Project Details
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Arca is a personal finance app designed for people managing money for the first time — students, fresh graduates, and young professionals stepping into a salaried life.
Most users at this stage aren’t looking for advanced financial tools — they’re trying to build basic habits like tracking expenses, saving consistently, and understanding where their money goes. Arca focuses on making that transition feel simple and unintimidating, turning budgeting into something users can ease into rather than avoid.
challenges
Existing finance apps assume a level of financial literacy that first-time earners often don’t have.
During early research, it became clear that users felt overwhelmed by complex dashboards, unfamiliar terminology, and too many decisions upfront. Instead of building confidence, these apps created friction — leading many users to drop off within the first few days.
The real challenge wasn’t just usability — it was reducing the mental effort required to start and sustain the habit of budgeting.
solutions
The product was designed to simplify decision-making at every step.
A guided onboarding experience helps users set up a personalised budget in under three minutes, removing the need for prior knowledge. Instead of traditional budgeting categories, the app introduces a clear and intuitive structure — spend, save, and set aside — making money allocation easier to understand and act on.
The experience focuses less on detailed tracking and more on giving users a clear sense of control, helping them build confidence through small, consistent actions.
impact
Usability testing showed a significant improvement in both clarity and engagement.
All participants were able to complete onboarding without assistance, and more importantly, they understood what to do next — something that was missing in competitor apps. Users reported feeling more in control of their money after just one session, rather than overwhelmed.
Unlike other tools that were abandoned quickly, participants expressed a strong willingness to return to Arca on a weekly basis, indicating a shift from short-term usage to habit formation.
3 Min
Average Onboarding Completion Time
6
Diary Study Participants
100%
Would Use Weekly — Usability Testing
2
Weeks of Qualitative Research Conducted
