Have you ever downloaded an app or piece of software only to find yourself wondering, “What next?”
Most likely, you’ve encountered a weak or missing onboarding experience.
What is user onboarding?
User onboarding is the process of welcoming a new user to your product or service and guiding them toward becoming a power user.
A well‑crafted onboarding flow helps users understand how your offering works and, most importantly, how to extract maximum value from it.
It is essential for any company that wants to deliver a stellar user experience and can be the difference between a satisfied customer and a frustrated one.
Yet, too often onboarding falls short of customer expectations. In fact, over 90% of customers feel that companies could do better when it comes to onboarding.
We believe that starting a new app should be effortless, not a hurdle.
When onboarding is difficult—or nonexistent—a user may try to navigate on their own, but the risk of them abandoning the product for an alternative is high. That’s simply human nature.
According to recent data, 86% of people say they would be more likely to stay loyal to a business that invests in onboarding content that welcomes and educates them after purchase.
The value of a great user onboarding experience
Effective onboarding delivers numerous benefits: increased engagement, higher satisfaction, improved conversions, better retention, and lower churn.
When users can quickly grasp your product’s core value and achieve their goals, they’re more likely to become long‑term advocates.
Below we showcase 20 standout onboarding examples, explain why they excel, and illustrate how you can apply similar principles to your own product.
20 Exemplary User Onboarding Cases
1. MHA MacIntyre Hudson
Clear expectations set the tone. MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s introductory video tells users exactly what to expect when contacting the firm for audit services.
MHA offers accountancy, audit, tax, and advisory services across the UK. Their onboarding video demystifies a complex field, easing user anxiety.
Research shows that 69% of people want more video in onboarding.
2. DuoLingo
DuoLingo, with over 42 million active monthly users, tackles the challenge of language learning by onboarding users in incremental steps.
Users answer a few questions upfront, then receive gentle nudges toward daily practice, whether or not they immediately create an account.
After registration, the app sends regular emails that reinforce progress, and sends time‑matched prompts the next day to maintain momentum.
3. Instagram
With about one billion active users, Instagram’s signup is streamlined. New users are immediately encouraged to follow popular accounts that align with their interests.
Optional next‑step suggestions allow users to resume onboarding later, ensuring a frictionless experience.
4. Slack
Slack, used by over 600,000 organisations and 40 million daily users, combines simplicity with engagement. Fun illustrations and witty copy guide users through workspace creation.
Micro‑animations and contextual tips appear during early interactions, providing help without overwhelming the user.
5. Dropbox
Dropbox turns file management into an enjoyable experience. The onboarding tour covers adding, organising, sharing files, and accessing the help centre—all optional.
A downloadable “Get Started with Dropbox” PDF offers a reference for later.
6. Airbnb
Airbnb’s 150 million users across 65,000 cities start with a simple signup that offers multiple entry points. Additional details like phone number and photo are optional, encouraging rapid entry.
Once signed up, a “Start Exploring” button leads users through a minimal set of steps, enabling them to view listings in as few as three clicks.
7. Notion
Notion’s workspace begins with a work‑email sign‑up and a single role question, then launches a personalized workspace that users can tailor at any time.
The Getting Started page invites users to experiment with key features, each accompanied by concise guidance.
8. Calm
Calm’s first impression is a soothing interface that reflects its focus on sleep and meditation. Users personalize the app to receive tailored recommendations.
After initial setup, the home screen presents activities aligned with the user’s goals, and in‑app tutorials reinforce learning.
9. Lumosity
Lumosity introduces users to brain‑training games with a contextual onboarding that explains the science and daily variations.
Each new game includes a quick interactive demo, ensuring users understand mechanics before starting.
10. MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal focuses on the essentials: user goals, calorie tracking, and portion sizes. A progress bar keeps users aware of onboarding completion.
After basic details, users receive a custom plan and step‑by‑step guidance on logging food and portions.
11. Natural Cycles
As the world’s first contraceptive app, Natural Cycles prioritises clarity in terms of service and data privacy. The onboarding tour is a concise 4‑step demo.
After acceptance, users enter name and birthday, then complete a mandatory demo that obliges consistent usage.
12. Evernote
Evernote challenges users to transition from paper to digital notes. The onboarding flow starts with a Google sign‑in and launches an interactive demo featuring animations.
New users can choose from predefined note types and then proceed through a guided tour that highlights key features.
13. Reddit
Reddit’s onboarding is quick, optional, and highly personal. It asks for identity and interests to curate a relevant feed while respecting privacy.
14. Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix tailors clothing recommendations through a comprehensive style quiz that evolves from gender to occasion, size, and lifestyle.
Additional demographic questions, including parenting status, help fine‑tune selections. A comments box captures extra details.
15. Pinterest
Pinterest’s onboarding quickly identifies interests by tapping categories, then curates a personalized feed of visual inspiration.
16. Grammarly
Grammarly’s onboarding begins by clarifying the user’s writing purpose, then offers a 4‑step checklist and a demo document for hands‑on practice.
17. TikTok
With nearly 2 billion global users, TikTok’s signup is ultra‑fast: enter date of birth, select a username, and optionally upload a video.
18. Honey
Honey, acquired by PayPal in 2020, offers 17 million daily users a browser extension that automatically applies coupons. Onboarding consists of a 4‑step GIF‑based demo.
19. BarkBox
BarkBox, with 2 million subscribers, personalises onboarding by collecting dog details—name, gender, size, breed—and displaying a progress bar.
20. Twitter
Twitter’s 5‑step signup captures birth date, ad preferences, and username, then curates interests. New users are prompted to follow popular accounts, instantly populating their feed.
Video: The Key to a World‑Class Onboarding Experience
Excellent onboarding welcomes users and accelerates their journey toward becoming lifelong advocates. 97% of people agree that video is an effective tool for welcoming and educating new customers.
Combine engaging onboarding with rigorous user testing and metric tracking—monitor churn, daily active users, and conversion—to continuously refine the experience.