Inspiration
I’d grown frustrated watching friends (and myself!) throw away hundreds yearly on subscriptions we never used—hidden auto-renewals, forgotten apps, services collecting dust. I knew there had to be a way to turn this blind spending into intentional financial control, so I set out to build a tool that makes subscription optimization simple for everyday people.
What it does
SubscriptionAuditor identifies underused or unused recurring payments, analyzes their cost vs. value, suggests cheaper alternatives, and calculates total annual savings from canceling/pausing/swapping services. It breaks down fees transparently and visualizes how much you can keep in your pocket.
How we built it
I started by mapping core user pain points (zombie subscriptions, unclear savings) to functional requirements. Using React for the frontend, I built a responsive dashboard with subscription cards, then integrated Chart.js for usage/savings charts. I coded financial logic (savings/fee calculations) in JavaScript, and used TailwindCSS to ensure mobile/desktop compatibility with the brand color palette.
Challenges we ran into
The biggest hurdle was refining the "zombie subscription" detection logic—balancing strict rules (0 usage for 3+ months) with realistic user behavior. I also struggled to make data visualizations load quickly (under 2 seconds) while keeping them detailed, which required optimizing Chart.js render times and simplifying dataset processing.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We created a tool that’s intuitive (no login required!) and delivers clear value: users see their total annual waste upfront, and one-click actions make optimization effortless. The responsive design works flawlessly across devices, and the savings breakdown is fully transparent—no hidden math.
What we learned
I deepened my understanding of financial logic implementation in web apps and how to translate complex calculations into simple, user-friendly visuals. I also learned that prioritizing transparency (e.g., fee breakdowns) builds trust—users care more about understanding savings than just seeing a number.
What's next for this project
Next, I want to expand the alternative recommendations to include more niche subscription categories, add personalized savings goals, and refine the usage tracking to mirror real-world behavior even more closely. Eventually, I hope to integrate with more financial tools to make optimization even seamless.
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