Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
As a creator and podcaster using SoundCloud’s Artist Pro plan, I rely on the platform not just to upload and distribute content, but to maintain a consistent and professional connection with my audience. However, I encountered a critical usability gap when a payment failed. There was no visible alert, no retry option, and no clear way to take immediate action from within the interface.
This experience exposed a disconnect between the platform’s functionality and the needs of paying creators. Without timely, accessible information about payment issues, content visibility and momentum are put at risk.
This self-initiated UX project was driven by my own frustration, aiming to improve the subscription and payment experience for creators. The goal is to ensure that critical account statuses, such as payment failures, are clearly communicated, easy to act on, and seamlessly integrated into the creator’s workflow.
Duration
Duration
2 weeks in July 2025
Problem
Problem
Creators are unable to easily identify or resolve failed or overdue subscription payments on SoundCloud. The lack of clear alerts, visible status indicators, and direct resolution pathways results in user confusion, delayed issue resolution, and potential churn.
The Goal
The Goal
To quickly understand that their payment has failed.
To be able to easily find and follow steps to fix the payment method or retry payment.
To receive timely and visible feedback on the account status related to subscriptions.
Understanding the User
Understanding the User
- User research
- Personas
- Problem statements
- User journey maps
- Ideation
User Research: Summary
User Research: Summary
🔰 User Research Summary (Self-Initiated Project)
To understand the usability issues around SoundCloud’s subscription and payment experience, I conducted a combination of heuristic analysis, competitive review, and self-observation as a real user.
🥅 Goals
To identify friction points in resolving failed or overdue subscription payments.
To evaluate how clearly the platform communicates payment issues and the next steps.
🌡️ Methods Used
Heuristic Evaluation: I assessed the subscription flow against Jakob Nielsen’s usability heuristics (e.g., visibility of system status, user control, error recovery).
Self-observation: As a paying user who experienced a failed transaction, I documented each step I took and where confusion or frustration occurred.
Competitive Analysis: I briefly compared how other platforms (e.g., Spotify, Netflix, and even Canva) handle billing issues.
🔑 Key Findings
There is no prominent alert or notification when a payment fails on the first page or the subscription pages.
The subscriptions page lacks clear status indicators or actionable next steps.
Support content is designed to be discovered from within the app.
Other platforms often use banners, email alerts, and simplified resolution flows, which SoundCloud lacks.
🚧 Limitations
No access to real user metrics or direct interviews due to the self-initiated nature of the project.
Findings are based on personal experience.
Persona 1: Sherry, the Podcaster
Persona 1: Sherry, the Podcaster
🫥 Problem statement:
🫥 Problem statement:
Sherry (me) is a dedicated podcaster using SoundCloud Artist Pro, but when my payment fails, I’m not informed through the app or website. This lack of visibility causes confusion, disrupts my content schedule, and puts my professional presence at risk, despite my willingness to resolve the issue quickly.
🎙️ Quote: I want to keep creating without worrying if my account has silently stopped working because of a missed payment.
🥅 Goals:
Share podcast episodes consistently and professionally
Maintain access to Pro features like analytics, upload capacity, and distribution
Have a smooth, predictable payment and renewal experience
Get notified clearly and in time if anything goes wrong with billing
🙍🏻♀️ Frustrations:
No obvious alert that her payment failed
Confusing subscription section, can’t tell if the plan is still active
Didn’t see the payment failure email in time
No visible retry option or explanation of what happens next
📀 Quote: I’m here to share music; not to dig through menus just to figure out if I’m even paid, what went wrong, or how to retry the payment.
🥅 Goals:
Upload and promote new tracks regularly
Monitor stats and fan engagement
Maintain uninterrupted access to creator tools
🙍🏻♀️ Frustrations:
Missed the payment failure email due to a cluttered inbox
No in-app/ web alert or banner about the failed charge
The subscription page gave no clear indication of the issue
No visible “Retry” or “Resolve” option — only a buried “Update payment account” link
Unclear whether missed payments will be automatically retried, billed later, or cause data loss
Persona 1: Sven, the musician
Persona 1: Sven, the musician
🫥 Problem statement:
🫥 Problem statement:
Sven is a 45-year-old independent musician living in Uppsala. He spends his days recording tracks, promoting them on social media, and engaging with his growing fanbase. Focused on building a music career, he relies on platforms like SoundCloud to share his work and stay visible.
User Journey Map: Sherry
User Journey Map: Sherry
User Journey Map: Sven
User Journey Map: Sven
Ideation
Ideation
I chose to bypass a full ideation phase because the problems and their remedies were already crystal clear: the interface only needed targeted fixes, not a ground-up rethink. Investing time in broad brainstorming would have risked over‑designing and needlessly altering elements that were working well. Instead, I moved straight to solution sketching so I could focus on tightening the obvious gaps, surfacing renewal dates, payment history, and status alerts, without disrupting the rest of the experience.
Design
Design
- Paper Wireframes
High Fidelity Prototype
High Fidelity Prototype Video
Accessibikity
Design Solution
Design Solution
Visible in-app alerts (banners or status tags) when a payment fails
A “Retry Payment” button directly on the subscription page
Contextual support links and inline help for less tech-savvy users
Paper Wireframe
Paper Wireframe
Based on the opportunities identified in the user journey maps, I should design a clear, user-friendly payment recovery flow that includes:
Visible in-web alerts (banners or status tags) when a payment fails
three-dots dropdown alert
Contextual support links and inline help for less tech-savvy users
High Fidelity Prototype
High Fidelity Prototype
Homepage Mockups
In the redesigned homepage, a prominent warning banner is introduced at the top of the feed to inform users of failed payments and guide them toward resolution. This alert ensures visibility without disrupting content engagement. Compared to the original layout, which lacked any payment feedback, the redesign improves communication by surfacing critical account status upfront. The visual hierarchy was also adjusted to preserve access to promotional messages and personalized content below, maintaining a seamless and informative user experience.
Before Redesign
Before Redesign
(Homepage)
After Redesign
After Redesign
(Homepage)
Subscription Page Mockups
The original screen lacked clear feedback when a subscription payment failed — the renewal date appeared unchanged, and users had no visual indication that action was needed. In the redesign, I introduced a visible warning message with contextual guidance, a prominent "Retry" button, and direct access to edit payment details. Additionally, the purchase history was enhanced with clear status indicators (e.g., "Failed", "Next payment") to help users quickly understand their billing situation and take corrective action.
Before Redesign
Before Redesign
(Subscription page)
After Redesign
After Redesign
(Subscription page)
High Fidelity Prototype Video
High Fidelity Prototype Video
Takeaways
Takeaways
Impact
Impact
These changes can significantly improve user clarity, reduce confusion around payment issues, and build greater trust by making account status and actions more transparent and accessible.
What I learned
What I learned
From this project, I learned the critical importance of clear, accessible messaging in user interfaces, particularly when handling time-sensitive account actions such as payments, and how overlooked UX details can significantly impact user trust and experience.
Thank You!
Thank You!
Thank you for reviewing my work on the SoundCloud website case study.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse