# Why should sign-up screens be boring?

Author: Ali Abouelatta
Source date: 2024-08-02
Tags: signup, onboarding, conversion, functional design
HTML: https://lazyweb.com/research/boring-sign-up-screens
Markdown: https://lazyweb.com/research/boring-sign-up-screens.md

## Primary visual

Local image URL: https://lazyweb.com/research-assets/boring-sign-up-screens/01-functional-vs-delightful.jpg
Original image URL: https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83d3cc50-6726-4ddf-98fe-adbac2083e19_3488x15134.png
Alt text: Functional versus delightful signup screen spectrum from First 1000.
Image description: A tall comparison chart ranks signup patterns from simple functional designs through illustrations, carousels, slideshows, background videos, and animations.

Short answer: Ali's review of Ring, AllTrails, Nextdoor, and Spotify signup redesigns found the functional, plain version won in each case. The pattern is that signup is a job-to-be-done moment: decorative videos, illustrations, and animation can distract from the CTA and can add download or bandwidth cost.

## Evidence

The source frames signup design as a functionality-versus-delight tradeoff, then shows four experiments where simpler UI beat more emotionally expressive signup screens.

## What changed

- Ring, AllTrails, and Nextdoor tested plain signup screens against background-video experiences.
- Spotify tested a simple signup screen against a version with added illustration.
- The functional versions focused attention on account creation and login actions.

## Why it matters

- Signup is a conversion step, so visual delight can become attention competition.
- Heavy media can increase app size and bandwidth requirements, which matters for users on slower networks.

## Sources

- [1] Lazyweb Research: boring signup screens. Ali reviews four recent signup-screen redesigns across Ring, AllTrails, Nextdoor, and Spotify and says functional, boring designs won in each experiment. [Source](https://read.first1000.co/p/use-boring-sign-up-screens)