🔍 All Dark Patterns
50 deceptive UX patterns documented
Cart Injection
Analysis of the Cart Injection dark pattern.
Read analysis →Comparison Prevention
Analysis of the Comparison Prevention dark pattern.
Read analysis →Confirmshaming
Analysis of the Confirmshaming dark pattern.
Read analysis →Accessibility Washing
Analysis of the Accessibility Washing dark pattern.
Read analysis →Algorithmic Addiction
Analysis of the Algorithmic Addiction dark pattern.
Read analysis →Consent Theatre
Analysis of the Consent Theatre dark pattern.
Read analysis →Bait and Switch
Deep analysis of the Bait and Switch dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Advertising one thing, then swapping it for another.
Read analysis →Attention Depletion
Deep analysis of the Attention Depletion dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Infinite scrolls, autoplay designed to hijack attention.
Read analysis →Contact List Hijacking
Deep analysis of the Contact List Hijacking dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Tricking users into uploading their address book to spam their network.
Read analysis →Dark Defaults
Deep analysis of the Dark Defaults dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Settings configured from day one to maximize data collection.
Read analysis →Dark Nudge
Analysis of the Dark Nudge dark pattern.
Read analysis →Disguised Ads
Deep analysis of the Disguised Ads dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Advertisements styled to look like content or navigation.
Read analysis →Data Hostage
Deep analysis of the Data Hostage dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Refusing to let users export their own data unless they pay an exit fee.
Read analysis →Digital Hoarding
Analysis of the Digital Hoarding dark pattern.
Read analysis →Fake Scarcity
Analysis of the Fake Scarcity dark pattern.
Read analysis →Emotional Dark Mode
Analysis of the Emotional Dark Mode dark pattern.
Read analysis →Drip Pricing
Deep analysis of the Drip Pricing dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Revealing the true cost incrementally through checkout.
Read analysis →Fake Social Proof
Deep analysis of the Fake Social Proof dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Fabricated reviews, inflated ratings, manufactured activity.
Read analysis →Forced Continuity
Deep analysis of the Forced Continuity dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Silently charging users after a free trial ends without clear notification.
Read analysis →Fake Urgency
Deep analysis of the Fake Urgency dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Countdown timers that reset or fake stock warnings.
Read analysis →Forced Enrollment
Deep analysis of the Forced Enrollment dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Requiring a credit card just to access a free tool or view content.
Read analysis →Friend Spam
Deep analysis of the Friend Spam dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Accessing a user's contacts and sending messages on their behalf.
Read analysis →Hard to Cancel
Deep analysis of the Hard to Cancel dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. The most complained-about dark pattern. Retention gauntlets.
Read analysis →Gamification Pressure
Deep analysis of the Gamification Pressure dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Streaks, loss aversion, loot boxes using variable rewards.
Read analysis →Hidden Costs
Deep analysis of the Hidden Costs dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Concealing fees, taxes, or surcharges until the final checkout step.
Read analysis →Hidden Subscriptions
Deep analysis of the Hidden Subscriptions dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Signing users up for recurring payments when they thought it was a one-time purchase.
Read analysis →Interface Interference
Deep analysis of the Interface Interference dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Asymmetric button styling and visual hierarchy manipulation.
Read analysis →Linguistic Ambiguity
Analysis of the Linguistic Ambiguity dark pattern.
Read analysis →Intentional Clumsiness
Deep analysis of the Intentional Clumsiness dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Software bugs that mysteriously only appear when trying to cancel or downgrade.
Read analysis →Intermediate Currency
Deep analysis of the Intermediate Currency dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Forcing users to buy virtual tokens to disconnect purchases from real-world money.
Read analysis →Misdirection
Deep analysis of the Misdirection dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Drawing attention to one element to distract from another.
Read analysis →Loyalty Program Trap
Analysis of the Loyalty Program Trap dark pattern.
Read analysis →Obstruction
Deep analysis of the Obstruction dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Making cancellation or data deletion deliberately unreasonable.
Read analysis →Nagging
Deep analysis of the Nagging dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Persistent, repeated prompts that interrupt user workflow.
Read analysis →Phantom Stock
Deep analysis of the Phantom Stock dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Claiming items are low in stock when inventory is actually abundant.
Read analysis →Phantom Progress
Analysis of the Phantom Progress dark pattern.
Read analysis →Preselection
Deep analysis of the Preselection dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Pre-checking radio buttons and toggles that favor the company.
Read analysis →Privacy Zuckering
Deep analysis of the Privacy Zuckering dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Confusing privacy settings that trick users into sharing more data.
Read analysis →Price Comparison Prevention
Deep analysis of the Price Comparison Prevention dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Structuring pricing to make it impossible to compare plans.
Read analysis →Roach Motel
Deep analysis of the Roach Motel dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Easy to sign up, impossible to cancel. Hidden cancellation flows.
Read analysis →Shaming Metrics
Deep analysis of the Shaming Metrics dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Comparing users to others to make them feel inadequate and drive purchases.
Read analysis →Sneak Into Basket
Deep analysis of the Sneak Into Basket dark pattern. Severity: HIGH. Silently adding items to the user's cart during checkout.
Read analysis →Subscription Trap
Analysis of the Subscription Trap dark pattern.
Read analysis →Toil Bias
Analysis of the Toil Bias dark pattern.
Read analysis →Subscription Traps
Deep analysis of the Subscription Traps dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Offering a free sample but requiring a card that is auto-billed.
Read analysis →Trick Questions
Deep analysis of the Trick Questions dark pattern. Severity: MEDIUM. Using double negatives in forms so users accidentally opt into things.
Read analysis →Unrecognized Charges
Deep analysis of the Unrecognized Charges dark pattern. Severity: CRITICAL. Billing under obscure merchant names to avoid detection on credit card statements.
Read analysis →Weaponized Feedback
Analysis of the Weaponized Feedback dark pattern.
Read analysis →Visual Interference
Analysis of the Visual Interference dark pattern.
Read analysis →Zombie Account
Analysis of the Zombie Account dark pattern.
Read analysis →