Consult Red vs Spyrosoft: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Consult Red (4.3/5) edges ahead of Spyrosoft (3.7/5) overall. Consult Red is the better choice for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. Spyrosoft is the stronger option for enterprise-scale advisory backed by public-company financial disclosure. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Consult Red vs Spyrosoft: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Consult Red | Spyrosoft |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2016 |
| HQ | Shipley, UK | Wrocław, Poland |
| Team size | 220+ | 2,253 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 3.7 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded | Publicly listed (Warsaw Stock Exchange) engineering firm with 2,253 employees and published functional-safety standards expertise |
| Pricing model | Consulting and product development engagements | Project-based and staff augmentation engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms | C, C++, IEC 61508 |
| Industries served | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT | Automotive, Industrial 4.0, Enterprise software |
Consult Red vs Spyrosoft: 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.
Spyrosoft
Spyrosoft was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Wrocław, Poland, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange as Spyrosoft S.A. with 2,253 employees worldwide as of December 2025, roughly 81% concentrated in Poland. The company's embedded software engineering advisory sits within a broad services portfolio spanning enterprise software, AI/ML, cloud, cybersecurity, and user interfaces, and its own published technical guides on IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 functional safety indicate genuine in-house standards expertise, not just a listed service line. For an advisory buyer prioritizing enterprise-scale public-company backing above narrow firmware specialization, Spyrosoft is the largest publicly traded option on this list by headcount.
Services and capabilities: Consult Red vs Spyrosoft
| Capability | Consult Red | Spyrosoft |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Spyrosoft
| Framework / platform | Consult Red | Spyrosoft |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | N/A | ✓ |
| RTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | ✓ |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | ✓ |
| MISRA C | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Consult Red vs Spyrosoft
| Criterion | Consult Red | Spyrosoft |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation | Project-based engineering, Staff augmentation |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Consult Red vs Spyrosoft
| Dimension | Consult Red | Spyrosoft |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial | Automotive, Industrial 4.0, Enterprise software |
| Best use cases | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Enterprise-scale architecture advisory requiring public-company financial backing, IEC 61508 or ISO 26262 functional safety consulting bundled with broader IT advisory |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Project-based engineering |
Consult Red vs Spyrosoft: 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 |
| Spyrosoft | |
|---|---|
| + | Public listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange gives financial disclosure most private advisory competitors don't provide |
| + | 2,253 employees give substantial enterprise-scale advisory capacity for large, multi-region programs |
| + | Published in-house technical guides on IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 indicate genuine functional-safety standards expertise |
| + | 9 years of operating history with rapid growth to public-company scale |
| - | Embedded advisory is one service line inside a much broader enterprise IT and cybersecurity portfolio, not the firm's core identity |
| - | 81% workforce concentration in Poland is worth confirming against a buyer's own timezone and onsite requirements |
| - | No published pricing specific to embedded advisory work distinct from its broader IT consulting services |
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 Spyrosoft?
A typical fit: enterprise-scale architecture advisory requiring public-company financial backing.
Publicly listed (Warsaw Stock Exchange) engineering firm with 2,253 employees and published functional-safety standards expertise. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Automotive, Industrial 4.0, Enterprise software.
Decision matrix: Consult Red vs Spyrosoft
| 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 Spyrosoft (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 Spyrosoft
| Use case | Consult Red fit | Spyrosoft 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 |
| Enterprise-scale architecture advisory requiring public-company financial backing | Limited | Strong | Spyrosoft |
| IEC 61508 or ISO 26262 functional safety consulting bundled with broader IT advisory | Limited | Strong | Spyrosoft |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Consult Red vs Spyrosoft
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.
Spyrosoft (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need IEC 61508 or ISO 26262 functional safety consulting bundled with broader IT advisory. If your situation matches that, Spyrosoft is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Consult Red vs Spyrosoft FAQ
Is Consult Red better than Spyrosoft?
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. Spyrosoft's strongest advantage: public listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange gives financial disclosure most private advisory competitors don't provide.
How do Consult Red and Spyrosoft differ in pricing?
Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. Spyrosoft uses project-based and staff augmentation 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 Spyrosoft?
Spyrosoft 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 Spyrosoft?
Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. Spyrosoft's primary differentiator is: publicly listed (Warsaw Stock Exchange) engineering firm with 2,253 employees and published functional-safety standards expertise. They also differ in team size (220+ vs 2,253), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Connected TV, IoT vs Automotive, Industrial 4.0).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.