Subscription and Recurring Payment Tracking Mobile App
Enabling users to easily track their spending on subscriptions and recurring payments
TIMELINE: 1 month
ROLE: Solo Project for Springboard's UI/UX Bootcamp
As technology plays a vital role in our daily lives, subscription services have become an increasingly popular way for consumers to access products and services. However, managing multiple subscriptions can be daunting, and it's easy to lose track of payments or forget about subscriptions altogether. According to user data from the financial app, Mint, the average American consumer has two to three subscriptions. On average, consumers spend over $133 more on subscriptions than they think.
​
While evaluating financial apps for this project, I discovered that I was paying more than eighty dollars yearly to a company called Public Goods because I purchased some masks from them at the start of the pandemic.
They had set up recurring payments that I couldn’t cancel. I wish I could have tracked my subscriptions and avoided two years of sneaky charges!
That's why Pared was created, a product that helps users keep track of their subscription fees on websites, apps, services, and more over time.
As a designer, I was tasked with designing a mobile version of the product that would be more accessible to a broader audience. In this case study, I will share my process and insights into designing the mobile version of Pared, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing. My goal was to create a user-friendly interface enabling users to easily track their subscriptions and avoid unexpected charges while providing helpful tools and features to make the experience seamless.
​
In this case study, I will highlight the key design decisions and iterations that led to the final mobile version of Pared, as well as the user feedback and testing that helped shape the product. By the end of this case study, I hope to demonstrate how a user-centered design approach can lead to a more intuitive and effective product, even in a complex and crowded space like subscription management.​
THE PROBLEM
It’s not easy to keep track of all the products and services we subscribe to and the amounts we pay for them.
While challenges faced may vary depending on the individual's financial situation and the subscriptions they have, here are some common issues people face:
​
-
Keeping track of multiple bills and due dates: With multiple subscriptions, it can be challenging to keep track of the various bills and due dates for each one.
-
Budgeting: It can be challenging to budget for recurring payments, as the amount and due date may vary monthly.
-
Automatic renewals: Some subscriptions renew automatically, resulting in unexpected charges if the person is unaware of the renewal.
-
Canceling subscriptions: Canceling subscriptions can be complicated, as some companies make it hard to cancel or charge penalties for canceling.
While designing the mobile version of the product, I wanted to keep in mind that the last thing users need is a complicated, multi-page app that increases their stress about managing their subscriptions and, ultimately, finances. The app must be simple, approachable, and easy to use.
THE SOLUTION
A single view of all subscriptions
Customizable alerts and reminders
Spending reports and summary
Custom categories and tags to track spending
USER RESEARCH
Everyone is stressing about their finances yet adoption of subscription-tracking apps is low
The company's primary user demographic is middle-class individuals over the age of 30, with an even split between men and women. The company currently operates in the US but will soon expand into the German market. The target user is someone who uses desktop and mobile devices equally, is budget conscious and is over 30 years old.
Due to time constraints, I skipped screener surveys and instead contacted people in my network who fit the target user profile. I spoke to three individuals to learn about their financial habits and subscription tracking methods but found the responses too varied to draw clear conclusions.
As a result, I sent out a survey to ten more people to gather more responses to the same questions and identify stronger common themes.
KEY FINDINGS AND INSIGHTS
Most users I spoke to had yet to use a subscription tracking app, and they primarily relied on their existing budgeting app to manage and track their subscriptions.
Across the conversations I had with users, a common theme appeared. Users' most significant issue is the difficulty in tracking and managing digital subscriptions, causing stress and a need for clarity about spending patterns.
Finances stress me out, and I often feel like I have too much to keep track of. I’d like to be more comfortable addressing my financial needs, and have organizational tools to help me stay on track.
I feel anxious doing finances. I need more clarity about where I’m spending. See trends, track over time.
I don't check it that often because of my anxiety. But I know I should because I want to keep better track of it.
Users want a practical and user-friendly solution to keep track of their subscriptions, know what they are paying for, and make informed decisions about their finances.
I have to go many bank apps and websites. It would be good to have everything in one place. I try to subscribe only a few services.
​
It takes as much time to import and properly list transactions as actually figuring out budget and finances.
​
Need to know what is due for the month so I can budget for it. Track what is not being used. Reminders to remove and cancel subscriptions and free trials.
​
“I feel anxious doing finances. I need more clarity about where I’m spending. See trends, track over time, and get tips or suggestions on how I can cut my spending .”
MAIN INSIGHT
Users value simplicity, convenience, and security when managing their subscriptions and finances.
-
Users have different levels of comfort with sharing personal and financial information with apps and services.
-
They want reminders and alerts to keep track of their subscription payments, free trials, and cancellation periods.
-
They want to see trends and spending patterns over time to make informed decisions about their finances.
How might we give users a sense of clarity, control, and comfort when managing their subscriptions?
Keeping in mind the business goal:
How can we ensure the app is adaptable for entry into new markets?
MAPPING THE USER EXPERIENCE
An app that helps users save money, reduce stress, and make informed decisions about their finances
Based on the pain points and user insights, I mapped out a simple, streamlined user experience to manage subscriptions and recurring payments. The app aims to allow users to easily track their subscription spending, receive insights and recommendations on saving money, and customize their preferences to fit their needs.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Creating a comfortable user experience in finance apps
I analyzed a few banking and finance apps to evaluate how they address common user pain points and implement UX patterns relevant to this app design.
​
The objective was to find ways to create a comfortable user experience and to make users feel at ease while using the app by avoiding a complicated, formal banking app design.
Here are a few of the action points from analyzing these apps:
​
-
The app should provide tips and guide users to help users feel at ease.
-
Clean UI, negative space, cards, and typographical hierarchy can help reduce cognitive load.
-
Users should be able to toggle between upcoming and all subscriptions and sort/filter through the list.
-
The app should allow users to toggle between list and tile view and have a clean, simple UI with unique visual elements wherever possible.
-
A larger calendar view would make it more accessible.
-
Include spend categories and allow users to create custom categories.
-
A dashboard view should show total subscription amounts, spending, income, etc.
-
There should be indicators to track progress and clear instructions on performing tasks.
-
Use notifications to inform users of upcoming payments or successful cancellations.
-
Spending categories should be shown in addition to amounts, and a month-at-a-glance view should be provided.
-
Visual depictions of information should be used where possible.
Getting ideas out on paper in the form of napkin sketches
I realized that the subscription list screen, the dashboard, and the subscription detail screens would be the pivotal screens of the app. I sketched out a few options and assessed each to determine which elements could be used in the final design.
WIREFRAMES
Once I had my napkin sketches, it was time to evaluate and select the screens with the most potential.
Based on experience, I understood the importance of refining the sketches and creating medium-fidelity wireframes to ensure that users could easily understand and navigate the design during testing.
Keeping that in mind, I started developing my wireframes.
TESTING AND FEEDBACK
Designing for clarity: the importance of in-app feedback on user actions
Once the wireframes were designed, I conducted user testing to gather feedback on the usability and navigation of the design.
​
A few issues were identified quickly during the user testing process.
​
Users reported confusion about the icons that allow users to toggle between tile, list, and calendar view. To eliminate confusion, I added text labels to each icon.
​
Secondly, the 'cancel subscription' button was originally a primary button since it is the most important step you can take on that screen. However, users consider the action destructive and expect it to look different.
​
Finally, users mentioned that they would like to see more feedback within the app as they complete key steps or actions.
​
DESIGNS AND PROTOTYPE
After receiving user feedback, I began designing the visual identity for the app screens. The brand personality is casual and XYZ, and I wanted the colors to align with that.
Based on user feedback and research, I decided to adopt a minimalistic approach and incorporate negative space in the app design to create a simple and aesthetically pleasing user interface rather than a cluttered and overwhelming one.
Pared Mobile App - Prototype
REFLECTIONS
Progress is sometimes non-linear but always better than perfection
I thought I would be more frustrated about the project not following the plan to a T, but instead, I realized that it was sometimes okay to break free from the plan if it was beneficial to the project outcome.
​
Receiving feedback early in the design process was critical and saved me a lot of time. The feedback I got from users testing the wireframes could be implemented while designing my high-fidelity screens, making them more robust.
​
If I had more time on this project, I would love to explore how expert advice and user education could be seamlessly woven into the experience of the app so that it can be personalized and relevant to each user's situation at the time.
​