Scholars have underscored the relevance of institutional performance for the legitimacy of democratic regimes. In particular, the welfare state is a key performance indicator that affects citizens’ economic and social well-being. Yet, this relationship has only been addressed through single policies, without considering the complexity of the welfare state. In this sense, this paper uses a multidimensional approach to account for the effect of different welfare dimensions on support for democracy. Combining aggregate data from the Luxembourg Income Study with individual data from the Integrated Value Survey, this paper demonstrates that high levels of universalism and low-income targeting concentration positively affect individual support for democracy. Due to the formative effects of the welfare state on policy preferences and expectations, I argue that both types of welfare designs can create a sense of care and protection that increases support for democracy through different mechanisms. Whereas low-income targeting designs fulfil citizens' expectations through the assistance of the needy, universalistic welfare regimes do this by promoting equal treatment and a sense of egalitarianism across citizens. This paper contributes to the literature on institutional performance and support for democracy by challenging the classic views of the welfare state and promoting an innovative framework to understand how different welfare designs may lead to similar outcomes.