Loop's New Mobile Banking App User Experience (UX) - A Seamless, User-Centric Redesign Reviewed.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away,” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
I have been a Loop user since March 2017, when NCBA Bank (then CBA) first launched this digital banking app in Kenya. The launch event itself at the Kenya National Theatre was highly memorable since this was the first banking mobile app that was designed from the ground up to cater to the digital-first lifestyles of Kenya’s youth market segment at the time. It was also the first and only time I saw and met Vusi Thembekwayo (Vusi), who was the keynote speaker at the same and boy did he make an impression on everyone who attended!
Over the years, I’ve witnessed Loop evolve through various updates and even a major overhaul a few years ago that wasn’t exactly well received — that redesign introduced a bright orange interface and other changes which many users (myself included) found confusing. Despite those past challenges and customers backlash, I stuck with Loop for its innovative approach to banking and the fact it really fit into the things I need to get done from a digital financial services perspective.
Fast forward to early 2025, and Loop has rolled out an all-new mobile app user experience (UX) and I’m happy to report this time it’s remarkably well done! The latest Loop mobile app UX redesign is not only seamless to upgrade but also genuinely improves day-to-day banking tasks. In this review, I’ll compare the new UX to the old one, highlight all the key changes, and evaluate how each improvement makes Loop better from a long-time user’s perspective.
Old UX vs New UX: A Long-Time User’s Perspective
To appreciate the new Loop app design, it’s important to recall how the old Loop app felt. The previous version (circa the 2023 update) had a loud, orange-themed interface and a layout that often required digging through menus to find features. For example, basic functions like paying bills or viewing a full account statement took multiple taps and screens.
The home dashboard was cluttered with information and buttons, and while it introduced sections like “Pay”, “Discover”, and “Grow” thematic for its various use cases, it didn’t quite hit the mark on intuitiveness. In fact, that 2023 refresh — the first big one since Loop’s launch since 2017 — was met with many negative reactions due to usability issues. As a long-time user, I remember feeling a bit lost with the sudden changes back then. The navigation wasn’t very straightforward, and the bright orange visual design, although bold, sometimes came at the expense of clarity.
In contrast, the new Loop mobile app UX is immediately a breath of fresh air. The team at Loop has clearly taken a design thinking and user-centric approach this time — the app feels like it was rebuilt around actual user feedback and needs. Visually, the interface is cleaner and calmer. The dominant orange has been toned down and there’s much more whitespace. The moment I updated and opened the new app, I was struck by the “less is more” design philosophy.
As I swiped through the app, I realized Loop’s team has removed a lot of clutter and unnecessary elements, focusing only on what users need most. In fact, the new design is so streamlined that at first I thought “Where did everything go?!” — in a good way! Many of the chunky buttons and text from the old UI are gone or minimized, making space for a more intuitive swipe-based navigation. It’s clear that the developers listened to user frustrations and aimed for simplicity. To paraphrase a well-known UX adage: perfection is achieved not when there’s nothing more to add, but when there’s nothing left to remove. The new Loop app embodies that — it feels simple, refined, and easy to navigate.
From a user perspective, the difference is night and day. Tasks that used to take four or five taps now take maybe two. The layout is logically organized into three main sections — Pay, Discover, and Grow — just like before, but now each is more functional and accessible. Overall, the app feels faster and lighter too. Loop’s new UX has truly transformed the app into what it should be: a mobile banking app that gets out of your way and lets you get things done effortlessly.
Simplified Navigation with the “Pay” Home Tab
One of the most significant changes in the new Loop app is the reimagined navigation and home screen. In the old app, the home screen was a bit confusing — it wasn’t immediately clear where to find key information. The home screen is essentially the “Pay” tab by default which was the case as before and makes a lot of sense. This Pay section is where your everyday banking actions live, and it’s now organized for maximum convenience.
At the top of the Pay screen, I can instantly see my Account Balance and below that buttons for Deposit, Overdraft, MyCards and Statement. One of the things that makes UX design so transformative is the ability to pre-empt or ‘know’ the tasks that users need the most or are most likely to undertake on a mobile app. In this instance, by having these buttons essentially at the top of the Pay screen, you can instantly launch into any one of these tasks or use cases instantly.
Each of these was available before in some form, but they were buried in menus or required several steps to reach. Now they’re front and center. For instance, if I want to add money to my Loop account, I just tap “Deposit” and I’m immediately guided through it. If I need an overdraft, there’s an “Overdraft” button right on the home screen — no more hunting through the loans section or filling out lengthy forms later. Linking a card or account is also simplified via the “Saved Cards” option where I can manage my cards for quick payments or deposits. And a one-tap “Statement” button lets me view or download my account statement without the previous hassle.
You can also swipe right at the top to access your Wallet Balance side by side (Loop provides a digital wallet in addition to the main account — a concept introduced in the last version that sometimes puzzled users). In the previous design, these balances and the relationship between the account and wallet were not so obvious. The new design fixes that: your funds are clearly presented, labeled, and easy to switch between. For a user like me who remembers being confused about “why do I have a separate wallet?” this clarity is welcome. It reinforces Loop’s bank-agnostic approach of letting you hold money in a mobile wallet separate from the bank account if you wish.
Then, just below Account Balance you also have the ‘Quick Actions’ section that has six key buttons being:
Lipa Na M-Pesa (to pay to merchants directly via M-Pesa)
Pay Loop Biz (to pay merchants who have a Loop business bank account)
Send Money (To Mobile, Bank Accounts, or Cards)
My Bills (to pay for utilities like internet access or electricity)
Standing Orders (to access your standing orders if these have been set-up)
Buy Airtime (on anyone one of the mobile networks in Kenya).
Faster Bill Payments & Utility Transactions
Below that quick action row, the Pay tab presents frequently used payment functions in an intuitive list. This includes things like Lipa na M-Pesa, Pay to another Loop user (Loop Biz), Send Money (to mobile or bank), and Standing Orders, all clearly listed with. In the old UX, these features were scattered in different sub-menus — for example, paying a bill via M-Pesa or setting up a standing order required navigating through a maze of options. Now, they’re all consolidated on the main screen under Pay.
Below this section we also have a tab for Bill Payments that you can access Lipa Na M-Pesa Till Numbers and Paybill Numbers to make payments directly and also you can add Beneficiaries for frequently used payments from this screen. Then, still on the main Pay screen, just below Bill Payments you can access More For You has direct shortcuts for common payments. Loop has integrated popular services such as the Nairobi Expressway and Kenya Power electricity bills.
The last thing on the Pay screen below this section is Transaction History where you can see a snapshot of the most recent transactions on your loop account. I want to once again emphasize that these are all visible from the Pay Screen which is essentially the home screen of the Loop mobile app once you login meaning you do not have to click into sub-menus to access additional screens and use cases as was the case in the previous UX. In a nutshell, from my perspective, it’s clear that the UX redesign was based on actual user feedback, because it addresses many of the challenges of the old UX!
A Refined “Discover” Tab For Rewards & Lifestyle Offers
Loop isn’t just about banking; it has a Discover section that offers deals, rewards points, and other lifestyle perks for users. In the previous app, the Discover tab existed but felt a bit like an afterthought — it had a generic list of offers and your points, with everything in the same theme making it hard to distinguish sections. The new UX gives Discover a much-needed refresh. The Discover tab has been redesigned with a more intuitive, distinct look and structure.
First off, the Discover section now features a unique colour theme separate from the banking sections. When you switch to Discover, the experience changes from bright orange to a bright purple colour. Deals and offers are now categorized by merchant type, which is fantastic. At this time, the bulk of the deals or offers seem to be under electronics category and there is also a food / dining deal as well deals for flights from travelduqa. Previously, all deals were in one long list or required searching by merchant name, which wasn’t user-friendly.
The new Discover also has a quick-access menu (a three-dot menu on the top right) that jumps you to Deals, Points, or Wishlist sections. This means if I want to specifically check my loyalty points balance or redeem something, I can get there quickly, or if I’ve saved some deals to a wishlist, those are just a tap away. Tracking rewards and discounts is much simpler now. Personally, I appreciate how the new mobile UX app highlights relevant offers contextually and doesn’t overwhelm you with everything at once. The design thinking here was clearly to make Loop not just a banking app but a lifestyle app that “speaks” to the user’s interests — something the team mentioned as a goal for their young, digital-savvy customer base.
All in all, the Discover tab’s redesign has made it easier and faster to find deals that matter to me. The distinct visual treatment and better organization show that Loop incorporated user feedback (maybe users weren’t using deals because they were hard to find, so they fixed that). It’s now an area of the app I actually explore, whereas before I often ignored it.
Better Organization in the “Grow” Tab for Savings & Loans
The Grow tab in Loop is where all the savings, investment, and lending features reside — essentially, the “wealth management” side of the app. As a user who has taken a term loan on Loop, I was very keen to see how this aspect has improved. The old Grow section was functional but not particularly convenient. Key info like your loan balances or savings progress were buried under sub-menus, and initiating a new savings plan or loan request took some effort to figure out.
In the new UX, the Grow tab has undergone a significant transformation to become far more user-friendly. The moment you tap Grow, you now get a summarized view of your financial “growth” products. At the very top, if you have any active loan or overdraft, it displays those with their outstanding balances prominently. It mirrors the style of the Pay tab by showing a quick account summary for loans. For example, when I open Grow now, I immediately see my Term Loan card showing how much I owe and maybe the next due date, and next to it an Overdraft card showing my available overdraft limit. In the old design, I would have had to tap into Loans, then into a specific loan to see this info — now it’s surfaced at a glance.
The Grow tab also introduces a new carousel feature that lets you swipe between different categories like Savings, Investments, and Loans. Swiping through these is smooth and feels intuitive (similar to how one might swipe through different accounts or cards in some finance apps). This means I can shift from viewing my savings balances to my investment account, to my loan status just by a quick swipe, rather than backing out and navigating separate menus. It’s a small change that makes a big difference in usability.
Moreover, Loop has added clear action buttons on the Grow screen for common tasks related to savings and loans. For instance, if I want to open a new savings plan (maybe start a fixed savings goal), there’s an “Add Savings” or “New Plan” button right there. If I want to top-up an existing savings account or withdraw from it, that’s now easily accessible too. On the loans side, if I need to request a loan or repay one, the options are visibly placed on the loan card or carousel item — no need to search. The app even shows my overdraft limit status clearly and the option to adjust or apply for a temporary overdraft if needed.
These changes reflect a deep understanding of user needs. Loop’s team essentially brought all the important information and actions in Grow to the forefront. As someone managing multiple financial products on Loop, I find this extremely helpful — I can manage my wealth within the app without feeling I need to call customer service or visit a branch for clarity. It’s all transparent. For example, at a glance you can see if your overdraft limit was increased (since it’s displayed), and you could activate it with one tap. The new design of Grow empowers users to handle their own finances with minimal friction.
Overdrafts, Card Linking, & Other New Conveniences
Beyond the major tab overhauls, the latest Loop app introduces several new features and functionalities that markedly improve the user experience:
Seamless Overdraft Application: Loop has always offered a type of overdraft or mini loan, but applying for it used to be a bit of a process. Through the latest UX redesign, accessing an overdraft is straightforward. As mentioned, there’s an Overdraft button on the Pay home and the Grow tab shows your eligible limit. I was pleasantly surprised how I could review and activate my overdraft facility in-app almost instantly. The interface clearly shows the assigned limit and an “Activate Now” prompt if I want to opt in (as seen in my app showing an assigned limit ready to use). This reflects Loop’s design thinking focus — the team clearly simplified what was a complex user journey before into a one-tap action now.
Card Linking & External Account Integration: A key addition is the ability to link other bank cards or accounts to your Loop app. In practice, this means you can move money between your other bank account and Loop wallet seamlessly, and even use another bank’s debit card to top up Loop. The deposit workflow now has an option for “Other Bank” where you can Link a Card — you enter your other bank card details once, and then depositing from that card is much faster thereafter. This is incredibly convenient; you no longer need to go through mobile money every time to fund my Loop account. In a nutshell, Loop plays nice with other bank accounts! This interoperability demonstrates that the Loop app is cognizant of users have multiple financial relationships, and thats OK. It was mentioned in a recent conversation I had with Loop’s team on my podcast, Pure Digital Passion, that they aimed to be bank-agnostic and let users connect to external banks easily.
Enhanced Notifications and Support: While not the flashiest changes, I noticed the notifications and customer support sections are more polished now. The old version had a basic notifications list and a somewhat clunky support section where you could raise tickets or request calls. In the new app, notifications are easier to read, and you can mark all as read or filter them, which keeps things tidy. The Get Support area is integrated under your profile or menu, offering options like raising a ticket or requesting a callback in a cleaner interface. These refinements show that no detail was too small in this overhaul — everything was reconsidered for usability. As Loop’s CCO Sheila Kimani noted in a recent podcast session I had with her on the Pure Digital Passion podcast, ‘customer input and obsession were key drivers’ in these improvements, ensuring the app would continuously refine even these support touchpoints.
Visual Refresh and Performance: I must also mention how the overall look-and-feel of Loop has improved. The typography is crisp, icons are modernized, and the use of colour is much more balanced (with functional areas highlighted and decorative elements toned down). The new Loop app has a distinct identity and it feels like a lot of behind-the-scenes optimization was done, which as a user I appreciate even if I only notice it subconsciously. The Loop app is more responsive on every level, which encourages me to use it more often for various tasks.
Built on Design Thinking & Real User Feedback
Perhaps the most important aspect of this entire redesign is how it was conceived. From all indications (and the results), the new Loop mobile app UX was achieved by applying design thinking and listening to real user feedback throughout the process. As someone who has followed Loop’s journey and even had indepth discussions with the Loop’s leadership team, it’s evident they took lessons from the previous UX redesign backlash seriously. They went back to the drawing board and put the customer experience at the center of the Loop mobile app UX redesign process.
For instance, the designers clearly considered user pain points: too many steps to do X, difficult to find Y, unclear labeling for Z. Then they iterated to remove those pain points. The presence of features like category-based billers, one-tap overdraft, and card linking shows they weren’t just innovating for innovation’s sake, but directly responding to what users were asking for. During a recent interview on my podcast, Pure Digital Passion, Loop’s Sheila Kimani mentioned how they “listen a lot to our customers… and build solutions that speak to them”. This ethos shines through in the final product.
They also appear to have tested the new design extensively. The fact that I encountered no bugs or hiccups during the upgrade (my app updated and logged me in seamlessly with all my data intact) suggests a well-tested deployment — a stark contrast to some past updates where users had to re-enter information or faced downtime. By actively engaging users through in-app surveys and even a beta program, Loop was able to refine the mobile app UX before full release. The end result is an app that feels like it was co-created with its users. The interface elements and flow reflect a deep understanding of how people actually use banking apps, not how bankers think people use them. It’s a crucial distinction!
Another sign of design thinking is how the app now achieves its goals with minimal complexity. Every feature seems to ask: Does this solve a user need? Is it easy to use? If yes, it’s there; if not, it was reworked or removed. The new Loop app doesn’t introduce flashy new capabilities no one asked for — instead, it enhances the core experience of digital banking. Simpler navigation, faster payments, clearer insights into one’s finances — these are the things that genuinely make a difference in daily use.
From a long-time user’s standpoint, it’s so refreshing to see Loop come full circle (see what I did there!). The app launched with a splashy promise of being a trendy, youth-oriented digital bank, then stumbled a bit with growing pains, and now has matured into a platform that balances style with substance. The redesign isn’t just a fresh coat of paint — it fundamentally improves usability. It’s obvious that real user feedback was behind decisions such as grouping key functions on the home screen and simplifying flows for things like M-Pesa transfers or loan applications. This gives me a lot of confidence in Loop’s future. It shows the product team is committed to continuous improvement and willing to learn from mistakes to deliver what customers actually want.
Conclusion
As a veteran Loop user who has seen it all, I can confidently say this new UX update is the best version of Loop yet. The experience of upgrading was painless — I simply updated the app and everything felt familiar yet improved. Loop has done an excellent job of modernizing the interface while making the app more functional and intuitive than ever.
Easier navigation is the main win here: whether I’m on Pay, Discover, or Grow, I know exactly where to find what I need, and I can get tasks done with fewer taps. Everyday actions like sending money, paying bills, or checking my balances are streamlined. Bill payments that used to be a chore are now a quick, organized process. Overdrafts and loans can be managed on the fly, right in the app. And the ability to link external cards/accounts addresses a real user need for interoperability in our increasingly connected and digital-first financial lifestyles.
Crucially, this redesign feels like it was made for me — the long-time user — incorporating feedback from years of actual usage. It was informed by design thinking, focusing on empathy for the user and solving real problems. The Loop team basically asked, “How can we make our users’ lives easier?” at each step, and it shows. The app is now aligned with how I naturally think about my finances, which is a big compliment to its UX design.
In summary, the new Loop app UX is a clear success. It transforms Loop from a promising but occasionally clunky app into a smooth, efficient, and delightful digital banking experience. For those who, like me, braved the past bumps, this update is a satisfying payoff. Meanwhile, if you’re new to Loop or were hesitant after hearing about earlier issues, now is the time to give it a try. Loop has clearly listened to its users and evolved — setting a new benchmark for a mobile banking UX in the Kenyan market. It’s rewarding to see a mobile banking app I’ve used for so long continue to innovate and truly put the user first!