LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems: full comparison for 2026
Last updated: July 2026
Quick verdict
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) edges ahead of EPAM Systems (4.0/5) overall. LeewayHertz is the better choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. EPAM Systems is the stronger option for large enterprises with $100K+ AI budgets that need a publicly traded, globally scaled engineering partner.. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1993 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California, United States | Newtown, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Team size | 200–300 | 50,000+ |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Best for | Enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group). | Large enterprises with $100K+ AI budgets that need a publicly traded, globally scaled engineering partner. |
| Pricing model | Project-based, retainer | Time & materials, managed engagement |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $100,000+ |
| Primary tech stack | Python, LangChain, Hugging Face | AWS SageMaker, Azure ML, Databricks |
| Industries served | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce | FinTech, Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, Manufacturing, Telecom |
LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems: overview
LeewayHertz
LeewayHertz was founded in 2007 by Akash Takyar and Viresh Bhathia and is headquartered in San Francisco, combining strategic AI advisory with engineering delivery and proprietary AI platforms. On September 23, 2024, LeewayHertz was acquired by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, giving it access to Hackett's enterprise client relationships. Reported employee counts range from roughly 194 to 300, and as with any recently acquired firm, prospective clients should verify current team continuity.
EPAM Systems
EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM) has operated since 1993 and has become one of the largest global digital transformation and engineering services providers, with a workforce in the tens of thousands. Its AI development services span generative AI, machine learning consulting, and intelligent automation, delivered by consultants, designers, and engineers who have worked with AI technologies for decades, and Clutch lists a minimum project size of $100,000+ with $150–$199/hr average rates. As a large publicly traded firm, EPAM offers the deepest compliance and financial transparency in this list, at a correspondingly higher entry price point.
Services and capabilities: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| Capability | LeewayHertz | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Custom ML Models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Computer Vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Generative AI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI Consulting | ✓ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| Framework / platform | LeewayHertz | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| TensorFlow | N/A | N/A |
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | N/A | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| Criterion | LeewayHertz | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $100,000+ |
| Engagement models | Project-based, Retainer, Dedicated team | Managed engagement, Time & materials, Staff augmentation |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| Dimension | LeewayHertz | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing | FinTech, Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce |
| Best use cases | Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy., Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. | Large enterprise with a $100K+ budget needs a publicly traded vendor for AI/ML procurement compliance requirements., Fortune 500 company needs generative AI deployed at global scale with responsible-AI governance built in. |
| Typical project type | Project-based | Managed engagement |
LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems: pros and cons
| LeewayHertz | |
|---|---|
| + | 17 years of AI/software delivery history since 2007, well-established before its 2024 acquisition. |
| + | Now backed by The Hackett Group, a publicly traded management consulting firm, adding financial stability and enterprise client access. |
| + | Proprietary AI platform assets built pre-acquisition can shorten delivery timelines for common use cases. |
| - | September 2024 acquisition by The Hackett Group is recent enough that integration effects on pricing and delivery team stability are still unfolding. |
| - | Employee-count sources disagree meaningfully (194 vs. 300), so confirm current AI-delivery headcount directly. |
| EPAM Systems | |
|---|---|
| + | Publicly traded on the NYSE, giving clients access to audited financial disclosures unavailable from private competitors. |
| + | 50,000+ global workforce provides essentially unlimited delivery capacity for the largest enterprise AI programs. |
| + | 31+ years of engineering history (since 1993) predates the current AI hiring wave by decades. |
| + | AI/generative AI practice spans strategy through production deployment and responsible-AI compliance, covering the full enterprise lifecycle. |
| + | Scale/compliance standout among the researched companies — the clearest choice for regulated, large-budget enterprise programs. |
| - | $100,000+ minimum project size (per Clutch) puts EPAM out of reach for startups and mid-market budgets under six figures. |
| - | $150–$199/hr rate band is among the highest in this list, reflecting large-firm overhead. |
| - | At 50,000+ employees, AI/ML is one practice among dozens — clients should confirm they're getting a dedicated AI pod, not a generalist team. |
Who should choose LeewayHertz?
LeewayHertz is the right choice for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in FinTech, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail & E-commerce.
Who should choose EPAM Systems?
EPAM Systems is the right choice for large enterprises with $100K+ AI budgets that need a publicly traded, globally scaled engineering partner..
Public-company (NYSE: EPAM) scale and compliance rigor, with 30+ years of engineering history predating the AI wave.. Minimum engagement starts at $100,000+. Works best with clients in FinTech, Healthcare, Retail & E-commerce, Manufacturing, Telecom.
Decision matrix: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| 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 | LeewayHertz |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: LeewayHertz (Not published) vs EPAM Systems ($100,000+) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | EPAM Systems |
| You need production MLOps support after model launch | EPAM Systems |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | LeewayHertz |
Use case fit: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
| Use case | LeewayHertz fit | EPAM Systems fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise wants AI consulting from a firm now backed by a publicly traded management consultancy. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Company needs generative AI or AI agent development with proprietary platform accelerators. | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large enterprise with a $100K+ budget needs a publicly traded vendor for AI/ML procurement compliance requirements. | Limited | Strong | EPAM Systems |
| Fortune 500 company needs generative AI deployed at global scale with responsible-AI governance built in. | Limited | Strong | EPAM Systems |
| Fixed-scope ML build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Ongoing model retraining | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. AI consultancy now operating as a Hackett Group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. It is best for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group)..
EPAM Systems (4.0/5) is the better choice when large enterprises with $100K+ AI budgets that need a publicly traded, globally scaled engineering partner.. If your situation matches those criteria, EPAM Systems is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
LeewayHertz vs EPAM Systems FAQ
Is LeewayHertz better than EPAM Systems?
LeewayHertz (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. LeewayHertz is better for enterprises that want AI consulting backed by a publicly traded management-consulting parent (The Hackett Group).. EPAM Systems is better for large enterprises with $100K+ AI budgets that need a publicly traded, globally scaled engineering partner..
How do LeewayHertz and EPAM Systems differ in pricing?
LeewayHertz uses project-based, retainer pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. EPAM Systems uses time & materials, managed engagement pricing with a minimum engagement of $100,000+. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: LeewayHertz or EPAM Systems?
LeewayHertz is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between LeewayHertz and EPAM Systems?
LeewayHertz's primary differentiator is: ai consultancy now operating as a hackett group company, combining startup-era agility with public-company backing.. EPAM Systems's primary differentiator is: public-company (nyse: epam) scale and compliance rigor, with 30+ years of engineering history predating the ai wave.. They also differ in team size (200–300 vs 50,000+), minimum engagement (Not published vs $100,000+), and primary industries served (FinTech, Healthcare vs FinTech, Healthcare).
Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.