The role of emotion in financial UX

The role of emotion in financial UX: How to create interfaces that engage users on a deeper Level

In financial services, user experience (UX) design is often focused on clarity, security, and functionality. But an element that is frequently overlooked—and yet crucial—is emotion. People make financial decisions not only with their heads but also with their hearts. Emotions such as trust, confidence, fear, and relief play a huge role in how users interact with financial products. A website or app that acknowledges and engages with these emotions is more likely to retain users and build lasting relationships.

In this article, we’ll explore the key emotional touchpoints in the user journey, how to design for them, and why building emotional connections through UX can give financial brands a competitive edge.

1. Why emotion matters in financial UX

Emotions and decision-making
It’s well-established in behavioural psychology that emotions strongly influence decision-making, especially in complex and high-stakes areas like personal finance. Users’ feelings—whether it’s excitement about a new investment or anxiety about a mortgage—shape their decisions. When financial services platforms fail to address these emotional factors, they miss a crucial opportunity to connect with their audience.

For example, people are more likely to trust and engage with a service that makes them feel in control and reassured. An investment app that breaks down complex information in a friendly, approachable way can make a user feel empowered, while one that bombards users with jargon may induce feelings of frustration and cause them to abandon the process.

Building trust and reducing anxiety
In financial services, trust is the bedrock of user engagement. Users need to feel confident that their financial information is secure and that they are making the right decisions. UX design plays a crucial role in establishing this trust. Simple, transparent design that communicates security (e.g., displaying security badges prominently) helps ease concerns, while convoluted or unclear UX can heighten anxiety and reduce conversions.

Key point: Emotions like trust, fear, and empowerment are powerful drivers of user behaviour, and financial UX needs to engage with these emotions for better outcomes.

2. The emotional journey of a financial service user

Different emotional stages
Throughout their engagement with financial services, users go through various emotional states. These typically include:

• Curiosity: Initial interest in a product or service.
• Hesitation: The weighing of risks and benefits before making a commitment.
• Relief or anxiety: First-time users may feel a mix of both when they begin using a financial product.
• Confidence: As they become more familiar and trust the product, users develop a sense of control.

Tailoring UX to these stages
A successful UX design anticipates these emotions and caters to them. For instance, during the discovery phase, users might be excited but uncertain. A well-designed website can ease this uncertainty by providing clear, concise information, using visuals and microinteractions to build confidence.

Similarly, when users are hesitant to complete a financial transaction, progress indicators or reassuring microcopy can help reduce their anxiety, guiding them step by step.

Key point: Understanding and designing for these emotional stages can turn anxiety into trust and uncertainty into confidence.

3. Designing with empathy: How to make users feel understood

Empathy in UI and copy
Empathy in UX means showing that you understand the user’s needs and concerns. Small touches in the UI, such as tooltips that explain complex terms or friendly, reassuring microcopy during the onboarding process, can make users feel supported. This is particularly important when users are dealing with sensitive financial matters like loans or investments, where anxiety is often high.

A great example of empathy in design is a loan calculator that explains each step in simple terms, avoids financial jargon, and offers reassurance as the user progresses.

Anticipating user needs
Empathetic design anticipates when a user might need extra guidance or reassurance. For example, during a complex form fill, offering real-time feedback or a live chat option can reduce the user’s cognitive load and make them feel that they are not alone in the process.

Key point: Empathy-driven design focuses on reducing the user’s cognitive and emotional load, making them feel understood and supported.

4. Visual and interaction design that evokes emotion

Colour psychology in finance
Colour has a significant impact on emotion. In financial services, colours like blue and green are often used to convey trust and stability, while vibrant colours like orange or red can signal action or urgency when appropriate. The use of calming colours can reduce user anxiety during stressful processes, like applying for a loan or making a large financial investment.

Microinteractions and feedback loops
Small design elements like microinteractions can also evoke positive emotions. For example, an animation that confirms a successful transaction, or a progress bar that shows how much of a form is complete, provides positive reinforcement and reduces user frustration.

Key point: Design elements like colour and microinteractions can help manage user emotions, building confidence and reducing stress throughout the user journey.

5. The role of storytelling in emotional engagement

Using narrative to build connection
Storytelling is a powerful tool to humanise financial services, making them more relatable and less intimidating. Instead of simply listing product features, financial brands can use narrative to tell the story of how their product helps people achieve financial goals. For example, testimonials or case studies can evoke empathy and aspiration, helping users to see themselves succeeding with your service.

Personalised experiences
Personalisation also plays a key role in emotional engagement. When users see content that’s tailored to their financial needs or goals, they are more likely to feel valued and connected to the brand. For example, an app that offers personalised advice based on a user’s spending habits or savings goals can make the user feel cared for and understood.

Key point: Storytelling and personalisation create emotional connections by making the user feel valued, supported, and inspired.

6. Handling negative emotions: Designing for when things go wrong

Error recovery and support
When things go wrong, emotions like frustration and anxiety can quickly derail a user’s experience. A well-designed UX will anticipate these moments and offer helpful, empathetic support. For instance, when a transaction fails, an error message that offers clear next steps—along with reassuring language—can prevent users from abandoning the process entirely.

Proactive problem-solving
Proactive support, such as FAQs, live chat, or clear help guides, ensures that users don’t feel left in the dark. By providing users with tools to solve their problems efficiently, you reduce frustration and build loyalty, even when something goes wrong.

Key point: Designing for negative emotions ensures that small frustrations don’t turn into larger issues, preserving trust and loyalty.

Conclusion

Designing for emotion in financial UX is about more than just making a product look good or work well. It’s about understanding and engaging with the feelings users experience as they interact with your service—whether it’s excitement, trust, anxiety, or confidence.

By addressing these emotions head-on, financial brands can create more meaningful, satisfying, and lasting user experiences. From building trust and simplifying complex processes to offering empathetic support when things go wrong, emotional design is the key to creating stronger connections with users and driving long-term success.