Neobanks has shown strong demand, sparking interest in mobile banking app design. According to statistics, neobanks commanded a market volume of $4.96 trillion in 2023. By 2028, the figure is expected to hit $10.44 trillion. Traditional banks, slowly but surely, are digitizing their services. Otherwise, they risk being replaced by neobanks, which allow consumers to transact without queuing at the bank.
The idea of being able to create a bank account, transfer funds, apply for loans, and conduct other financial transactions via mobile seems to sit well with most consumers. According to the American Bankers Association, 77% of Americans use banking apps for their everyday transactions.
As alternative banking methods become more popular, so does the need for a secure and user-friendly banking app design. After all, trust, or the lack of it, is among the factors preventing the wide adoption of banking apps globally.
So, whether you’re a fintech startup founder or a CTO leading an SMB, your top priority is to get the app design right. And I, Niсk Melnyk – Head of Design at Uptech, am glad to help. Over the years, I’ve helped fintech companies like Aspiration and Cardless build apps that inspire trust.
In this guide, we’ll underscore trust issues affecting banking apps. Then, we’ll explore ways to instill trust with specific UI practices that characterize a secure banking app design.
The problem with trust in banking apps
Previously, customers perceived trust from face-to-face interaction with bank officers. As they shifted to digital banks, the lack of human touch can be disconcerting, which underscores the importance of banking application design. While neobanks managed to attract large groups of early adopters, thanks to their trust-inspiring mobile banking design, some users remain skeptical about transacting over mobile devices.
Understandably, such concerns aren’t without basis. Over the years, cases of banks suffering from cyberattacks have made headlines. For example, China’s largest bank ICBC was hit by a ransomware attack in 2023, which disrupted US Treasury trades. Security breaches impacting banks not only cause operational disruption but also negatively impact customer trust.
According to a 2022 survey by NerdWallet, 42% of customers who refuse to use banking apps cited security as a concern. And for those who use a banking app, 47% express their worry of being hacked. So, the responsibility lies on fintech companies to ensure their apps are safe from threats.
To build trust, or regain them back from consumers, the banking app you build must exhibit certain characteristics. And that’s what we’ll cover in detail next.
How to Arm the Rebels: 15 Design Practices That Build Trust In Your Banking App
As long as you can overcome the trust issues, you’ll have a strong chance of capturing a sizeable market share. But to do that, you’ll need to revisit UI/UX practices in the design process. Then, apply them to your banking app design ideas.
Be mindful that UI/UX design ideas are different from those of other commercial apps. There are certain nuances and challenges you need to pay attention to when designing fintech apps. And this is based on our experience.
Over the years, we’ve been helping clients build banking apps that build trust. Below are UI/UX design practices targeted for fintech apps.
1. Secure login with ease of use
Users want an app with sound security measures, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of ease of use. Often, adding multiple layers of security can impact usability, particularly if users are prompted with unnecessary security checks.
Imagine having to key in the passcode each time you want to sign in to the app or conduct a transaction. The additional step can discourage users from using the app as frequently as they wish.
On the other hand, an app with minimal security, such as granting access with only a 4-digit passcode, can pose security risks. So, when we design fintech apps, we consider both ease of use and app security.
For example, we add biometrics identification as a layer of security and also as an authorization option after users sign in. However, once logged in, users can transact without any more biometric scans. This allows a much more seamless app experience while upholding security expectations.
2. Smart financial insights at a glance
Trust isn’t all about ensuring data security. According to research, perceived ease and benefits are what influence trust the most. So, adding a quick summary of their accounts can give users an oversight of their financial standings, which subconsciously instills trustworthiness.
Depending on the fintech product you’re building, you can also provide options to switch between different accounts from the home screen. PayPal, for example, displays the total amount you have when you sign in. There, you can also see immediate past transactions and any scheduled outgoing payments.
Also, not all numbers necessarily point to money sent and received. For example, we built a green investment app to help users make a positive environmental impact. In this case, we display not only their investment sum but also indicators like carbon impact and CO2 reduction on the dashboard.
3. Interactive financial storytelling
If you stick with only numbers, users might feel disconnected from the value your banking app offers. Rather, people feel more engaged when they’re part of the journey. And that is what makes storytelling so appealing in financial products.
For example, when creating a savings account, users are prompted to set their saving goal and create smaller milestones that are spread over months. Then, the app would remind them to top funds into the account. As they did so, the app reflected their progress in a chart, providing a sense of satisfaction.
Let’s explore an AI-driven personal finance manager we built. The app analyzes user’s spending habits, offers personalized advice, and automates savings plans. At the same time, it’s also interactive in the sense that users can filter financial data based on a time period or a specific day.
The challenge is, how would you know what information format would engage the users? Well, if you adopt a user-centered design approach, you will uncover that during the discovery phase.
4. Consistent design language
Banking users expect a familiar interface throughout their app journey. Whether depositing funds, making a P2P payment, or paying bills, they feel safe in a familiar environment. Conversely, if users have to navigate through pages with very different themes and layouts, they’ll end up confused.
So, make sure your mobile banking design sticks with the same theme, colors, fonts, and icons throughout the entire customer journey. Also, avoid jargon that only finance professionals are familiar with in the banking app UI, as this will alienate users when they use the app.
For example, when we built this investment app, we used colors and typography that users felt comfortable with across screens. We also stick with simple terms like ‘trade’, ‘buy’, and ‘sell’ because some users might not be familiar with crypto investment terms.
As users familiarize themselves with a cohesive bank app design, they become more confident in the fintech company.
5. Transparent fee breakdown
Users dislike surprises, particularly when it comes to banking fees. If they realize that they’ve been charged for fees not disclosed, they cease to trust the specific banking app.
So, it’s better to list out service fees, transaction fees, and any other charges they’re subjected to in the app. Break them down, and display the fee along with the total sum that will be deducted from their account.
When you do so, you foster transparency, which makes users feel safe when transacting with your app.
6. Gamified finance
Gamification is one of several design strategies that increase profitability in banking apps, and it’s equally applicable in banking UX design. With gamification, you apply gaming elements, such as badges, scores, and rewards, which makes transacting, investing, or savings more fun. But for founders and CTOs, gamification can also attract customers to try new services by enticing them with points and rewards.
For example, users can unlock specific badges after saving a specific amount. Psychologically, the badges reinforce their habits and also offer a sense of achievement. The goal is to keep users engaged through actions they perform so they will revisit the app. For example:
- Monobank offers rewards, collectibles, badges and stickers.
- Mint showcases progress bars.
- Yolt has challenges and streaks.
- Revolut displays leaderboards and other social elements.
7. Real-time transaction alerts
Some users hesitate to use apps for banking purposes because they feel safer with a constant human touch, especially after performing a transaction. Financial apps can emulate similar effects in their banking UX design, by sending prompt reminders to users.
Ideally, banking apps should alert users of all transactions they make, regardless of the sum. This way, users feel assured that they’re in control of their funds and will be informed of any unauthorized transactions.
Likewise, it’s also helpful to notify users if they received new funds in their account. Besides confirming a fund transfer they’re expecting, such alerts are also helpful if the user’s account is being misused.
8. Voice assistant integration
If you want a banking app design that users love, make an effort to lower the learning curve further. And this is where a voice assistant, especially one powered by generative AI, can be helpful. Instead of navigating through various screens to check their fund, the user can state their command conversationally.
For example, they can ask the app to “Check if I got paid yesterday?” and wait for results. Of course, when you integrate the app with an AI voice assistant, you’ll need to include biometric authorization, which detects and approves commands by the specific user. This way, the app cannot be misused by others.
On this note, OCBC Singapore has received a warm response from their voice assistant. Within a month of its introduction in 2019, the bank has received 20,000 requests via voice. This shows the appeal of voice-based conversational banking for an increasingly larger group of customers.
Another notable use case is Erica, a conversational chatbot by Bank of America. Available on its mobile banking app, Erica can answer users' questions naturally regarding what they can do from the app. Likewise, Capital One’s Eno helps users get help and tend to their financial needs through conversational queries.
9. Effortless Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments
One advantage that alternative banking apps offer is the ability to bypass traditional institutions in the form of P2P transfer. Initially popularized by apps like Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle, many traditional banks have followed suit to enable low or zero-fee P2P transfers.
But to make the feature easily accessible for users, you’ll need to make the option available on the dashboard. Remember, the goal of P2P is to simplify fund transfer, and you’ll need to reflect that in the mobile banking app design. So, do away with all the lengthy forms and unnecessary details in P2P application development. All you need is the recipient’s contact information, amount, and an unmistakable Send button.
For example, we built Aspiration – an online green baking app that allows users to spend, send money directly to others, and invest while fighting climate change. To do that, the user taps the transfer button on the home screen, fills in the recipient and amount, and hits Send.
10. Easy and fast account recovery options
This is also another key consideration in UX design for fintech products. Users might sometimes get blocked from their accounts, whether by their fault or not. What’s important is for them to regain access as soon as possible or seek help to address their predicament.
Then again, easy and fast doesn’t mean compromising security. When letting users recover your accounts, you’ll still need to verify their identity. To do that, we design apps that send a recovery link to the email or phone registered with the account.
11. Personalized experiences and recommendations
Generic experience won’t differentiate your app from other fintech products users have access to. Instead, companies that can offer personalized in-app experiences will attract, capture, and retain app users in their banking UX design. And this applies to banking apps, too.
With generative AI and big data analytics, you can offer tailored product recommendations, financial tips, and other information to specific customers. With appropriate banking app UI design, fintech apps can also load dynamic pages based on the preferences of individual users.
For example, Credit Karma, a credit management app, offers personalized recommendations based on the credit scores charted by the respective users.
Like Credit Karma, Cardless, an app we built, also placed importance on personalized experience. Cardless is a fintech app that helps customers brand their credit cards quickly. Our developers incorporate features like:
- New onboarding
- New сard management tab
- Updated navigation
- LATAM concierge bonuses
- Brand coupons and updated loyalty program
As a result, we delivered an app that satisfies all the user’s need with highly-personalized experiences.
12. Secure privacy information
Bank customers want to know their data is secured when using a finance app, and rightfully so. Given the spate of data incidents, fintech CTOs and founders must strive to improve public confidence.
To start, recommend publishing data policies and making them easily accessible on your app. When users sign up for the app, they’ll be presented with the policy. Such a move indicates the fintech company’s commitment to transparency and acts to reassure the users.
Also, we’ll provide users control over certain access permissions, such as allowing their data to be collected and used to improve the app experience.
13. Visual hierarchy for key actions
Most banking apps start by offering a handful of core services before expanding to others. As they do so, it’s important to ensure the app layout remains logical and uncluttered. Otherwise, user experience will degrade as they find the app too difficult to navigate.
To ensure ease of use, controls for key actions must be easily visible. For example, buttons for Send Money or Pay are now designed in contrasting colors. Proper use of font size and blank spaces also helps draw attention to key in-app functions.
At the same time, it’s great to ensure lesser-use functions are less pronounced but still accessible. One way to do so is to list those functions in an expandable menu, which, in most cases, stays hidden.
14. Accessible design for all users
Some users need help describing the instructions, while others might have difficulties reading smaller fonts. If you want your app to be well-received, you need to be inclusive, and that means catering to specially-abled users.
At Uptech, we refer to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) when designing fintech apps. When required, we’ll provide options for large fonts, high contrast, sign language, screen reader support, and more.
These features, though only used sparingly by specific groups, can improve brand perception and, eventually, trust. So, it’s best to include them when estimating your app design cost and allocate a budget.
15. Detailed transaction history and spending insights
Don’t skim on summaries, charts, tables, and other insights you can provide to your users. These days, a finance app is more than a simple tool for sending money. With AI and predictive analytics, fintech apps can allow users to make smarter financial decisions.
For example, users can create different categories to track their spending. As they transact, the app automatically tags them to a specific category. From there, they can view how much they’ve spent on food, utilities, entertainment, and other purposes and adjust their budget accordingly.
But what’s even more important is to present them in visuals that users can easily understand. This, unbeknownst to some fintech companies, is amongst key design tips on how to increase neobank app profitability.
Mobile banking apps that managed to build trust with their app design
The UI/UX best practices for banking apps that we shared are based on field results. They’ve been proven time and again in real life. Below, you’ll find several mobile banking apps whose design has inspired user engagement, profitability and trust..
Aspiration
Aspiration is an alternative banking app that lets users save, spend, and invest while contributing to environmental causes. The app has a minimalist layout, with important details like account balance made easily visible. Users can easily see the amount they’ve transacted, bank cards linked to the app, and money sent from the dashboard.
App downloads: Over 1 million.
Avant (Zero)
Avant offers the convenience of managing credit cards and loans from an app. The app uses contrasting colors to differentiate cards, loans, and actions that users can perform. It also lists historical transactions and scheduled payments, which users can access without complex navigation.
App downloads: 100k+
Altruist
Altruist connects investors and financial advisors on an intuitive mobile platform. The app is built to provide visibility and insights for both clients and advisors. Both parties can view portfolio performance with user-friendly charts. The app also lets users track their investments through historical fund activities like reinvestment, dividends, and interest payments.
App downloads: 10k+
Robinhood
Robinhood is a popular investment app that allows users to trade in real time. To help investors manage their portfolios, the app provides a tracker, allowing them to monitor stock, crypto, and other investment vehicles on the go. As an effort to build trust, Robinhood incorporates several security measures, including multi-factor authentication and device approvals.
App downloads: Over 10 million.
Future trends in banking app design
Perhaps the greatest question now is, how would a banking app’s UI/UX evolve in the near future? We’ve been working closely with fintech clients, and we anticipate these mobile banking design trends in the coming years.
AI-powered hyper-personalization
Personalization will no longer be limited to broad, surface-level recommendations. Instead, fintech apps will leverage generative AI and predictive analytics to craft hyper-personalized experiences in real time. For example, an investment app can analyze a user’s historical data, risk profile, and trading behavior to recommend a portfolio that suits their risk appetite.
Banking super app
Though most banking apps started with a mono focus, they might seek to compete in other market segments. For example, Revolut is one of the most successful Super Apps in Europe and one of the few financial super apps that are used all over the world. Revolut started as a travel card with great foreign exchange rates. Now it's a full-service banking platform offering many financial services.
In-app AI virtual assistant
Although most fintech apps are already equipped with chatbots, they’re limited to answering simple requests. Gradually, they will adopt conversational AI to allow users to seek help more easily or perform complex tasks. But fintech industry is not limited to AI chatbots, we recently posted a new article from our AI&ML expert, where he explores 15 AI&ML trends in banking for 2025. If you want to have a bigger picture on what to expect in the fintech soon and how to power up your product – you're more than welcome to check it out. It's worth it!
Although not exhaustive, the trends above give you an idea of where the industry is heading to. As CTOs and founders, you don’t want to miss out on design elements that’ll decide if an app is attractive to finance customers or one that misses the mark.
Check how generative AI applies to the banking industry and tips on how to correctly adopt this technology.
Uptech offers UI/UX design services that have helped fintech products engage customers and build trust with them. With years of experience developing apps that demand strict data security and regulatory compliance, we can help you overcome common banking app design challenges.
Talk to our team to get a free consultation on your project and an estimate.
FAQ
What are the key elements of an effective banking app user interface (UI)?
Users want to know that the app is trustworthy and secure. Amongst key elements that will instill such confidence are personalization, secure login, consistent design layout, and financial oversights. Such features put users in control of their accounts and allow them to navigate the app confidently.
How to simplify complex financial data in banking app design?
Most users aren’t trained to understand complex financial charts or industry jargon. Instead of overloading users with unnecessary information, you can simplify them with easily understandable charts, tables, and summaries. Present them in a minimalist layout and prioritize key information, such as income and expenses. To capture the user’s attention, you use bigger fonts and colors. On top of that, it also helps to briefly explain what certain financial stats represent.
What are the key features of a successful banking app?
Off the mind, robust security and account management tops the list of what any banking app should have. However, as more banks digitalize their services, apps that incorporate features like P2P payment, bill payments, personal assistants, and personalized notifications will add more value to customers.
What are common design mistakes to avoid when developing a banking app?
Sometimes, fintech companies might overlook the needs of those who will be using the payment app. They ended up releasing apps with cluttered screens, complex navigation, and confusing instructions. On top of that, weak security implementation, inconsistent design, and an uninspiring user journey can further erode users’ trust and anticipation.
How can UX design help reduce the churn rate of banking app users?
Users quit a banking app because they don’t find it secure, useful, or both. To avoid that, good UX design simplifies the user journey in different ways. For example, banking apps onboard users in simple steps, offer customizable dashboards and use multi-factor authentication to secure their accounts. As users perceive that their interests are well taken care of, they’ll likely remain loyal to the app.