User-Centric Design of UI for Mobile Banking Apps: Improving UI and Features for Better Customer Experience
A new study finds 44.7% of users are so dissatisfied they rely on third-party apps like eSewa and Khalti.
A team of researchers including Luniva Chitrakar and Ishan Panta has published a user study highlighting significant shortcomings in current mobile banking applications. The research, posted to arXiv, surveyed 103 users and found that while 81% regularly use banking apps, a staggering 77% reported problems with their current apps. Notably, 44.7% of respondents expressed such dissatisfaction that they depend on third-party payment apps like eSewa and Khalti for daily transactions, indicating a major failure of primary banking apps to meet core user needs.
The study employed rigorous UX methodologies, including Think Aloud testing, heat map analysis, and remote usability testing, to pinpoint specific pain points. Key issues identified were language barriers, slow loading times, confusing terminology, and difficult navigation. On the feature side, 84% of users requested integrated budgeting tools, and 46% reported issues with biometric authentication, pointing to both functionality and security concerns. The researchers propose applying Gestalt psychology principles—such as proximity and symmetry—to improve app layout and information grouping.
The findings provide a clear, data-backed roadmap for fintech developers and traditional banks. By addressing these user-centric insights—simplifying navigation, enhancing visual design, guaranteeing robust security, and adding highly requested features like budgeting—developers can significantly boost user satisfaction, trust, and adoption rates in a competitive digital finance landscape.
- 77% of 103 surveyed users reported problems with their current mobile banking apps, indicating widespread UX failure.
- 44.7% of users bypass their bank's app entirely, relying on third-party apps like eSewa and Khalti for daily transactions.
- 84% of users want built-in budgeting tools, and 46% complained about biometric authentication, highlighting key feature and security gaps.
Why It Matters
For fintechs and banks, fixing these UX issues is critical to retaining users and competing with agile third-party payment platforms.