Consult Red vs A-listware: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Consult Red (4.3/5) edges ahead of A-listware (3.7/5) overall. Consult Red is the better choice for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. A-listware is the stronger option for staff augmentation for advisory-adjacent firmware architecture guidance. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Consult Red vs A-listware: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Consult Red | A-listware |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2017 |
| HQ | Shipley, UK | London, UK (R&D center in Ukraine) |
| Team size | 220+ | 51–200 |
| 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 | Remote engineering team delivery model with embedded firmware architecture guidance and legacy modernization as named service lines |
| Pricing model | Consulting and product development engagements | Staff augmentation and dedicated remote team engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms | C, C++, Legacy System Modernization Tooling |
| Industries served | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT | Industrial IoT, Legacy hardware modernization |
Consult Red vs A-listware: 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.
A-listware
A-listware was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in London, UK, with an R&D center in Ukraine and a reported 51 to 200 employees. The company's core model centers on delivering remote engineering teams to clients, with embedded systems and IoT advisory, including firmware architecture guidance, legacy system modernization, and hardware integration, named among its service lines. For an advisory engagement structured as staff augmentation rather than a fixed-deliverable consulting contract, A-listware's remote-team model is built specifically for that engagement shape.
Services and capabilities: Consult Red vs A-listware
| Capability | Consult Red | A-listware |
|---|---|---|
| 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 A-listware
| Framework / platform | Consult Red | A-listware |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Consult Red vs A-listware
| Criterion | Consult Red | A-listware |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation | Staff augmentation, Dedicated remote teams |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Consult Red vs A-listware
| Dimension | Consult Red | A-listware |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial | Industrial IoT, Legacy hardware modernization |
| Best use cases | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Staff augmentation for an in-house firmware advisory function needing additional capacity, Legacy embedded system architecture review for an aging industrial product |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Staff augmentation |
Consult Red vs A-listware: 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 |
| A-listware | |
|---|---|
| + | Staff augmentation model gives a buyer direct control over embedded engineers working inside their own existing advisory processes |
| + | Legacy system modernization is a named specialty, useful for an architecture review centered on an aging codebase |
| + | UK headquarters with a Ukraine R&D center gives Western business hours coordination with Eastern European delivery cost structure |
| + | 8 years of operating history with a reported 51 to 200 employees |
| - | Firmware architecture guidance is one line among several IoT and embedded services rather than the company's sole specialty |
| - | Staff augmentation suits a buyer who already has in-house advisory leadership; it is a narrower fit for a fully independent consulting opinion |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
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 A-listware?
A typical fit: staff augmentation for an in-house firmware advisory function needing additional capacity.
Remote engineering team delivery model with embedded firmware architecture guidance and legacy modernization as named service lines. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial IoT, Legacy hardware modernization.
Decision matrix: Consult Red vs A-listware
| 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 | A-listware |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Consult Red (Not published) vs A-listware (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 A-listware
| Use case | Consult Red fit | A-listware 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 | Strong | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation for an in-house firmware advisory function needing additional capacity | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Legacy embedded system architecture review for an aging industrial product | Limited | Strong | A-listware |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Consult Red vs A-listware
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.
A-listware (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need legacy embedded system architecture review for an aging industrial product. If your situation matches that, A-listware is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Consult Red vs A-listware FAQ
Is Consult Red better than A-listware?
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. A-listware's strongest advantage: staff augmentation model gives a buyer direct control over embedded engineers working inside their own existing advisory processes.
How do Consult Red and A-listware differ in pricing?
Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. A-listware uses staff augmentation and dedicated remote team 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 A-listware?
A-listware 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 A-listware?
Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. A-listware's primary differentiator is: remote engineering team delivery model with embedded firmware architecture guidance and legacy modernization as named service lines. They also differ in team size (220+ vs 51–200), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Connected TV, IoT vs Industrial IoT, Legacy hardware modernization).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.