What is Appcues?
Appcues is an in-app messaging and user onboarding platform that helps businesses create personalized user experiences.
Appcues was the first tool to introduce “no-code” onboarding capabilities. Since 2014, Appcues has been developing and expanding its features, and currently, it allows users to create user onboarding flows, in-app checklists, announcement banners, and hotspots.
Appcues also has strong analytics capabilities, along with easy localization, segmentation, and personalization options.
Some common use cases include feature adoption, customer retention, and user training.
Despite its features, Appcues has some drawbacks. Some users have found it quite complex to handle, requiring a steep learning curve. Not only is the setup too complicated, but the features within the tool take quite some time to get used to as well.
For users looking to employ a full user onboarding experience, Appcues sadly does not offer resource centers or changelog capabilities.
In addition, the high pricing can also be a barrier for small businesses or startups.
Appcues Pricing
Appcues offers a couple of different pricing tiers.
- Their "Essentials" plan starts at $249 per month and offers basic features like user onboarding flows and surveys.
- For more advanced needs, the "Growth" plan, starting at $879 per month, offers features such as NPS scores and A/B testing. Appcues offers real-time support from this plan and up.
For even bigger operations, users can get a custom quote for the “Enterprise” plan.
Top 4 Alternatives to Appcues
If you are looking for a more affordable tool with user-friendly features, easier implementation, and efficient customer support, Appcues may not be the ideal choice.
Alternatively, you can consider using one of the following 4 tools, each of which is simpler to install, set up, implement, and learn how to use.
1. UserGuiding
UserGuiding is a product adoption platform designed to offer product people a no-code way to offer optimized in-app experiences. Coming from a user onboarding background, UserGuiding offers interactive product tours, onboarding checklists, and announcement modals.
But on top of all that, it also has in-app surveys, Product Updates pages, resource centers, user analytics, and a knowledge base feature, making it an all-around hub for better product experiences.
With pre-built templates, in-app product tours, a responsive customer success and support team, and a comprehensive help center, UserGuiding ensures seamless in-app experiences.
The platform's notable strengths lie in its simplicity, extensive range of features, and relatively affordable pricing.
Here’s a look at what you can achieve with UserGuiding:
- Create personalized user onboarding flows using customized interactive guides, onboarding checklists, tooltips, and hotspots.
- Update and inform users using in-app messaging and Product Updates pages.
- Empower self-service help with resource centers and knowledge base.
- Communicate and collect feedback using in-app surveys.
- Track and monitor user behavior using analytics with a user details page & activity feed.
UserGuiding Pricing
UserGuiding offers a free trial and 3 different pricing plans that offer more capabilities for less, when compared to Appcues.
- The "Basic" plan starts at $89 per month, including the entire fundamental feature set.
- Their "Professional" plan, priced at $389 per month, expands offerings to include unlimited guides, advanced integrations, and premium support.
- The “Corporate” plan takes it all to an exclusive level with coaching and full customization. The pricing is customized for different businesses.
2. Intercom
While primarily a communication platform, Intercom offers robust user onboarding capabilities. It shines in its ability to combine user communication with onboarding, enabling businesses to provide support during the onboarding process.
If you are already using Intercom for customer support, then not having to integrate another platform into yours could save you some time. Also, Intercom’s product tour feature is simple and doesn’t have a steep learning curve.
Here’s what you can achieve with Intercom:
- Engage users in real-time, offering immediate support and guidance as they explore your product.
- Create interactive, step-by-step guides that help users navigate key features of your software.
- Greet new users with tailored messages that set the tone for their experience with your product.
- Collect valuable feedback to improve your onboarding process continuously.
Intercom Pricing
It is important to note that Intercom’s onboarding features are part of the add-on Product Tours, and users need to purchase an Intercom plan first to use them.
- Intercom’s “Essentials” plan starts at $39 per seat/month; the “Advanced” plan is priced at $99 per seat/month, and the “Expert” plan is $139 per seat/month.
- With the Product Tours add-on pricing being $99/month, the least expensive scenario with Intercom comes to $138 per seat/month.
This pricing isn’t ideal since the only capabilities are product tours and checklists, but if you are an existing Intercom user, it can be more logical to choose this option.
3. Userlane
Userlane stands out for its focus on automation and step-by-step guidance. It enables you to create interactive guides that help users navigate your software effortlessly, reducing the need for extensive training.
The tool focuses mainly on in-product training and step-by-step guidance and, thus, doesn’t have an extensive set of features. So, if you are only looking for in-app product tours, then Userlane could be a better alternative to Appcues.
Here’s what you can achieve with Userlane:
- Build customized onboarding dashboards and interactive guides that walk users through your software step by step.
- Provide real-time assistance with on-screen guides and a navigation tool that offers access to content, guides, and announcements.
- Track user behavior and engagement across your applications.
- Collect feedback through in-app surveys.
Userlane Pricing
Userlane's pricing is custom, meaning you would need to contact them for a quote.
This approach can be advantageous because it ensures you only pay for the features you need. However, the lack of transparent pricing and the limited range of features might be a disadvantage for those who prefer to understand costs upfront and want a complete solution to handle the majority of the work.
4. Lou Assist
Lou Assist is a digital assistant that streamlines task management and boosts workplace productivity. Launched in 2016, it's renowned for its innovative and intuitive "no-code" automation capabilities.
Lou Assist offers a range of features, including product tours, checklists, and reporting. It's known for its easy onboarding capabilities that help businesses optimize operations and evaluate progress efficiently.
With Lou Assist, users can easily segment and personalize task flows, making the tool a favorite for project management, team collaboration, and workflow automation.
However, Lou Assist isn't without its challenges. Despite its intuitive design, some users have found the setup process a bit complicated, and the tool has a somewhat steep learning curve to master all its functionalities.
Here’s what you can achieve with Lou Assist:
- Create interactive walkthroughs and tooltips that help users understand your product’s features and functionality.
- Use modals and banners to make in-app announcements, guide users, and reduce support ticket volumes.
- Collect feedback with in-app surveys.
Lou Assist Pricing
Lou Assist's pricing could be tempting for startups or small businesses, but it’s best to analyze the cost-value ratio before making a decision.
Lou Assist provides various pricing plans, catering to different business needs.
- The "Startup" plan starts at $79 per month and covers fundamental features like automated tasks and reminders.
- For organizations needing more advanced features like time tracking and analytics, the "Growth" plan, priced at $199 per month, would be more suitable.
Conclusion
Choosing the most suitable onboarding tool for your organization goes beyond comparing features and pricing. It's about finding a solution that meets your needs and objectives.
While Appcues is an established name, alternatives like UserGuiding, Intercom, Userlane, and Lou Assist offer unique capabilities and strengths that might better match your business.
UserGuiding is an all-around solution at a more cost-effective price and higher ease of use.
Intercom offers many more features at a similar, including customer success features.
Userlane offers less and doesn’t have transparent pricing, but if you only need in-app guidance, then Userlane could be a better option in terms of security and capability.
Lou Assist is an affordable option with limited capabilities but delivers what it promises.
Always remember, the best tool is the one that propels your users towards success while keeping their journey engaging and hassle-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the main differences between Appcues and its alternatives?
The main differences lie in the ease of use, pricing, and the set of features offered. While Appcues offers a robust platform for user onboarding and in-app messaging, some find it complex to handle.
Comparatively, alternatives like UserGuiding and Lou Assist are more user-friendly and affordable. Userlane focuses on in-product training, while Intercom blends user onboarding with its comprehensive communication platform.
2. Is UserGuiding an affordable alternative to Appcues?
Yes, UserGuiding offers more capabilities for less compared to Appcues. It starts at $89 per month and offers a wide set of features, including not only user onboarding but also in-app surveys, Product Update pages, resource centers, user analytics, and a knowledge base feature.
3. Can user onboarding tools increase my product's adoption rate?
Yes, a well-crafted onboarding experience can significantly increase product adoption rates. Such tools guide users through the product, demonstrate how to use various features, and highlight the value they can derive, enhancing user understanding and encouraging usage.
4. What factors should I consider while choosing an alternative to Appcues?
When choosing an alternative to Appcues, it's important to identify your specific business needs and how each alternative can meet them.
Look at aspects such as user-friendliness, feature set, pricing, scalability, integration, customer support, and security. Also, ensure compliance with data protection laws to safeguard your company and users' data.
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