Boosting task completion in DBS PayLah!
Reimagined navigation to surface high-frequency tasks—cutting taps within key task journeys by 40% and improving feature discoverability by reducing the steps needed to access rewards and services.
Context
DBS PayLah! is one of Singapore’s most widely used mobile wallet apps, with over 1.8 million users and a bold goal to double to 3.5 million by 2023.
Already deeply embedded into the nation’s payment landscape, PayLah! integrates with major payment rails like PayNow QR, NETS QR, FavePay, and ShopBack Go, covering 180,000+ acceptance points islandwide.
DBS Bank. (n.d.). Screenshot of DBS PayLah! landing page. Retrieved from https://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/deposits/pay-with-ease/dbs-paylah.
Its strengths are clear: instant payments, broad merchant support, and trusted integration with DBS accounts. These have driven strong growth:
40% Year-over-year (YoY) growth in Peer-to-peer (P2P) and Peer-to-busienss (P2B) value
132% surge in ‘Scan to Pay’ P2B value
A shift from small-ticket use cases (e.g., hawker meals) to medical, tuition, and bills
(Shorty Awards, 2021)
Problem
Despite this strong foundation, usage patterns show that most customers engage mainly with PayNow and QR payments. Many high-value features—AXS bill payments, group splitting, contextual rewards—are less visible in the daily flow.
“We wanted to evolve PayLah! from a utility into a lifestyle companion.”
This presents an exciting opportunity:
How might we bring PayLah!’s deeper ecosystem closer to users’ everyday actions, making it an indispensable lifestyle tool without adding complexity?
Goals
The goal was not to strip the app down, but to reorganise and re-surface existing power features—making PayLah! feel more personal, contextual, and indispensable for daily use.
Simplify high-frequency flows (e.g., QR payments, PayNow transfers) so common tasks are faster and more intuitive.
Increase discoverability of valuable yet underused features like AXS bill pay, rewards, and group splitting.
Balance depth with simplicity—keep the interface approachable while preserving the robust functionality that makes PayLah! stand out.
Faster task completion for QR, AXS, and split payments
Increase in usage of recurring shortcuts
User insights
I gathered user sentiments from over 11 DBS PayLah! users across forums, reviews, and my friends and family, then synthesised them into key themes using affinity mapping to identify usability gaps and hidden pain points.
Affinity mapping
Takeaways
Speed is loved — Instant QR and PayNow flows are clear, fast, and reliable.
Features are valued but hidden — AXS and rewards are perceived as “buried” behind multiple taps.
Split/request is under-discovered — Group payment functions exist but lack clear labelling and onboarding.
Feature benchmarking
P2P/ P2B transfers
Benchmarks | P2P transfers experience | P2B/ Merchant payment experience | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|
DBS PayLah! | Instant via PayNow, deeply integrated with DBS accounts | PayNow, NETS QR, and more across ~180k merchants | Fast but cluttered; friction arises from UI complexity and buried features |
Google Pay | Fast and convenient for PayNow-enabled users | SGQR accepted at many outlets; PayNow QR ready | Clean flows for QR payments |
GrabPay | Fast and convenient for Grab contacts or PayNow-enabled users | Integrated with Grab rides, food, NETS QR | Frictionless within Grab, but weak for bank transfer usage |
Bill splitting among peers
Benchmarks | Splitting capability |
|---|---|
DBS PayLah! | Exists, but not easily accessible or labelled clearly |
Google Pay | Allows multiple transfers but lacks tracking or reminders |
Splitwise | Purpose-built for splitting, tracking, and settling shared expenses |
Splitwise usage
QR Scan-to-Pay
Benchmarks | QR payment support | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|
DBS PayLah! | Broadest support in SG: PayNow QR, NETS QR, FavePay, ShopBack Go | Powerful —scan is fast and most optimum path |
Google Pay | Supports SGQR; works with FavePay QR | Simple scan flow; entry point is easy to locate and most optimum path |
GrabPay | NETS QR and in-app scan-to-pay via transport, food, and retail | Effortless flow for Grab users only |
Bill payments
Benchmarks | Bill payment support |
|---|---|
DBS PayLah! | Native AXS bill payments, supports town council, utilities, etc. |
Google Pay | Pay via PayNow QR/UEN manually; no bill dashboard |
GrabPay | Not structured for full utility payments |
Takeaways
Competitors like Google Pay win on simplicity, even if they lack the same breadth.
Splitwise sets the bar for bill splitting through dedicated flows, reminders, and clarity.
This shows PayLah! already has unmatched breadth—but can borrow clarity cues from these competitors to make its full potential more obvious.
User archetypes
Quick Payer — Values instant, low-friction QR or contact payments
Routine Biller — Needs fast re-access to recurring payments
Group Splitter — Wants effortless cost-sharing with reminders
Design principles
Prioritise frequent tasks
Surface relevant features contextually
Allow user control over their most-used tools
Journey mapping
Quick Payer: wants shortcuts to frequent contacts
Current path:
Desired path (reduced by 1 step):
Routine Biller: needs quick re-access to pay off bills
Current path:
Desired path (reduced by 1 step):
Group Splitter: looks for simple itemised splits
Current path:
Desired path (reduced by 2+ steps):
Improved homepage heuristics
Personalised quick links — Show rewards and frequently used quick links upfront
Decluttered layout — Grouping related functions and minimising redundant tiles
Improved label clarity — Moving from recall to recognition
Feature design approach
Quick access in pre-login — Quick wins in the shortest pathways for transfer or request
Persistent Quick links bar — Personalised quick access to frequently used links e.g. AXS, Shopee, Gojek
Enhanced split feature — Flexible splitting of monies (equal or unequal amounts)
The proposed vision retains PayLah!’s powerful ecosystem but organises it around user intent. The result is an app that feels lighter and more personal—while still delivering the breadth of services that sets DBS apart.
PayLah! already stands as a leader in Singapore’s payments space. This redesign concept builds on its strong foundation, showing how simplicity, personalisation, and contextual triggers can unlock even more of its potential—making it not just a payment utility, but a daily lifestyle companion.
Contextual simplicity is the key to unlocking rich functionality in everyday apps.
📚 References
DBS Bank. (2022). DBS aims to more than double DBS PayLah! users to 3.5 million by 2023. https://www.dbs.com/newsroom/DBS_aims_to_more_than_double_DBS_PayLah_users_to_3_5_million_by_2023
DBS Bank. (n.d.). DBS PayLah! – Pay with ease. https://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/deposits/pay-with-ease/dbs-paylah
Shorty Awards. (2021). DBS PayLah! – The Everyday App Campaign. https://shortyawards.com/13th/dbs-paylah-3
Fintech News Singapore. (2019). DBS PayLah! Processed Over S$1.5 Billion in Transactions in 12 Months. https://fintechnews.sg/33870/mobilepayments/dbs-paylah-doubling-users
Reddit. (Various years). UX feedback on DBS PayLah! from r/singapore and r/UXDesign. https://www.reddit.com