The startup-focused design subscription market has evolved significantly as early-stage companies seek reliable design support without the overhead of hiring full-time designers or managing multiple freelancers. NUMI has positioned itself in this space since 2020 as a Y Combinator-backed service, focusing exclusively on providing embedded design teams for startups through their guild of vetted designers.
Understanding how different startup design services work helps businesses make informed decisions about their creative needs. This review examines NUMI objectively while comparing it to alternative approaches in the market, including services that offer different pricing models and broader business focus beyond the startup ecosystem.
What is NUMI?
NUMI is a Y Combinator Winter 2020 startup founded by Agree Ahmed and Harrison Telyan that provides design subscriptions specifically for startups and early-stage companies. The company operates with a focus on embedding designers directly into client teams, working with over 400 startups including 100+ Y Combinator companies with a collective valuation exceeding $3 billion.
The service positions itself as solving the “freelancer management hell” that startups face when trying to source, vet, and onboard designers across different disciplines. Their approach emphasizes direct collaboration between dedicated designers and startup teams through Slack, Zoom, and Figma without project managers as intermediaries.
NUMI operates with co-founder Harrison Telyan bringing design experience as a RISD alumnus and founding designer at Imgur, while Agree Ahmed provides startup operational expertise. The company reported $2.9 million in revenue for 2024, representing 84% year-over-year growth, with $150,000 in total funding raised including Y Combinator’s investment.
NUMI Service Offerings
NUMI provides unlimited design services through their subscription model, covering product design for mobile and web applications, marketing websites, fintech and Web3 design, brand design, design systems, Webflow development, onboarding flows, iconography, blog and social graphics, video thumbnails, slide decks, sales collateral, custom illustrations, typography, social media ads, Lottie animations, web dashboards, email graphics, and moodboarding.
The service operates through a guild of vetted designers with an acceptance rate below 2%, emphasizing quality and startup-specific experience. Each subscription includes a dedicated primary designer who builds context about the client’s product and brand over time, with access to additional specialists when projects require skills outside the primary designer’s expertise.
All subscriptions include unlimited design requests processed one at a time, unlimited revisions, direct collaboration through Slack and video calls, designer rematch capabilities if fit isn’t right, and support from the NUMI team. The company emphasizes their community-backed approach where designers can access peer support for challenging projects.
NUMI Tech Pricing
NUMI operates three main subscription tiers targeting different startup stages and needs. Their Design plan costs $3,000 monthly and includes vetted mid-stage product designers, marketing and sales collateral creation, product design for mobile and web, no-code web design and development, up to 2 design syncs per week, and 1 design office hours call per month.
The Design+ plan costs $5,000 monthly and adds thought partnership capabilities, user research assistance, up to 3 design syncs per week, 2 design office hours calls per month, and access to 2 concurrent designers or 1 senior designer. Their Enterprise plan starts at $9,000 monthly for industry-leading designers with design strategy assistance, up to 4 design syncs per week, and coordination with C-suite leadership.
All plans include one-week trials (paid trial for Enterprise), designer rematch upon request, direct collaboration access, and support from NUMI founders. They also offer a Design + Dev package starting at $50,000 for end-to-end product design and development to bring MVPs to life.
Delivery and Communication
NUMI emphasizes rapid deployment with 1-3 day matching times between startups and appropriate designers, significantly faster than traditional hiring processes. Communication happens through direct collaboration via Slack and Zoom without project managers, allowing embedded team relationships rather than vendor arrangements.
The workflow includes design sessions with NUMI co-founders to understand startup challenges, hand-picked designer matching based on skills and experience alignment, team embedding with direct communication access, and ongoing collaboration to achieve design goals. The company provides design office hours with experienced leadership for strategic guidance.
Each subscription includes satisfaction guarantees with seamless designer rematch capabilities if initial fit doesn’t work out. NUMI emphasizes their 100% placement satisfaction rate over the past 3 years and their focus on building long-term embedded relationships rather than transactional design work.
How Reel Unlimited Differs
Reel Unlimited provides unlimited design services for agencies, startups, and marketing teams globally including Outmin, Endrock, Pattern, and Synthesia. Founded in 2021 by Santhiaroo, Reel Unlimited delivers graphic design, video editing, and website development with fast delivery via monthly subscriptions or 30-day services.
Target Market and Business Focus
Unlike NUMI’s exclusive focus on startups and Y Combinator companies, Reel Unlimited offers both monthly subscriptions and 30-day design services serving businesses of various sizes and stages beyond the startup ecosystem. The 30-day design services provide unlimited access for exactly 30 calendar days with no recurring billing, making it a versatile NUMI alternative for businesses with specific project deadlines or seasonal campaigns.
While NUMI specializes in embedded designer relationships for startup product development, Reel Unlimited provides broader design capabilities including marketing assets, video content, and web development for agencies, marketing teams, and established businesses across different industries.
Geographic Coverage and Team Structure
Reel Unlimited assigns clients to design teams based on time zones across US/Canada (9am-5pm EST), EU/UK (12pm-7pm GMT), and Asia/Australia/Pacific (2pm-9pm AEST). This broader geographic coverage accommodates international clients beyond NUMI’s startup-focused operations.
The service operates without requiring embedded team relationships or startup-specific positioning, serving businesses that need design execution without the specialized startup development focus or Y Combinator ecosystem connections.
Service Scope and Capabilities
Reel Unlimited provides three core service areas that work together to support modern business needs. All work is done by human designers without AI assistance, focusing on quality and personalized attention to each project.
Website Design & Development
Beautiful websites and landing pages built on Webflow. The service handles design in Figma plus full development, converting existing designs into working websites with responsive design, custom interactions, CMS, and basic SEO.
Graphic Design & Branding
Eye-catching marketing assets including logos, branding, presentations, social media graphics, illustrations, email designs, packaging, and print materials for marketing campaigns and brand consistency.
Video Editing & Motion Graphics
Engaging video editing and animated graphics for social media content, product demos, and promotional campaigns, including logo animations and explainer videos that transform raw footage into polished content.
These services are available individually through Graphics or Websites subscriptions, or combined through the Bundle option.
Reel Unlimited Pricing
Reel Unlimited operates differently from NUMI’s startup-focused embedded model. Instead of dedicated designer allocation with startup ecosystem positioning, Reel Unlimited offers three clear service options based on concurrent project capacity:
Graphics ($795 monthly) combines graphic design and video editing with 2 concurrent projects. This covers all visual design and video content needs without requiring startup-specific embedded relationships or Y Combinator ecosystem focus.
Websites ($1,295 monthly) focuses on web design and Webflow development with 1 concurrent project. Since website projects require more time and technical work, the service provides both design and functional development with predictable delivery timing.
Bundle ($1,995 monthly) combines Graphics and Websites services with 3 total concurrent projects, allowing businesses needing both visual content and web development to access everything while saving money compared to separate subscriptions.
Each service option is available as either monthly subscriptions for ongoing needs or 30-day design services for businesses with specific project deadlines or seasonal campaigns. The 30-day design services provide the same unlimited access without recurring billing.
Reel Unlimited offers a 7-day trial where clients can experience the service quality firsthand before making subscription decisions. The trial provides one project delivery (whichever comes first – 7 days or 1 completed project) with unlimited revisions, allowing businesses to evaluate design quality and communication style.
Service Comparison
Target Market and Startup Specialization
NUMI targets startups and early-stage companies exclusively, with pricing from $3,000-$9,000+ monthly reflecting their specialization in startup product development and Y Combinator ecosystem connections. Their embedded designer approach suits companies building products and needing strategic design thinking.
Reel Unlimited serves businesses of various sizes and stages through accessible pricing and broader industry focus. The concurrent project model accommodates different business types without specializing exclusively in startup ecosystems or requiring embedded team relationships.
Service Delivery and Designer Relationships
NUMI provides embedded designer relationships with direct team integration, startup-specific experience, and strategic design thinking for product development. Their 1-3 day matching process includes designer guild vetting and startup challenge understanding.
Reel Unlimited uses concurrent project limits with 48-hour delivery for graphics and 3-5 days for websites, providing direct execution without requiring embedded relationships or startup-specific strategic involvement.
Communication and Collaboration Models
NUMI emphasizes direct collaboration through Slack and Zoom without project managers, design office hours with experienced leadership, and designer community support for complex challenges. Their approach benefits startups wanting embedded team members.
Reel Unlimited provides time zone-aligned direct communication across multiple regions without requiring embedded relationships or startup ecosystem specialization. The approach accommodates various business types rather than focusing exclusively on startup development needs.
Pricing Models and Accessibility
NUMI operates premium subscription tiers starting at $3,000 monthly, reflecting their startup specialization and embedded designer model. Their approach suits well-funded startups that can justify premium pricing for strategic design partnerships.
Reel Unlimited offers both monthly subscriptions and 30-day design services, providing accessibility for businesses with variable design needs or specific project deadlines without requiring ongoing startup-focused subscription relationships.
Special Offer for NUMI Customers
If you’re currently using NUMI and want to explore broader design service alternatives, we’re offering 50% off your first month with Reel Unlimited.
To qualify, simply provide a receipt showing payment to NUMI within the last 3 months. You can:
- Start your 7-day trial and mention the discount during signup
- Contact us via live chat with your receipt
- Email us with your payment proof
Our team will provide a unique discount code for 50% off your first month with any subscription plan. This lets you compare both services directly while saving money during your evaluation period.
Which Service Works Better for Different Needs
NUMI works well for startups and early-stage companies with substantial design budgets, businesses that can benefit from embedded designer relationships and startup-specific experience, and organizations wanting strategic design thinking for product development. Their Y Combinator network and startup specialization particularly benefit companies in the startup ecosystem.
The embedded model and startup focus make NUMI suitable for well-funded startups with consistent product development needs who can effectively utilize dedicated designer relationships and strategic design guidance throughout their growth phases.
Reel Unlimited fits businesses of various sizes seeking broader design capabilities, companies with variable creative needs or specific project deadlines, and organizations needing both visual content and web development support. The service works well for agencies, marketing teams, and established businesses across different industries.
The 30-day design services particularly benefit businesses with seasonal campaigns, product launches, or specific project deadlines who need professional design work without ongoing startup-focused subscription commitments designed for embedded team relationships.
Evaluating Your Options
Both services offer ways to assess quality before full commitment. NUMI provides one-week trials with embedded designer relationships and startup-specific processes, while Reel Unlimited offers a trial with one completed project and unlimited revisions.
The choice depends on your business stage, design specialization needs, and relationship model preferences. Startups with substantial budgets might prefer NUMI’s embedded approach, while businesses seeking broader design capabilities and accessible pricing might find Reel Unlimited more suitable.
Start your trial with Reel Unlimited to experience our global team alignment and concurrent project approach. The trial includes one project with unlimited revisions, letting you evaluate our work style and communication process before any subscription commitment.
For current NUMI customers, the 50% first-month discount combined with our trial provides a risk-free way to compare both services and determine which approach better fits your business needs for broader design services versus startup-focused embedded designer relationships.
