EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
EPAM Systems (4.2/5) edges ahead of Cleveroad (3.9/5) overall. EPAM Systems is the better choice for large enterprises requiring a publicly traded, audited vendor. Cleveroad is the stronger option for startups wanting a US or UK commercial contact with Ukraine-based delivery. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | EPAM Systems | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 | 2011 |
| HQ | Newtown, Pennsylvania, USA (large Ukraine delivery centers) | New York, USA / Manchester, UK (Kharkiv delivery center) |
| Team size | 50,000+ globally; large Ukraine workforce | 150–300 (per company website; independently unverifiable precise figure) |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Public-company scale and a multi-country delivery network, with Ukraine as one of its largest hubs | A multi-office footprint across the US, UK, and Ukraine rather than a single delivery location |
| Pricing model | Enterprise consulting and dedicated-team engagements | Fixed-project and dedicated-team engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Java, Cloud platforms, Data engineering | React, React Native, Node.js |
| Industries served | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Travel | Retail, Logistics, Healthcare |
EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad: overview
EPAM Systems
EPAM Systems trades on the New York Stock Exchange, which sets it apart from every other company reviewed here: it's a publicly audited, multi-billion-dollar corporation headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, founded in 1993, with Ukraine long standing as one of its largest delivery geographies alongside Belarus, Poland, and India. It has consistently ranked among the top IT employers in Ukraine by revenue, and its scale gives it engineering and consulting practices spanning cloud, data, AI, and enterprise platform work that most single-country firms cannot replicate. As with GlobalLogic, the trade-off is similar: EPAM uses Ukraine as one of several delivery hubs rather than operating as a Ukraine-founded or Ukraine-owned business, and its size means engagements typically run through formal enterprise sales and account-management processes.
Cleveroad
New York, Los Angeles, Manchester, and Kharkiv are all Cleveroad offices, a spread the company built up since its 2011 founding around general custom software and mobile app development for startups and mid-size businesses. That geographic spread gives buyers a choice of commercial contact point outside Ukraine, at the cost of the narrow technical specialization some of the boutique firms on this list can offer. It competes primarily on general-purpose web and mobile delivery capacity rather than a named industry or technology niche.
Services and capabilities: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Capability | EPAM Systems | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Custom software development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team extension / staff augmentation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded & IoT engineering | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cloud & DevOps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cybersecurity | ✗ | ✗ |
| Enterprise modernization | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Framework / platform | EPAM Systems | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| React | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS | N/A | N/A |
| Java | ✓ | N/A |
| .NET | ✓ | N/A |
| Python | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Criterion | EPAM Systems | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated team, Consulting | Fixed project, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Dimension | EPAM Systems | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare | Retail, Logistics, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | A Fortune 500 buyer that requires a publicly traded vendor for procurement or compliance reasons., An enterprise consolidating multiple regional delivery centers under one large vendor. | A startup wanting a US or UK commercial point of contact alongside Ukraine-based delivery., A mid-market business needing general web or mobile app development. |
| Typical project type | Dedicated team | Fixed project |
EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad: pros and cons
| EPAM Systems | |
|---|---|
| + | Publicly traded scale with audited financials, useful for enterprise procurement teams that require vendor financial transparency. |
| + | Consulting and engineering practices spanning cloud, data, AI, and platform modernization, not just development capacity. |
| + | Long track record as one of Ukraine's largest IT employers by revenue. |
| - | Global public-company scale means engagement minimums, sales cycles, and account structures typically suit large enterprise budgets, not smaller projects |
| - | Ukraine is one of several delivery geographies rather than the company's origin or headquarters |
| Cleveroad | |
|---|---|
| + | Multiple commercial offices in the US and UK give buyers a choice of contracting entity. |
| + | Mid-size team suited to startup and mid-market project scale. |
| + | Over a decade of continuous operation since 2011. |
| - | General-purpose positioning without a clearly named technical or industry specialization |
| - | Kharkiv is one of several offices rather than the company's sole delivery base |
Who should choose EPAM Systems?
A typical fit: a Fortune 500 buyer that requires a publicly traded vendor for procurement or compliance reasons.
Public-company scale and a multi-country delivery network, with Ukraine as one of its largest hubs. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Travel.
Who should choose Cleveroad?
A typical fit: a startup wanting a US or UK commercial point of contact alongside Ukraine-based delivery.
A multi-office footprint across the US, UK, and Ukraine rather than a single delivery location. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Retail, Logistics, Healthcare.
Decision matrix: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Cleveroad |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | EPAM Systems |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: EPAM Systems (Not published) vs Cleveroad (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | EPAM Systems |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | EPAM Systems |
Use case fit: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
| Use case | EPAM Systems fit | Cleveroad fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Fortune 500 buyer that requires a publicly traded vendor for procurement or compliance reasons. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| An enterprise consolidating multiple regional delivery centers under one large vendor. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| A startup wanting a US or UK commercial point of contact alongside Ukraine-based delivery. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| A mid-market business needing general web or mobile app development. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad
EPAM Systems (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most IT Outsourcing (Ukraine) projects. Public-company scale and a multi-country delivery network, with Ukraine as one of its largest hubs.
Cleveroad (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need a mid-market business needing general web or mobile app development. If your situation matches that, Cleveroad is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
EPAM Systems vs Cleveroad FAQ
Is EPAM Systems better than Cleveroad?
EPAM Systems (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. EPAM Systems's strongest advantage: publicly traded scale with audited financials, useful for enterprise procurement teams that require vendor financial transparency. Cleveroad's strongest advantage: multiple commercial offices in the US and UK give buyers a choice of contracting entity.
How do EPAM Systems and Cleveroad differ in pricing?
EPAM Systems uses enterprise consulting and dedicated-team engagements pricing. Cleveroad uses fixed-project and dedicated-team engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: EPAM Systems or Cleveroad?
Cleveroad 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 EPAM Systems and Cleveroad?
EPAM Systems's primary differentiator is: public-company scale and a multi-country delivery network, with Ukraine as one of its largest hubs. Cleveroad's primary differentiator is: a multi-office footprint across the US, UK, and Ukraine rather than a single delivery location. They also differ in team size (50,000+ globally; large Ukraine workforce vs 150–300 (per company website; independently unverifiable precise figure)), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services, Retail vs Retail, Logistics).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.