Pendo vs Appcues

Pendo

Product experience platform combining product analytics, in-app guides, and feedback for B2B software companies.

Pricing: Free plan with limits, paid from $7,000+/year

Best for: Product teams that prioritize analytics alongside guides

Pros

  • Deep retroactive analytics
  • Strong product usage insights
  • Session replay available
  • Good for data-driven teams

Cons

  • Expensive with opaque pricing
  • Guide builder less intuitive
  • Complex to set up
  • Free plan very limited

Appcues

Product-led growth platform for building in-app onboarding experiences without code.

Pricing: From $249/mo (Essentials), $879/mo (Growth)

Best for: Mid-market SaaS teams focused on product-led onboarding

Pros

  • Intuitive flow builder
  • Good onboarding templates
  • Solid targeting options
  • Strong for product-led growth

Cons

  • Key features locked behind Growth plan
  • No product analytics
  • Expensive for full feature set
  • No free plan

Feature Comparison

FeaturePendoAppcues
Product ToursYesYes
ChecklistsYesGrowth plan
NPS SurveysYesGrowth plan
Product AnalyticsAdvancedBasic
Session ReplayYesNo
A/B TestingNoNo
No-Code BuilderYesYes
User SegmentationAdvancedYes
FeedbackYesNo
Free PlanLimitedNo

Verdict

Choose Pendo if product analytics is your top priority and you want usage data alongside guides. Choose Appcues if you want a polished, intuitive flow builder for onboarding. Both are expensive, and neither includes roadmaps, changelogs, or feedback widgets. Consider Produktly if you want all these features at a fraction of the cost.

Consider Produktly as an Alternative

Why pay $7,000+/year for Pendo or $879/month for Appcues when Produktly gives you product tours, checklists, NPS surveys, feedback widgets, roadmaps, and changelogs โ€” all starting with a free plan? Produktly combines the best of both tools at a price that works for teams of any size.

Try Produktly free

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Pendo or Appcues?

It depends on your priority. Pendo excels at product analytics with guides as a complement. Appcues focuses on building polished in-app onboarding flows. If you need deep usage analytics, choose Pendo. If onboarding flow quality matters most, choose Appcues.

Are there cheaper alternatives to Pendo and Appcues?

Yes. Produktly offers product tours, checklists, NPS surveys, feedback widgets, roadmaps, and changelogs starting with a free plan and paid plans from $49/month โ€” significantly cheaper than both Pendo and Appcues.

Do Pendo and Appcues have free plans?

Pendo has a limited free plan with basic features. Appcues does not offer a free plan, starting at $249/month.

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