UserGuiding Alternatives: Better Tools for In-App Onboarding

UserGuiding is the cheapest serious in-app onboarding tool. When teams outgrow it, here are eight alternatives ranked by fit, with honest tradeoffs.

Why teams outgrow UserGuiding

UserGuiding is a popular entry-level in-app onboarding tool: cheap, self-serve, covers the basics. It's often the first choice for small to mid-sized SaaS companies that are just starting to develop their onboarding processes. However, as these companies grow, their needs become more sophisticated, and UserGuiding's limitations become more apparent. For instance, its analytics are quite basic, which can be a significant drawback for companies that require detailed user insights and measurement capabilities. Additionally, while the tool offers a simple way to build onboarding flows, it struggles with more complex user journeys and branching paths. The lack of native video generation also means teams have to look elsewhere for multimedia content creation.

Another point of contention is the variability in customer support quality. Users have reported mixed experiences, which can be frustrating when you're relying on the platform for business-critical processes. Finally, the per-MAU pricing model, which initially seems attractive for small user bases, becomes less economical at scale. These pain points often push teams to explore other options that can better support their growing needs. When these challenges become too significant to ignore, teams start to shop for alternatives. Below, we've listed eight alternatives, matched to different next-stage needs that teams might have.

For broader DAP context, see the documentation market.

Feature comparison: UserGuiding alternatives

Tool breakdowns

1. Trupeer

Best for: Teams wanting in-app guidance plus native video plus SOPs.

Trupeer is an all-in-one solution that extends beyond what UserGuiding offers by adding native video generation capabilities, SOP creation, and comprehensive documentation searchability. This makes it an excellent choice for teams that require a more integrated approach to onboarding and training. Unlike UserGuiding, Trupeer's pricing model is based on per-user rather than per-MAU, which provides a more predictable cost structure as your user base expands. This is particularly beneficial for growing teams that want to avoid unexpected pricing spikes.

Pros: The inclusion of native video generation means you can create engaging multimedia content without needing additional tools. Its pricing is straightforward, and it supports various content formats, making it versatile for different onboarding needs.

Cons: While Trupeer excels in offering a comprehensive suite of features, it might not be the best choice if your primary need is a deep tooltip builder for highly complex flows. In such cases, more specialized tools might offer better solutions for intricate user journeys.

2. Userpilot

Best for: Next-stage mid-market SaaS teams.

Userpilot is often considered the natural upgrade from UserGuiding, particularly for teams that are transitioning into the mid-market space. It provides more advanced analytics and stronger event-trigger capabilities, which are crucial for understanding user behavior and improving engagement. The pricing is also more transparent compared to UserGuiding, which many teams find reassuring as they plan their budgets.

Pros: The builder is intuitive and clean, making it easy to create and manage onboarding flows. Userpilot's pricing structure is also clearly published, which helps eliminate any surprises as your company scales.

Cons: One downside is the continued use of MAU-based pricing, which can become costly as your user base increases. This might make it less appealing for rapidly growing companies.

3. Appcues

Best for: Product-led teams wanting a mature, focused tool.

Appcues is a mature alternative that offers a polished experience, slightly edging out Userpilot in terms of finesse. It's particularly well-suited for product-led teams that prioritize a reliable tool with a strong community backing. While it provides many of the same features as Userpilot, its emphasis on polish and user experience sets it apart.

Pros: Appcues is known for its reliability, and the strong community around it provides valuable support and insights. This makes it a dependable choice for teams that need a tool they can count on.

Cons: The scope of Appcues can feel narrow if you're looking for a broader feature set or more customization options. It excels in its niche but might not be the best fit if your needs extend beyond its capabilities.

4. Pendo

Best for: Teams that want deep analytics along with guidance.

Pendo stands out for its solid analytics capabilities, making it the go-to choice for teams that need detailed insights into user behavior. The free tier is generous, allowing you to get a sense of its capabilities before committing financially. However, Pendo's strength in analytics means it requires more configuration and setup time, which can be a hurdle for some teams.

Pros: The depth of analytics available with Pendo is unparalleled, offering detailed insights that can drive significant improvements in user engagement and product development. The free starter plan is another attractive aspect, providing a risk-free entry point.

Cons: The tool's complexity can be a double-edged sword; while it offers extensive insights, the configuration process can be time-consuming and requires careful planning. Additionally, Pendo's pricing is based on MAU, which may lead to escalating costs as your user base grows.

5. Chameleon

Best for: Design-heavy teams.

Chameleon gives teams more control over design elements, which can be a significant advantage for companies that place a high value on aesthetics and user experience. This tool allows for a level of design flexibility that many other platforms don't offer, making it ideal for teams where design is a critical component of their onboarding process.

Pros: The ability to customize and control design aspects is a standout feature, providing the flexibility to create visually appealing and tailored user experiences.

Cons: This level of design control comes at a cost; Chameleon is generally pricier than some of its competitors, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious teams.

6. HelpHero

Best for: Teams wanting simpler or cheaper than UserGuiding.

HelpHero positions itself as an even lighter and more affordable alternative to UserGuiding. It's a good fit for smaller products or teams that need a basic onboarding tool without the bells and whistles of more advanced platforms. The simplicity of HelpHero makes it an attractive option for those who don't require complex features or extensive customization.

Pros: One of the most appealing aspects of HelpHero is its cost-effectiveness. It's very cheap compared to other tools, making it accessible for startups or smaller teams.

Cons: The tradeoff for its affordability is a limited feature set, which might not be sufficient for teams with more advanced needs. It's best suited for those who need a straightforward solution.

7. Intro.js

Best for: Engineering-heavy teams who want full control.

Intro.js is an open-source JavaScript library that offers full control over onboarding experiences. It's ideal for engineering-heavy teams that prefer to build custom solutions rather than rely on commercial tools. The zero license cost is a significant advantage, although the high build cost in terms of time and resources should be considered.

Pros: The freedom to fully customize onboarding experiences without any licensing fees is a major draw for teams with the technical expertise to develop in-house solutions.

Cons: The requirement for engineering resources means Intro.js isn't suitable for teams without dedicated development capabilities. There's also no no-code builder, which can be a barrier for non-technical users.

8. Whatfix

Best for: Enterprise teams needing scope beyond SaaS product.

Whatfix offers a comprehensive enterprise DAP solution that covers not just SaaS products but also a wider array of internal applications. It's designed for large organizations that require a tool capable of managing complex onboarding across multiple apps, making it a distinct choice for those with extensive needs.

Pros: The depth and breadth of Whatfix's capabilities make it well-suited for enterprise environments, providing the scope needed to handle large-scale onboarding initiatives.

Cons: For most UserGuiding users, Whatfix might be overkill. Its enterprise focus means it's best suited for large organizations, and the price point reflects that level of complexity and capability.

In-depth analysis: which alternative fits which upgrade reason

If you need deeper analytics

Pendo or Amplitude are your best bets if analytics are your main focus. UserGuiding's analytics features are quite basic, which is fine for small-scale operations but inadequate for teams looking to perform serious data analysis. These tools provide advanced features like cohorts, funnels, and retention analysis, which are critical for teams aiming to understand user behavior at a granular level. However, it's important to note that both Pendo and Amplitude come with a steeper learning curve. The configuration process is more involved and requires a significant time investment, so teams should be prepared for this initial setup phase.

If you need video in onboarding

Trupeer should be your go-to option for incorporating video into your onboarding processes. While most tooltip tools allow you to embed video content, they don't offer native video generation capabilities. Trupeer's screen-recording-to-polished-video pipeline is a big shift in this regard, saving teams hours of effort in producing each clip. This is particularly useful for products with complex features that require detailed video explainers to enhance user understanding. By integrating video directly into the onboarding flow, you can significantly improve user engagement and comprehension.

If you need better builder flexibility

For teams that find UserGuiding's builder too restrictive, Chameleon, Appcues, and Userpilot offer more flexibility. UserGuiding's simplicity is a double-edged sword; while it's easy to use, it can hit ceilings when dealing with complex user flows. Chameleon excels in providing design flexibility, allowing teams to customize the look and feel of their onboarding experiences. If reliability and community support are more important, Appcues is a solid choice. Userpilot offers a balanced upgrade with improved analytics and event-trigger capabilities, making it a versatile option for growing teams looking for a comprehensive tool.

If you need enterprise scope

When your needs extend beyond just SaaS products and require an enterprise-level solution, Whatfix, WalkMe, or Apty are worth considering. These tools offer a different shape and scope entirely, designed to handle large-scale onboarding across various applications within an organization. Companies outgrowing UserGuiding in this direction are typically making broader decisions about their tech stack, not just looking for a one-to-one replacement. The transition to these enterprise tools involves a more strategic approach, considering factors like integration with existing systems and long-term scalability.

Challenges when switching

Flow rebuild. One of the primary challenges when switching from UserGuiding to another tool is the need to rebuild your onboarding flows. UserGuiding's flows aren't portable, meaning you'll have to recreate them from scratch in the new platform. This can be time-consuming, especially if your current flows are intricate and detailed.

Segment migration. Another hurdle is migrating your user segments. Since UserGuiding's user segments won't automatically transfer to the new tool, you'll need to spend time rebuilding them, which can be a painstaking process depending on the complexity and number of segments you have.

Analytics history. If you've relied on UserGuiding for capturing user analytics, consider maintaining a starter plan to retain access to your historical data. This can provide valuable context as you transition to the new tool and ensure you don't lose valuable insights during the switch.

Team ramp. Adapting to a new tool means your team will need time to learn its ins and outs. Plan for a ramp-up period of 1-2 weeks as your team familiarizes themselves with the new builder. Investing in training and support during this time can help expedite the transition and minimize disruption to your onboarding processes.

Must-have features

• Event-based triggers: Ensure the tool supports triggers based on user actions for precise control over the onboarding flow.

• Role-based targeting: The ability to tailor experiences based on user roles enhances relevance and effectiveness.

• Analytics tied to activation: Deep analytics that connect directly to user activation metrics are crucial for measuring success.

• Video support: Whether through native generation or simple embed options, video content is increasingly important.

• A/B testing: Being able to test different onboarding approaches is vital for optimizing user engagement.

• Mobile support: As mobile usage grows, tools that offer solid mobile support are essential.

• Integration: smooth integration with CRM and product analytics tools ensures a cohesive data ecosystem.

• Pricing model: Choose a pricing structure that aligns with your expected usage to avoid unexpected costs.

Use cases and personas

Growth-stage SaaS: Aiko, Head of Growth, 45-person B2B SaaS

Aiko, as the Head of Growth for a 45-person B2B SaaS company, needed more solid analytics than what UserGuiding could offer. The team transitioned to using Appcues alongside Heap for their analytical needs. This combination allowed them to dive deeper into user activation metrics, significantly enhancing their ability to measure and improve user engagement. Despite the increased capabilities, the monthly costs remained similar to their previous setup, making it a cost-effective upgrade for their growing company.

Video-first SaaS: Nils, Senior PM, 90-person developer tools

Nils, a Senior Product Manager at a 90-person developer tools company, faced challenges incorporating video into their onboarding tooltips. By moving to Trupeer, they could take advantage of native video generation, simplifying the process of adding video content to their onboarding flows. This shift led to a 19-point increase in activation rates for their complex features, underscoring the impact of integrating video into user education.

Enterprise adjacent: Priya, Director of Product, 250-person enterprise SaaS

Priya's company, consisting of 250 employees, began expanding their coverage to include internal enterprise tools. UserGuiding couldn't accommodate this new scope, so Priya introduced Trupeer SOPs for their internal apps while maintaining UserGuiding for customer-facing products. This approach allowed them to effectively manage both internal and external onboarding needs. For more on enterprise-focused DAP tools, explore DAP alternatives for comprehensive solutions.

Best practices

Identify the specific UserGuiding pain first. Before jumping into a new tool, it's crucial to pinpoint the exact limitations you're facing with UserGuiding. Whether it's analytics shortfalls, video production needs, or builder inflexibility, understanding the pain points will guide your search for the right alternative.

Match alternative to the pain, not the quadrant. It's easy to get caught up in quadrant comparisons, but focus on finding a tool that directly addresses the pain you're experiencing. The right fit will align with your specific needs rather than fitting into a generic category.

Pilot for 30 days. Testing a new tool for a month allows you to assess its suitability for your team without making a long-term commitment. During this period, engage your team in using all relevant features to ensure it meets your needs.

Model pricing over 18 months. Projecting costs over an extended period helps you understand the financial implications of the switch. Make sure the pricing model aligns with your growth trajectory to avoid budget surprises.

Plan content migration as rebuild. When moving to a new tool, consider the migration process as an opportunity to rebuild your content. This approach ensures you don't simply replicate old workflows but instead optimize them for the new platform's capabilities.

Frequently asked questions

Is UserGuiding still worth buying?

For simple SMB SaaS companies, UserGuiding remains a viable choice. Its cost-effectiveness and ease of use make it a great entry point for teams with straightforward onboarding needs. However, if your company is looking for more advanced features, such as in-depth analytics or native video generation, it may be time to consider alternatives that can better support your growing requirements.

What's the cheapest alternative?

HelpHero is the most budget-friendly option available. While it offers fewer features compared to other tools, its low price point makes it accessible for smaller teams or startups that are looking to implement basic onboarding without incurring significant costs.

Which alternative is best for video?

Trupeer stands out as the best option for those needing native video generation. Unlike other tools that require external video embedding, Trupeer allows you to create and integrate video content directly within the platform, simplifying the process and enhancing user engagement through multimedia elements.

Can I use two tools?

Yes, using multiple tools is a common strategy for teams that want to combine the strengths of different platforms. For example, you might use a UserGuiding-style tool for creating tooltips and basic onboarding flows while employing Trupeer for its superior video capabilities. This approach allows you to tailor your onboarding process to meet diverse needs across your user base.

How long does migration take?

The time required for migration typically ranges from 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the complexity of your current setup and the new platform's capabilities. This period includes time for rebuilding flows, migrating segments, and training your team on the new tool. Planning for this transition period is crucial to minimize disruptions and ensure a smooth switch to the new system.

Final word

UserGuiding is a fine starter tool, providing essential onboarding features for teams with simple needs. However, as companies grow and require more sophisticated capabilities such as deeper analytics, video integration, or complex user flows, it's necessary to explore alternatives that align better with these advanced requirements. By matching the alternative to the specific pain points you're facing, piloting new tools before committing, and planning for a flow rebuild rather than a direct migration, you can set your team up for success as you transition to a solution that supports your evolving needs.