Apps with Good UX Writing

No matter your profession, learning from those who have done it before is a great tool towards getting better at your craft. (Don't believe me? Check out Steal Like an Artist.)

UX writing is no different. But I've noticed that when you search for "good UX writing examples," you'll typically find copy that is trying to be witty, clever, or funny. While there's certainly a place for that, most writing isn't trying to be noticed; it's trying to clarify.

I've compiled a list of websites that I check for inspiration, not because they have flashy copy but because they don't. This doesn't mean I love every word they publish; it's just that they have good information hierarchy, a clear voice, and a helpful tone.

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Spotify

Yeah, you knew this one would be on the list. Spotify's known for being well designed, and their writing isn't much different. The app aims for minimalism without taking it too far, only showing information that's truly relevant.

Spotify uses time-specific copy ("Good morning") and organizes its playlist options with simple terms.

Though they certainly don't get everything right (there new feature called "Car Thing" comes to mind), Spotify is a good place to find simplicity.

Notion

No, Notion isn't perfect either. No app on this list is. But what they do really well is present settings in a way that's easy to understand. Many apps have complicated ways of sharing, saving, and collaborating, but Notion lays out exactly who can see what in a clear way.

Notion uses short titles that explain a feature, while implementing subtitles to provide more information.

Telegram

If you're not familiar with Telegram, it's a chat app popular in Eastern Europe, China, and the States. I used to use WhatsApp and Viber, but the clean layout and simple settings in Telegram finally converted me.

You'd expect a chat app to be fairly simple, but it's easy to get bogged down in notifications, reactions, stickers, etc. Every time I've had to change a setting, I've intuitively been able to find it.

Telegram uses empty states within their settings to let users know why they should use certain features.

Slack

Alright, let's start the controversy. Slack: you either love it or hate it. While they do tend to use copy that borders on "clever," they write in a conversational and simple manner that makes it easy to understand what's going on.

I recommend taking a look at their feature release notes, error messages, and empty states for inspiration.

Slack is honest in its error messages about what they do and don't know. Though they could probably remove the "gone awry" bit, they do a good job providing potential solutions.

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What apps or websites would you add to this list?