When it comes to money, most people have two goals:
- Make as much of it as possible
- Handle it the best way they can
Financial technology (“fintech”) apps seek to help users reach these goals by revolutionizing how we make payments, manage investments, pay off debt, and allocate each paycheck. In the past decade, fintech apps have exploded in popularity and all but decimated the traditional banking system. As a result, the financial technology that is currently available is more than people could previously dream of, including features like pay-down services, online banking, and automatic savings.
According to Statista, over 65% of Americans will convert to digital banking by 2022. As with any other industry, the fintech market must focus on developing products that address each client’s needs while offering solutions to common problems. Financial services should come pre-packaged in a way that is simple to use and understand.
When it comes to developing a fintech app, your processes must fit within well-known guidelines while retaining all the qualities of a cutting-edge mobile application. Specifically, let’s look at five best practices for developing a fintech app that changes the way people manage their finances for the better.
1. Choose the Right Tools
Since 2020, the digital finance industry has grown exponentially, with more people using digital payment and finance management services than ever before. So you want to make sure your app is utilizing tools that provide peak performance, while still being accessible for a majority of users.
On the one hand, using the most up-to-date technology allows users to safely provide their financial information by eliminating certain vulnerabilities from older versions. However, if you select technology that is too new, it may not yet be compatible with the most commonly used platforms — essentially excluding a large portion of your audience.
To find the right balance, it’s in your best interest to work with modern developers who are well-versed in the process of integrating blockchain and AI technology within a fintech application. Technology updates quickly, and it is unlikely that someone inexperienced in the tech industry will have the innate expertise to choose the right tools. Why take that risk? Allow experienced professional developers and designers to guide the technology that powers your fintech app so that you can feel confident that it provides the perfect fit for your clients’ needs.
2. Data Security
Of course, data security is one of the essential elements of a trustworthy fintech app. When customers have their highly sensitive financial data at stake, you must create an app that makes users feel comfortable sharing their personal information. To ensure that your users feel safe, integrate data security into your design process, and let users know that you are using their personal data when they sign up for the app.
As more financial institutions strive to create a digital experience, fintech companies should continue to educate themselves about the constantly evolving FDIC charters and banking security policies. In addition, mobile app developers should consider the following through the development process:
- Create an AML Policy: An anti-money laundering (AML) policy is critical if you intend to expand your fintech app to the greatest extent possible. The growing popularity of cryptocurrency makes it much easier for people to participate in money laundering, but implementing AI and blockchain technology will allow you to detect any suspicious transactions.
- Identity Protection: As you gain each user’s trust, you must also maintain that trust by protecting their personal information. In-house server storage is outdated, so consider using cloud-based solutions complete with the proper security measures in place.
- Restrict Internal Access to Data: Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent, and many of these data breaches occur from within the company. Mobile app developers should restrict data access to employees that require the information to fulfill their job.
3. Clarity and Ease of Use
The realm of fintech can be complex, and it’s all too easy to overwhelm users. Displaying a large amount of information on a mobile device’s small screen may make the details difficult for users to absorb. In addition, an overabundance of features crammed into one app can incite cognitive overload and cause users to abandon your app for a more straightforward option. To get your app started on the right track, create a simple onboarding process, and don’t display too much information on a single screen.
Furthermore, the average person is often unfamiliar with most financial vernacular. Most people don’t throw around terms like “financial statement” or “gross profit” on a regular basis. In a successful fintech app, the information should be easy to understand for both well-versed and novice users. To ensure that users can engage with your app effectively, avoid jargon and create a termbase that users can reference with ease.
4. Accessibility
Simply put, digital accessibility is exactly what it sounds like — the process of creating digital products that anyone can use, whether they have poor vision, hearing impairments, or neurodiversity. Not only does this expand your app’s audience, but it also supports your brand’s ethos and the overall success of your app.
About 15% of the global population suffers from some form of impairment, and they deserve to have access to the financial tools that they need, just like everyone else. Consider designing your fintech app with the following disabilities in mind to create an app that is accessible to everyone:
- Visual Impairments: As with all disabilities, the level of impairment that a user faces can be moderate or severe. Users may have complete or partial loss of vision or color blindness. Naturally, the visual nature of digital content means that people with visual impairments face the most challenges using mobile applications. To mitigate these issues, incorporate a refreshable Braille display that converts the digital text to text that users can feel. To assist partially blind users, create easy access to screen magnification or a screen reader program.
- Auditory Impairments: While some people have a partial loss of hearing, others cannot hear anything at all. People with hearing impairments suffer the most when no visual alternatives are available to access information. In this case, consider other ways to increase accessibility to those with auditory impairments, such as transcripts for audio and multimedia, along with the option to view video information with clear, easily legible captions.
- Neurological Impairments: Essentially, the term “neurological disability” could pertain to mental illness, neurodivergency, or behavioral issues. These issues may include ADHD, mood disorders, and memory impairment. When creating a fintech app for neurodivergent people, avoid displaying excessive information, overly complex language, and unstructured content.
- Physical Disabilities: In some cases, physical disabilities are referred to as motor disabilities. People with movement impairments may have paralysis, arthritis, or missing limbs. In these cases, people with physical disabilities often use a keyboard or voice control to navigate mobile apps. Ensure that your fintech app is accessible for people with movement impairments by giving them the option to navigate through the app using voice controls.
5. A Sleek UX Design
To create a fintech app that users are comfortable engaging with, ensure that the UX design is sleek and inspires confidence. Incorporate features that make it possible for users to evaluate their financial situation at a glance. Users should easily see relevant information, like their available balance or return on investments. Since many people consider finances to be a complex topic, keep the UX design of your app free of extraneous information, distracting graphic design, and complicated navigation.
To encourage consistent usage of the app, you can also include ways to reward users immediately for each activity they perform. Incorporate gamification to make financial education fun and easy to understand. The gamification of tasks that users may consider boring, like saving money, increases the likelihood that they will associate your app with a positive financial experience and continue using it.
CodigoDelSur
Developing a fintech app that ticks all the boxes can be quite complicated. For your digital product to be successful, you must create an app that makes mind-boggling concepts straightforward to the average person, while maximizing accessibility features. You must then finish this off with modern, UX design that makes for seamless navigation. This is all easier said than done — but if you pull it off, you’re sure to create an app that users will love.
Set your fintech app up for success with developers and designers who are educated about the most up-to-date technology and capable of applying their technical knowledge with supreme efficiency. At CodigoDelSur, we have the experience and know-how to bring your fintech app dreams to fruition.
Since 2007, our team at CodigoDelSur has helped nearly 200 US-based startups design and develop a wide range of mobile apps and websites. Our software developers leverage their technical expertise in app privacy, usability, engagement, and growth hacking to scale your business exponentially. Specializing in innovative, cutting-edge digital products, the CodigoDelSur team was built on talent, thirst for knowledge, and supreme dedication to our craft.
Through the consistent creation of stunning, functional websites and mobile applications, CodigoDelSur is rising to the forefront of our industry. We're always ready to apply the latest developments in new, exciting technologies for your brand and create valuable, engaging user experiences that will keep your customers coming back for more.
Ready to put out a show-stopping fintech app that fosters a real, trustworthy relationship with your users? Contact our team today to find out how we can revolutionize your brand's digital experience!
