Subscription management made easy
SubsEase
Role
Solo UX designer
Tools
Figma, Protopie
Timeline
April 2023 to May 2023
Address 3 main issues to simplify users’ subscription management
SubsEase offers a service that enables users to monitor all their subscription fees for websites, apps, and services throughout the year. The company has identified three user stories to achieve its business goals based on user research. These are the initial challenges that I need to address in order to figure out the solutions.
Goal 1: Provide a holistic view of user’s subscriptions
As a user, I want to see all of my subscriptions in one place so that I can get a comprehensive view of my spending on subscriptions.
Goal 2: Enable users to easily unsubscribe from subscriptions
As a user, I want to unsubscribe from a subscription easily so that I can control all my subs and get rid of needless spending.
Goal 3: Remind users of the upcoming auto-renew bills
As a user, I want to be notified if any of my subscriptions are about to be auto-renewed so that I can decide if I want to renew or not.
What do my users say?
After clarifying the initial problems, I further conducted 5 user interviews to learn about how to design a better solution that meets the users’ needs. Since this is a data-tracking application and the amount of various data is large, the most important problem for me is to figure out what is the most important information for users and how I should present information to users in a clear and organized manner, highlighting key points and maintaining a logical hierarchy.
Key insight 1:
Monthly total expense and spending categories are the most crucial for users.
“I want to know how much I spend in total each month instead of knowing how much I need to pay when every bill renews. Also, how much I spend on different categories is also important.“
— User Z.
Key insight 2:
Users need to see the upcoming bills on the first page of the app so that they will not miss anything important.
“I hope to see the upcoming bills on the first page so that I can track them easily with the App.“
— User D.
Key insight 3:
users don’t want to see boring forms or text. They want to see the subscriptions be categorized with various colors.
“I don’t want to see a lot of forms or simple texts there. I hope the subscriptions can be categorized with different colors so that I can identify them with a glance of view.“
— User S.
How do our competitors solve the problems?
After conducting a competitive analysis of popular subscription apps, including Mint, Rocket money, and TrackMySubs, I find some key findings that provide insights into how big companies address common problems in the subscription management app market.
Creating design solutions to address users’ problems
After defining the design scope, conducting user research, and competitive analysis, I created the user flow, wire flows, and a low-fidelity prototype for the initial testing round. Incorporating user feedback, I iterated on the design and developed the first version of the prototype. Following a second round of usability testing and additional design iterations, my solution met the users' needs. Please find the investigation results from the third round of user testing at the end.
Key function 1: Provide a holistic way to view subscriptions
Enable a clear and easy summary for monthly and yearly subscription expenses
When users tap 'Summary', they will see their current month's spending summary with categories and trends.
Tapping the 'Monthly' title with the arrow, users will switch to the 'Yearly' subscription summary.
Users can also tap on a category panel for detailed subscription information in a drop-down menu.
Enable a quick view of all subscriptions on the home screen
Upon launching the app, users will be directed to the home page, featuring three panels: the chart panel, watchlist panel, and full subscription list. This layout allows users to efficiently track key information related to their subscriptions.
Key function 2: Streamline the unsubscribing process
Enable effortless unsubscribing experience without credit card tracking
To prioritize user privacy and facilitate tracking of subscriptions across multiple credit cards, this app allows unsubscribing without user bonding requirements.
When users tap the "unsubscribe" button, they are directed to an unsubscribe screen. Then, they could either choose the “Unsubscribe by website” option or refer to the instructions provided. They can also call SubsEase for free assistance by tapping the "call us for help" button.
Key function 3: Ensure users receive a reminder before auto-renewals
Allow users to see upcoming bills at a glance
Users receive customizable notifications via the app, email, and/or SMS for upcoming bills.
The watchlist displays important subscriptions with a green icon, while regular subscriptions are marked with a gray icon. In this way, clear visual cues prioritize subscriptions for easy identification.
What do my prospective users think?
8.25/10
This App provides a comprehensive view of the subscription spending
7.8/10
This App helps me unsubscribe from a needless subscription to reduce spending
9.4/10
The App notifies me of upcoming subscription renewals, allowing for informed decision-making.
What have I learned?
Stay focused on crucial problems instead of adding cool features
While users expressed interest in additional "cool" features during interviews, I prioritize addressing the most pressing issues to refine solutions efficiently. Consequently, my current feature set, though not extensive, is highly functional and receives high user ratings.
Make the outcome of every action super clear for users to comprehend
Initially, half of the users found the "Remove" button misleading, fearing ongoing deductions and loss of trust. Based on their feedback, I clarified the button as "Remove from the app" to increase transparency. Finally, users felt that the app is trustworthy.
Avoid adding too many colors and styles for the interface
Initially, my prototype used multiple colors for different purposes. However, after user testing, I simplified the color scheme, utilizing primarily green with only the necessary additional colors for subscription types. This resulted in a visually appealing and user-friendly interface.