Ciklum vs AND Digital: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Ciklum (4.1/5) edges ahead of AND Digital (4.0/5) overall. Ciklum is the better choice for large dedicated teams with a London contract. AND Digital is the stronger option for companies building in-house digital capability. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Ciklum vs AND Digital: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Ciklum | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 | 2014 |
| HQ | London, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 3,000–4,500 | 1,000–1,500 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | London headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe | Delivers products while explicitly upskilling the client's own staff |
| Pricing model | Dedicated team, time and materials, managed service | Time and materials, capability-based |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Java, .NET, Python | JavaScript, TypeScript, React |
| Industries served | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Media, Travel | Retail, Financial services, Media, Public sector |
Ciklum vs AND Digital: overview
Ciklum
Danish entrepreneur Torben Majgaard started Ciklum in 2002 in Kyiv. It is now headquartered in London's Shoreditch and employs around 4,000 people. Its investors have included Horizon Capital, a fund associated with George Soros, and Dragon Capital, but current ownership is not publicly documented. Delivery is concentrated in Ukraine and Poland, plus the Czech Republic since its 2021 acquisition of Prague-based CN Group.
AND Digital
AND Digital was founded in 2014 by CEO Paramjit Uppal and is organised into city-based units it calls clubs. It passed 1,000 employees in 2021, and current third-party estimates range from 600 to 1,350. Its pitch is to build products while training the client's own people to take over. Delivery is largely UK-based, with smaller operations in the Netherlands and the US East Coast.
Services and capabilities: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Capability | Ciklum | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Custom software development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cloud & DevOps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data & AI | ✓ | ✗ |
| Legacy modernisation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded & IoT | ✗ | ✗ |
| Dedicated team model | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fixed-price projects | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Framework / platform | Ciklum | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| .NET | ✓ | N/A |
| Java | ✓ | ✓ |
| Python | ✓ | N/A |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Criterion | Ciklum | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated team, Managed service, Time and materials | Team extension, Time and materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Dimension | Ciklum | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Mid-market to enterprise |
| Best industries | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare | Retail, Financial services, Media |
| Best use cases | A retailer needs a 30-person e-commerce team., A healthcare firm wants a managed QA and testing service. | A retailer wants a new web platform and an in-house team trained to run it., A financial firm needs a product squad that hands over after a year. |
| Typical project type | Dedicated team | Team extension |
Ciklum vs AND Digital: pros and cons
| Ciklum | |
|---|---|
| + | London HQ makes contracting simple for UK buyers |
| + | Twenty years of experience running large remote teams |
| + | Several delivery countries spread location risk |
| - | Ownership has changed hands between investors several times, and the current cap table is not public |
| - | A large Ukrainian workforce means continuity plans need review |
| - | Mid-sized clients may find the sales process heavy |
| AND Digital | |
|---|---|
| + | Knowledge transfer is a stated goal, which reduces long-term dependency |
| + | Regional clubs give UK clients a local team in many cities |
| + | Good fit for digital product work in retail and consumer brands |
| - | Onshore model means no offshore cost advantage |
| - | Headcount figures vary widely between sources |
Who should choose Ciklum?
A typical fit: a retailer needs a 30-person e-commerce team.
London headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Media, Travel.
Who should choose AND Digital?
A typical fit: a retailer wants a new web platform and an in-house team trained to run it.
Delivers products while explicitly upskilling the client's own staff. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Retail, Financial services, Media, Public sector.
Decision matrix: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Ciklum |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Ciklum (Not published) vs AND Digital (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Ciklum |
| You want engineers added to your own in-house team | AND Digital |
| Your product includes hardware, firmware or connected devices | Neither; consider an embedded specialist |
Use case fit: Ciklum vs AND Digital
| Use case | Ciklum fit | AND Digital fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A retailer needs a 30-person e-commerce team. | Strong | Limited | Ciklum |
| A healthcare firm wants a managed QA and testing service. | Strong | Limited | Ciklum |
| A retailer wants a new web platform and an in-house team trained to run it. | Limited | Strong | AND Digital |
| A financial firm needs a product squad that hands over after a year. | Limited | Strong | AND Digital |
| You need hardware, firmware or IoT work in the same contract | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| You want a fixed-price first phase before a longer engagement | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Ciklum vs AND Digital
Ciklum (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Software Development Outsourcing projects. London headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe.
AND Digital (4.0/5) is worth a look in a scenario like this: a financial firm needs a product squad that hands over after a year. If your situation matches that, AND Digital is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Ciklum vs AND Digital FAQ
Is Ciklum better than AND Digital?
Ciklum (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Ciklum's strongest advantage: london HQ makes contracting simple for UK buyers. AND Digital's strongest advantage: knowledge transfer is a stated goal, which reduces long-term dependency.
How do Ciklum and AND Digital differ in pricing?
Ciklum uses dedicated team, time and materials, managed service pricing. AND Digital uses time and materials, capability-based pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Ciklum or AND Digital?
Ciklum is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Ciklum and AND Digital?
Ciklum's primary differentiator is: london headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe. AND Digital's primary differentiator is: delivers products while explicitly upskilling the client's own staff. They also differ in team size (3,000–4,500 vs 1,000–1,500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services, Retail vs Retail, Financial services).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.