Feedback needed: A personal expense tracker and budgeting web app.
I made ZenExpenses in a method that I liked to track my personal expenses which did not involve accounting terms or jargon. I also built budgeting too, but not envelope type budgeting (yeah that is a budgeting term).
I ran Reddit Ads for a while but people don't seem to sign up a lot or those who signed up played with it for a day and then never came back.
I was wondering if there is anything wrong with the landing page or the sign up flow & onboarding. Do you think the flow is natural and clicks for the user?
I believe your website has a good foundation, and with a few improvements, you can make the experience much stronger for visitors. These changes can help make the design clearer, more professional, and more engaging.
Here are some areas that I recommend improving:
1. Titles and section headings
Some sections have clear titles, while others need stronger headings. Consistent title styles (font size, weight, and spacing) will help visitors understand the structure of the page more easily and create a more polished look.
2. Hero section messaging
The current hero text:
"Personal Expense Tracking & Budgeting"
can be improved to communicate the value more clearly.
Ask yourself:
"If a visitor sees this website for the first time, can they understand what this product does within one sentence?"
A stronger hero message should quickly explain:
3. Header navigation
The navigation bar is like the visitor’s roadmap. It should help users easily understand where they are and where they can go without feeling lost.
Make sure:
4. Content alignment and visual balance
The current content alignment could be improved to create a more comfortable reading experience.
The website should feel organized and confident, guiding visitors naturally from one section to another. When spacing, alignment, and layout are balanced, the design feels more professional and trustworthy.
With these improvements, the website can create a stronger first impression and help visitors better understand the value of the product.
Nice, clear 4-step walkthrough. One thing: the headline reads the same as competitors (Mint, YNAB) — the real differentiator (drag-and-drop import + auto-tagging rules) is buried in step 2 instead of leading. Hero's just text + a button — a screenshot of the actual categorized view would help. FAQ's a good start, could use a bit more depth.
I do landing page work — happy to mock up an alternative hero if useful.
The one-day drop-off usually points straight to an early onboarding wall or sign-up friction before users even reach their "aha moment." Looking through your flow, if the initial access barrier (like rigid sign-up requirements) hits users before they experience the core tracking value, they bounce instantly. If you want a structured breakdown of where the flow leaks intent, I map out exact micro-friction fixes as a 24h async audit.
I like the idea of removing accounting jargon...that immediately differentiates the product. One thing I'd be curious about is whether visitors understand the biggest benefit within the first few seconds. Sometimes a landing page explains what a product does before making it obvious why someone should switch from what they're already using. If people are trying it for a day and not returning, I'd also look closely at whether they experience an "aha moment" during onboarding.
Out of curiosity, have you spoken with users who signed up but never came back to find out what made them leave?
This is exactly what fresh eyes catch — "signed up, played a day, never came back" is almost always a first-run/onboarding gap, and you can't see it anymore because you know where everything is. Happy to go first: I'll walk ZenExpenses as a brand-new user and send you structured feedback — first impression, where the signup flow felt off, the exact point I'd have bailed, and what the landing promises vs. what onboarding delivers. I run a small reciprocal tester circle (BetaPair); if it's useful, you do the same on mine, same format. Want me to take a pass?
Didn't wait for the yes — went to take that pass today. And I have to report it ended at step zero, which is worth more than it sounds: Signup is Google-only. I won't connect a personal Google account to a finance app — and the indie/dev crowd you're asking here is exactly the demographic that balks at that. No email+password, no magic link, no demo mode meant the pass was over before the app started. Since your original question was "is the signup flow natural?": this is the first place you lose people like me, before onboarding even begins. An email/magic-link option — or a read-only demo account — would open that door. Standing offer: the moment there's any non-Google way in, I'll run the full pass (seven fields: core action success, setup friction, hesitation points, one bug + screenshot, best part, time + rating, the one change I'd make first). Weekends fine.
The one-day signup then disappearance is already more informative than landing-page opinions. Instrument four steps: ad click, signup, first expense entered, and second session within seven days. If people reach first entry and vanish, onboarding worked; the recurring job or return trigger did not. Fixing copy will not solve that.
The interesting question isn't whether people can use ZenExpenses—it's whether they experience enough value before the effort of maintaining another finance app sets in. I'd keep validating the first moment users feel they've gained a useful financial insight. If that comes too late, improving onboarding alone may not change retention.