Advance cash mobile app experience
Designing the investigation layer for Tyro's merchant portal.
Exacutive summary
Wagetap lets Australians draw part of their pay before payday. The product worked, but the experience made an already stressful moment harder — and 63% of the people I researched had turned to payday lending in the past year.
Over 14 weeks I redesigned the app for iOS and Android, from research through to the shipped interface. I ran a social probe, interviews and surveys with 43 people, rebuilt the withdrawal flow around a single adjustable amount, and put every cost in front of the user before they confirmed — fee, total repayment, and each instalment date.
Loan volume and user numbers grew 30% within two months of launch, and 90% of users rated the new experience positively.
At a glance
Design strategy & execution
PM, 2 engineers, content creator
14 weeks to MVP
iOS & Android
money runs out before the month does
Financial stress is a major issue for many Australians, most of them living paycheck to paycheck. With rising living costs, unforeseen bills and life's uncertainties, people find themselves strapped for cash between paydays.
That shortfall isn't only financial. It shows up as emotional and mental strain, and it pushes people toward the worst possible products at the worst possible moment.
What the redesign had to do
- Provide a seamless experience that delivers immediate financial relief.
- Rebuild the interface so a transaction can happen in a few taps.
- Fold in educational material so people gain knowledge for long-term financial health, without the app turning into a course.
43 people who get paid on time and still run short
I worked with the product team on a social probe, in-depth interviews, surveys, and usability tests of the first wireframes. The probe mattered most: money habits are embarrassing, and people describe them more honestly in private than in an interview.
75%
often or sometimes struggle to cover expenses between pay checks
63%
had used less favourable lending, like payday loans, in the past year
84%
wanted an app that pairs immediate relief with financial education