I'm trying to decide on a tool for product tours to help with onboarding. I have until Friday to make my choice and I'm really stuck. Building it in-house seems cost-effective, but I'm looking at about six weeks of work followed by long-term maintenance, and I don't want our product team to rely on engineering every time they need to make a change.
Pendo seems powerful, but it feels like overkill for our size, and the pricing I heard was quite steep. Appcues has received good feedback, but I've also heard that it can get pricey as we scale. Hopscotch looks like a younger option with more reasonable pricing, but I'm not sure about its maturity since I can't find many user opinions.
We're currently in Series A with around 5,000 monthly users. All I really need are basic tours, tooltips, and perhaps a few in-app messages. If you were in my shoes, which option would you choose and why? I'm particularly concerned about anything that might slow down our load time and I want our PM to have the ability to build these features without needing my help.
5 Answers
Honestly, if you're at 5k users, building it yourself can be a trap. You might go in thinking it's an easy six weeks, but it could drag on longer, and you’ll have constant follow-ups from your PM. Pendo might feel too heavy for your current stage. I'd recommend checking out Hopscotch or Userflow. Both options allow more freedom for your PM to make changes without incessantly bothering engineering. Grab a trial version and see if your PM can create a tour solo; that'll make your decision easier!
Appcues tends to be the go-to for companies of your size; it’s solid for onboarding and user-friendly without being too overwhelming. Yes, the price can climb as you expand, but for basic tours and tooltips, it's generally a good fit. Just make sure your PM can jump in and create something quickly without needing endless tech support. That's crucial!
Building it yourself often seems the most sensible choice upfront, but maintenance can quickly become a burden. The onboarding process changes frequently, and you may end up locking yourself into a never-ending cycle of updates. Stick to a third-party tool for flexibility!
Pendo is powerful but it sounds designed for teams with large budgets and analytics capabilities, which might not be necessary for your current needs. For basic onboarding tours, it feels like you might be overspending for what you actually require.
The DIY route can be tempting, but it often becomes the costliest choice in the long run due to endless maintenance. Onboarding needs are always evolving, especially in a growing startup like yours. I’d steer clear of building your own solution unless you're prepared for the ongoing commitment.
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