Lenme App — Borrower Experience

Role · Context · Problem

My role

End-to-end product designer

User Research UX Design Wireframing Prototyping UI Design Iterations
Project context

Build a peer-to-peer lending model

Designed to disrupt traditional lending practices with a borrower-first flow that prioritizes speed, trust, and clarity.

Defining the Problem

What is Lenme?

Lenme is a peer-to-peer lending app that helps people get quick, small loans from everyday investors.

As the Product Designer for the borrower side, I designed the full journey—from signup and loan request to receiving offers and making repayments—working closely with the PM and engineers to make the process clear, fast, and trustworthy.

Problem

Small loan applicants often face lengthy applications, unclear terms, limited access for low-credit users, and trust issues with account security.

Solution

Design a borrower flow that is fast, user-friendly, inclusive, and transparent, helping users feel in control and confident throughout the loan process.

+13%
Offer → Fund Conversion
A/B, 6 weeks (replace with your data)
+11%
7-day Funding Rate
Loans funded within 7 days
−32%
Time-to-Fund (Median)
2d 4h → 1d 11h

Why Borrowers Need Lenme — Evidence

Real data showing borrowers' challenges and why Lenme fills a vital need

Market
$20B+
U.S. short-term lending market

A large and persistent market that traditional banks don’t fully serve—demand exists for quick, small-dollar loans.

Source: IBISWorld (Payday & title loan industry, U.S.)

Access
22%
Unbanked or underbanked adults

Approximately one in five U.S. adults lacks access to mainstream credit—Lenme opens up easier, safer options.

Source: FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households (2023)

Literacy
40%
Struggle with APR & fees

A significant share of borrowers don’t understand basic loan terms—clear language helps reduce confusion and drop-off.

Source: FINRA Foundation National Financial Capability Study

Speed
24–48 h
Typical urgency window

Many borrowers need funds within 24–48 hours—and are underserved by slower lending options.

Source: Derived from user interviews & survey (n ≈ 50; internal research)

What We Learned from Users

  • Borrower interviews (qual)
  • Survey n ≈ 50 (quant)
  • App-store review analysis

Top pains: speed · clarity · transparency

Bottom line: A fast, clear, transparent flow meets real needs — and builds trust for repeat borrowing.

Competitive Analysis — Borrower Focus

How Lenme compares to alternatives from a borrower's perspective

Logo Platform Loan Type Loan Amount Costs to Borrower Repayment Borrower Experience
Lenme Short-term personal loans $50 – $5,000 No upfront fee to request; competitive offers from multiple lenders Flexible terms, typically 1–12 months Simple app flow; offers in minutes, funding usually 1–2 business days
SoLo Funds Community micro-loans $20 – $575 Borrower pays optional “Tip” + “SoLo Fee” (avg. ≈17%) Borrower chooses repayment date Social trust based; approval depends on reputation and history
Hundy Cash advance / micro-loan ~$100 initially, up to ~$250 with history No mandatory fees; optional “tip” style contributions 31–61 days; borrower-selected due date Mobile-first; good for quick, small cash needs
Prosper Unsecured installment loans $2,000 – $50,000 Origination fee 1%–9.99%; APR disclosed upfront Fixed monthly payments; 2–5 years Larger loans, longer process, stricter credit requirements

Why Borrowers Choose Lenme

Lenme = Fast Approval Get offers within minutes and funding usually in 1–2 business days — much faster than traditional lenders.
Lenme = No Upfront Fees Submitting a loan request is free. You only see costs if your loan is actually funded.
Lenme = Flexible Loan Sizes Start as low as $50, so you can cover small urgent expenses without taking on unnecessary debt.
Lenme = Choice & Transparency Multiple investor offers give you control to select the best terms, with all fees visible before you accept.
Borrower Design Process
Fast · Clear · Transparent · Inclusive
⚡

Fast

Shorter forms, smart defaults, fewer taps. Cash access must feel instant.

📝

Clear

Plain-language labels, simple tips, quick examples. No confusing jargon.

🔍

Transparent

Offer cards show total repayment, due dates, and fees upfront.

🤝

Inclusive

“All credit scores welcome.” Friendly tone, reputation cues, clear eligibility.

Bottom line: Fast, clear, and friendly—so borrowers feel confident, not judged.

Brainstorming Ideas

My ideas to explore problems → concepts → impact

Acquisition

“3-Click” Express Request

Compress the request to 3 taps with smart defaults. Pre-fill amount/term from behavior.

Problem
Drop-offs during long forms
Concept
One screen · three fields · instant preview
Impact: High Effort: Med KPI: Request CTR
Hypothesis test A/B Plain-language labels
Conversion

Transparent Offer Cards

Side-by-side offers showing total to repay, due dates, and fees—no fine print.

Problem
Users distrust unclear pricing
Concept
Plain disclosures + examples
Impact: High Effort: Med KPI: Offer Accept Rate
APR explainer microcopy Fee breakdown toggle
Trust

Bank-Link Safe Mode

Reassure users when linking accounts: badges, bank logos, encryption hints, FAQ quick link.

Problem
Security anxieties at bank-link
Concept
Inline trust cues + progressive disclosure
Impact: Med–High Effort: Med KPI: Link Completion
Security FAQ drawer Logos: major banks
Risk / Ops

Late-Fee Guardrails

Gentle reminders + partial/early payment options to prevent defaults.

Problem
Avoidable late payments
Concept
Smart reminders · extension request
Impact: High Effort: Low–Med KPI: DPD 0–30
Calendar nudges One-tap partial pay
Category

Idea Title

One-sentence idea description. Keep it crisp and outcome-oriented.

Problem
What friction are we solving?
Concept
How we solve it in product
Impact: ? Effort: ? KPI: ?
Assumption to validate Next step

Borrower Journey

From discovery to completion—what users do, think, and struggle with.

1

Discover & Download

Doing
Searches for small loan apps and downloads Lenme.
Thinking
“I need money fast. Hope this app works.”
Pain Points
Trust skepticism Eligibility worries
Touchpoints
App Store Landing page
2

Onboarding & Verification

Doing
Signs up, connects bank account, verifies identity.
Thinking
“Is my data safe? Will this take forever?”
Pain Points
Data privacy Sharing sensitive info
Touchpoints
Signup screens Plaid Progress indicators
3

Loan Request

Doing
Enters loan amount and repayment term.
Thinking
“Will I actually get offers? How much will it cost me?”
Pain Points
Fear of rejection Confusing terms
Touchpoints
Request form Tooltips
4

Offer Review

Doing
Reviews lender offers (rates & monthly payments).
Thinking
“Which offer is best? Can I afford this?”
Pain Points
Hard to compare Hidden fee worries
Touchpoints
Offer cards Sorting & filters
5

Accept Offer & Confirmation

Doing
Accepts best offer and sees confirmation.
Thinking
“Great—when will I get the money?”
Pain Points
Transfer speed anxiety Next steps unclear
Touchpoints
Acceptance screen Status updates
6

Repayment Journey

Doing
Makes scheduled payments via linked account.
Thinking
“Hope it goes smoothly. What if I need more time?”
Pain Points
Penalty fear Need flexibility
Touchpoints
Payment dashboard Extension request
7

Loan Completion

Doing
Repays fully and sees improved Lenme Score.
Thinking
“I did it! Maybe I can borrow more next time.”
Pain Points
Score logic unclear
Touchpoints
Loan summary Rewards / progress
MJ

Borrower Persona

Urgent Need · Low Savings

Name
Maria Johnson
Age
32
Occupation
Restaurant Server
Location
Dallas, Texas
Income
$28,000 / year (plus tips)
Experience
Limited credit history
Goal
Cover urgent bills until payday
Personality
Stressed, motivated, practical

Concerns

Unable to pay rent on time Fear of overdraft fees Credit card already maxed

Hopes

1
Fast accessFunds within 24 hours to avoid late fees
2
Small loan sizeBorrow only $100–$300 when needed
3
Simple processNo paperwork, clear repayment terms
4
Trust & transparencyNo hidden charges or surprises

Real Quotes

“If I don’t get $200 by tomorrow, I can’t pay my rent.”
“My car broke down and I need $350 today to get to work.”
“I just need $100 to cover groceries until payday.”
Borrower Information Architecture
Onboarding → Request → Offers → Funding → Repayment → Support
Onboarding & Account Loan Request Loan Offers Funding & Disbursement Repayment Support & Trust
1
Onboarding & Account
Sign up & basic profile
Identity verification (KYC)
Link bank / payment method
Tooltips & checklists Save & resume
2
Loan Request
Enter amount & purpose
Select term; preview schedule
Submit request
Affordability hints APR preview
3
Loan Offers
Compare rate, fees, term
Offer details & disclosures
Select & accept agreement
Side-by-side compare Plain-language terms
4
Funding & Disbursement
Investor funds the loan
Deposit to linked account
Confirmation & receipt
Status tracking Notifications
5
Repayment
Auto-debit on schedule
Early / manual payment
History & receipts
Reminders Late-fee guardrails
6
Support & Trust
Help center & chat support
Security & privacy controls
Education nudges after actions
Solve: long apps Solve: opaque fees Solve: low-credit access Solve: account trust

Lenme Score & Credit Relationship

Simple bands, clear expectations, and what drives the score
Low Risk · 70–100 Medium Risk · 60–69 High Risk · 0–59
Preferred

Low Risk

Score: 70–100

Stable profile with consistent repayment signals. Eligible for the most competitive offers.

Balanced

Medium Risk

Score: 60–69

Generally reliable with some caution flags. Terms vary by amount, term length, and history.

Needs Review

High Risk

Score: 0–59

Higher risk signals. May need smaller amounts, shorter terms, or more history to improve.

What drives the Lenme Score

Lenme uses its own score to estimate creditworthiness, combining third-party data with in-app behavior:

  • DTI
    Debt-to-Income Ratio Monthly debt payments divided by monthly income. Lower is better.
  • TU
    Credit Score VantageScore 4.0 from TransUnion helps assess overall credit health.
  • LH
    Lenme History Your borrowing and repayment performance within Lenme over time.
Note: Score ranges and factors are illustrative for portfolio display.
UX Case Study

Submit and Receive Offers

Our design mantra was “3-click loans.” The challenge was to minimize friction and reduce cognitive load, enabling a user to complete a loan request in just three simple taps.

Click / Tap Process

The streamlined request flow was a deliberate design choice to feel approachable and predictable:

  1. 1

    Tap 1 — Enter amount

    The starting point: the exact loan amount the user needs. No extra input fields.

  2. 2

    Tap 2 — Choose duration

    A single decision: select the payback period (e.g., 3 months). This avoids long questionnaires.

  3. 3

    Tap 3 — Submit request

    Immediate confirmation and loan offers, closing the loop in a clear, reassuring way.

The Hunt for Offers Begins

Within minutes of submission, investors browsing Lenme can see the new request and respond with their proposed terms. Borrowers stay engaged with real-time updates—no manual refresh needed.

What investors see

New loan requests surface to investors in their browse feed. They can submit offers with:

  • Amount they’re willing to fund
  • Interest rate (APR)
  • Repayment duration (e.g., 3 months)

What borrowers get

As offers roll in, borrowers receive instant notifications—keeping them informed without checking back.

Example: “You have 2 new offers!”

🚀 What Happens After the 3-Click Loan Request?

Submitting a loan request in Lenme was intentionally designed to be lightning-fast — just three taps and you're done.
But what happens behind the scenes once the user hits "Submit"? Let’s break it down:

UX Case Study

Enter Loan Amount

We designed a single-screen loan request flow: the user simply enters the amount and selects a payback period. Nothing more.

Request a Loan in One Form

Two inputs only — amount and duration — instead of lengthy questionnaires.

Reducing the form to just these fields was a key design decision to lower cognitive load. Research confirmed that “two fields and go” feels approachable and encourages completion.

Reviewing Offers Like a Pro

Choose an offer like you would a plan—clear, side-by-side, and free of fine-print traps.

Swipe to compare offers →
AL Best value
$1,500
Loan amount
Interest rate (APR)7.9%
Monthly payment$382/mo
Total repayment$1,528
1h 20m left
BK
$1,500
Loan amount
Interest rate (APR)15.9%
Monthly payment$465/mo
Total repayment$1,860
22m left

3. Money on the Way

The moment a borrower accepts an offer, the wheels are set in motion:

  • Funds move securely to their linked bank account — no delays, no uncertainty.
  • In most cases, cash lands within 24 business hours.
💬 “Funds have been deposited into your account!”

For borrowers, it feels less like waiting for a loan, and more like receiving a paycheck right on time. Quick access to cash — just as promised.

Repayment Journey

Repayment Starts Smoothly

After funding, repayment begins according to the agreed schedule. Borrowers can easily monitor progress and stay on track.

Borrower Experience

  • Upcoming payment dates
  • Remaining balance
  • Payment history
  • Growing Lenme Score (building trust for future loans)

Friendly reminders and flexible options — like extension requests — are built right into the experience.

✨ Final Outcomes & Impact

⚡ Faster Conversions

The 3-tap loan request flow boosted completion rates to 70% (up from 50%). Simplicity-first design reduced drop-offs significantly.

📈 User Growth

1M+ users and 40,000+ loans (~$18M) by 2024. Design cited in reviews (4.3★ on App Store) as “easy” and “fast.”

🤝 Inclusive Lending

Thousands with low credit gained access. Borrowers said, “Lenme gave me a chance when others wouldn’t.”

💬 User Feedback

Users praised features like auto-pay & loan extensions: “Got extra time easily when I needed it.”

💼 Business Success

Healthy liquidity cycle: easier borrowing attracted lenders. Repeat usage and volume confirmed satisfaction.

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