How Baked compares
The other ways startups get design done, side by side with Baked, including when they're the better pick.
- Design agencies for YC startups (2026)The design agencies and subscriptions YC startups use in 2026, what each one is best for and how they charge. Baked has shipped with 12 YC companies.
- Baked vs hiring a full-time designerHow a design subscription with Baked compares with hiring your first full-time designer: cost, speed, range of skills and commitment.
- Baked vs a design agencyHow Baked's monthly design subscription compares with a traditional design agency: pricing, scoping, speed and contracts.
- Baked vs hiring freelancersHow Baked compares with hiring freelance designers and developers: reliability, range, speed and managing the work.
Baked vs hiring in-house in San Francisco: first-year cost
The three senior hires it takes to cover product, brand and marketing design, against one Baked plan. A rough guide, not a quote: change any number to your own.
Starting salaries: Senior Product Designer, Built In, San Francisco median; Senior Brand Designer, Glassdoor, San Francisco average; Senior Marketing Designer, ZipRecruiter, San Francisco average. Benefits: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Benefits are 31.5% of total pay for full-time private-industry workers, June 2026. Recruiting, tools and hiring time start at zero: add your own.
Who you'd work with
- Nick, founder and creative director17+ years in product and marketing design, including Meta.
- The teamSenior designers who have worked at Meta, Netflix, HubSpot and Expa, and been founding designers at 25+ startups.
- Since 2023Three years in, Baked has grown from one person to a team of 10 and worked with 200+ clients.
- ClientsWe work with 12 YC companies, 8 from YC S26, including Inkbox, Stoa, tash, Belvedir, Spaceflow, Coach AI, Context Dev and OpenTag. Text.AI, Orchid and Menza are from W26, and Godpack is from W27.
Not sure which fits? Book a 30-min call or see the plans.