A people first digital studio
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Crafting competitive digital experiences
Inside Estrela StudioEstrela Studio is a global branding and digital design agency rooted in Vienna and Cape Town. We live and breathe our craft, building brands, websites, and digital products that turn bold ideas into design that matters.
Featured Work
Design without compromise. Explore our blend of digital product design, website design, and branding.
Featured Work
Design without compromise. Explore our blend of digital product design, website design, and branding.
Who we are
Estrela Studio is a people-first design studio that cares as much about your business and product as you do. We’re big on honesty, collaboration, and good coffee, the foundations of every great partnership. No project is too small for our A-game and we pour the same craft and care into every brief. Our promise is simple: to guide you with a steady, nurturing hand and turn your ideas, big or small, into brands, websites, and experiences that truly matter.
Discover our sparkWhat we do
Product strategy and design
01Great products don’t just happen, they’re shaped by insight. We dig into research, audits, and user testing to understand what people need, then translate those findings into smart, intuitive UX solutions where every decision has purpose.
App and website design
02We think outside the box to make sure your product sets itself apart and sets the bar. We build beautiful, intuitive interfaces that are compelling and consistent, powered by scalable design systems.
Brand strategy and identity design
03Why look like someone else when you want to stand out? Together, we craft unique brand identities across touchpoints with a digital-first mindset. We bring the spark by distilling your brand DNA and getting to the root of what your users actually want.
Discover our services and how we shape purpose-driven digital and branding experiences.
Some words from our valued clients
“The team at Estrela have been amazing and critical to our UI/UX journey, they challenge our thoughts for the better and have allowed us to become South Africa’s fastest-growing Buy Now Pay Later platform. I cannot recommend them enough.”
Craig Newborn
Former CEO, PayJustNow
“Working with Estrela Studio has been a genuinely outstanding experience. Their team brings a rare combination of creativity, technical expertise, and collaborative spirit. Estrela met us exactly where we were – they listened closely, understood the strategic goals and translated that direction into clear, compelling visual design. They led the project with confidence, and I recommend them without hesitation.”
Donna Blackwell-Kopotic
Sims Lifecycle Service (US)
“The Estrela team have a grasp of branding and product design like I've never seen before. We searched the globe for a tech-focused CI design agency and found that the top talent was right here in Cape Town.”
Colleen Harrison
Former Head of Marketing, Payfast
“Working with Natalia and the Estrela team is like working with a bomb squad. They know exactly which wires to cut to get exactly the results we were looking for. They are the only agency we have on speed dial.”
Jason Bagley
Founder and CEO, Growth Experts (US)
“Working with Natalia and the Estrela team on the HelpGuide rebrand has been a true pleasure. Their design approach is strategic, thoughtful, and truly user-centric, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results.”
Melinda Smith
Executive Director & Editor in Chief, HelpGuide (US)
“The team at Estrela Studio are a powerhouse squad of design, UI and UX professionals. Their DNA can be found in our brand for good reason. Smart, dedicated and always tackling each new brief with diligence and enthusiasm. Highly recommended without hesitation.”
Mark McChlery
Chief Data and Analytics Officer, PayJustNow
“Working with Estrela Studio has been a truly special experience. Leigh and Kristen invested themselves in our journey, capturing the essence of our brand and going the extra mile at every step. Their creativity, care, and dedication shine through in a site that feels world-class and truly ours. Sharing tears with us at launch was a testament to how much they cared. We’re deeply grateful and proud to recommend Estrela Studio.”
Keith Hesketh
Marketing & eCommerce Manager, Yucca Packaging
“Working with the Estrela team was a joy. The experience of turning an idea into a product design has the potential to be chaotic and overwhelming, but the experts at Estrela knew how to ask the right questions and turn the answers into a structured, clear design process that delivered stunning results that exceeded the project goals, and on deadline, to boot!”
Brianna Bond
CEO, LCFO (US)
“We at Itemate have worked with the Estrela team for the past two years. During this time, their professionalism and creativity has added a dimension to our solutions which has had a major positive impact on our client's experience and assisting us grow with these clients. A big thanks to Natalia and Team.”
Robert van Breukelen
CEO, Itemate Solutions
“Estrela has been fantastic to collaborate with and went to great detail to understand my brands needs and turned that into the most effective user experience for my customers. Look forward to working together again soon.”
Justin Archer
Founder, Bashwax Animation Studio
“Natalia and her team at Estrela are some of the best UX/UI designers we've had the privilege of working with. From conception through to execution, their thoughtfulness and thoroughness never fail to impress.”
Anton Van Diermen
Director and Co-Founder, Zulik
FAQs
What types of projects do you take on?
We specialise in branding and UX/UI design for websites and apps, but our approach is versatile. Whether it’s a full brand identity, a design system build, or ongoing design support, we adapt to fit your business goals.
Which industries do you work with?
Our core expertise is in fintech and e-commerce, but we’ve partnered with clients across hospitality, law, accounting, packaging, edtech and many more. We are an agile team and our skills can adapt to most verticals, bringing a fresh, human-centric perspective to any industry.
How does your pricing work?
We offer both project-based pricing and ongoing retainers, billed at a flat hourly rate. Once we scope your project, you’ll receive a clear estimate before we begin. If the scope shifts, we’ll flag it early so there are no surprises.
Do you handle development too?
We focus on what we do best: design. For development, we collaborate with trusted partners we believe are the best of the best. If you already have a dev team, we’ll work hand-in-hand with them to ensure a smooth handover and seamless build.
What is your design process like?
Every project begins with a discovery session to align on your goals. From there, we move through two key phases: UX Discovery & Design, where we focus on research, user flows, and wireframes to create an intuitive experience, and UI Discovery & Design, where we bring your brand to life through polished, visually engaging interfaces. We work transparently, keep you involved at every stage, and iterate throughout the process to ensure the final product meets your vision.
How long does a typical project take?
Timelines depend on scope, but most branding projects take roughly 6 to 8 weeks, and websites or apps typically run 8 to 12 weeks from kickoff to development handover. We’ll always share a timeline upfront to ensure clarity and structure.
