In a fascinating case study, organ donation rates in Europe revealed a startling trend. In countries like Austria, over 99% of citizens are registered organ donors. Meanwhile, in Denmark, the rate hovers around 4%. Are Austrians inherently more altruistic than Danes? Hardly. The difference comes down to a single design choice: the default option on government forms.

In Austria, the form defaults to consent for organ donation, requiring individuals to opt out if they don’t agree. In Denmark, the opposite applies—citizens must actively opt in. This subtle design choice, known as a default bias, radically influences behavior.

While the stakes are higher with organ donation, the same psychological principle applies to SaaS. The design of your user experience—particularly in onboarding, subscriptions, and feature adoption—can either guide users toward positive outcomes or manipulate them into actions they may not fully understand or agree with.

What Are Dark Patterns?

Dark patterns are deceptive UX/UI techniques designed to trick users into making decisions that benefit the company, often at the expense of the user. Examples include:

1. Pre-Checked Boxes: Like the organ donation example, some SaaS platforms pre-check options to upsell users, such as adding paid features during checkout.

2. Roach Motels: Easy to sign up, but nearly impossible to cancel—think of services that bury the “Cancel Subscription” button under multiple layers of menus.

3. Nagging Modals: Pop-ups that guilt users into staying, like “Are you sure you want to miss out on this amazing offer?”

4. Hidden Costs: SaaS platforms that reveal additional fees or subscriptions only at the last step of the checkout process.

The Good, the Bad, and the SaaS-y

The Good

Using behavioral psychology to guide users isn’t inherently bad. Done ethically, it can improve user outcomes:

• Simplifying Decisions: Defaults can help users save time. For example, automatically enabling best-practice settings during SaaS onboarding can improve security or performance.

• Boosting Adoption: Nudges like reminders or tooltips can help users discover underutilized features, improving product value.

The Bad

However, dark patterns erode trust and can harm long-term growth:

• User Backlash: As customers grow savvier, deceptive practices often backfire. For example, Slack once faced criticism for making it harder to downgrade from paid to free plans.

• High Churn Rates: Users who feel tricked are unlikely to stick around, even if the immediate metric (e.g., signups) looks good.

• Regulatory Risk: Governments are increasingly targeting manipulative UX. In 2022, the EU Digital Services Act introduced penalties for misleading interface designs.

The SaaS Connection: Avoiding Bad UX

Lessons from Organ Donation Forms

1. Use Defaults Wisely: Set defaults that align with user benefits, not just company metrics. If a SaaS product offers free and paid tiers, default to the free tier and clearly communicate the value of upgrading.

2. Transparency Builds Trust: Don’t pre-check premium features or auto-renew options without clear disclosure. For example, Netflix explicitly reminds users before auto-renewing subscriptions, a practice that enhances trust.

3. Accessible Exit Paths: If users want to cancel, make it simple. Companies like Spotify and Basecamp have intuitive cancellation workflows that maintain goodwill.

Concrete Examples of Good UX

1. Slack’s Free Trial Reminder: Instead of quietly converting users to paid plans, Slack sends reminders before trials end, giving users control over their decision.

2. Notion’s Onboarding Defaults: New Notion workspaces start with templates and pre-configured settings tailored to common use cases, reducing cognitive load.

3. Figma’s Collaboration Prompts: Figma encourages users to invite team members early in the onboarding process. It’s a subtle nudge, not a hard sell.

Should You Ever Use Dark Patterns?

The short answer: no, if you value long-term success. While dark patterns may spike conversions or revenues, they come with hidden costs:

• Trust Debt: Manipulative practices accumulate like technical debt. They may not harm you immediately, but they will eventually undermine user trust.

• Brand Damage: Companies like Facebook have faced reputational harm due to practices perceived as manipulative.

Final Thoughts: Design with Intent

The organ donation example teaches us that design isn’t neutral. Defaults matter. UX shapes behavior. For SaaS founders, the challenge is to guide users without crossing ethical lines.

Great UX nudges users toward success while respecting their autonomy. Design your product to empower, not manipulate. That’s the path to sustainable growth—and a loyal user base.