Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What does Square Studio do?

Accepted Answer

Square Studio is a Luxembourg-based design studio founded by Nicola Trabace in 2023, working with SaaS, fintech, and B2B startups across the globe. Our core service is product design: UI/UX, design systems, and ongoing design partnership for teams shipping software continuously. We also handle brand identity and Framer-built websites when our clients need them. As of 2026, our typical client is a SaaS or fintech company between 10 and 200 people that needs a senior design partner without hiring full-time.

Question 2

What's the difference between project-based and retainer work?

Accepted Answer

Square Studio works on a flexible day-rate model rather than fixed monthly retainers. The rate is €400–€850 per day (HT), with a project minimum of €1,700. For ongoing work, most retainer clients book 1.5 to 2.5 days per week, paid only for days actually used and rolled over if not. There are no monthly minimums and no lock-in: clients can scale up or down as their roadmap shifts. Project-based engagements are also available when you have a defined deliverable (a feature design, a website build, a brand refresh).

Question 3

How does your design process work?

Accepted Answer

Our design process at Square Studio adapts to whether the engagement is product retainer or fixed project. For product retainers we embed in the client's sprint cadence (design reviews twice a week) and ship continuously, with a ramp-up of 3 to 5 days to be productive on the product. For fixed projects (Framer site, brand identity, product redesign) we work in four phases: discovery and strategy (Week 1), exploration and direction (Week 2), system and execution in Figma (Week 3–4), handoff or Framer build (Week 5–6). Total runs 3 to 6 weeks depending on scope. We use Figma for design, Framer for marketing websites, Productive.io for project management, and mainly email for daily communication, with flexibility depending on the client's preferences.

Question 4

What makes you different from other design studios?

Accepted Answer

Three things set Square Studio apart in 2026. First, we are a senior design partner, not a vendor: every engagement is led directly by Nicola Trabace, with no junior handoffs or account managers. Second, our Luxembourg location overlaps comfortably with both European and US East Coast hours: US founders end the day at 6pm and find new design work shipped by 10am their time the next day. Third, European design sensibility: clean, minimal, purposeful. We solve problems instead of decorating them, which fits B2B and fintech products where clarity matters more than animation.

Question 5

What if we are only just starting to think about design?

Accepted Answer

Pre-product or pre-launch is a strong moment to bring in design. Square Studio works with seed and pre-seed founders regularly, including teams that contact us before incorporation. Engagements at this stage usually start small: a focused initial project covering positioning, product foundation, key flows, and a launch website. From there you can move into a retainer once you start shipping continuously. Getting design and brand strategy right at the foundation level typically saves months of pivot rework after launch. Send us a brief and we will scope a starting point that fits your stage.

Question 6

Does location matter? Are you available for remote work?

Accepted Answer

Square Studio is based in Luxembourg City and works fully remote with clients across Europe (Luxembourg, Switzerland, UK), North America (US, Canada), South America, and Australia. Our timezone is CET (Central European Time): we overlap with European business hours fully and US East Coast mornings comfortably. The EU/US handoff is part of the value: US clients hand off work end of day, find it shipped by 10am their time. We hold sync calls in English, Italian, and French, and use async-first communication via email and other client preferred channels.

Question 7

What technologies does the studio use?

Accepted Answer

Our 2026 stack: Figma for design (with Variables, Auto Layout, Dev Mode), FigJam for workshops, Adobe Creative Suite for visual identity. Framer for marketing websites and product landing pages, including Sites, CMS, Variables, Effects, and Components. Adobe suite. Productive.io for project management, Apollo.io for outreach, Notion for knowledge base. Loom for async reviews, email, WhatsApp Business and Telegram for client comms. Paper app and Jitter for presentations and motion. Make.com for automation.

Question 8

How long does a typical project take?

Accepted Answer

Typical Square Studio project timelines as of 2026: product feature sprint within retainer 1 to 3 weeks; visual identity refresh 4 to 6 weeks; Framer marketing website (8–15 pages) 4 to 8 weeks; SaaS product redesign (key flows) 8 to 12 weeks; design system v1 (foundations + 30–50 components) 10 to 14 weeks. Timing depends on scope clarity at kickoff, client decision-making speed, and number of stakeholders. For ongoing product work, retainers ship continuously without a defined end date.

Question 9

What kind of companies does Square Studio work with?

Accepted Answer

Our ideal client in 2026 is a SaaS, fintech, or B2B startup between 10 and 200 people, with at least one in-house product or engineering lead. Sweet spot is teams with budgets above €3,500 per project and a real need for ongoing design capacity. We work primarily with companies in Luxembourg, Switzerland, UK, Canada, US, and Australia, across verticals including B2B SaaS, banking infrastructure, fintech and treasury platforms, industrial software, and digital signage. We are not a fit for enterprise corporates with 6-month procurement cycles, agencies looking for white-label support, or marketing-only projects without product context.

Question 10

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

The fastest way to start working with Square Studio: email info@squarestudio.design with a 5-line brief covering who you are, what you are building, your timeline, and your budget range. We respond within 1 business day (CET). For quick async questions you can also reach Nicola on WhatsApp at +352 661 920 402, but project briefs are best sent via email so we have all the context. After a 30-minute discovery call, if there is a fit you receive a written proposal within 3 business days. Square Studio takes on a limited number of active engagements at any time, so availability is checked at first contact.

Question 11

How much does Square Studio cost?

Accepted Answer

Square Studio pricing in 2026 is built on a day rate of €400–€850 HT (excluding VAT), simple and transparent. Retainer starting from €3,500 per month. Website on Framer starting from €1,500. UI/UX work starting from €2,000.

Question 12

Do you sign NDAs and how is intellectual property handled?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Square Studio signs NDAs before any commercial discussion if requested, with a turnaround of 1 to 2 business days. We use a standard mutual NDA template and accept the client's template if reasonable. On intellectual property: all final design deliverables transfer to the client upon final payment, including Figma files, Framer projects, source assets, and any custom code we write. Square Studio retains the right to display the work in our portfolio and case studies after public launch unless a confidentiality clause is signed. Our standard contract is governed by Luxembourg law. Square Studio s.à.r.l. is registered in Luxembourg under B275303 with VAT number LU34833174.

Question 13

Can Square Studio work with our existing development team?

Accepted Answer

Yes, most of our SaaS and fintech engagements include working alongside an in-house engineering team. We deliver designs in Figma with Dev Mode enabled, design tokens, component documentation, and Loom walkthroughs. We use the client's existing tools: GitHub for code review when relevant, Linear or Jira for tickets, email for daily communication. For Framer projects we hand off the published site or transfer Framer ownership. We do not require engineers to use specific tools and we adapt to your stack (React, Vue, Next.js, Remix). We can also coach junior in-house designers on design system maintenance during retainers if requested.

Question 14

What industries does Square Studio specialize in?

Accepted Answer

Square Studio specializes in five verticals as of 2026: B2B SaaS (productivity, collaboration, dev tools, vertical SaaS); fintech (banking infrastructure, payments, treasury, embedded finance); industrial software and IoT platforms; digital signage and MaaS platforms; scale-up startups across Europe and North America. We have particular depth in B2B products where complex data, multiple user roles, and design system thinking matter more than visual decoration. We do not specialize in e-commerce, consumer mobile apps, gaming, gambling, crypto exchanges, or agencies seeking white-label work. If you are unsure whether your product fits, send us a brief and we will tell you within 1 business day.

Question 15

Why choose a small studio over a larger agency?

Accepted Answer

The trade-off is clear. Larger agencies (50+ people) offer more parallel capacity, formal account management, multi-disciplinary teams. Small senior studios like Square Studio offer direct senior access, faster decision cycles, lower overhead, and deep specialization. With Square Studio you work directly with Nicola Trabace and a focused team of senior designers. No junior handoffs, no account managers, no slide decks for status updates. Decisions happen in days, not weeks. Our day-rate model means you only pay for actual work delivered, with no overhead markup. We are the right fit if you want a senior partner who ships fast and integrates with your team; we are the wrong fit if you need 5 parallel workstreams or formal procurement support.

What does Square Studio do?

What's the difference between project-based and retainer work?

How does your design process work?

What makes you different?

What if we're only just starting to think about design?

Does location matter? Are you available for remote work?

What technologies does the studio use?

How long does a typical project take?

What kind of companies does Square Studio work with?

How do I get started?

How much does Square Studio cost?

Do you sign NDAs and how is intellectual property handled?

Can Square Studio work with our existing development team?

What industries does Square Studio specialize in?

Why a small studio over a larger agency?

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Frequently asked questions

What does Square Studio do?

What's the difference between project-based and retainer work?

How does your design process work?

What makes you different?

What if we're only just starting to think about design?

Does location matter? Are you available for remote work?

What technologies does the studio use?

How long does a typical project take?

What kind of companies does Square Studio work with?

How do I get started?

How much does Square Studio cost?

Do you sign NDAs and how is intellectual property handled?

Can Square Studio work with our existing development team?

What industries does Square Studio specialize in?

Why a small studio over a larger agency?

Share your business, project, or ideas —Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation

Share your business, project, or ideas —
Reach out via email for any inquiries or to start a conversation