Consult Red vs USA Firmware: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Consult Red (4.3/5) edges ahead of USA Firmware (3.9/5) overall. Consult Red is the better choice for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. USA Firmware is the stronger option for small to mid-size advisory engagements wanting one accountable consulting relationship. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Consult Red vs USA Firmware: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Consult Red | USA Firmware |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2011 |
| HQ | Shipley, UK | Brecksville, OH, USA |
| Team size | 220+ | 17 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded | Managed design services spanning electrical engineering, firmware, FPGA, and Linux advisory under a single discovery-to-production process |
| Pricing model | Consulting and product development engagements | Managed design service engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms | C, C++, FPGA Design |
| Industries served | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT | Industrial products, Commercial electronics |
Consult Red vs USA Firmware: 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.
USA Firmware
USA Firmware was founded in 2011 by Bob Scaccia and operates from Brecksville, Ohio with a team of around 17 people. Its managed design services bundle electrical engineering, firmware, FPGA design, embedded software, and Linux advisory into a single discovery-through-production-enablement process, positioned for buyers who want one accountable advisory relationship rather than coordinating separate electrical, firmware, and FPGA consultants. Leadership brings a stated 150-plus combined years of experience concentrated in a small, senior team.
Services and capabilities: Consult Red vs USA Firmware
| Capability | Consult Red | USA Firmware |
|---|---|---|
| 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 USA Firmware
| Framework / platform | Consult Red | USA Firmware |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | ✓ |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Consult Red vs USA Firmware
| Criterion | Consult Red | USA Firmware |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation | Managed design services |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Consult Red vs USA Firmware
| Dimension | Consult Red | USA Firmware |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial | Industrial products, Commercial electronics |
| Best use cases | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Combined electrical, firmware, and FPGA architecture advisory for a new industrial product, Discovery-phase consulting ahead of a full firmware build |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Managed design services |
Consult Red vs USA Firmware: 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 |
| USA Firmware | |
|---|---|
| + | Leadership brings a stated 150-plus combined years of experience concentrated in a small, senior team, a strong bench-quality signal for a smaller advisory engagement |
| + | Bundles electrical engineering, firmware, and FPGA advisory under one managed process |
| + | Discovery-through-production-enablement scope covers the full advisory arc, not just an initial opinion |
| + | 14 years of operating history under its founder |
| - | 17 employees is among the smallest teams on this list, limiting fit for advisory engagements requiring large parallel workstreams |
| - | Public case study detail is limited, so verifying past advisory engagements requires direct reference outreach |
| - | 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 USA Firmware?
A typical fit: combined electrical, firmware, and FPGA architecture advisory for a new industrial product.
Managed design services spanning electrical engineering, firmware, FPGA, and Linux advisory under a single discovery-to-production process. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial products, Commercial electronics.
Decision matrix: Consult Red vs USA Firmware
| 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 USA Firmware (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 USA Firmware
| Use case | Consult Red fit | USA Firmware 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 |
| Combined electrical, firmware, and FPGA architecture advisory for a new industrial product | Limited | Strong | USA Firmware |
| Discovery-phase consulting ahead of a full firmware build | Limited | Strong | USA Firmware |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
Verdict: Consult Red vs USA Firmware
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.
USA Firmware (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need discovery-phase consulting ahead of a full firmware build. If your situation matches that, USA Firmware is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Consult Red vs USA Firmware FAQ
Is Consult Red better than USA Firmware?
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. USA Firmware's strongest advantage: leadership brings a stated 150-plus combined years of experience concentrated in a small, senior team, a strong bench-quality signal for a smaller advisory engagement.
How do Consult Red and USA Firmware differ in pricing?
Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. USA Firmware uses managed design service 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 USA Firmware?
Consult Red 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 USA Firmware?
Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. USA Firmware's primary differentiator is: managed design services spanning electrical engineering, firmware, FPGA, and Linux advisory under a single discovery-to-production process. They also differ in team size (220+ vs 17), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Connected TV, IoT vs Industrial products, Commercial electronics).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.