How UI Patterns Influence User Retention Across Similar Apps

In a crowded market where many apps serve similar functions—video, social, real‑estate—users often use several products of the same type and subconsciously compare them on service, features, operation, details, experience, and interface.

Designs that match user scenarios and provide high‑quality service increase comfort, user stickiness, and activity, which explains why many apps share similar UI patterns. These commonalities lower the operation threshold, create user habits, and make switching between apps easier.

1. Bilibili Comics

Bilibili’s comic reader offers multiple reading modes: a vertical “scroll” mode for efficient reading, a conventional left‑to‑right “normal” mode, and a right‑to‑left “Japanese manga” mode. Each mode’s arrow icon clearly indicates the page‑turn direction, preventing confusion when users switch modes and respecting diverse reading habits.

2. B2B SaaS Real‑Estate Listing Pages

Enterprise (B‑side) products have relatively fixed users who rarely use multiple competing systems, but they do switch from one product to another. The “previous” product’s advantages or habits influence expectations for the “current” product, so respecting those habits smooths the transition.

For real‑estate agents, list‑filter design aims to improve house‑search efficiency. Agents are familiar with the interface and need to narrow targets quickly, so B‑side list filters differ from consumer‑facing (C‑side) filters, which allocate more space to display listings.

Comparisons of various apps (e.g., Fangyou, Haofang, QiaoFang, Duoduo Maifang) show trade‑offs between filter space and listing density. After redesign, Duoduo Maifang reduced filter clutter, highlighted frequent actions, and displayed more listings per screen, easing the switch for users coming from other systems.

3. Oasis vs. Instagram

Oasis, a Chinese “Instagram‑like” social app, launched with an invitation‑only beta and quickly attracted attention. However, its heavy use of text‑less buttons confused users unfamiliar with the interface, increasing cognitive load and lowering conversion rates. Consistent naming and familiar icons are essential to reduce this load.

In summary, blindly copying competitors is insufficient. Analyzing user behavior and context, respecting user cognition, and adding distinctive features are key to retaining users.