Comments on: Login/Logout vs Sign In/Sign Out vs Log in/Sign out – A short roundup

By: lauraglu

lauraglu — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:22:14 +0000

I've seen Log In to distinguish from Sign Up before. Otherwise you get people frustrated when clicking Sign Up on accident (and though you can utilize sign up as a sign in page, it can still cause confused users).

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:41:59 +0000

more formal sites moving towards Sign In language? Citibank is using "Sign On to Your Account"

By: Eugene

Eugene — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:41:27 +0000

I'm so confused. What should be the correct label for a button "signup" or "sign up". Dictionary doesn't have such word as "signup", but there is verb "sign up" and this is what I'm looking for. On the other hand there is a large social network like twitter which on registration page has a sentence "Finish signup now". Now the only problem is "Who to belive?"
Why there is no dictionary for developers?(((

By: Tanin

Tanin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:13:03 +0000

I should clarified that the companies I chose to look at all had internet facing applications as their core business. Financial institutions do usually have web apps that require authentication, but since those applications are not part of their core business processes, you really have to question how much time they invest in thinking about such details as web vernacular semantics. Also, think about what message the words will send to users. For example you "sign in" when visiting a seminar or hotel. It's a somewhat casual environment. On the other hand you "log in" whenever a log is required of your activities. It's a little more serious and formal. While Log in may be appropriate in more formal applications (in theory). BTW, Twitter has now changed it's wording to "Sign in".

By: Mr Bootle

Mr Bootle — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:34:40 +0000

I have just done some research on this as I need to settle on a term for a financial application. When looking at all the online banking/insurance sites they use Log In or Login. None use Sign In.

I looked at Abbey, Natwest, Barclays, First Direct, HSBC, Direct Line, Aviva, eSure.

By: Sanden

Sanden — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:33:14 +0000

Speaking of UI, how about the use of Skip versus Go in the identification of skip links? I’d be interested in an overview of how the major sites handle skip links and if there is any uniform presentation that developers should move towards.

I can understand that with so many rapid advancements in technology that the WC3 went to a more suggestive approach in standards, but wouldn’t a consensus on basic UI terms help those with visual and cognitive deficits?

By: Dom

Dom — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:01:33 +0000

Great survey but I think you missed out some important sites –

Amazon Sign In/Sign Out
eBay Sign in/Sign out
PayPal Log in/Logout

My belief is that based on these main sites, and particularly Google and Amazon using "Sign in/Sign out" those are probably the ones to use, as both those companies have probably invested in market research to find a scientific/commercial answer.

By: kelly

kelly — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:18:04 +0000

never forgotten

By: Matt Auckland

Matt Auckland — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:27:27 +0000

Good reply Strunk, I was also hoping this article would draw some conclusion, but never mind.

I think even though I’ve used Signup for my own user registration, and by rights should use Sign in and Sign out to match, I’m going to go with Log in and Log out as I’m an old skool computer user, and log in/log out where common place back then.

There’s no right or wrong to this decision, it is purely up to the developer. But as Strunk pointed out, from a grammar and UI perspective it is important to use good English and meet UI guidelines.

By: Me too

Me too — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:06:54 +0000

Wow, Tanin, you get all kinds here! Thanks for the survey, this is helpful in work I am doing currently.

@Strunk: great example sentence showing the verbs & nouns. I’m working with a site that has confused them.