Clutch went from listing 37,355 design agencies in 2019 to 99,074 in 2024. That’s a 165% jump in just five years. The agency world exploded.
What’s Driving the Flood
- Remote work made “global teams” normal
- Solopreneurs realized they are agencies
- Tools like Notion, Slack, and Google Docs cut startup friction
- Low costs mean anyone can test the waters
Why It Works
- Lower barriers to entry create more competition, but also more innovation
- Decentralized workforces let talent live anywhere
- Brand differentiation matters more than ever when everyone looks the same
- Speed beats size in digital-first industries
Real-World Ripples
- Upwork’s freelancer pool doubled from 2019 to 2023
- Webflow’s user base passed 3.5M by 2023
- Indie agencies now win six-figure clients with remote teams of 3-5 people