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Monzo’s ‘Subscription Journey’ UX Unpacked

Katerina Christodoulou

Monzo’s ‘Subscription Journey’ UX Unpacked

Monzo’s subscription journey began with Monzo Plus in 2020, followed by Monzo Premium a year later with metal cards and travel insurance. In April 2024, we saw the redesign of the subscription feature into three tiers: Extra, Perks and Max. The features are all about smarter banking and everyday perks. From budgeting tools and virtual cards in the bottom tier (Extra), 4.10% interest, free ATM withdrawals abroad, and treats like Greggs, Vue tickets, and Pizza Express discounts in the middle tier (Perks) to worldwide and phone insurance, UK & EU breakdown cover and discounted lounge access in the top tier (Max).

Monzo competes with competitors such as Starling, Revolut and Monese. Starling focuses on fee-free global spending, Revolut provides international perks through tiered plans, and Monese simplifies account setup. Each offers their own benefits, however Monzo differentiates itself with its advanced budgeting tools, exclusive perks, and tailored savings options, features that engage their customers and makes Monzo a standout contender in the premium subscriptions space.

The subscription journey showcases the best of Monzo’s ‘magic’, blending branding with an easy, interactive product experience while delivering exceptional value.

First, the page is designed with a clear visual hierarchy, using bold headings, vibrant colours, and well-structured sections to guide users effortlessly. The CTA button ‘Get Extra for £3/month’ is easy to scan and can be clicked no matter how far down the user scrolls, making it easy to subscribe and minimises friction.

The page design is scrollable, revealing highlights such as “Speed up savings,” “See how you spend,” “Credit health,” and “Protection,” all presented in rounded panels with a clean, bullet-style layout showcasing the perks within the tier.

Monzo uses progressive disclosure to subtly expose users to perks from higher tiers while they explore the ‘Extra’ plan, effectively encouraging engagement and upselling. These additional perks are displayed in light grey panels with greyed-out text, signalling that they’re unavailable at the current level.

This design sparks curiosity, users notice the greyed-out perks and realise they’re not included in their current tier, encouraging them to swipe left to discover what’s available in the next tier.

Once the user slides across the screen, the next tier, ‘Perks,’ is revealed with the Monzo’s branding. The sliding feature is exciting as each swipe unveils more exciting perks.

Even better, the grey cover is gone, and the perks are fully revealed, drawing users further into the middle-tier plan.

This tier reveals the differentiating features such as 4.10% interest on instant access savings, five perks, advanced money tools, a shiny new card, discounted investment fees, a free monthly cinema ticket, a weekly Greggs treat (regular hot drink or sausage roll), and 20% off at Pizza Express.

The tier plans are displayed in a table chart, making comparison easy with a clear, structured breakdown of each tier’s differences. This format helps users quickly evaluate their options.

The third tier maintains Monzo’s signature consistent branding, but this time, the colour gradient deepens, creating a more assertive and premium feel.

The differentiating perks in this tier include worldwide travel insurance, worldwide phone insurance, UK & Europe RAC breakdown cover, the option to extend coverage to your family, and discounted access to airport lounges.

At the end of the journey, users encounter the inviting copy, ‘Let’s make it official,’ which feels relationship-focused and personal, accompanied by groovy iconography that reinforces Monzo’s playful yet approachable branding.

Signing up is as straightforward as clicking ‘Confirm and pay’. While CTAs are available to provide additional information, they’re entirely optional, making the sign-up process straightforward and easy.

While Monzo does an excellent job showcasing the higher-tier perks, users in the “Extra” plan might benefit from more tangible incentives or clearer differentiation to make the base level feel more valuable. This could help reduce any feeling of being “left behind” before users fully engage with the upsell strategy. Monzo’s subscription journey stands out in the fintech industry due to its well-crafted design and user engagement strategies. This is down to its use of clear visuals, progressive disclosure, and tiered perks, which encourages users to explore higher-value plans and ultimately drives upsells. Fintechs can learn from this seamless, customer-focused design approach, prioritising easy navigation and subtle prompts for users to upgrade.

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