Best for: Organizations that need a fully in-house digital studio to design and build websites, web apps, and mobile products — particularly commercial brands, not-for-profits, education bodies, and purpose-led organizations that want craft-level execution without outsourcing risk..
Humaan has earned a rare position: 15 years of operation, 100% in-house delivery, and a consistent award record across AWA, FWA, Awwwards, Good Design, Anthem, and Webby that most studios never approach. The client roster spans national charities, universities, fintech products, and media groups — a breadth that speaks to genuine versatility. The caveat is geographic: Perth-based with an LA presence, which suits Australia-first briefs well but means US or European engagements require deliberate timezone management. For digital-first organisations that want both design craft and engineering depth under one roof, Humaan is one of the stronger options in the market.
Reviewed by Chelsea Greene
The Full Read
Humaan was founded in 2010 by Jay (Founder & CEO) and has operated for 15 years as a fully in-house studio — no outsourcing, end-to-end delivery from strategy through to build and support. That's a deliberate structural choice, and it shows in the work. When a studio controls every role in the process, quality consistency becomes a function of culture rather than vendor management.
The award record is the clearest external signal of where the studio sits relative to its peers. Recognition from AWA (including Best in Show for Development), Good Design Awards (with a 2025 Gold), FWA, Awwwards, Webby, and Anthem Awards across multiple years is not a marketing exercise — it reflects work that is genuinely being evaluated and recognized against international competition. Two projects that received high honors as recently as May 2026 confirm that the studio hasn't plateaued.
What sets Humaan apart from many award-collecting studios is its client mix. Curtin University, Deloitte, Seven West Media, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Cancer Council WA are not vanity clients — they're organizations with real operational requirements, large user bases, and high stakes around delivery. The Surveillance Watch data visualization project, an interactive tool mapping global surveillance connections, is a good illustration of a studio that can take a brief outside its comfort zone and execute it to a standard that earns awards on merit.
The capability stack is comprehensive in a way that generalist agencies often aren't. Humaan covers strategy, UX research, UI and interaction design, web development, mobile apps (iOS and Android), eCommerce, data visualization, headless architecture, and ongoing support. The technology layer includes React.js, Vue, Laravel, Payload CMS, WordPress, and Shopify — meaning they're not locked to one stack and can match the right technology to the brief.
The testimonial record reinforces the delivery picture. Clients from Seven West Media, Curtin University, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation all independently describe the same things: collaborative process, measurable outcomes, and a team that feels like an extension of their own. That kind of consistency across very different client types is hard to fake.
What Humaan Does
Six capability areas delivered end-to-end by an in-house team.
Websites
Marketing sites, brand platforms, and editorial websites with a focus on craft, performance, and UX clarity.
Digital Strategy · Wireframing · UI Design · Interaction Design · Accessibility · Headless CMS · Performance Optimisation · Conversion Optimisation
Web Applications
Custom software products built for scale — from internal tools to customer-facing platforms.
User Research · Information Architecture · UX Design · Design Systems · React.js · Laravel · Platform Integrations · Ongoing Enhancements
Mobile Apps
Native iOS and Android apps designed and built in-house.
User Journey Mapping · Prototyping · UI Design · Mobile Development · A/B Testing · App Support
eCommerce
Online retail experiences built on Shopify and WooCommerce with UX-first thinking applied throughout.
UX Design · UI Design · Shopify · WooCommerce · Conversion Optimisation · Performance Optimisation
Data Visualisation
Interactive data products that make complex information navigable and engaging.
Digital Strategy · UX Design · Custom Interactive Development · React.js
Ongoing Support
Website hosting, maintenance, security, performance monitoring, and third-party integrations are managed post-launch.
Website Hosting · Maintenance · Performance & Security · 3rd Party Integrations
Selected Work
A snapshot of recent named projects. Full case studies on the agency's site.
Sussex Taps
Web Design · Commercial
A website for an established fixtures brand — combining brand craft with strong UX and product presentation.
Chaleit
Web Design · Commercial
A digital experience for a luxury chalet company. Client described the process as one of the most extraordinary in 24 years of business.
Exposing Surveillance / Surveillance Watch
Data Visualisation · Public Interest
An interactive data visualization mapping global surveillance connections — award-winning work in a genuinely difficult brief.
Breakthrough T1D
Web Design · Not-for-Profit · Health
A new digital home for an organization focused on a better future for people living with type 1 diabetes.
TrailsWA
Web Design · Community
A destination experience for Western Australia's trail network.
Fair Go Finance
Web Design · Fintech
A redesigned digital presence for a consumer lending brand, with measurable improvements in conversion and engagement post-launch.
Pharmacy 777
Web Design · Commercial · Health
A new website for a national pharmacy brand launched in March 2026.
Cancer Council WA
Web Design · Not-for-Profit · Health
Digital work for one of Australia's most recognized health charities.
Hire Humaan If You Need…
- A 100% in-house studio with no outsourcing — every discipline from strategy through build and support is handled internally
- A team with a 15-year track record and multi-category award recognition from AWA, FWA, Awwwards, Good Design, Webby, and Anthem
- Web, app, and eCommerce work delivered with a high degree of craft and clear UX thinking throughout
- A studio with proven experience across both commercial brands and not-for-profit and purpose-led organizations
- Ongoing support post-launch — hosting, maintenance, and continuous improvement built into the engagement model
Skip Humaan If…
- You need a studio purely focused on brand identity, visual systems, or above-the-line campaign work — Humaan's strength is digital product delivery, not brand strategy from scratch
- You're a US or European company that needs tight timezone overlap — the Perth base is a real consideration for day-to-day collaboration
- You need transparent pricing upfront — Humaan doesn't publish rates or minimums, so budget alignment requires a direct conversation
Independent Verification
Recognition
Awwwards Site of the Day — Sussex Taps (Feb 2024)
Awwwards Site of the Day + Developer Award — Humaan website (Feb 2024)
Australian Web Awards — 4 wins including Best in Show: Design (2025)
Good Design Awards — Web Design & Development, Sussex Taps + PIQUE (2023)
Good Design Awards Gold (2025) · Anthem Awards — wins listed on trophy cabinet
Webby Awards — two projects recognised (2026)
FWA — multiple recognitions across portfolio
If Humaan Isn't the Right Fit
Clay Global
The benchmark for brand and digital product work across fintech and SaaS — broader brand strategy scope and stronger fit for complex digital product systems.
Habitat
A fully remote product design studio with a strong embedded team model and verified Clutch record. Better fit for startup-stage companies that need product UX without full-stack development.
Brightscout
Austin-based B2B studio with a similar brand plus web plus app scope, with broader capacity for growth-stage and enterprise companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Humaan is 100% in-house — design, development, strategy, and support are all delivered by the core team. This is a deliberate structural choice that the studio actively highlights as a differentiator, and it holds up when you look at the consistency of output across very different project types.
Their portfolio spans commercial brands, not-for-profits, educational institutions, health organizations, fintech companies, and community and purpose-led projects. The breadth is genuine — Deloitte and the National Breast Cancer Foundation represent very different briefs, and both appear as named clients.
Yes — the full capability stack covers strategy, UX research, UI design, front-end and back-end development, mobile apps, and ongoing support. This end-to-end scope is one of the studio's defining features.
The studio's primary base is Perth, Western Australia, with a presence in Los Angeles. They work with clients globally, but Perth's time zone (AWST, UTC+8) requires careful planning for real-time collaboration with US or European teams. For Australian clients, this is a non-issue.
React.js, Vue, Laravel, Payload CMS, WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify are all listed capabilities. They also have a growing AI and automation practice for clients exploring those areas. The range means they're not locked to a single stack — project technology decisions appear to be driven by the brief.
Since 2010 — 15 years as of 2025. For a studio of this size, that longevity combined with ongoing award recognition is worth noting.
Ready to see if Humaan fits your project?
Visit the agency's site to view their full portfolio, or compare them against the rest of our top picks.