Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Consult Red (4.3/5) edges ahead of Fresh Consulting (4.1/5) overall. Consult Red is the better choice for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. Fresh Consulting is the stronger option for firmware architecture advisory bundled with broader physical-product innovation strategy. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Consult Red | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2007 |
| HQ | Shipley, UK | Bellevue, WA, USA |
| Team size | 220+ | 150–500 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded | Firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy |
| Pricing model | Consulting and product development engagements | Project-based product innovation and consulting engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms | C, C++, FPGA |
| Industries served | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT | Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products |
Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting: overview
Consult Red
Consult Red was founded in 2003 by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, initially operating as Red Embedded before rebranding to Consult Red in February 2020. Headquartered at The Wave, Shipley, England, the firm has grown to more than 220 employees across four continents and transferred ownership to an Employee-Owned Trust, applying its embedded, hardware, and cloud technology experience to connected-device consulting across Connected TV, IoT, and industrial sectors. The founding team's direct engineering leadership background at Pace Micro, a real, named prior employer, gives its consulting credibility a specific origin story a buyer can trace.
Fresh Consulting
Fresh Consulting was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with a team reported between 150 and 500 people. The firm positions itself as a digital and physical product development and innovation services company, with firmware engineering delivered by teams working alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics engineering disciplines rather than as an isolated practice. Its consulting name and product-innovation framing suit a buyer looking for architecture advice bundled with a broader physical-product strategy conversation, not a narrow firmware-only opinion.
Services and capabilities: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| Capability | Consult Red | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feasibility assessment | ✗ | ✗ |
| Functional safety consulting | ✗ | ✗ |
| Technical training | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert-witness services | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design | ✗ | ✓ |
| Medical device firmware | ✗ | ✗ |
| IoT connectivity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| Framework / platform | Consult Red | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | N/A | ✓ |
| RTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| Criterion | Consult Red | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation | Project-based product innovation consulting |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| Dimension | Consult Red | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial | Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products |
| Best use cases | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement, Multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Project-based product innovation consulting |
Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting: pros and cons
| Consult Red | |
|---|---|
| + | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, a specific, verifiable prior employer that grounds the firm's founding expertise claim |
| + | 22 years of operating history, with employee ownership since its 2020 rebrand aligning staff incentives with long-term client relationships |
| + | 220-plus employees across four continents give substantial bench depth for concurrent consulting and development engagements |
| + | Connected TV and RDK-V/RDK-B specialization is a specific, differentiated niche within broader embedded consulting |
| - | Connected TV and OTT specialization is a narrower fit for a buyer whose product has no video or pay-TV component |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | The 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded to Consult Red is worth confirming doesn't create confusion with unrelated firms using similar names |
| Fresh Consulting | |
|---|---|
| + | 18 years of operating history as a named product-innovation and consulting firm, not a rebranded dev shop |
| + | Firmware engineers work directly alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics teams, useful for architecture questions spanning multiple disciplines |
| + | 150 to 500 employees give substantial bench depth for concurrent advisory and development programs |
| + | Broader product-innovation framing suits a buyer whose firmware question is really a physical-product strategy question |
| - | Firmware engineering is one capability inside a much broader product-innovation practice, not the firm's dedicated specialty |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | Reported employee counts vary between roughly 150 and 500 across sources |
Who should choose Consult Red?
A typical fit: connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting.
Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT.
Who should choose Fresh Consulting?
A typical fit: firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement.
Firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products.
Decision matrix: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| 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 | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Consult Red (Not published) vs Fresh Consulting (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Consult Red |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Consult Red |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Consult Red |
Use case fit: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
| Use case | Consult Red fit | Fresh Consulting fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
| IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
| Firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
Verdict: Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting
Consult Red (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Consulting projects. Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded.
Fresh Consulting (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture. If your situation matches that, Fresh Consulting is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Consult Red vs Fresh Consulting FAQ
Is Consult Red better than Fresh Consulting?
Consult Red (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Consult Red's strongest advantage: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, a specific, verifiable prior employer that grounds the firm's founding expertise claim. Fresh Consulting's strongest advantage: 18 years of operating history as a named product-innovation and consulting firm, not a rebranded dev shop.
How do Consult Red and Fresh Consulting differ in pricing?
Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. Fresh Consulting uses project-based product innovation and consulting engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Consult Red or Fresh Consulting?
Fresh Consulting is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each consultancy before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Consult Red and Fresh Consulting?
Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. Fresh Consulting's primary differentiator is: firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy. They also differ in team size (220+ vs 150–500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Connected TV, IoT vs Consumer electronics, Robotics).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.