Infinum vs Ciklum: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Infinum (4.1/5) edges ahead of Ciklum (4.1/5) overall. Infinum is the better choice for consumer apps where design quality matters. Ciklum is the stronger option for large dedicated teams with a London contract. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Infinum vs Ciklum: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Infinum | Ciklum |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 | 2002 |
| HQ | Zagreb, Croatia (London office) | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 350–450 | 3,000–4,500 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | In-house product design and mobile engineering with a strong portfolio of consumer apps | London headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, fixed price | Dedicated team, time and materials, managed service |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Swift, Kotlin, Flutter | Java, .NET, Python |
| Industries served | Financial services, Media, Healthcare, Retail | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Media, Travel |
Infinum vs Ciklum: overview
Infinum
Infinum was founded in Zagreb, Croatia in 2005 and employs around 400 people across Zagreb, Varaždin, Ljubljana, Podgorica, Amsterdam, New York and London. Its London office opened in 2021. The company is best known for polished mobile and web products, with design and engineering kept under one roof. Croatian rates sit below the UK but above the cheapest Eastern European options.
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.
Services and capabilities: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Capability | Infinum | Ciklum |
|---|---|---|
| Custom software development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cloud & DevOps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data & AI | ✗ | ✓ |
| Legacy modernisation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded & IoT | ✗ | ✗ |
| Dedicated team model | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fixed-price projects | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Framework / platform | Infinum | Ciklum |
|---|---|---|
| .NET | N/A | ✓ |
| Java | N/A | ✓ |
| Python | N/A | ✓ |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| AWS | N/A | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Criterion | Infinum | Ciklum |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Time and materials | Dedicated team, Managed service, Time and materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Dimension | Infinum | Ciklum |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services, Media, Healthcare | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | A bank wants a new retail banking app designed and built., A media brand needs iOS and Android apps with a shared design system. | A retailer needs a 30-person e-commerce team., A healthcare firm wants a managed QA and testing service. |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Dedicated team |
Infinum vs Ciklum: pros and cons
| Infinum | |
|---|---|
| + | Design and engineering work as one team, which helps consumer-facing products |
| + | EU-based delivery simplifies GDPR-related contract terms |
| + | A London office lets UK clients meet the team in person |
| - | Better suited to product builds than large enterprise back-office systems |
| - | Smaller than most nearshore vendors on this list, which limits team growth |
| 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 |
Who should choose Infinum?
A typical fit: a bank wants a new retail banking app designed and built.
In-house product design and mobile engineering with a strong portfolio of consumer apps. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Media, Healthcare, Retail.
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.
Decision matrix: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Infinum |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Ciklum |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Infinum (Not published) vs Ciklum (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Ciklum |
| You want engineers added to your own in-house team | Neither lists team extension; ask about dedicated teams |
| Your product includes hardware, firmware or connected devices | Neither; consider an embedded specialist |
Use case fit: Infinum vs Ciklum
| Use case | Infinum fit | Ciklum fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A bank wants a new retail banking app designed and built. | Strong | Limited | Infinum |
| A media brand needs iOS and Android apps with a shared design system. | Strong | Limited | Infinum |
| A retailer needs a 30-person e-commerce team. | Limited | Strong | Ciklum |
| A healthcare firm wants a managed QA and testing service. | Limited | Strong | Ciklum |
| 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 | Strong | Limited | Infinum |
Verdict: Infinum vs Ciklum
Infinum (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Software Development Outsourcing projects. In-house product design and mobile engineering with a strong portfolio of consumer apps.
Ciklum (4.1/5) is worth a look in a scenario like this: a healthcare firm wants a managed QA and testing service. If your situation matches that, Ciklum is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Infinum vs Ciklum FAQ
Is Infinum better than Ciklum?
Infinum (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Infinum's strongest advantage: design and engineering work as one team, which helps consumer-facing products. Ciklum's strongest advantage: london HQ makes contracting simple for UK buyers.
How do Infinum and Ciklum differ in pricing?
Infinum uses time and materials, fixed price pricing. Ciklum uses dedicated team, time and materials, managed service pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Infinum or Ciklum?
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 Infinum and Ciklum?
Infinum's primary differentiator is: in-house product design and mobile engineering with a strong portfolio of consumer apps. Ciklum's primary differentiator is: london headquarters with a long history of large dedicated teams in Ukraine and Central Europe. They also differ in team size (350–450 vs 3,000–4,500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services, Media vs Financial services, Retail).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.