The real problem wasn't the pricing model—it was the messaging
Research
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UX Design
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Content Design
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Interaction Design
Project Summary
I helped decrease user friction on a hiring platform by redesigning the payment system page and implementing instructional content for our paid features. The team and I did this by simplifying information and making interactive help content more obvious in the UI.
User struggled to understand pricing and paid features.
During research on a new paid feature at WorkOnward, I uncovered a critical issue: users weren’t confused about whether the feature was valuable—they were confused about how pricing worked at all.
When I spoke to users, I heard consistent concerns about pricing.
WorkOnward used a pay-as-you-go model instead of a subscription model to offer flexibility to small businesses.
The homepage had information on the pricing model but didn’t clearly state the cost of features, causing users to expect hidden costs.
Goal
I aimed to improve how pricing was communicated. My goal was to reduce uncertainty and ensure key information was:
Easy to find
Visible upfront, not buried
Easy to scan
Clear, structured content
Easy to understand
Aligned with users' priorities (affordable and efficient)
Research
To achieve our goal, I focused on auditing the current experience, gathering user data, and collaborating with stakeholders.
Auditing the current experience:
I reviewed existing pricing content and identified points of confusion, vague wording, and missing information.
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True cost was unclear
Copy like "as little as $1.50" didn't give a clear answer about the pricing of listed features.
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Misleading information
Some of the features listed were free to use, creating confusion about the value of paying for features.
Synthesizing user insights:
I conducted user interviews to understand the biggest knowledge gaps users had about pricing.
Partnering with stakeholders:
I worked with product and marketing teams to ensure messaging changes aligned with business goals and were feasible to implement quickly.
Design decisions
Taking into consideration our need to implement changes quickly and users' confusion, I created copy that was clear, concise, and emphasized paid features' value.
Revision 1: Upfront pricing messaging
I developed an onboarding tutorial that appeared with contextual help on the credits page and was easy to skip, exit, or return to. Each step addressed users' most common concerns with two-sentence summaries.
Revision 2: Scannable, digestible pricing page
If users didn't use the tutorial, I restructured the page with clear sections and bolded key details, so users could quickly see which features required credits and how much they’d spend.
Revision 3: Framing paid features around user value
I reframed copy to connect features to user goals:
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Connected unlocking resumes to users' value of finding quality candidates
With the new changes, users reported more confidence in using our platform. We also saw a decrease in inquiries about how our payment system and pricing worked.
Learnings
This project reinforced that pricing clarity isn’t just a business decision—it’s a content problem.
By reworking the language and structure of our pricing content, I helped users feel more in control of their spending, ultimately improving the onboarding experience and supporting revenue goals.
