Introduction
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Do you need Appcues or Scribe?
Well, the answer depends on what you're looking for.
As a former software engineer, I’ve seen firsthand how important user onboarding is — and I've also seen how terrible onboarding flows (with even worse documentation) can cause major losses.
When we fix our customer onboarding, we improve retention.
When choosing a user onboarding tool, focus on specific features, budget, and your business use cases.
In this guide, we will compare the user onboarding capabilities of Scribe (that's us) and Appcues–a popular digital adoption platform (DAP).
I know what you might think: "Aren't they going to be biased toward Scribe?"
While I have firsthand experience with Scribe, this comparison aims to be as objective as possible, focusing solely on their user onboarding capabilities and suitability for businesses. By the end of this guide, you'll know whether to pick Scribe or Appcues for your specific needs.
TL;DR: Scribe Vs. Appcues: an overview
Scribe: Effortless process documentation
- AI-driven tool transforming your screen activity (clicks, text input, etc.) into step-by-step guides.
- Available as a browser extension and desktop app.
- Suitable for creating detailed training materials and process documents.
- Features include web-based capture, one-click sharing, and Pages for comprehensive documentation.
- Free plan available. Paid plans for teams start at an affordable pricing of $12 per seat per month when billed annually.
Appcues: The No-Code Onboarding Solution
- A no-code platform for user onboarding and digital adoption.
- Simplifies digital adoption with engaging onboarding tools like checklists and tooltips.
- Engages users beyond onboarding with surveys and announcements.
- Includes analytics for measuring onboarding effectiveness.
- Offers a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $249 monthly when billed annually.
Feature comparison
User onboarding capabilities
Scribe: You can use the tool to auto-capture any process on websites, desktops, and even mobile apps to create step-by-step guides (called Scribes) and share them with your users via email, embed them on your onboarding page, and many more ways. These guides are easy to follow, and your new customers or users can access them anytime to understand your product without any hassle.
Appcues: Specializes in personalized, no-code onboarding flows with targeted checklists for websites and mobile–not desktop apps. It quickly shows users how to navigate an application, enhancing engagement and conversion. It allows you to track and measure the effectiveness of your onboarding flows.
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Personalization and Targeting
Scribe: Doesn't focus on personalization in the traditional sense. Instead, it empowers you to create detailed guides of complex functionality in seconds with features like custom branding and customizable screenshots. You can tailor your guides to specific processes or user needs, providing a form of indirect personalization through relevant content.
Appcues: Excels in personalization by offering targeted on-brand onboarding experiences. For example, you can use the customer's name in an onboarding message or segment and target users by behavior, use case, or plan tier, ensuring relevant and engaging interaction.
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Engagement and Interaction
Scribe: You can create GIFs, add tips and alerts, format text, edit screenshots, and update the Scribe according to your brand guidelines–making it memorable for the reader. Your customers can use these guides for ongoing reference and learning–ensuring they remain engaged and informed long after the initial onboarding phase.
Moreover, the viewers of your Scribe can share their feedback through comments–empowering you to update your onboarding documents to improve engagement.
Appcues: Offers interactive elements like tooltips, modals, slideouts, and hotspots for engaging onboarding. The platform’s ability to create dynamic, personalized onboarding flows based on user behavior and characteristics further enhances engagement, making each user's experience unique and relevant.
However, despite being a no-code tool, setting up such Appcues flows is complex compared to Scribe’s AI-powered and automatically created guides.
Integration and compatibility
User Feedback and Reviews
Scribe
Scribe is a highly-rated tool for training and onboarding, with a rating of 4.9 on the Chrome web store and 4.8 on G2. Users love its user-friendliness and slide presentation features. The lack of AI integrations concerned some users, but AI features have now been added to Scribe.
Recent reviews on the Chrome web store also reflect positive sentiments about the Appcues alternative.
“Great Tool to Create and share anything we want, like training material, workflow, documentation, etc. It reduces time and can be used again and again. The person who uses SCRIBE will never stop using it because of its unlimited uses. Thank you for creating this awesome tool!" – Geetha Dasari on Scribe’s Chrome web store page.
Appcues
The digital adoption platform or DAP has a rating of 4.7 on the Chrome web store and 4.6 on G2. Like Scribe, most people said positive things about the user onboarding tool.
However, the last review on Appcues Builder on the Chrome web store is from April 2022, so they may not accurately represent user satisfaction, as many features would have been updated since then, which could cause glitches in the app.
According to a recent review on G2: "It's good, but there are points of improvement for massive use."
The reviewer says the tool can be of great use for onboarding. However, he is unsatisfied with the application's admin controls.
“You have many areas where any user can change settings, no control between publishers, and it's hard to track the impact on product journey. I've had many problems with my designers changing things (events, integrations, flows) that they shouldn't.”
Pricing and Value Proposition
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the preferred tool for effective user onboarding, it largely depends on your specific needs.
If your priority is to create an interactive onboarding experience with personalized elements for a web application and you're comfortable using a slightly complex tool or have the support of software developers readily available, Appcues stands out as the go-to choice.
On the other hand, Scribe shines with its straightforward, process-oriented approach. It's a powerhouse for creating detailed, easy-to-follow guides, ideal for reinforcing onboarding and ongoing support. Its integration capabilities and affordable pricing make it a versatile tool for many businesses.
Try both tools yourself and make the final decision.
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