Create Ape

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing of RAF Technology, a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Create Ape?

We needed a new website for our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Create Ape provided website development services for us. Regarding the process, we had an initial phone call when we explained what we needed and provided them with background materials.

What was the team composition? 

We worked with 6–7 members of Create Ape’s team.

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

Create Ape reached out to me via email.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $12,000 with them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–March 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We decided to finish some details before launching the platform, but Create Ape made a beautiful website, which will help me attract new customers.

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

Create Ape’s team was great; we were super impressed with their project management. The team delivered everything on time and within budget. Regarding communication, we used phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Create Ape’s team was very professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t think there was anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Create Ape was great, so I highly recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at StoryIt, a marketing technology platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

Our goal was to fix and clean up our website. Our website wasn't accurately conveying what our platform does.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Create Ape provided us with UI/UX design, specifically for our website. Initially, one of our co-founders and I scheduled a meeting with their team to define the scope of what we were looking for. During that meeting, we told them about our vision for the perfect website. From there, they started to work on the project.

Then, we had another call with Create Ape and went over an initial website design draft they created. Once we approved the rough draft, their team created wireframes with higher resolution and more details. We had another call with them to approve the detailed designs. Ultimately, they delivered the final website design.

Throughout the engagement, Create Ape's work included helping us define our user personas a little bit better. As for the technology stack, they primarily used Figma. Although my team and I were familiar with other tools, most of Creative Ape's work was delivered through Figma.

What is the team composition?

There were 4–5 teammates from Create Ape working on our project, including Alessandro (Founder & Creative Director) and Zachary (UX Director).

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

They emailed one of our team members, and their email stood out to us.

How much have you invested with them?

 We spent under $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project in March 2024. Although the website UI/UX design has been completed, we're now in talks with Create Ape to continuing the engagement with other services they offer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Create Ape delivered an amazing website design. Their team took an innovative approach and really cleaned up our website, going above and beyond web design and making our website very intuitive, engaging, and simple for users to understand what we do very quickly.

When it comes to design, it's very hard to assign tangible numbers to the results. However, Create Ape's thoughtfulness was excellent; every detail was there. Their team really thought about every square centimeter of our website, including what it would do and what the effects on sales would be for the different users. Their thoughtfulness and quality were off the charts, which was incredible.

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

Create Ape was incredibly communicative and diligent, as well as very receptive to feedback on changes, edits, and modifications needed. Moreover, their turnaround times were superb and amazing compared to other UI/UX external designers we've hired to support us in the past. Their team communicated very well with us and delivered work on time (if not earlier than expected) and within our budget. We used Slack, Google Meet, and Figma to collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would like to congratulate their whole team. They had a ton of knowledge on different tools that could be used on our website to allow our team to collect in-depth data that could help us with our sales and marketing efforts. Create Ape didn't focus on design; they completely understood what our team wanted to get out of the website and were able to make that happen for us. Their attention to detail was their biggest strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have constructive feedback for them. Their team members had a lot of experience, so everything was great. I don't see how they could have improved.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If you're looking to work with Create Ape, don't hesitate. They have a lot of experience and are able to jump into your team's shoes to understand your product, business, and goals very quickly. If they don't understand your needs right away, they'll ask the right questions to internalize them and ensure they're fully competent and ready to go forward with your project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Clinical Psychologist of AMP Autism Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Clinical psychologist who specializes in evaluations and therapy for children, teens and adults.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Create Ape to accomplish?

• Fixing our site that had old code.

SOLUTION

How did you find Create Ape?

• Online Search
• Other

Why did you select Create Ape over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Other

How many teammates from Create Ape were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

CreateApe was there to help us fix an old website that had coding that was not working properly. They took direction very well and were patient with us as we made decisions and looked over the site for other changes we needed. They made several needed updates throughout the site, making it user friendly and delivered the finished product in a very timely manner. 

All questions and concerns were addressed and we were very happy with the team that helped us. The cost was also fair and we would recommend their services to our colleagues as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to test the site out and make sure things were working as we wanted/needed it to.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, everything was delivered on time and as expected. All the needs were met via email communications and the response was always super fast and easy to understand.

What was your primary form of communication with Create Ape?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

This company is unique and impressive because everyone is on the same page; they know what they are doing, and for people who are not too knowledgeable about web development they helped to educate us where needed.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Create Ape could have done differently?

Everything was great, and we were happy with the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a physical therapy clinic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

We needed support with our website’s design and development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Create Ape has designed and developed my company’s corporate website, where users can find our location and products. We provide physical therapy services regarding musculoskeletal issues and injuries, and on our site, users can go through our services and understand the technology we use. 

The project is completed for the most part, and Create Ape is developing a page where customers can purchase our products and send them directly to their homes.

What is the team composition?

Our main contact with Create Ape is Alessandro (Founder & Creative Director), who is professional and understands our current issues. 

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

I met Create Ape’s CEO through a referral from a former patient.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Create Ape in January 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Create Ape’s work has improved our web and digital presence. As a small business, we’re constantly fighting for every one of our patients. The site created by Create Ape helps us inform users about physical therapy and gives us a really good advantage in receiving calls and converting more patients. 

Create Ape has created a seamless website that meets my expectations and vision. The team has taken my requirements and created a tangible product, which is now my company’s Internet face. Create Ape provides tangible solutions and suggestions to make our site more user-friendly. I’m very happy with the product they’ve delivered.

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

Create Ape delivers work on time and ahead of schedule. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I’d like to shout out Haley’s work (Project Manager).

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Create Ape to improve. When we’ve encountered faults or issues, Create Ape addresses the situation within a couple of hours of sending an email or calling them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice for potential customers is to trust Create Ape because they will do a wonderful job in ensuring your vision is met and delivering a tangible product. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Client Executive of a consulting company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company provides innovative and thoughtful communication support for small to mid-size organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Create Ape to accomplish?

• Fill skills gaps within our agency
• Provide modern web design support

SOLUTION

How did you find Create Ape?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Create Ape over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Create Ape were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Across multiple web design project, Create Ape provided creative design and implementation, taking design cues from our team. They worked on 3 particular projects: one from the scratch, one full redesign, and one incremental design uplift. Deliverables ranged from Adobe XD and Figma mock-ups to fully functional Webflow instances.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The primary measurable outcome demonstrating success was Create Ape's ability to set and meet deadlines. We've been very happy with their assessment of effort, and consistency delivering on the timeframes they lined out. They've also been great with short deadline projects, always delivering under pressure.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management has been effective for our organization. We're small and often have projects that start out with loose deliverables. Create Ape has been nimble and highly successful at tracking a moving target, working with us as plans materialize. They have consistently met deadlines, and handled design/review cadence effectively.

What was your primary form of communication with Create Ape?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Really easy to work with, and willing to jump into work aggressively. Solid "Get Things Done" attitude. Contracting work often requires tons of up-front contract & scope development with on-ramping consuming a significant chunk of budget. Create Ape is quick to start and seems to work well with chaotic situations.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Create Ape could have done differently?

Nothing to speak of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager at Origin Financial, a Boston-based financial services company. We partner with employers as a free benefit to their employees. Their employees can use our platform to track their budgeting, investments, equity, and they can also chat with a certified financial planner. We're a one-stop shop to make employees' lives and finance-tracking much easier.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

We needed Create Ape to redesign our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Create Ape helped us to rethink and redesign both our mobile application and desktop platform. They used Figma and worked with the existing user research from our internal team.

What is the team composition?

Create Ape provided one senior designer that we primarily worked with. We went to San Francisco for a week to spend time with the senior designer in-person. We also worked with their design director and a junior designer.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

The senior designer did an amazing job. He integrated with our team really well. He came with a ton of ideas on how to improve the design and utilized our research to figure out what made the most sense for the user experience. He was really excited about working with us which made the experience so much better. It was an amazing experience working with him.

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

I found them on Clutch. I interviewed several design firms. They each were given the exercise to redesign our dashboard. Create Ape sent a video and a walk-through explaining why they made the choices that they did. Their redesign blew us away. They had a really creative approach and we liked that their turnaround time was only two days. They were really good at working with our schedule. Their director of design was extremely helpful and communicated well.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between March–April 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Create Ape accelerated our design process significantly by bringing new, fresh eyes to the project. They brought a lot of new ideas and insights and were able to bring them to life very quickly. Additionally, they are very good at animations.

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

They integrated into our team really well. Their senior designer worked alongside our design director and design team. He brought a new sense of excitement and speed that we really needed. All tasks were on time and on budget. Their communication is great. They respond quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s been an all-around great experience with Create Ape. We were very impressed with their collaboration skills throughout the entire project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Create Ape is really great to work with. Reach out to them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I'm an executive at Right On Bracket

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We supply steel support brackets to installers in the USA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Create Ape to accomplish?

• Design a website
• Develop the website design

SOLUTION

How did you find Create Ape?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Create Ape over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location

How many teammates from Create Ape were assigned to this project?

20+

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Design a new website theme from scratch 
• Develop website theme 
• Create a seamless Ecommerce experience 
• Launch website and fix any theme bugs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

During the design phase of our theme, we met on projects for overall feedback.  

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Development was a different story. We had a schedule, but this project took months longer than promised. Deadlines were not hit due to their company turnover, and they were busy on other projects.

What was your primary form of communication with Create Ape?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

 The design team did a great job of digging into exactly what we wanted and feedback on a project. We had a schedule and plan on what we wanted to create, which was done on time.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Create Ape could have done differently?

We were sold very hard on their services. During the first couple of calls, the owner Alessandro, dominated phone calls and said, "We can do this" and " we can do that," but never gave specifics. We were convinced we would be "taken care of," but we frankly weren't. The design phase was great, but the development, website launch, and sustaining of the website were sub-par to terrible. Do not oversell your product/service. 

I wish I knew what questions to ask regarding their deliverables during the time of this meeting. We also wanted to work with people in the US, and everyone on the initial sales call was. However, once we started the project, we had a flood of people joining each meeting with language barriers. This made it difficult to discuss topics and maintain consistent conversations, as it seems they don't speak about projects internally unless we bring up a problem. 

The development process was quite bad. We were supposed to launch in the website in the Fall, but we didn't successfully launch it until March of the following year. The website had a ton of bugs and issues we had to address. Once the website was "ready" for launch, it was a complete failure. We're an e-commerce business, and the cart was not tested. Nobody could check out, and the website was flooded with bugs. We had to bring down the website completely, and it took us another month to re-attempt a launch. 

This time we could live with it, but we still requested a long list of adjustments that were never addressed early on. The website was also very unstable. 1 change could bring the whole theme down. This took an additional couple of weeks to fix and is still an ongoing problem. Once the website was launched and we had all these issues, we no longer felt Create Ape was capable of working with an Ecommerce website. 

What I was I understood early on, was the way they built the website theme makes it nearly impossible to make changes. There is no website builder included in a $70,000 website. We are now going through stages to get set up on a website builder. With all the issues we had listed above, among many more, I wish Create Ape was more truthful and explained the project in greater detail. We know our business, and products, and are entry-level in web design. We were taken advantage of, and they wanted to lock us into a long-term relationship since we wouldn't be able to make website changes on our own.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Respondent 1: I’m an executive at a diabetes-focused medical equipment company. 

Respondent 2: I’m a consultant at the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

R1: We initially engaged Create Ape to help us upgrade our website. Our goal was to have a major upgrade, and we needed help making the site serviceable, getting it to work correctly, and with an optimal UI/UX design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R1: Create Ape has made modifications to our website to help make it serviceable, including UI/UX design and web development. 

R2: Initially, we already knew who our user personas were, so we didn’t go through user research with them; we were in a place where we needed more support. Create Ape helped clarify and mold the user personas for the website and worked with us to identify our target audience. 

The team has given our site’s home page and the main pages a new look and feel and made changes to the navigation. They’ve used Figma for UI/UX design and have also done coding on our WordPress website to enact the design changes. Some pages haven’t yet been converted to the same look and feel they created. Currently, Create Ape offers hosting and maintenance for us. 

R1: Create Ape also provides ongoing updates to the website. 

What is the team composition?

R2: We work with Alessandro (Founder & Creative Director), Ted (Director), Chelina (Senior Project Manager), and another project management resource. 

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

R1: A team member recommended Create Ape. 

How much have you invested with them?

R1: We’ve spent no more than $20,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

R1: We started working with them in September 2021, the website changes went live in December 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

R2: We’ve received very positive comments and feedback about the website. We measure Create Ape’s success through improvements to the UX, which affect users’ time on the page, navigation ability, and access to the most desirable and downloadable content. We also monitor traffic volume. Overall, Create Ape has improved the site’s navigation. 

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

R2:. They’re very responsive and always deliver on time. If they’re delayed for any reason, they’re very good at communicating it. Overall, Create Ape has provided a positive project management and customer service experience. 

Our daily communication has been through email, and on a project basis, we meet through Zoom or Microsoft Teams. They use a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

R2: Create Ape is a top-quality agency that offers full service at a lower cost than a comparable agency. We get quick and responsive service, outstanding design, and technical expertise from them, and their results are excellent. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

R1: No, there’s nothing they need to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

R2: Create Ape has deep background and experience in doing research. Therefore, listen to recommendations on testing and research they want to do on your website to get the best possible outcome.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an engineer for a medical device manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

I hired Create Ape because I needed help putting together animated sequences for the screens in our existing medical diagnostic device.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had created a new software workflow for our existing medical device, and Create Ape was responsible for creating animations to implement in the software. We had an initial kickoff meeting where I laid out our requirements. Then, Create Ape created a quote for the statement of work (SOW). 

Once our management team gave the green light, we started collaborating on the animations. I asked for three design proposals for animation screens, which they provided. After I reviewed the screens and shared my feedback, they made modifications and delivered the final design, which I approved. 

Then, they provided us with GIF versions of the animations, which we implemented in our software to improve the UX for our potential customers who are medical professionals. 

What is the team composition?

There were two main people: a project manager and an animator.

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

One of my colleagues had worked with Create Ape before and referred them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from November–December 2022; it ran for three weeks. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

I was very impressed with the quality of Create Ape’s work, and we were happy with the final design. 

We don’t have any metrics yet, but we plan to run a user study to test the animations as part of the software workflow. Once we launch the study, we’ll have a better understanding of how their efforts have impacted the UX/UI. 

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with Create Ape was very easy; they met deadlines and worked within our budget. The project manager kept in constant communication with us via email. We also shared files and feedback via email, but we met for the occasional Microsoft Teams meeting to share our screens and discuss designs in more detail.

Additionally, the animator didn’t hesitate to contact us when they needed additional input. They executed a straightforward process, and we had a very good experience overall. I look forward to working with them again in the future.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their responsiveness and eagerness to move the project forward. Create Ape was very good at understanding the scope of work and quickly quoting us an accurate price. They had a flat hourly rate and shared a range of estimated hours the work would take to complete, which helped us budget appropriately. Furthermore, they only charged us for hours worked.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any suggestions; Create Ape did a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your requirements clearly and understand their services, so you can ask for what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own a handful of startups; a firm that assists faith-based organizations in evaluating and repurposing excess real estate; a real estate consulting platform that assists customers looking to develop real estate; and a cannabis cultivator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Create Ape?

Having a website is a prerequisite for any company, and I tend to prefer sites with more functionalities and some depth to them that aren’t two-dimensional. I’ve hired Create Ape across all my businesses to do everything from helping me establish a logo and branding to building websites with their respective UI/UX design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Create Ape provides me with branding, UI/UX design, and web development services. First, I give them a general idea of what I'm looking for regarding the logo, branding, and the tone and tenor of the website. I give the team direction to make each exercise cost-effective and then provide them with latitude to work. 

From there, they create 1–2 iterations of the branding, take my feedback, and then tailor it to work for the business they're working for. I've asked them for standalone logos next to the brand names so that I can use the name or the logo component on their own, depending on what we're applying them to. 

The team provides a full suite of versions of the logo and name, including horizontal and vertical versions of the logo, the standalone logo, the standalone name, and both elements combined. At my request, Create Ape has also made these logos modifiable so that I can apply them to different materials.

Additionally, the team offers maintenance for my businesses' websites and hosting for one of them. Currently, Create Ape is working on the branding and logo of my cannabis cultivation business. 

What is the team composition?

I've worked with 6–7 folks from Create Ape at different times and for various projects. 

How did you come to work with Create Ape?

Originally we found them through a referral. I chose Create Ape because I appreciated the principal's openness and candor; they were very focused on delivering value, and to do that, they were transparent about the process. 

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent $15,000–$20,000 with them over the years. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020, and we finished that first project in the fall of 2020. Our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Create Ape has been very good at adapting their skill set to my needs. Since all the sites they’ve created for us are B2B for businesses not driven by a website, we don’t have any metrics. We’ve built the sites as prerequisites to demonstrate the companies are real, so I’m not concerned about their traffic. Instead, the sites help us present our company when making connections since I have referral businesses. 

How did Create Ape perform from a project management standpoint?

They always deliver on time and are responsive to requests. Whenever I can’t size a logo without blurring it, I call them, and they send a file within a day with the logo sized correctly. 

We communicate through email, phone calls, and Zoom because we’ve worked with them through the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we had worked together before, I had formed a relationship with the former principal that has made me comfortable developing a relationship over virtual communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Create Ape’s biggest strength is their ability to listen and communicate well. They have a diverse group of function experts. Therefore, we can talk about black-and-white versus color versions of the logos, and they understand how that affects our use depending on where we apply them. 

Moreover, they can work with individuals who have concepts and ideas but lack the technical skill to translate them into a digital product. The team does a good job of explaining the rationale behind how they select design components for someone in a startup environment. 

When I begin a startup company, I look for the most comprehensive products at the most reasonable value, and Create Ape has been able to deliver that. The team has worked with us to define budgets, processes, and tasks to achieve our goals within those budgets. Many firms tell clients they can build something without defining the process, and the costs get out of hand. Meanwhile, Create Ape always aims to underpromise and overdeliver. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to create a funnel of opportunity so that Create Ape has something to work with. Have a sense of what you’re trying to achieve; they’re great listeners and will move you through a funnel from possibility to probability to the correct answer cost-effectively and efficiently.