Gen Z Has Raised the Bar – Why “Intuitive” Means Something Different Now?

For Generation Z, using financial apps feels completely natural. Checking an account balance, making a quick payment, or tracking everyday spending are things they do almost automatically – often several times a day, in brief moments between other activities. Yet easy access to information does not always translate into a genuine sense of financial control. Users may know exactly where their finances stand right now, but it’s much harder for them to say what their situation will look like in a week or a month from now.

That gap between having data and really understanding it is one of the biggest challenges in designing financial apps these days. And it’s exactly where many key design decisions are made – decisions that can determine whether a financial app simply informs users or helps them make better financial choices. In the following article, let's dive into research and industry insights to better understand Generation Z and consider how banking solutions can be designed to truly meet their needs and expectations.

Who Gen Z Really Are and How They Make Financial Decisions?

When describing Generation Z, it’s easy to fall into a familiar set of labels: digital natives, mobile-first, tech-savvy. While none of these are wrong, they don’t really explain how this group actually makes decisions, especially when it comes to money.

A more useful lens is to look at the contradictions that influence their everyday behavior. On the one hand, young users expect full control over their finances – on the other, they don’t want to spend too much time or mental effort managing it. They’re used to high-quality digital experiences, yet they tend to show limited trust in financial institutions and in the way they communicate.

Their decisions are made quickly, often impulsively, in an environment full of stimuli and competing information. And despite their stated independence, they clearly need support – not in the form of heavy, structured education, but rather in the form of subtle guidance embedded directly into the product experience.

Gen Z is not homogeneous in terms of life circumstances. It's a highly diverse group – ranging from people just starting their careers, through those building their financial stability, to individuals who are already managing their own households independently.

It’s within these tensions that we can find the answer to why many financial apps – despite having a correct, and sometimes even well-polished interface – fail to deliver a noticeable improvement in user experience.

Designing for Gen Z: Where to Look for Real UX Benchmarks?

When designing financial apps, we often focus only on comparing our company to other banks or fintechs. Of course, there are strong market benchmarks such as BLIK, which enables fast payments and phone-number transfers, or Revolut, which offers near-frictionless financial management in a single app – from everyday transactions to more complex services when traveling abroad.

For younger users, especially Gen Z, however, these aren’t the only reference points. Their expectations are driven by the best digital experiences they interact with every day, often outside of finance. This includes InPost with their parcel lockers, where collecting a package takes just a few seconds and requires no code entry; Uber, Bolt, or Glovo, where payment is almost unnoticeable; Żappka, which combines shopping, payment, and loyalty program in one seamless flow; or Allegro Smart, which reduces the purchasing process to an absolute minimum.

All of these experiences are instant, intuitive, and designed to minimize decision-making while delivering immediate feedback. They don’t require young users to think about “what to do next” – they guide them through the process while significantly reducing cognitive friction, a concept that can and should be analyzed in every digital product’s user journey.

Against the backdrop of habits formed by these services, every extra second of waiting, every unclear message, or unnecessary step in another app becomes disproportionately noticeable.

Gen Z Chooses Security Over Status

These expectations become especially evident in how young people in Poland think about money. Not so long ago, financial success was something that could be easily seen from the outside – a certain lifestyle, visible status, the ability to show that things were going well. Today, that definition is quietly but clearly changing. For young Poles, success is no longer about what can be displayed but about what provides a sense of stability: savings in an account, no debt, financial independence, and a place to call their own.

At the same time, this sense of security is still far from guaranteed. For many, it remains an aspiration rather than a lived reality. Only a small group of young people feel they have already reached financial success, while the majority are still on the way there. It creates a constant tension between the financial life they would like to have and the one they are actually living day to day.

The New Investor Mindset: Caution Over Risk

At a declarative level, the picture appears well-structured: most young people save money, primarily for future needs or larger purchases. Savings are widespread and generally perceived as a natural part of financial responsibility.

However, this declared sense of responsibility is not matched by an equally strong willingness to take financial risks. Investing remains less common and, when it does occur, tends to be conservative in nature – an understandable approach given the rising cost of living. According to Santander’s report “Generations in the Investment Market”, younger age groups account for a smaller share of active investors than older generations, such as Generation X, although their participation is gradually increasing alongside the digitalization of financial services.

When young people do invest, they typically favor simple, digital-first solutions:

• banking and fintech apps,
• investment funds,
• ETFs,
• and individual stocks.

Cryptocurrencies also play a notable role, attracting relatively high interest among this demographic, although they do not typically account for the dominant share of investment portfolios.

Their approach to investing is largely influenced by where they acquire financial knowledge: social media, short-form educational content, financial influencers, and the intuitive interfaces of investment apps. While these channels lower barriers to market participation, they often provide a limited understanding of risk and the principles of long-term investing. As a result, investing is frequently perceived as a natural extension of saving rather than a deliberate, strategic approach to portfolio building.

How Gen Z Balances Responsibility and Enjoyment in Managing Finances?

At the same time, everyday financial decisions reveal the other side of the picture. While young people aim to save money, they also regularly spend on things that improve their quality of life in the present – eating out, small treats, clothing, or travel. It’s less about inconsistency and more about the reality of operating in an environment that, on the one hand, encourages financial responsibility, and on the other, constantly promotes immediate consumption.

Here, a tension becomes visible – between the need for financial security and the need for comfort and spontaneity. Rising prices and higher living costs are a very real experience for young people and directly influence their behavior. Reducing expenses, using savings, or relying on family support are not exceptions, as reflected in various research reports.

As a result, there is a growing demand for transparency, simple language, and shorter, more streamlined processes. It also translates into a stronger need to maintain control and a resistance to making commitments that could limit that control.

The Financial Priorities That Matter Most to Gen Z

Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in one of the most important financial aspirations among young people: owning a home. For many, it remains a symbol of stability and independence, yet at the same time, it feels increasingly out of reach in the near term.

According to Autopay’s “Finances of Young Poles” report, homeownership is still an important marker of financial success. However, it still ranks behind other indicators of financial well-being, such as having savings or being debt-free. At the same time, more than half of adults aged 25–34 continue to live with their parents, according to Eurostat, reflecting the reality of high housing costs, rising rents, inflationary pressures, and the overall cost of living.

With a significant share of income absorbed by rent and everyday expenses, many young people have limited opportunities to build the capital needed for a down payment. In this environment, attention naturally shifts away from distant, long-term ambitions toward smaller, more attainable goals. Saving money becomes less about achieving a major milestone and more about creating a sense of financial security – something that more than 80% of young people say they actively do on a regular basis.

As a result, most financial decisions are made within these shorter time horizons, where progress feels tangible, and goals appear within reach.

The New Sources of Financial Knowledge

The way financial knowledge is acquired is also changing. Traditional financial education is increasingly giving way to a more fragmented model, shaped by short-form content, social media, and on-demand advice. For Gen Z in Poland, financial information is more likely to come from TikTok, YouTube, or content creators than from structured educational sources.

At the same time, research suggests that high levels of digital exposure do not automatically translate into strong financial literacy. According to Bank BPS, many young people report difficulty understanding fundamental financial concepts such as credit, loans, and investing, and express uncertainty about their financial knowledge.

The demand for financial knowledge has not disappeared, but the way it is consumed has changed. Learning is increasingly fast, contextual, and fragmented. Information is absorbed when it is immediately relevant rather than through a systematic educational process.

As a result, despite having access to vast amounts of content, young people are less likely to develop a cohesive, long-term approach to managing their finances. Financial decisions are often reactive in nature and heavily influenced by the digital context in which information is encountered.

For designers working on financial solutions, Gen Z is an interesting challenge. As an industry, we are still searching for a shared language to connect with young end users and exploring how to respond to entirely new expectations around personal finance, everyday payments, saving, and digital value-added services. We already know that younger generations approach finances in a fundamentally different way, and this shift pushes designers to make insights instantly accessible – right at users’ fingertips.

Patrycja Leszek-Królikowska

Head of Experience Strategy & Design Excellence at Ailleron

Experience Above All – What Does It Mean for Designers?

The same expectations are reflected in the way young people engage with financial tools. The solutions that succeed are intuitive, fast, and free of complexity or hidden consequences that create uncertainty.

One of the most significant opportunities in financial experience design lies in bridging the gap between data availability and the delivery of information that genuinely helps users make informed decisions. While access to data is no longer the challenge, presenting it in a clear, actionable, and relevant manner remains critical.

Designing for Gen Z isn’t about adding more features, but about adopting a different perspective. Financial applications need to evolve beyond functional tools and become experiences that actively support decision-making, both in everyday financial choices and in longer-term planning.

A New Approach to Financial Data Analysis

The key shift is moving away from designing for in-depth analysis toward enabling quick checks and immediate understanding. Users do not want to interpret data, analyze abstract offers, or run mental simulations based on hypothetical amounts – they want to know what it means for their finances here and now.

Numbers alone are not enough. Financial information needs to be embedded in context, including behavior and consequences. The difference between a statistic and an interpretation (for example: “based on your current spending, you will exceed your budget three days earlier”) directly impacts decision accuracy and the ability to plan ahead.

Reducing Cognitive Load and Microlearning

Strong financial experience reduces the need to make unnecessary decisions. Automation, suggestions, and pre-set options do not take control away from users – they reinforce it by lowering cognitive effort and simplifying choices where deep analysis is not required, while still leaving full control in the user’s hands.

Financial education is no longer a standalone module, but it should not become fragmented either. Instead, knowledge delivered exactly when it is needed – as short, contextual information embedded within an ongoing decision – is more engaging than abstract lessons. Ideally, these small insights are placed within a broader context that, step by step and deliberately, builds financial awareness and strengthens user confidence.

Diversity Within Generations Demands a Tailored Banking Offering

Users operate in different life modes, and it’s worth noting that Gen Z includes not only students and early professionals, but also young parents. A system should therefore not assume a single behavioral or financial model. Instead, it should offer dynamic modes, such as saving, stabilization, or recovery, aligned with the user’s current financial, life, and even emotional situation.

A system should speak the user’s language, not just present well-packaged data structures. Statements like “I need to get my budget under control before the holidays” should be translated into concrete actions – grounded in previous spending patterns – with a clear goal and structured support to maintain it, including visible progress over time.

How to Design Financial Services for Gen Z?

Saving doesn’t function as an abstract goal, but as a mechanism for sustaining motivation. Each day of staying within a set limit becomes a micro-success, rather than just another line in a report, positively contributing to users’ sense of financial empowerment.

The system shouldn’t force users to continuously “check” their financial situation. Instead, it should maintain contextual continuity, remember previous decisions and their interpretation, and create a coherent experience in managing finances while supporting progress toward defined goals.

Recommendations require full transparency. Users should understand why the system suggests something, what data it is based on, and what the consequences of a decision will be. Without this, automation undermines trust.

The Emotional Dimension of Communication

Finances are often associated with stress, which is why communication should be simple and supportive rather than escalating tension. Instead of warnings, what is needed is contextual information and clear suggestions for possible solutions.

Notifications are no longer reminders or marketing channels. They become part of the relationship with the system, functioning like a personal financial advisor that supports long-term goals while reducing cognitive load and freeing up working memory.

Visual interface design, micro-interactions, aesthetics, and feedback are no longer just nice additions. Simple, clear journeys broken into small, fast steps have become the baseline standard of experience.

Intuitive Support in a Fast-Moving World

Modern financial applications have already reached a high level of functionality and clarity, but this is only the starting point. The next step is the development of systems capable of interpreting data in real time, reducing decision-making costs, and maintaining a coherent, continuous financial narrative for the user.

The new generation of products will not compete on interface simplicity alone, since that will already be standard. Instead, competition will focus on the quality of support offered in everyday decisions. Financial applications have the potential to become a supportive and valuable partner in the decision-making process – transparent, adaptive, and grounded in the real-life context of their users.

Do You Want To Design An App For The Next Generation Of Banking Clients?

FAQ

References

Research Sources (Gen Z Financial Behavior & Market Reports)

• Autopay. (n.d.). Savings – a Symbol of Young People’s Success (Report). https://autopay.pl/baza-wiedzy/aktualnosci/oszczednosci-symbol-sukcesu-mlodych-raport/
• Autopay. (2024). What Financial Success Means to Young People – 2024 Report. https://autopay.pl/baza-wiedzy/aktualnosci/co-dla-mlodych-oznacza-sukces-finansowy-raport-2024/
• Bank BPS. (n.d.). Bank BPS on the Financial Literacy of Generation Z. https://bank.pl/bank-bps-o-wiedzy-finansowej-pokolenia-z/
• Santander TFI. (n.d.). Generations in the Investment Market. https://www.santander.pl/tfi/lp/pokolenia-na-rynku-inwestycji/
• Mastercard. (2025). Gen Z Innovation in Banking. https://www.mastercard.com/us/en/news-and-trends/stories/2025/gen-z-innovation-banking.html
• Deloitte Insights. (n.d.). Gen Z & Millennial Digital Banking. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/gen-z-millennial-digital-banking.html

Primary Research

Internal qualitative research based on in-depth individual interviews (IDI) conducted with members of Generation Z in Poland, used as a qualitative complement to quantitative findings from industry reports.