Note: This is conceptual and non-commercial project.
XTB offers a demo account to help novice investors practice risk-free trading while learning about financial markets. A demo account provides freedom and safety, but there is no onboarding structure that can effectively guide users through app features.
Enhancing Demo account with a Beginner Mode – an interactive tutorial guiding new users through the XTB mobile app. XTB current marketing and educational efforts targeted to young, beginner investors, makes this an opportunity worth leveraging. Existing educational materials on the website and app provide a solid foundation for creating an interactive learning path. Users who receive structured guidance through an interactive onboarding process are more likely to stay engaged with XTB and feel motivated to take the next steps (better loyalty). This feature would primarily target young and beginner investors, educating them interactively within the app, reducing mistakes, encouraging them to stay with XTB and ultimately leading to open a real account.
The analysis compared mobile apps, educational features and demo account experiences offered by XTB main competitors. Platforms like Trading212, eToro, Plus500, Interactive Brokers and Freedom24 were evaluated based on key aspects such as demo account accessibility, educational resources, onboarding processes, and unique platform features.
Tykr effectively combines investment education with an interactive, modular interface. Its engaging learning modules and structured guidance can enhance user confidence and satisfaction.
Key features of Tykr app:
The research also included platforms that successfully integrate interactive elements to improve the learning experience.
Approaches used in examples below:
Such solutions find their grounding in psychology, which says that activities used in gamification help engage participants and users are more likely to finish the checkout process when they can clearly see how far they've come or what remains to be done (Zeigarnik Effect).
Several factors may explain why XTB and other investment companies have not yet implemented interactive onboarding features
While I cannot comment on company strategy or business decisions due to a lack of data, some concerns can be addressed through tutorial design. Regulatory restrictions can be managed by ensuring the tutorial focuses on platform functionality and provides neutral coverage of all instruments without favoritism. I address these potential challenges later in the case study within the tutorial design.
Analyzing available sources (press articles, research, online opinions, and expert statements) allow to identify the key characteristics and needs of beginner investors in Poland. This insight enables the effective customization of the “Beginner Mode” feature in the XTB app.
Key findings:
Main needs and challenges:
Based on the collected research data and analysis, I created 3 personas for this project, each representing different backgrounds, locations, unique challenges and motivations. While these are generalized examples and don’t reflect all beginner investors, they serve as a valuable tool for designing the Beginner Mode tutorials in the Demo account.
🏆 Mateusz's impact on final design - Beginner Mode will remind the operation of basic functions from the Demo account he knows from the past and after completing the entire tutorial, he will receive notification that with his acquired knowledge he can confidently move on to the real account.
⏩️ Karolina's impact on final design - due to her limited time tutorial path is concise, there is estimated time mentioned and she can quickly skip through the tutorial steps if she already knows certain terms.
🎮 Jakub's impact on final design - tutorial included in Beginner Mode explains the most basic elements and simple instructions from the beginning, plus displays a progress indicator to further motivate finishing.
Scenario: Jakub is installing the XTB app for the first time and wants to see how investing with a Demo Account works.
Jakub's motivation declines as he progresses through the app. He explores various features but does so blindly, without clear direction. Despite his frustration, he remains motivated and returns to the app to learn, though this process is time-consuming and leads to errors.
Main view of the app displays a modal after setting up a demo account, introducing the user to Beginner Mode. This modal explains tutorial structure, outlines rewards for completion and includes a marketing message to encourage participation. In my mockups, this message leverages social proof by highlighting how many users open a real account after completing the tutorials. Once Beginner Mode is enabled, the home screen features a dedicated section showing the user's progress and achieved scores. Additionally, in my redesigned version, the bottom navigation bar has been updated to include a "Lessons" icon, providing even easier access to Beginner Mode.
The Beginner Mode main screen prominently features a progress bar and completed modules at the top. Users can tap the "info" icon (consistent with other app sections) to learn more about how Beginner Mode works. Directly below the progress component, there is a section highlighting premium materials, which serve as a reward for completing all modules. As an example, I used YouTuber Pankracy, who is currently promoting an XTB account on his channel. Further down, a list of modules is displayed, each marked with a status icon (disabled, in progress, or completed) and the XP points they offer. Users can revisit any module using the "Repeat" button. The final module is distinctly highlighted, indicating the last step in the learning path.
At the very top, a progress bar indicates the user's position within the module. Under main heading there is information about estimated time to complete module - placed with those in mind who are busy and prefer to know how long it will take to complete the module. Next to it, a disclaimer states that the examples and tasks provided do not constitute investment advice. Below user is introduced to the module's content and information that learning process ends with a short quiz to assess the knowledge gained. For users who already have a basic understanding and prefer to test themselves immediately, there is an option to skip the module. If they choose this option, a notification appears to confirm their decision. Suggestion is that starting with module first is primary goal.
Inside the module, users will find both fundamental information and interactive elements that allow them to explore the app’s features. Tasks are marked out with a specific icon that repeats in all modules and tips to improve the task execution. At the end comes the practical use of all the given information and what is important: user completes tasks on the interface of the XTB app, meanwhile strengthening knowledge about the particular functions.
Wrap up of the module is finishing short quiz that requires a minimum 90% correct answers. The application displays information about the correct answer in real time and provides explanation. In case of failure, user can try again (the number of approaches is unlimited).
For more effective feedback gathering on Beginner Mode performance, the last task of the final module is to complete a short NPS survey. Upon completion, users get a summary of their achievements and they are encouraged to open a real account. This message effectively realizes the “moment of achievement” in user experience design - the key point at which a user feels satisfaction with a completed task and is most open to taking the next step (conversion).
Beginner Mode is a conceptual project, made to improve the experience of new users of an investment platform through an interactive learning path. Main goal was to increase conversions from demo accounts to real accounts and improve user retention by using gamification mechanisms and practical investment scenarios. Due to the fact that I do not have precise data from the field, I used generalizations and assumptions. Designing a learning path in a real business situation requires conducting a series of research with users, listing their main concerns and doubts, conducting A/B tests with users with different learning scenarios and interactivity level. Separate topic are also motivating factors that work for real users and rewards that are attractive to them.
However, despite the fact that this project is fully conceptual, to verify effectiveness I would use following KPI's
