DEPT vs Innowise: full comparison for 2026
Last updated: July 2026
Quick verdict
DEPT (4.0/5) edges ahead of Innowise (3.8/5) overall. DEPT is the better choice for large enterprise brands needing ML-driven marketing personalization at global scale. Innowise is the stronger option for enterprises needing large-scale, low-cost nearshore staff augmentation with an ML and AI component. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
DEPT vs Innowise: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | DEPT | Innowise |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2007 |
| HQ | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Warsaw, Poland |
| Team size | 1000+ | 1000+ |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Best for | Large enterprise brands needing ML-driven marketing personalization at global scale | Enterprises needing large-scale, low-cost nearshore staff augmentation with an ML and AI component |
| Pricing model | Retainer, dedicated team | Staff augmentation, dedicated team, fixed project |
| Min. engagement | $75K | $20K |
| Primary tech stack | Python, GCP, AWS | Python, Java, .NET |
| Industries served | Retail, Media, Enterprise, E-commerce | Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce, Enterprise |
DEPT vs Innowise: overview
DEPT
DEPT, founded in Amsterdam in 2015, has grown into a global digital agency with over 4,000 digital specialists across more than 30 offices on five continents, backed by the Carlyle Group. DEPT's AI-enabled marketing technology platform, Ada, and its Engineering practice deliver machine learning-driven personalization, growth, and data engineering work for major brands including Google, TikTok, and eBay. As a large, private-equity-backed marketing and engineering agency, ML and AI here sits within a much broader full-service offering rather than being the firm's sole focus.
Innowise
Innowise, also known as Innowise Group, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, is a large IT outsourcing company with reported staff counts ranging from roughly 700 to over 3,000 depending on source and time period. Innowise offers AI and machine learning development as part of a broad custom software development, staff augmentation, and IT consulting portfolio spanning five continents.
Services and capabilities: DEPT vs Innowise
| Capability | DEPT | Innowise |
|---|---|---|
| ML model development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Computer vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| Generative AI / LLM integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✗ |
| AI strategy consulting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Staff augmentation | ✗ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: DEPT vs Innowise
| Framework / platform | DEPT | Innowise |
|---|---|---|
| Python | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | ✓ |
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: DEPT vs Innowise
| Criterion | DEPT | Innowise |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | $75K | $20K |
| Engagement models | Retainer, Dedicated team | Staff augmentation, Dedicated team, Fixed project |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Accessible | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: DEPT vs Innowise
| Dimension | DEPT | Innowise |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Retail, Media, Enterprise | Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce |
| Best use cases | ML-driven marketing personalization at global brand scale, Enterprise data engineering supporting a large media or retail platform | Large-scale staff augmentation for an ML engineering team, Cost-sensitive nearshore development with an AI component |
| Typical project type | Retainer | Staff augmentation |
DEPT vs Innowise: pros and cons
| DEPT | |
|---|---|
| + | Global scale of over 4,000 specialists across 30-plus offices, unmatched by any other firm on this list |
| + | Proprietary AI-enabled marketing technology platform, Ada, with proven enterprise brand clients |
| + | Carlyle Group backing provides financial stability for very large, long-term programmes |
| + | Named clients include Google, TikTok, KFC, and eBay, indicating enterprise-grade delivery capacity |
| - | ML and AI sits within a much broader marketing and full-service digital agency offering, not a dedicated ML practice |
| - | High minimum engagement size, inaccessible for startups or small businesses |
| - | Enterprise agency structure means less specialized, boutique-style ML research depth |
| Innowise | |
|---|---|
| + | Nearly two decades of operating history since founding in 2007, with very large delivery scale |
| + | Broad staff augmentation offering useful for enterprises needing to scale ML teams quickly and cheaply |
| + | Presence across five continents provides flexible time-zone coverage |
| + | Lower minimum engagement size than several other large generalist firms on this list |
| - | Reported employee counts vary substantially across sources, from roughly 700 to over 3,000, reflecting limited public transparency |
| - | AI and ML is one service line within a very broad generalist IT outsourcing portfolio, not a specialist focus |
| - | Volume-outsourcing model may deliver less senior-level attention than boutique ML specialists |
Who should choose DEPT?
DEPT is the right choice for large enterprise brands needing ML-driven marketing personalization at global scale.
Proprietary AI marketing platform, Ada, and global scale of over 4,000 specialists across 30-plus offices, unmatched by any other firm on this list. Minimum engagement starts at $75K. Works best with clients in Retail, Media, Enterprise, E-commerce.
Who should choose Innowise?
Innowise is the right choice for enterprises needing large-scale, low-cost nearshore staff augmentation with an ML and AI component.
Very large delivery scale and broad geographic reach, positioned for volume staff augmentation over specialist ML depth. Minimum engagement starts at $20K. Works best with clients in Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce, Enterprise.
Decision matrix: DEPT vs Innowise
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Innowise |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | DEPT |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Innowise |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | DEPT |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Innowise |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | DEPT |
Use case fit: DEPT vs Innowise
| Use case | DEPT fit | Innowise fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| ML-driven marketing personalization at global brand scale | Strong | Limited | DEPT |
| Enterprise data engineering supporting a large media or retail platform | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large-scale staff augmentation for an ML engineering team | Limited | Strong | Innowise |
| Cost-sensitive nearshore development with an AI component | Limited | Strong | Innowise |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Strong | Innowise |
Verdict: DEPT vs Innowise
DEPT (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. Proprietary AI marketing platform, Ada, and global scale of over 4,000 specialists across 30-plus offices, unmatched by any other firm on this list. It is best for large enterprise brands needing ML-driven marketing personalization at global scale.
Innowise (3.8/5) is the better choice when enterprises needing large-scale, low-cost nearshore staff augmentation with an ML and AI component. If your situation matches those criteria, Innowise is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
DEPT vs Innowise FAQ
Is DEPT better than Innowise?
DEPT (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. DEPT is better for large enterprise brands needing ML-driven marketing personalization at global scale. Innowise is better for enterprises needing large-scale, low-cost nearshore staff augmentation with an ML and AI component.
How do DEPT and Innowise differ in pricing?
DEPT uses retainer, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $75K. Innowise uses staff augmentation, dedicated team, fixed project pricing with a minimum engagement of $20K. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: DEPT or Innowise?
DEPT 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 DEPT and Innowise?
DEPT's primary differentiator is: proprietary ai marketing platform, ada, and global scale of over 4,000 specialists across 30-plus offices, unmatched by any other firm on this list. Innowise's primary differentiator is: very large delivery scale and broad geographic reach, positioned for volume staff augmentation over specialist ml depth. They also differ in team size (1000+ vs 1000+), minimum engagement ($75K vs $20K), and primary industries served (Retail, Media vs Fintech, Healthcare).
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.