Habito is a UK-based digital mortgage broker founded in 2015 by Daniel Hegarty, launched in April 2016 to streamline the mortgage application process. The company’s visual identity has undergone two documented redesigns, first by London-based branding agency MultiAdaptor and later by Uncommon Creative Studio in collaboration with New York-based artist Saiman Chow.
Design and History
Habito’s first rebrand was created by London-based branding agency MultiAdaptor and centered on an “anti-gravity” approach designed to disassociate mortgages from feelings of dread. The bold logo featured an elevated “O” lifting away from the other characters, a device intended to express the “little lift” Habito provides by making the mortgage process simpler and easier. Andy West, co-founder and strategy director at Habito, explained that the elevated “O” also helped with the pronunciation of the unique name. This identity was part of a broader toolkit that emphasized lightness and a fresh, clean aesthetic suited to the proptech sector. [1]
In January 2021, Habito unveiled a full rebrand led by Uncommon Creative Studio, the same studio responsible for the company’s “Hell or Habito” advertising campaign. The redesign was developed in collaboration with New York-based visual artist Saiman Chow, who created bespoke graphics, textures and animations inspired by a “phantasmagoric” aesthetic. The new identity was conceived as an alternate universe to “mortgage hell,” described by Uncommon co-founder Nils Leonard as “the most badass version of heaven.” [2] [3]
The refreshed logo replaced the former geometric sans-serif wordmark with a chunky “winged” typeface. The company’s signature winged keys featured more prominently in the new brand world, and the logo now included a winged “O” as well as a winged “H” icon. Uncommon built the flying “H” from existing brand assets to make the app icon more memorable and distinctive. [2] [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The winged elements in the 2021 identity carry explicit symbolic meaning. The winged “O” and flying “H” character were described as “symbolic of an angel and its heaven-like context,” reinforcing the brand’s positioning as a euphoric alternative to the stress and confusion of traditional mortgage processes. [3] The phantasmagoric visual style, applied through shifting images and colourful patterns that continually move and change, was designed to create a dream-like effect: “If mortgage hell is a nightmare, Habito is a euphoric dreamscape.” [2]
The bold palette featured muted pastels and striking pops of colour, designed to create an ethereal environment where mortgage applicants could begin their home financing journey in “pleasing serenity.” [2]
Typography and Design
The 2021 wordmark replaced the earlier geometric sans-serif style with a chunky “winged” typeface. [4] The typeface on which the logo is based was initially identified as GT Ultra Ultra, though this identification was later adjusted and remains uncertain. [5] Modernist and clear fonts were combined with textures and hypnotic movement to produce an immersive experience as customers went through their mortgage journey. [2]
In April 2026, Habito became fully owned by Monzo, and the company now operates as “Habito by Monzo.” [6] No visual redesign has been documented in connection with this ownership change.
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