LeewayHertz vs SoftServe: full comparison for 2026
Last updated: July 2026
Quick verdict
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) edges ahead of SoftServe (4.0/5) overall. LeewayHertz is the better choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. SoftServe is the stronger option for enterprises that want an established, dual-HQ (US/Ukraine) engineering firm with AI as one of several mature practices.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
LeewayHertz vs SoftServe: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | SoftServe |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1993 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California, United States | Austin, Texas, United States / Lviv, Ukraine |
| Team size | 200–300 | 12,000+ |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Best for | Enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group). | Enterprises that want an established, dual-HQ (US/Ukraine) engineering firm with AI as one of several mature practices. |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer | Time & materials, managed engagement |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, LangChain, Hugging Face | AWS, Azure, Google Cloud |
| Industries served | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce | Healthcare, FinTech, Retail & E-commerce, Manufacturing, Energy |
LeewayHertz vs SoftServe: overview
LeewayHertz
LeewayHertz was founded in 2007 by Akash Takyar and Viresh Bhathia and is headquartered in San Francisco, combining strategic AI advisory with engineering delivery and proprietary AI platforms. On September 23, 2024, LeewayHertz was acquired by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, giving it access to Hackett's enterprise client relationships. Reported employee counts range from roughly 194 to 300, and as with any recently acquired firm, prospective clients should verify current team continuity.
SoftServe
SoftServe was founded in 1993 in Lviv, Ukraine and now operates with a US headquarters in Austin, Texas and a European headquarters in Lviv, employing more than 12,000 people across 58 offices in 14 countries (with one source citing roughly 10,336 as of a recent count). The company's offerings span digital engineering, data analytics, cloud services, AI, machine learning, and IoT, and it ranked seventh among more than 130 Western European companies in Clutch's 2019 software development category. Its scale and 30+ year history make it a large, generalist engineering firm with AI as one of several core practices.
Services and capabilities: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Capability | LeewayHertz | SoftServe |
|---|---|---|
| Custom ML Models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Computer Vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Generative AI | ✓ | ✗ |
| AI Consulting | ✓ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Framework / platform | LeewayHertz | SoftServe |
|---|---|---|
| TensorFlow | N/A | ✓ |
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | N/A | ✓ |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | SoftServe |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based, Retainer, Dedicated team | Managed engagement, Time & materials, Staff augmentation |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Dimension | LeewayHertz | SoftServe |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing | Healthcare, FinTech, Retail & E-commerce |
| Best use cases | Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy., Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. | Large enterprise wants a single vendor covering AI/ML alongside cloud, data analytics, and IoT services., Company needs a choice between US and EU contracting jurisdictions from the same firm. |
| Typical project type | Project-based | Managed engagement |
LeewayHertz vs SoftServe: pros and cons
| LeewayHertz | |
|---|---|
| + | 17 years of AI/software delivery history since 2007, well-established before its 2024 acquisition. |
| + | Now backed by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, adding financial stability and enterprise client access. |
| + | Proprietary AI platform assets built pre-acquisition can shorten delivery timelines for common use cases. |
| - | September 2024 acquisition by The Hackett Group is recent enough that integration effects on pricing and delivery team stability are still unfolding. |
| - | Employee-count sources disagree meaningfully (194 vs. 300), so confirm current AI-delivery headcount directly. |
| SoftServe | |
|---|---|
| + | 12,000+ employees across 58 offices in 14 countries gives it enterprise-scale delivery capacity and geographic redundancy. |
| + | 31 years of continuous operation (since 1993) through multiple technology cycles, including the post-2022 relocation pressures on Ukraine-founded firms. |
| + | Ranked 7th among 130+ Western European companies in Clutch's 2019 software development category, an independently sourced recognition. |
| + | Dual US/Ukraine headquarters structure gives clients a choice of contracting jurisdiction. |
| - | 12,000+ person scale means AI/ML is one of several mature practices (alongside cloud, data analytics, IoT) rather than the firm's core identity. |
| - | Reported employee counts vary by thousands across sources (10,336 vs. 12,000+), reflecting the difficulty of pinning down exact current headcount at this scale. |
Who should choose LeewayHertz?
LeewayHertz is the right choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce.
Who should choose SoftServe?
SoftServe is the right choice for enterprises that want an established, dual-HQ (US/Ukraine) engineering firm with AI as one of several mature practices..
31 years of engineering history (since 1993) with dual US and Ukraine headquarters and 12,000+ employees.. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, FinTech, Retail & E-commerce, Manufacturing, Energy.
Decision matrix: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | LeewayHertz |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: LeewayHertz (Not published) vs SoftServe (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | SoftServe |
| You need production MLOps support after model launch | SoftServe |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | LeewayHertz |
Use case fit: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
| Use case | LeewayHertz fit | SoftServe fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large enterprise wants a single vendor covering AI/ML alongside cloud, data analytics, and IoT services. | Limited | Strong | SoftServe |
| Company needs a choice between US and EU contracting jurisdictions from the same firm. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-scope ML build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Ongoing model retraining | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: LeewayHertz vs SoftServe
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. It is best for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
SoftServe (4.0/5) is the better choice when enterprises that want an established, dual-HQ (US/Ukraine) engineering firm with AI as one of several mature practices.. If your situation matches those criteria, SoftServe is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
LeewayHertz vs SoftServe FAQ
Is LeewayHertz better than SoftServe?
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. LeewayHertz is better for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. SoftServe is better for enterprises that want an established, dual-HQ (US/Ukraine) engineering firm with AI as one of several mature practices..
How do LeewayHertz and SoftServe differ in pricing?
LeewayHertz uses project-based, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. SoftServe uses time & materials, managed engagement pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: LeewayHertz or SoftServe?
LeewayHertz 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 LeewayHertz and SoftServe?
LeewayHertz's primary differentiator is: ai consultancy now operating as a hackett group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. SoftServe's primary differentiator is: 31 years of engineering history (since 1993) with dual us and ukraine headquarters and 12,000+ employees.. They also differ in team size (200–300 vs 12,000+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (FinTech, Healthcare vs Healthcare, FinTech).
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.