Examples of visually appealing fintech brands
When it comes to visually appealing fintech brands, several companies have distinguished themselves through innovative and engaging design. Here are some of the best examples.
Which are some brands has effectively used visual design not just to stand out in a crowded market but also to make financial services more accessible and user-friendly?
Revolut: Known for its sleek and modern design, Revolut uses vibrant colors and a clean interface to make financial management visually appealing and user-friendly.
While the hero section of the website seems clean and direct, the message "CHANGE THE WAY YOU MONEY" feels like a bit of a long bow, doesn't it? The choice of a person looking confidently into the future does suggest empowerment, which aligns with the brand's proposition of taking control of your finances. Yet, it's hardly a novel concept, is it? The typography is bold, sure, but it's been done before - lacks the punch. The financial figures are a good touch, adds tangibility. And the cashback message, "Well deserved"—it's a nice bit of cheek, but will it resonate or just echo in the void of financial clichés?
Stripe's brand is synonymous with simplicity and clarity. Its minimalist design, combined with effective use of color and space, makes it stand out in the fintech space.
The hero section here has a sleek, high-tech vibe that's fitting for a modern payments platform. The use of well-known brand logos adds credibility, but it's a common tactic, isn't it? This layout won't keep a jury up at night. The branding doesn't leap out; it’s more of a polite nod than a bold statement. The data visualization is a nice touch, gives it a bit of "how it works" without the spiel. However, I'm wondering if it leans too heavily on the assumption that the user knows what they're looking at.
Square's brand identity is focused on ease of use and accessibility. Their design is straightforward, with a focus on clean lines and a simple color palette.
Robinhood: This investing app uses a modern, minimalist design with a signature green color. Its user interface is known for being exceptionally user-friendly and visually pleasing.
Monzo: With its bright coral debit cards and intuitive app design, Monzo has become known for its approachable and engaging visual branding.
N26's branding is sleek and modern, with a focus on bold colors and a clean, user-friendly design that appeals to a digital-savvy audience.
TransferWise (now Wise): Known for its distinctive green color palette, Wise uses simple, clear design elements to make international transactions feel more accessible and less intimidating.
Plaid's visual branding is all about clarity and simplicity, with a focus on making complex financial data easily understandable through design.
Using illustration to make fintech less daunting for end-users. You can see how Illustrations can be used in Brand Building and Website Design here.
Each of these brands has effectively used visual design in websites not just to stand out in a crowded market but also to make financial services more accessible and user-friendly. The use of color, simplicity, and clear design principles are common themes among these successful fintech brands.
Are traditional banks focusing on redesigning and modernizing their brands?
Traditional banks are increasingly focusing on redesigning and modernizing their brands, particularly in the digital space, to keep pace with the innovation and user experience standards set by fintech companies. This shift is evident in several key areas:
- Digital Banking Platforms: Many traditional banks have overhauled their online banking platforms and mobile apps to offer a more intuitive, user-friendly experience. This includes cleaner interfaces, simplified navigation, and enhanced features like budgeting tools and real-time notifications.
- Brand Identity and Aesthetics: Traditional banks are updating their brand identities to appear more modern and accessible. This can involve refreshing logos, color schemes, and overall visual design to be more in line with current design trends.
- Customer Experience and Engagement: Banks are placing a greater emphasis on customer experience, aiming to make banking more personalized and engaging. This includes improved customer service interfaces and more interactive elements in their digital platforms.
- Marketing and Communication: There's a noticeable shift in the marketing approach of traditional banks, with a greater focus on digital marketing and social media engagement. Banks are adopting a more relatable and less formal tone in their communications.
- Technology Integration: Banks are integrating more advanced technologies like AI and machine learning into their services for better personalization and efficiency, aligning with the tech-forward approach of fintech companies.
- Branch Design: Even physical bank branches are being redesigned to be more welcoming and less formal, often incorporating elements of digital interaction and providing a more retail-like experience.
- Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Some banks are also redesigning their brands around themes of sustainability and social responsibility, which resonates well with the growing demographic of environmentally and socially conscious consumers.
Through these redesign efforts, traditional banks aim to stay relevant and competitive in an increasingly digital and customer-centric financial landscape, where user experience and brand perception are key differentiators.
Examples of traditional banks have undertaken successful redesigns?
Several traditional banks have undertaken successful redesigns in recent years, repositioning themselves in the market and improving their appeal to modern consumers. Here are some notable examples:
- Bank of America: Bank of America revamped its mobile app with a focus on user experience, introducing features like personalized dashboard, budgeting tools, and a streamlined interface. The redesign was aimed at making online banking more intuitive and user-friendly.
- JPMorgan Chase: Chase updated its branding with a more modern look and feel, including a refreshed logo and a new color scheme. The bank also enhanced its digital services, offering features like easy account management, investment options, and real-time fraud alerts in its mobile app.
- Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo underwent a significant brand refresh, which included updating its visual identity and enhancing digital experiences for customers. This redesign was part of a broader effort to rebuild trust and improve customer relations.
- HSBC: HSBC has made efforts to modernize its brand, particularly in its digital banking services. The bank introduced a more user-friendly website and mobile app, focusing on simplifying customer interactions and enhancing digital features.
- Santander: Santander Bank revamped its branding with a new logo and a focus on digital innovation. The bank invested in improving its mobile and online banking platforms, offering a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
- Barclays: Barclays updated its mobile banking app, focusing on personalized experiences and enhanced security features. The redesign was part of a larger digital transformation strategy to stay competitive in the evolving financial landscape.
- Citi: Citibank’s redesign focused on improving the digital banking experience with a more intuitive app interface, enhanced features for managing accounts, and personalized financial insights.
These redesigns typically involve a combination of updating the visual brand elements, enhancing digital platforms, and improving overall customer experience. By doing so, these traditional banks aim to better align with the expectations of modern consumers and compete more effectively with fintech companies.
Designed by New Commercial Arts, Nationwide's new brand identity features a simplified icon, refined wordmark, functional colour palette and illustrations that look to position it as a “dependable disrupter”.
How is India’s financial services industry changing?
As India’s financial services industry moves through cycles of bundling and unbundling, specialist fintechs are moving from a product-first approach to a segment-first approach, putting the customer at the center and unlocking new avenues for value creation.
This involves entering a specific segment by solving a unique pain point and then scaling by cross-selling products and solutions to the same segment to increase wallet share.
Illustrated below are the verticals with a potential addressable revenue pool of >$1bn each that we identified in our latest ‘Mapping a Billion: Understanding The Indian Fintech User’ report.
You can visit this report to see how fintechs can create value across different segments by catering to their nuanced needs and contexts.
Taxfix is another intresting fintech brand with great visual brand assets
Few more fintech brand examples
You can read more about Expensify branding here.
The Fintech scene is dominated by green and blue: too phlegmatic for Flutterwave. We see this even throughout the financial services sector. FinTech aesthetics are in stark contrast to the dreams of the African entrepreneur, which are bright, vivid and colorful.We embraced their ideas and centered their new brand story around self-made success. This way, Verve, the branding agency positioned Flutterwave outside their category within the creator economy.
This layout is ticking boxes for clarity and approachability with its bold headline and friendly illustration, but it's not breaking any new ground, is it? "Manage your money like a boss"—it's a punchy catchphrase, but it feels like something Thinkerbell would do. The color palette is cool and modern, sure, but it’s playing it safe, isn't it? And these graphics, they're not exactly the storytelling kind that'll get us a news crew. It's functional, yes.
