Markovate vs Cleveroad: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Markovate (4.1/5) edges ahead of Cleveroad (3.9/5) overall. Markovate is the better choice for companies wanting AI agents/chatbots, ex-AT&T/IBM leadership. Cleveroad is the stronger option for Healthcare, logistics, fintech — Estonia-based full-stack firm. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Markovate vs Cleveroad: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Markovate | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2011 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California, United States | Tallinn, Estonia |
| Team size | 50–100 | 51–200 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background | Named to the 2025 Clutch 1000, placing it in the global top 30 highest-rated B2B service providers on the platform |
| Pricing model | Project-based, dedicated team | Project-based, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | LangChain, OpenAI API, Python | TensorFlow, OpenCV, Python |
| Industries served | Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech, Travel & Hospitality | Healthcare, Logistics & Supply Chain, FinTech, Retail & E-commerce |
Markovate vs Cleveroad: overview
Markovate
Markovate was founded in 2015 and is led by CEO Rajeev Sharma, an AI veteran with 18+ years of experience who previously led AI initiatives at AT&T and IBM. Headquartered with a San Francisco address (some sources cite Toronto as an operating base), the company has grown to roughly 51 employees, including 50+ engineers described as 'certified AI engineers' (per company website), delivering custom AI agents, chatbot development, and cloud services for healthcare, retail, fintech, SaaS, and travel clients. Its small team size makes it a boutique play best suited to scoped generative AI or agent projects rather than large-scale programs.
Cleveroad
Cleveroad was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, with an R&D center there and additional delivery staff across five countries. The company has built more than a decade of experience in healthcare, logistics, fintech, and retail, delivering web and mobile applications alongside AI/ML solutions and dedicated development teams. Cleveroad was named to the 2025 Clutch 1000 — placing it among the top 30 highest-rated B2B service providers globally on the platform — though reported employee counts vary between roughly 50 and 200.
Services and capabilities: Markovate vs Cleveroad
| Capability | Markovate | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Custom ML Models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Computer Vision | ✗ | ✓ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✗ |
| Generative AI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI Consulting | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Markovate vs Cleveroad
| Framework / platform | Markovate | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| TensorFlow | N/A | ✓ |
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | N/A |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Markovate vs Cleveroad
| Criterion | Markovate | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based, Dedicated team | Project-based, Dedicated team, Fixed project |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Markovate vs Cleveroad
| Dimension | Markovate | Cleveroad |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech | Healthcare, Logistics & Supply Chain, FinTech |
| Best use cases | Company wants an AI agent or chatbot built by a team led by a former enterprise AI executive., Healthcare or fintech startup needs a scoped generative AI project from a small, focused vendor. | Healthcare or logistics company wants an AI feature built by a Clutch 1000-recognized full-stack development firm., Fintech startup needs both application development and ML modeling from a single Estonia-based vendor. |
| Typical project type | Project-based | Project-based |
Markovate vs Cleveroad: pros and cons
| Markovate | |
|---|---|
| + | CEO's 18+ years leading AI initiatives at AT&T and IBM brings genuine enterprise AI leadership experience to client engagements. |
| + | Focused service scope (AI agents, chatbots, generative AI) rather than a broad, diluted general-consulting offering. |
| + | Serves a wide industry spread (healthcare to travel) despite small team size, suggesting adaptable delivery patterns. |
| - | At roughly 51 employees, capacity for multiple concurrent large engagements is limited. |
| - | HQ location is inconsistently reported (San Francisco vs. Toronto across sources) — confirm the contracting entity directly. |
| - | "50+ certified AI engineers" claim on a 51-person total headcount is a company claim worth verifying during vendor due diligence. |
| Cleveroad | |
|---|---|
| + | 2025 Clutch 1000 placement (top 30 highest-rated global B2B providers) is a strong, independently verified distinction. |
| + | 13+ years of operating history (since 2011) with consistent focus on healthcare, logistics, and fintech verticals. |
| + | AI-assisted development services line reflects the firm keeping pace with modern AI-augmented delivery practices, not just AI as a client-facing product line. |
| - | Employee-count sources conflict meaningfully (50 vs. 51–200), so confirm current AI-specific team size before contracting. |
| - | AI/ML is one of several service lines (alongside general web/mobile development) rather than the firm's primary identity. |
Who should choose Markovate?
A typical fit: company wants an AI agent or chatbot built by a team led by a former enterprise AI executive.
CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, FinTech, Travel & Hospitality.
Who should choose Cleveroad?
A typical fit: healthcare or logistics company wants an AI feature built by a Clutch 1000-recognized full-stack development firm.
Named to the 2025 Clutch 1000, placing it in the global top 30 highest-rated B2B service providers on the platform. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Logistics & Supply Chain, FinTech, Retail & E-commerce.
Decision matrix: Markovate 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 | Markovate |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Markovate (Not published) vs Cleveroad (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Markovate |
| You need production MLOps support after model launch | Both offer MLOps support |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Markovate vs Cleveroad
| Use case | Markovate fit | Cleveroad fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company wants an AI agent or chatbot built by a team led by a former enterprise AI executive. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Healthcare or fintech startup needs a scoped generative AI project from a small, focused vendor. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Healthcare or logistics company wants an AI feature built by a Clutch 1000-recognized full-stack development firm. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fintech startup needs both application development and ML modeling from a single Estonia-based vendor. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-scope ML build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Ongoing model retraining | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Markovate vs Cleveroad
Markovate (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background.
Cleveroad (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need fintech startup needs both application development and ML modeling from a single Estonia-based vendor. If your situation matches that, Cleveroad is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Markovate vs Cleveroad FAQ
Is Markovate better than Cleveroad?
Markovate (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Markovate's strongest advantage: CEO's 18+ years leading AI initiatives at AT&T and IBM brings genuine enterprise AI leadership experience to client engagements. Cleveroad's strongest advantage: 2025 Clutch 1000 placement (top 30 highest-rated global B2B providers) is a strong, independently verified distinction.
How do Markovate and Cleveroad differ in pricing?
Markovate uses project-based, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Cleveroad uses project-based, dedicated team 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: Markovate 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 Markovate and Cleveroad?
Markovate's primary differentiator is: CEO brings direct enterprise AI leadership experience (AT&T, IBM) rather than a purely technical or agency background. Cleveroad's primary differentiator is: named to the 2025 Clutch 1000, placing it in the global top 30 highest-rated B2B service providers on the platform. They also differ in team size (50–100 vs 51–200), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce vs Healthcare, Logistics & Supply Chain).