK and the US also helps if your organization works across borders.

What Services Does Akendi Offer?

The order of that table matters. Research comes first, and design follows the evidence. That's the opposite of how many agencies work, where design comes first and research is an optional extra.

How Much Does Akendi Cost?

The main catch

The $5,000 entry point is accessible for a research firm, but strong research often needs more. Recruiting participants, running sessions and writing up findings all take time. Agree on a clear scope upfront, so a small study doesn't quietly grow.

A worked example

Imagine a provincial health agency whose online application form has a high drop-off rate. People start it and give up halfway, then phone the call center instead, which costs money and frustrates everyone.

A focused Akendi project could run usability tests with ten real users and watch where they stop. Maybe they don't understand one question, or the form times out while they look for a document. Then Akendi would redesign the form around those findings. Afterward, its training could help your own team run similar tests, so you're not dependent on an outside firm forever. I really like that last part.

What Do Clients Say?

The four Clutch reviews describe Akendi as communicative, transparent and reliable, and praise its research and personas. Reviewers seem to value the rigor.

On the critical side, one reviewer wished Akendi had pushed teams a bit harder to move faster, and another mentioned a team member being replaced at Akendi's own initiative. Four reviews is a small sample for a firm this old, so ask for references in your industry.

Is Akendi Legit?

Yes. Nearly two decades in business, a named founder, offices in three countries and public-sector clients all back it up.

My Honest Design Opinion

As a designer, I'm a big fan of research-first firms. Most bad design isn't ugly, it's just based on guesses. Akendi seems to replace guesses with evidence, and the personas reviewers praise suggest it does that well.

I can't comment much on its visual style, since I didn't review its design work in detail. My one suggestion: research can sometimes slow things down if nobody is pushing to decide. Since one reviewer mentioned this, agree on decision points before you start, so findings actually turn into changes.

Pros of Akendi

• Research-first approach.

• UX training for your team.

• Offices in Canada, the UK and the US.

• Healthcare and government experience.

• Accessible $5,000 entry point.

Cons of Akendi

• Only four Clutch reviews.

• Pace could be faster on some projects.

• Team changes reported once.

• Research scope can grow.

• Not a branding studio.

Who Should Hire Akendi?

Akendi is a good fit if you're:

• a healthcare or government organization,

• a bank or insurer improving a key flow,

• a team that wants to learn UX research,

• working across Canada, the UK or the US.

Who Should Look Elsewhere?

You might prefer another studio if you need:

• a brand identity or marketing site,

• fast design with little research,

• development and build services.

Questions to Ask Before You Sign

1. "How many participants will the study include?"

2. "How do findings turn into design changes?"

3. "Who will be on our project team?"

4. "Can you train our team after the project?"

5. "Which office will run our work?"

6. "How do you keep research moving quickly?"

Best Akendi Alternatives

These aren't ranked. I'm listed first, as mentioned.

A Quick Note About Me

I'm Subarno, and I run a small design and no-code studio. I don't run formal usability studies or certification courses. My days are spent on websites, branding and marketing design for smaller businesses.

My $1,000/month retainer covers:

• website design in Figma,

• website builds in Framer or Webflow,

• branding for smaller businesses, like logos, colors and brand guides,

• small website animations and interactions,

• banners, posters and social media content.

Book a free 30-minute call or reach me on my contact page. If you need real research before you design, Akendi is the better choice.

Final Verdict: Is Akendi Worth It?

Akendi is a thoughtful research-first firm with nearly two decades of experience and offices in three countries. The training offer makes it even more useful.

Agree on scope and decision points, ask for references in your industry and you'll get something rare: design based on what people actually do, not what you guess they do.

FAQ

How much does Akendi cost?

Clutch lists $5,000+ projects at $100–$149 per hour.

Where is Akendi based?

Toronto, with offices in Ottawa, Cambridge (UK) and Brooklyn.

Who founded Akendi?

Tedde van Gelderen, in 2007.

Who are Akendi's clients?

ARM, McAfee, Aviva, the NHS and Health Canada, among others.

Does Akendi offer training?

Yes, it runs UX certification courses.

How is Akendi rated?

4.8 on Clutch from 4 reviews.

Sources

• Akendi official website and training pages

• Akendi Clutch profile

Details can change over time. Always confirm directly with the studio before you hire.