QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey (4.6/5) edges ahead of RTS Labs (3.8/5) overall. QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey is the better choice for large enterprises running AI as a CEO-level program. RTS Labs is the stronger option for US firms testing one AI idea on a small budget. The right choice depends on the size of your program, your budget, and whether you want the same firm to build what it recommends.
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | RTS Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
| HQ | London, UK (McKinsey HQ: New York, USA) | Glen Allen, USA |
| Team size | 1,000+ | 100+ |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Board-level strategy and change management backed by McKinsey's own AI engineering group | The lowest entry point reviewed here, with feasibility proofs in place of strategy decks |
| Pricing model | Project fees set per engagement; rates not published | $25–$49/hr (Clutch band); fixed-scope proofs of concept |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | $5,000+ (Clutch) |
| Primary tech stack | Kedro, Vizro, AWS | AWS, Azure, Python |
| Industries served | Banking & insurance, Healthcare & life sciences, Consumer & retail, Manufacturing, Energy, Public sector | Logistics, Financial services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail |
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs: overview
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey
QuantumBlack started in London in 2009 as an independent analytics firm and has been part of McKinsey & Company since 2015. McKinsey says it now has more than 1,000 technical practitioners, plus an R&D group, QuantumBlack Labs, of around 200 engineers, designers, and data scientists (per company website; independently unverifiable). A typical engagement pairs a strategy team that works with the chief executive and board with data scientists who build the first models, so the roadmap and the proof come from one firm. That access to the top of a company is the main reason to hire it. Price is the other side of it: fees follow McKinsey's own levels and are not published.
RTS Labs
RTS Labs is based in the Richmond, Virginia area and says it has 100+ US-based employees (per company website; independently unverifiable). It gives its founding year as 2010, while Clutch lists 2012. The firm says outright that it doesn't deliver strategy decks. Its version of strategy is a feasibility study and proof of concept with a return-on-investment check. Clutch lists $25–$49 an hour and a $5,000+ minimum, the lowest entry point of any firm reviewed here.
Services and capabilities: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Capability | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | RTS Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Readiness assessment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Use-case prioritization | ✓ | ✗ |
| TCO / ROI modeling | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI governance & EU AI Act | ✓ | ✗ |
| Build vs. buy advice | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audit of live AI programs | ✗ | ✗ |
| Change management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Can build what it recommends | ✓ | ✓ |
Frameworks and platforms: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Framework / platform | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | RTS Labs |
|---|---|---|
| EU AI Act | N/A | N/A |
| GDPR | N/A | N/A |
| NIST AI RMF | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | N/A |
| Databricks | ✓ | N/A |
| Snowflake | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Criterion | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | RTS Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | $5,000+ (Clutch) |
| Engagement models | Strategy & roadmap engagement, Delivery team, Ongoing advisory | Readiness assessment, Delivery team |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Dimension | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | RTS Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Mid-market to enterprise | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Banking & insurance, Healthcare & life sciences, Consumer & retail | Logistics, Financial services, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Setting an enterprise AI agenda that the CEO and board will own., Redesigning operating models and roles around AI at a large company. | Testing one AI idea with a proof of concept before funding it., Logistics and supply-chain models for mid-size US companies. |
| Typical project type | Strategy & roadmap engagement | Readiness assessment |
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs: pros and cons
| QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey | |
|---|---|
| + | Strategy teams work directly with chief executives and boards, which helps when AI spending needs sign-off at the very top |
| + | Change management and capability-building programs come from the same firm that wrote the strategy |
| + | Its own engineers build the first models, so feasibility gets tested before the roadmap is final |
| + | Maintains open-source tools (Kedro, Vizro) that show real engineering practice behind the advice |
| + | Industry depth across banking, health, consumer goods, and energy |
| - | Fees at McKinsey levels put it out of reach for most mid-market budgets |
| - | The firm that writes the roadmap also sells the follow-on work, so the plan may lean toward what McKinsey can deliver |
| - | Large programs mix partners with junior consultants, so confirm who will actually do the work |
| RTS Labs | |
|---|---|
| + | A $5,000+ Clutch minimum is the lowest entry point reviewed here |
| + | Proofs of concept test an idea on real data before a big commitment |
| + | Return-on-investment checks are part of the feasibility work |
| + | All-US team for clients that need domestic staff |
| - | Deliberately light on strategy, so a company-wide roadmap is outside its scope |
| - | US-only team with no European regulatory work |
| - | Founding year and headcount differ between its own site and Clutch |
Who should choose QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey?
A typical fit: setting an enterprise AI agenda that the CEO and board will own.
Board-level strategy and change management backed by McKinsey's own AI engineering group. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Banking & insurance, Healthcare & life sciences, Consumer & retail, Manufacturing, Energy, Public sector.
Who should choose RTS Labs?
A typical fit: testing one AI idea with a proof of concept before funding it.
The lowest entry point reviewed here, with feasibility proofs in place of strategy decks. Minimum engagement starts at $5,000+ (Clutch). Works best with clients in Logistics, Financial services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail.
Decision matrix: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| Your board wants a costed, sequenced roadmap within a quarter | Neither lists cost modeling; ask for a sample roadmap |
| You already run AI that is missing its targets | Neither offers a separate audit; ask for a scoped review |
| Regulators will ask how each AI system is governed | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey |
| AI will change roles and processes for many staff | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey |
| You want the strategy firm to build the result too | Both can deliver after the strategy |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey (Not disclosed) vs RTS Labs ($5,000+ (Clutch)) |
| You need a large team across many countries | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey |
Use case fit: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
| Use case | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey fit | RTS Labs fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting an enterprise AI agenda that the CEO and board will own. | Strong | Limited | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey |
| Redesigning operating models and roles around AI at a large company. | Strong | Limited | QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey |
| Testing one AI idea with a proof of concept before funding it. | Limited | Strong | RTS Labs |
| Logistics and supply-chain models for mid-size US companies. | Limited | Strong | RTS Labs |
Verdict: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey (4.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Strategy Consulting projects. Board-level strategy and change management backed by McKinsey's own AI engineering group.
RTS Labs (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need logistics and supply-chain models for mid-size US companies. If your situation matches that, RTS Labs is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey vs RTS Labs FAQ
Is QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey better than RTS Labs?
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey's strongest advantage: strategy teams work directly with chief executives and boards, which helps when AI spending needs sign-off at the very top. RTS Labs's strongest advantage: a $5,000+ Clutch minimum is the lowest entry point reviewed here.
How do QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and RTS Labs differ in pricing?
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey's pricing: project fees set per engagement; rates not published. RTS Labs's pricing: $25–$49/hr (Clutch band); fixed-scope proofs of concept with a minimum engagement of $5,000+ (Clutch). Any hourly bands shown come from Clutch, not a published rate card, so a scoping call is still needed for a project quote.
Which is better for enterprise: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey or RTS Labs?
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each consultant before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey and RTS Labs?
QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey's primary differentiator is: board-level strategy and change management backed by McKinsey's own AI engineering group. RTS Labs's primary differentiator is: the lowest entry point reviewed here, with feasibility proofs in place of strategy decks. They also differ in team size (1,000+ vs 100+), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs $5,000+ (Clutch)), and primary industries served (Banking & insurance, Healthcare & life sciences vs Logistics, Financial services).
Verify all details directly with each consultant before making a decision.