Beginner’s Guide To Dark Patterns In Web Design (+ What To Avoid)

As designers, our goal is to create apps and websites that deliver results and provide a great experience.

But what happens when design choices cross the line? Tactics that seem effective at first and can boost metrics or drive sales, but actually erode trust and damage the user experience.

Striking the right balance is the real challenge. Which is why recognizing dark patterns—the subtle yet harmful tactics that frustrate or deceive users—and understanding how to avoid them is the first step toward creating designs that build trust and loyalty.

In this guide, we’ll bring these practices into the spotlight and explore how thoughtful design choices can keep your users at the center of everything you create.

Let’s dive in.

Sidenote: If you want to learn more about good UX design, as well as learn how to use the best tools for web designers, check out my complete Design Bootcamp course.

It’s the only design course you need to learn and master web design, mobile design, Figma, UI & UX, and HTML + CSS, and yes - it covers ethical design processes!

With that out of the way, let’s get into this guide...

What are dark patterns?

Dark patterns is the catch all name for design elements that are used to manipulate your user’s decisions.

Unlike transparent and ethical design which empowers the user to make informed choices, dark patterns aim to control the outcome instead. They rely on confusion, urgency, or misdirection to guide the user toward actions they might not have chosen otherwise.

You’ve probably been on the receiving end of most of them before

The roach motel

The term “roach motel” comes from an old advertising slogan for a pest trap: “Roaches check in, but they don’t check out.”

In design, it refers to experiences that are deliberately easy to enter but extremely difficult to exit. By creating barriers, businesses aim to retain customers who may give up out of frustration, and that sucks.

Gym memberships are a classic example of this. Signing up is a breeze, but when it’s time to cancel you suddenly have to get on a call, or worse - meet your personal trainer in person and chat to them about why you want to leave.

Sneaky defaults

Sneaky defaults exploit ‘cognitive ease’ which is the human tendency to trust pre-selected options as being standard or recommended. This then increases the companies chances of upselling additional services without users actively opting in.

For example

Booking a flight online often comes with surprise extras like travel insurance or seat upgrades that are already pre-selected for you.

And so unless you notice and manually uncheck these options, you might end up paying for something you didn’t want or need.

False urgency

False urgency taps into FOMO (fear of missing out). Humans are wired to avoid loss, and the idea of missing a deal triggers an emotional reaction that often leads to hurried decisions.

How many times have you been browsing a hotel booking site, and then a bold message catches your eye: “Only 1 room left at this price!”

It’s hard not to feel the pressure, and more often than not, this scarcity is often exaggerated or entirely fabricated.

Misleading visual cues

Good designers will use design to help a user understand a process or action to take.

For example

If you’re trying to make a purchase, the add to cart button is clear and highlighted. In fact, every major action on that path will be highlighted including the checkout.

However, some sneaky designers have been using dark patterns to misuse this. Often highlighting the opposite option of what the user is trying to do.

You’ll see this sometimes with sites where you try to cancel a subscription, but the colours on the cancellation buttons are reversed:

The cancellation button is muted and grey
While the “keep subscription” button is bold and highlighted

Naturally, your eyes are drawn to the bold button, as prior user experience has trained us to look for the highlighted option as the ideal user path that we want to take. Especially because you’re already moving through the cancellation process.

However, it actually leads to keeping the subscription instead of canceling. It’s insanely frustrating and users then have to go through the whole process again - possibly a month later after they’ve been billed another time.

The bait and switch

This pattern preys on forgetfulness, and is a tactic designed to turn passive users into paying customers before they are ready to be.

This is pretty much the de facto model in software, but is also used in multiple other channels such as streaming platforms and even some services.

A lot of us have become accustomed to these, and so if we forget to cancel before the trial - we kick ourselves, pay the fee and then cancel. However, most users never even try it out fully before that time.

Editor’s note: If you think the regular bait and switch is bad, you won’t believe this one.

Last year, my wife was given a membership to Masterclass as a Christmas present. She set up her free gift account, liked the content, checked it out and that was that.

But then suddenly this year, she was automatically billed for an annual membership.

Rather than end the membership when the gift ended, and give her an offer to stay, it turned out that the gift had hidden a subscription in the fine print and charged her.

They eventually refunded it, but it was very underhanded...

Privacy ‘zuckering’

Sometimes dark patterns are not immediately obvious to their negative actions.

For example

When installing a new app, you might be prompted to grant permissions for access to your contacts, location, camera, microphone, or more.

On the surface, these requests seem routine, and clicking “Accept” feels like the quickest way to move forward. But the reality is that you’re often giving the company access to data they don’t need, so they can sell your information.

Even worse, they often make it very hard to opt out of this privacy sharing afterwards.

Why you should avoid using dark patterns

So as you can see, dark patterns are incredibly frustrating and provide a very poor user experience.

Sure, they often succeed in boosting short-term metrics such as higher conversion rates, increased sign-ups, or more newsletter subscriptions, but the reality is that their long term impact often outweighs the short-term benefits:

Mistrust. These manipulative tactics harm users, damage trust, and create long-term challenges for businesses
Taking advantage of the vulnerable. Worse still, it's often older adults and children that fall for these, while the rest of your users vow to never use your services again

This is why there’s been bigger pushes to govern and limit the use of these techniques - as well as hefty punishments. Laws like GDPR and CCPA prohibit practices and violations can lead to fines, lawsuits, and mandatory product changes.

In fact, many dark patterns that were once common, such as pre-ticked consent boxes, are now explicitly illegal in some countries.

For example

Epic Games has to pay a $245 million settlement after the FTC accused it of using dark patterns to trick users — many of whom were children — into making unintended purchases in Fortnite.

(Head's up - you might be able to claim part of that settlement also).

They were not the only ones to be fined though.

Vonage was made to pay $100 million to settle FTC charges over deceptive cancellation flows, while Adobe and Amazon have also faced regulatory scrutiny for burying cancellation options and using auto-enrollment tactics.

TL;DR

Dark patterns may deliver quick wins, but the costs to both users and businesses are far too high. From eroding trust to facing legal consequences, these tactics create more problems than they solve.

A lot of people go for these easy ‘wins’, but the irony is that they could actually be far better off without it…

The advantages of ethical design

Ethical design isn’t just the moral choice — it’s a proven strategy for sustainable growth. This is because companies that prioritize transparency and user empowerment build trust, foster loyalty, and stand out in competitive markets.

In fact, in industries where dark patterns are widespread, ethical design sets businesses apart, offering a refreshing alternative that users increasingly value.

For example

Basecamp has been a leading vocal proponent for good user experience and transparency for years.

By simplifying pricing, making cancellations straightforward, and avoiding manipulative upselling tactics, they’ve built a loyal customer base and even raving fans.

Why care?

Well, this commitment has led to them turning over $280 million in revenue in 2024 alone.

Patagonia is another great example of this.

By focusing on transparency, sustainability, and social responsibility, Patagonia has cultivated immense trust and loyalty. This has led to them making a billion dollars in sales last year!

And sure, while their focus is different, the lesson is the same: Putting customer values first earns loyalty and long-term success.

TL;DR

Ethical design can have long-term business benefits:

Positive brand reputation. Ethical companies attract loyal advocates. Satisfied users share their experiences, creating organic growth and helping the brand gain credibility in a crowded marketplace
Higher retention and reduced churn. Customers who feel respected and valued are more likely to stay. Ethical practices ensure users engage with your product because they want to, not because they feel trapped
Regulatory compliance and security. Staying transparent and user-centric helps businesses avoid legal pitfalls and align with laws like GDPR and CCPA, reducing risks and fostering user confidence

So now that you’ve seen that it’s possible to have a successful business without resorting to these dark pattern elements, let’s walk through how to make sure we design with ethical considerations in mind.

How to avoid dark patterns in your own designs

As you might guess, a lot of the solutions are simply to do the opposite of what we've seen so far.

Plan your designs with empathy

Empathy is the foundation of ethical design. Before implementing any feature, ask yourself: Would I feel comfortable explaining this choice to someone I deeply care about, like my grandmother?

If you’d feel the need to justify or defend the choice, it’s likely manipulative or confusing and should be rethought. This approach serves as a gut check, helping you focus on clarity and honesty.

To embed empathy into your workflow:

Include a review phase in your design process where team members critically assess features with this mindset
Encourage open dialogue among stakeholders to identify potentially confusing or manipulative elements

Eliminate roach motels with easy exits

Users should never feel trapped in a service. Make it as easy to cancel or opt out as it is to sign up. This builds trust and reduces user frustration, even if they choose to leave.

Practical steps:

Place cancellation or opt-out options in highly visible and intuitive locations, such as the account settings menu
Avoid requiring unnecessary steps like phone calls, manual confirmations, or in-person meetings for cancellations
Include clear, step-by-step instructions for existing services, ensuring users aren’t left guessing

Legal note: Practices that create unreasonable barriers to cancellation have been scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and could result in penalties under consumer protection laws. Don't get fined for trying to be sneaky with these!

Replace sneaky defaults with explicit choices

Default settings should reflect user empowerment, not exploitation.

Steps to improve:

Avoid pre-selecting options that add costs or services by 'default'
Ensure all options, including opt-outs, are presented equally in size, color, and prominence
Use clear labels like “Yes, add insurance” and “No, I don’t need insurance” rather than ambiguous terms
Add brief explanations of the value or cost of each choice, so users understand what they’re selecting

Legal note: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) require explicit consent for data-related choices, making pre-ticked checkboxes illegal in many jurisdictions.

Make actions easy to reverse

Reversible actions reduce user anxiety and foster trust. Whether it’s canceling a subscription or undoing a purchase, make reversibility intuitive and accessible.

Practical changes:

Allow users to cancel subscriptions or return purchases directly from their account dashboard without contacting support
Use confirmation dialogs to let users review their actions before finalizing them
Clearly communicate any deadlines for reversals, such as refund windows or cancellation periods

Avoid false urgency with accurate information

Urgency should be used sparingly and only when it’s truthful. Misleading urgency indicators erode trust and frustrate users.

Steps to fix this:

Integrate real-time inventory systems to display accurate stock levels
Remove countdown timers unless they align with an actual deadline
Use urgency only when it benefits the user, such as highlighting an expiring sale or limited-time offer that’s truly limited

Legal note: False urgency practices may violate consumer protection laws, such as those monitored by the FTC, which classifies misleading scarcity as a deceptive trade practice.

Communicate with transparency

Clear, honest communication builds trust. Users should always understand what they’re agreeing to without sifting through fine print.

What to do:

Display important details like subscription renewals, fees, and cancellation terms upfront and in plain language
Send users reminders before billing events, such as the end of a free trial or an upcoming auto-renewal
Use summaries or bullet points in agreements to highlight key terms rather than hiding them in lengthy legal text

Legal note: Transparency in terms and fees is mandated by laws like GDPR and CCPA, and non-compliance can lead to fines and enforcement actions.

Fix misleading visual cues with consistent design

Users rely on visual cues to navigate interfaces, so ensure design elements align with their true purpose.

How to improve:

Ensure primary actions (e.g., "Cancel Subscription") are prominent and consistent in design, with bold colors and clear labels
Avoid making secondary options (e.g., “Keep Subscription”) overly dominant or deceptive in appearance
Use standard design patterns that match user expectations to guide them intuitively through flows

Address bait-and-switch tactics with clear communication

Users should know exactly what happens when they sign up for a free trial or promotional offer. Transparency prevents frustration when charges or renewals occur.

Steps to avoid bait-and-switch:

Clearly state what happens at the end of a trial period, including costs and renewal dates, before users sign up
Use onboarding to explain how the trial works, when charges will occur, and how users can manage or cancel their subscription. Good onboarding can help not only lower churn of people who leave before the trial ends, but actually increase how long they stay with the company log-term
Send reminders at least 3–5 days before the trial ends, with links to manage subscriptions or cancel
Allow users to cancel immediately without requiring them to wait until the trial ends, and then log back in

Legal note: Auto-renewals without clear upfront disclosure are subject to penalties under laws like the FTC’s Negative Option Rule, which governs subscription and billing practices.

Combat privacy zuckering with transparency

When asking for permissions or data, be upfront about why it’s needed and how it will be used. Users should feel in control of their privacy.

How to improve:

Provide short explanations for each permission request, such as “We use your location to recommend nearby services”
Offer clear options to opt out of non-essential data collection during onboarding or in settings
Include an easy-to-access privacy management dashboard where users can review and revoke permissions

Legal note: GDPR and CCPA mandate user consent for data collection and give users the right to access, modify, or delete their data. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to 4% of annual revenue.

Test and audit designs regularly

Testing and auditing are the final checks to ensure all the above practices are in place and working effectively. Regular reviews catch issues early and help maintain trustworthiness.

How to approach this:

Test with diverse users: Include individuals with varying levels of tech expertise to uncover blind spots or unintuitive elements
Audit user flows: Review critical flows like sign-ups, checkouts, and cancellations to ensure they’re straightforward and not overly complex
Collect user feedback: Use surveys or post-interaction prompts to identify areas of confusion or dissatisfaction
Create and use ethical design checklists: Incorporate checks for common dark patterns like roach motels, sneaky defaults, or false urgency during the review process

Do your designs have your users' best interests in mind?

Your designs shape how users experience your brand, and the future of design is ethical. Prioritizing transparency, user empowerment, and sustainable growth isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s becoming the standard, both in user expectations and legal requirements.

By focusing on ethical practices now, you’re not just building trust; you’re future-proofing your designs against evolving regulations and ensuring lasting success. So take action today!

Review your designs, listen to your users, and create experiences that empower. When you lead with integrity, you build loyalty and a reputation that stands apart.