Dark vs Light UIs: Which One Should You Go For?

Image by Freepik

If you’re a designer, you probably come across a similar dilemma: should you join the dark side or go light? There’s no cookie cut answer. It depends on the type of project you’re working on and the users you are targeting.

For example, I had a deep debate whether we should choose a light or a dark theme for a mobile app. The decision making process went on for days, and I found myself reading every article on Medium about the pros and cons of dark and light interfaces. Lately, I’ve discovered that dark elements have become a popular trend. From Twitter and Reddit offering a night mode, I looked into the psychology of dark and light UIs and here’s what I found.

Designed by (Alice Chong)

(By the way, we chose dark theme for this project. It was the most suitable for the industry, theme, and branding.)

Light Interfaces

Light themes can give a clean and crisp look to your app. Depending on the industry you work in, it’s primarily seen in professional sites such as finances or healthcare. You may see it on some popular social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. But along the way, you may have also notice the social media giants have integrated both dark and light mode.

Before choosing either of the two elements (or both). Take into consideration of the users 1) Environment 2) Time 3) Interest 4) Motivation. This helps identify some of the user needs.

Use light themes when:

1. When there’s a lot of text to read, focus on lighter themes for visual clarity.
2. When you want to show a professional theme to prospective clients.
3. When you want a modern, simple, and classic feel to an app.

Don’t use light themes:

1. When the users need to spend many hours reading and scrolling on the app. Light themes might cause visual strains to the eyes. Always conduct a usability test to confirm this.

Dark Interfaces

Dark themes have been an upcoming and trendy design recently. It can give a very dramatic feel to graphics and video. Typical dark themes include Spotify, Netflix, and Discord. It’s usually seen in the entertainment industry.

Use dark themes when:

1. If your product is visually driven and moves around images rather than text.
2. You’re looking for a luxurious and stylish feel to an app. If done correctly, it can also look modern and simple.
3. Your users spend long hours reading or scrolling down. Again, always perform a usability test to observe the bounce rate and engagement.

Don’t use dark themes when:

1. You need to consider accessibility. A designer should think about whether a dark design layout would make it easier for someone with visual impairment.
2. The users need to read a long paragraph of text. While the research behind this is still very debatable. So far, many news outlet are using lighter themed interfaces for lengthy articles.

Understanding your potential user and their preferences is the first step in designing the right UI for your product. Different user groups have different tastes and different expectations.

Start the project with a competition research. You can select at least 3 close competitors to give you an understanding of which design solutions have already been applied. You can also collect data from your competitors to bring an innovative solution that none of your competitors have solved. This may align with the user needs and demands that will make your product stand out in the market.