Userflow vs Appcues: Modern Flow Builder vs Established Pioneer
Userflow vs Appcues comes down to a simple question: do you have mobile apps? Both help SaaS companies create onboarding experiences, but they approach the market differently. Appcues is the established pioneer with mobile support and extensive integrations. Userflow has gained traction with its fast, intuitive onboarding flow builder.
This comparison breaks down both platforms to help you choose.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Userflow | Appcues |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $240/month (3,000 MAUs) | $249/month (2,500 MAUs) |
| Key Strength | Flow builder speed | Mobile support |
| Mobile Apps | No | Yes (iOS, Android, React Native) |
| Resource Center | Yes | No (requires third-party) |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Team Seats | Varies by plan | 3 on Essentials |
Platform Overview
Userflow
Userflow has built its reputation on having one of the fastest, most intuitive flow builders in the market. The platform emphasizes getting teams from idea to live onboarding experience with minimal friction.
Core Philosophy: Build beautiful flows in minutes, not hours
Standout Feature: The flow builder's speed and intuitive design receive consistent praise
Appcues
Appcues pioneered the no-code approach to user onboarding and remains one of the most recognized names in the space. With mobile SDK support and an extensive integration ecosystem, Appcues serves as a mature choice for product teams.
Core Philosophy: No-code onboarding for the modern product stack
Standout Feature: Native mobile app support for iOS, Android, and React Native
Feature Comparison
Flow Building Experience
The flow building experience is where users spend most of their time, making it a key differentiator. Userflow's flow builder has earned its reputation as the fastest and most intuitive in the market. According to comparison data, Userflow offers a drag-and-drop kanban-style onboarding flow builder that's easy to use, while Appcues has a more complex UI with a steeper learning curve. Userflow's "Ease of Use" rating of 9.3 on G2 exceeds Appcues' 8.7. The Chrome extension lets you select elements directly from your live product, see how guidance will look, and make adjustments without switching between builder and preview modes.
The design philosophy emphasizes minimizing clicks. Every common action is accessible within one or two clicks, and the interface stays out of your way. Users frequently report building their first flow in under 30 minutes with Userflow, even without prior experience. According to UserGuiding's comparison of onboarding best practices, 92% of top SaaS apps now use in-app onboarding tours, making speed of implementation increasingly important.
Appcues offers a capable flow builder with its own Chrome extension, visual editor, template library, conditional logic, and preview modes. The platform is more mature and feature-rich, but that maturity comes with complexity. Menus have more options, settings panels offer more choices, and the learning curve is longer. Teams used to Appcues appreciate its power, but new users often find it less intuitive than Userflow. The template library helps accelerate initial setup for standard patterns like welcome tours.
The verdict: Userflow wins on flow-building speed and intuitiveness, particularly for teams that value rapid iteration. Appcues can create sophisticated flows but requires more time to master.
Mobile App Support
Mobile app support is Appcues' clearest differentiator. It creates an unbridgeable capability gap that determines platform viability for entire categories of products. Many SaaS products now offer native mobile apps alongside web, so creating consistent onboarding across platforms can be a dealbreaker. According to user onboarding research, 80% of users have uninstalled an app because they didn't understand how to use it. Appcues has invested heavily in mobile SDKs for iOS, Android, and React Native. These offer feature parity with web, meaning teams can create product tours, tooltips, checklists, and surveys that work identically on mobile.
The mobile SDKs respect platform conventions. iOS users see Apple-style elements while Android users get Material Design patterns. Mobile analytics track engagement and completion rates across platforms. For products with significant mobile usage, this is table stakes. Teams building native mobile apps have no real choice here.
Userflow remains a web-only platform with no native mobile support. The flows are responsive on mobile web browsers, so users on phones or tablets see properly formatted guidance. But for native iOS or Android apps, Userflow offers nothing. This is deliberate. Userflow focuses exclusively on web experiences rather than spreading resources across platforms.
The verdict: Appcues wins for mobile use cases. If you have native mobile apps or plan to build them, choose Appcues. If you're web-only and plan to stay that way, this advantage is irrelevant.
UI Patterns and Elements
Userflow Patterns:
- Product tours and walkthroughs
- Checklists with progress tracking
- Tooltips and hotspots
- Modals and slideouts
- Banners
- Resource center
- Launchers
- NPS surveys
Appcues Patterns:
- Product tours
- Tooltips and hotspots
- Modals and slideouts
- Banners
- Onboarding checklists
- NPS surveys
- Launchers (Growth plan only)
Verdict: Similar capabilities, though Userflow includes resource center natively while Appcues doesn't offer one.
Resource Center / Self-Service
Userflow:
- Built-in resource center
- Modular help widget
- Searchable content
- Knowledge base integration
- Checklist embedding
Appcues:
- No native resource center
- Relies on third-party tools
- Must use external help documentation
Verdict: Userflow wins for self-service support. Teams can build comprehensive help systems without additional tools.
Analytics
Userflow Analytics:
- Flow completion rates
- Step-by-step engagement
- User progress tracking
- Basic funnel analysis
- Event tracking
- Goal tracking
Appcues Analytics:
- Flow engagement metrics
- Checklist completion rates
- NPS response tracking
- Basic funnel analysis
- Event-based metrics
Both platforms offer adequate analytics for measuring onboarding performance, though neither matches dedicated analytics platforms.
Segmentation
Userflow Segmentation:
- User attributes
- Custom properties
- Behavioral triggers
- Company-level targeting
- URL-based targeting
Appcues Segmentation:
- 5 segments on Essentials plan
- Unlimited on Growth plan
- Property-based segmentation
- Event triggering
- Company attributes
Note: Appcues' segment limitation on the Essentials plan can be restrictive for teams wanting to personalize experiences.
Pricing Analysis
Userflow Pricing
Startup - $240/month (3,000 MAUs)
- Unlimited flows
- Basic analytics
- Resource center
- Standard integrations
- Email support
Pro - $680/month (3,000 MAUs)
- A/B testing
- Advanced targeting
- Priority support
- Custom branding
- API access
Enterprise - Custom
- Unlimited MAUs
- Advanced security
- Dedicated support
Appcues Pricing
Essentials - $249/month (2,500 MAUs)
- 3 team seats
- 5 segments maximum
- Core UI patterns
- Email support
Growth - $879/month (2,500 MAUs)
- 10 team seats
- Unlimited segments
- Checklists and launchers
- A/B testing
- Premium integrations
Enterprise - Custom
- Unlimited seats
- Advanced security
- Mobile SDK access
Price-to-Value Analysis
At entry level, Userflow offers more MAUs (3,000 vs 2,500) at a similar price, plus includes a resource center. Appcues' main value add is mobile support.
For A/B testing:
- Userflow Pro: $680/month
- Appcues Growth: $879/month
Userflow provides better value for web-only products, while Appcues' premium is justified if mobile support is required.
Integration Comparison
Userflow Integrations
- Segment
- Amplitude
- Mixpanel
- HubSpot
- Intercom
- Slack
- Salesforce
- Zendesk
- Zapier
Appcues Integrations (20+)
- Segment
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- Slack
- Amplitude
- Mixpanel
- Intercom
- Heap
- Zendesk
- Microsoft Teams
- And more...
Verdict: Appcues has a broader integration ecosystem, particularly with enterprise tools and CRM systems.
Implementation Comparison
Userflow Implementation
- Single JavaScript snippet
- Chrome extension for building
- Quick setup (under 30 minutes)
- Self-serve friendly
- Good documentation
- Fast time to first flow
Appcues Implementation
- Single line of code
- Chrome extension builder
- Quick initial setup
- Good documentation
- Established community resources
- Appcues Academy training
Verdict: Both platforms have straightforward implementation. Userflow typically gets teams to their first published flow slightly faster.
Use Case Comparison
Choose Userflow If:
-
Speed is priority - You want the fastest path to live onboarding
-
Web-only product - No mobile app means no limitation
-
Resource center needed - Built-in self-service support hub
-
More MAUs for budget - 3,000 MAUs at entry level
-
Intuitive tools matter - Team will adopt quickly
-
Modern interface preferred - Clean, contemporary design
Choose Appcues If:
-
Mobile apps exist - Native iOS/Android support is essential
-
Extensive integrations needed - Broader ecosystem connectivity
-
Established vendor preferred - Longer track record, larger community
-
Mobile-first product - Primary user base is on mobile
-
React Native app - Full React Native support
Consider Alternatives If:
- Budget under $200/month - UserGuiding starts at $89/month
- Deep analytics needed - Pendo or Userpilot offer more
- Enterprise employee training - WalkMe or Whatfix are better fits
- Maximum customization - Chameleon offers deeper styling
Head-to-Head: Web Excellence vs Mobile Capability
The core trade-off:
Userflow = Web-First Excellence
- Best-in-class flow builder
- Faster time to value
- Resource center included
- More MAUs at entry price
Appcues = Mobile + Ecosystem
- Only option with mobile SDKs
- Broader integration network
- Larger community
- More established
Real User Perspectives
What Users Love About Userflow
- "Built our entire onboarding in an afternoon"
- "The flow builder is incredibly intuitive"
- "Resource center saved us from buying another tool"
- "Updates ship frequently, team is responsive"
- "Best value for what we needed"
What Users Love About Appcues
- "Mobile SDK was why we chose Appcues"
- "Documentation and community are excellent"
- "Integrations work reliably"
- "Been around long enough to trust"
- "Flows look polished immediately"
Common Criticisms
Userflow:
- "No mobile support is a limitation"
- "Fewer integrations than Appcues"
- "Smaller company, less brand recognition"
Appcues:
- "Segment limits frustrating on Essentials"
- "No resource center requires external tools"
- "Price jumps significantly to Growth plan"
- "Flow builder could be more intuitive"
Decision Framework
| Priority | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|
| Fastest time to value | Userflow |
| Mobile app support | Appcues |
| Resource center included | Userflow |
| More integrations | Appcues |
| More MAUs at entry price | Userflow |
| Established vendor | Appcues |
| Modern flow builder | Userflow |
| React Native support | Appcues |
The Verdict
Userflow is the better choice for web-only products where flow-building speed and built-in resource centers matter. It delivers solid value with more MAUs at entry price and a faster path to live onboarding.
Appcues is the better choice for products with mobile apps, those requiring extensive integrations, or organizations that prefer established vendors.
Quick Decision:
- "We have a mobile app" then Appcues
- "We're web-only and want to move fast" then Userflow
- "We need a built-in resource center" then Userflow
- "We need Salesforce integration" then Both work, slight edge Appcues
- "We prefer established vendors" then Appcues
- "We want the most intuitive builder" then Userflow
The Userflow vs Appcues decision often comes down to mobile. If you have native mobile apps, choose Appcues. If you're web-only, Userflow offers better value and a superior building experience.
Looking for more options? Check out our comparisons of Userflow vs Userpilot and UserGuiding vs Appcues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Userflow and Appcues?
Userflow excels at fast, intuitive flow building for web-only products and includes a built-in resource center. Appcues offers native mobile SDK support for iOS, Android, and React Native apps plus a broader integration ecosystem. Choose Userflow for web-only speed; choose Appcues if you have mobile apps.
How much does Userflow cost compared to Appcues?
Userflow starts at $240/month for 3,000 MAUs, while Appcues starts at $249/month for 2,500 MAUs. Userflow offers more MAUs at entry level plus includes a resource center. For A/B testing, Userflow Pro costs $680/month versus Appcues Growth at $879/month.
Does Userflow support mobile apps?
No, Userflow is a web-only platform with no native mobile app support. If you need to create onboarding flows for iOS, Android, or React Native apps, Appcues is the better choice as it offers full mobile SDK support with feature parity to web.
Which onboarding flow builder is easier to use?
Userflow is widely praised for having the fastest, most intuitive flow builder in the market. Users frequently report building their first flow in under 30 minutes. Appcues has a capable builder but with a slightly steeper learning curve.
Should I choose Userflow or Appcues for my SaaS product?
Choose Userflow if you have a web-only product, want the fastest implementation, need a built-in resource center, or prefer more MAUs at entry pricing. Choose Appcues if you have native mobile apps, need extensive third-party integrations, or prefer an established vendor with a larger community.