Click Through Demo Software: The Complete Strategy & Tool Selection Guide

From our analysis of over 200 B2B SaaS websites, we found that 96% rely solely on screenshots to showcase their platform, while 30% don't show their product at all.

Meanwhile, companies that let prospects actually click through their product see 1.7x higher conversion rates. It's not magic, they're just solving a fundamental problem: people want to experience what it's actually like to use your product before they commit their time or money.

After working with hundreds of SaaS teams on their demo strategies, we've spotted clear patterns in what drives results and what falls flat. This guide breaks down the practical essentials: how to think strategically about demos, which clickable demo tools fit different scenarios, and how to sidestep the expensive mistakes most teams make.

What is click through demo software?

Click-through demo software lets you create interactive product experiences that let prospects explore your software by clicking through realistic workflows without requiring a login, installation, or live sales call.

Unlike screenshots that just sit there looking pretty, or videos where prospects passively watch someone else drive, click-through demos put your prospect in the driver's seat. They can click buttons, navigate menus, and experience your product's flow firsthand.

A quick clickable demo example

Here's a real one in action - this is how Komo shows off their marketing activations platform.

Notice how they focus on the Aha! moment of creating an activation without showing you every possible configuration option. That's the art of good demo design: showing key features to be credible, but not so much that you lose people in the weeds.

If you want more inspiration, we also have a list of our 10 favourite interactive product demo examples you should check out.

HTML capture vs screenshot based approaches

HTML capture tools (like HowdyGo) record your actual product interface by capturing the underlying code. This means your demo looks pixel-perfect and feels and behaves just like your product (you can scroll, hover, type and the demo reacts like your real product would).

On top of that, HTML allows you to edit the captured UI after recording (no need to know how to code). The downside is this tech works best for web-based products.

Screenshot-based tools (like Arcade) stitch together static screenshots to create the illusion of interactivity. The issue is they feel like a slideshow, and screenshots can turn into a maintenance headache over time as they can’t be edited when your UI changes without re-recording each step.

Guided experiences vs sandbox demo environments

Guided demos walk prospects through one or more specific storylines you've crafted - step-by-step. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure book for your product. You control the narrative, ensuring everyone sees your key value propositions.

Sandbox environments on the other hand, give free rein to explore. These are most often used by sales reps to give live sales demos over a screen-share to prospects. They're closer to traditional product trials but without the setup friction or maintenance overhead.

Top use-cases for click-through demos across your organization

1. Embed demos across your website

This is your highest-leverage play. Instead of screenshots that tell prospects very little about your product, you can give them actual hands-on time with it.

Flagsmith achieved 1.7x higher signups and 1.5x higher activations by adding demos to their website. What's interesting here isn't just that more people signed up, it's that the quality of those signups improved too.

The companies getting the most out of website demos then think beyond the obvious homepage placement. They're creating different demo entry points depending on where traffic is coming from. Someone clicking from a LinkedIn ad about enterprise security sees a different demo than someone googling "free project management tools."

2. Live demo sandboxes for sales

Your sales team's best friend. Instead of crossing your fingers during live demos, you get a controlled environment that works every time. Plus, it can be personalised instantly for each prospect.

HowdyGo is replacing demo environment that would have cost us significantly more and been a much larger lift to create and maintain. Our sales and marketing teams are able to create all of the demos they need with ease and no engineering overhead. - User on G2

Top sales teams use the information they gather in discovery calls to customize these demos before follow-up meetings. They'll populate the demo with data that looks like the prospect's actual use case, create different versions for different stakeholders (because your CFO cares about completely different things than your IT director), and even build in responses to common objections.

3. Product updates that actually get seen

Embed short demos directly in your product update emails and within in-app notifications. Make it extremely easy for users to see the value of your latest launch without hunting through documentation of functionality they might not have access to.

We needed a way to anonymize our merchants' product interface to show real-life examples of how easy and effective our new product features were for our brands, while avoiding sharing personal data and results. - User on G2

4. In-app paywalls that convert

Your paywalls are prime real estate. Users seeing them are about as high intent as they get, and yet they're often wasted with an empty state or some upgrade text. Embedding demos right in your paywall pages can entice customers to upgrade with what is effectively a short trial experience.

Komo achieved a 30x increase in upsell requests after implementing demos in their paywalls.

5. In-app onboarding

Modern users generally prefer self-directed product exploration over mandatory tutorials, making click through software useful for creating onboarding materials implemented as optional guidance rather than required steps. The key is providing contextual help that appears when users actually need it, rather than forcing users through a guide.

6. Leave-behind demos for complex sales

Enterprise deals involve multiple stakeholders. Your champion needs ammunition to sell internally. Build these with your specific prospect's use case in mind. Generic demos get ignored; personalized ones get shared.

“I had a prospect turn around and say that they viewed [our demo] and that was the first time that they actually understood what was being asked of them in the legislation” From the Skodel case study

Best click-through demo software

TL;DR

This is a quick shortlist of software that our customers commonly consider. Read through this high level summary or keep scrolling to dig deeper. You can also dive into a more in-depth comparison of the best interactive demo platforms.

1. HowdyGo

Best for: Customer-facing teams who need HTML demos running quickly, at a startup friendly price.

What sets it apart: Unlimited users at a flat price (starts at $159/month) means your entire GTM team can create demos without triggering budget conversations. Same-day setup actually means same-day. Most customers publish their first demo within hours of signing up.

The reality check: Works best with web-based products. If your core product is a mobile app or desktop software, you'll need workarounds. Also, being the newer player means less enterprise street cred if your procurement team wants to see 10+ years of enterprise customers.

Who should pick this: Teams that value speed over complexity. When you'd rather be creating demos than sitting through implementation calls.

2. Arcade

Best for: Training teams and small marketing groups who need polished step-by-step guides without the extra flexibility of HTML demos. Think onboarding flows and help center content.

What sets it apart: AI-assisted authoring that actually helps speed up creation. The hotspot system makes it easy to build guided experiences that feel natural. Creating screenshot-based tours really is intuitive.

The reality check: Screenshot-only demos feel more like slideshow navigation than real product interaction. HTML capture requires their Enterprise plan with a 10+ user minimum and custom pricing. Per-seat pricing gets expensive fast as teams grow.

Who should pick this: Solo marketers or small teams (1-3 people) who don't mind the screenshot limitations.

3. Navattic

Best for: Mid-market and enterprise marketing teams running sophisticated ABM programs who need granular analytics tied to account-level data.

What sets it apart: ABM-first analytics that connect demo engagement to your 6sense or Demandbase data. The platform thinks in terms of accounts, not just individual viewers. Deep integrations with the ABM stack you're already using.

The reality check: Steep learning curve that requires real investment in training. The HTML editor is powerful but complex - expect weeks, not hours, to master it. ABM features add significant cost to an already premium platform.

Who should pick this: Marketing orgs with dedicated resources who can handle the complexity and budget for enterprise-grade ABM functionality. Skip it if you just need basic demo sharing.

4. Walnut

Best for: Large B2B sales teams sending personalized demos 1-to-1 with prospects. This is where their CRM workflow integration and sales-focused features really shine.

What sets it apart: Deep sales workflow integration that RevOps teams actually appreciate. The CRM sync pushes granular engagement data back to Salesforce so reps can see exactly who watched what and for how long. AI-powered personalization that goes beyond just swapping out company names.

The reality check: $9,000 starting price with aggressive seat-based scaling. Learning curve is steeper than advertised - expect 1-2 weeks before your team is production-ready. Some customers have complained about renewal practices and auto-increases.

Who should pick this: Sales-led organizations with dedicated sales development resources and the budget to match. Skip it if marketing or customer success also need demo access.

5. Reprise

Best for: Enterprise teams with complex technical products where demo realism directly impacts deal closure. When sales engineers need to modify data and configurations in real-time during high-stakes demos.

What sets it apart: Fully functional sandbox environments that clone your actual product with governed demo data. SEs can edit anything - charts, workflows, user data - on the fly without touching production. It's like having a complete staging environment purpose-built for demos.

The reality check: Premium pricing starting around $30,000/year with significant implementation effort. Usually requires engineering coordination and formal IT involvement. The complexity can be overkill for most marketing and sales demo needs.

Who should pick this: Enterprise software companies selling technical products to technical buyers where the investment makes sense at $100k+ ACV deals. If your demos don't need that level of sandbox customisation, you're probably overpaying.

How to create a click-through demo?

To create a click-through demo, choose a demo recording tool, plan your demo flow, capture your app, and add interactive elements like annotations and conditional demo branching logic to tell your story.

Here's the complete process if you use HowdyGo:

1. Strategic planning (before you hit record). Start by identifying your product's "Aha! moments" and mapping them against your target audience's day-to-day workflow, focusing on the frustrations they're trying to solve. Build a realistic storyline that mirrors how they'd actually use your product.
2. Set up HowdyGo for recording. Install the HowdyGo Chrome extension and make sure you're logged into your product with the right permissions. Don't worry about having sample data loaded. The beauty of HTML capture is that you can edit any data in the capture after recording it.
3. Record your flow with HowdyGo. Click "Start Recording" in the HowdyGo extension and simply click through your own platform, showing the flow of screens you want to show off. HowdyGo follows the "1 click = 1 step" principle, automatically breaking your recording into logical segments every time you click something.
4. Edit in HowdyGo's editor. Add contextual annotations that explain the business impact of each action, not just what button to click. Use HowdyGo's personalization features to customize the demo with prospect-specific data - swap in their company name, industry metrics, or relevant use cases.
5. Test and iterate using HowdyGo analytics. HowdyGo provides built-in analytics that show you exactly where prospects drop off during a demo. Use this data to A/B test different approaches - maybe prospects respond better to a feature-focused flow versus an outcome-focused one. The platform makes it easy to create multiple versions and track performance, so you can continuously refine based on what actually converts.

The psychology behind high converting click-through demos

1. The IKEA effect: Why interaction creates ownership

When people invest effort (even tiny amounts) into something, they value it more highly. Every click, every choice, every small interaction in your demo is building that investment (just like every bolt you tighten on your newly purchased IKEA piece).

The best teams design specific moments for prospects to "customize" the experience. Maybe it's choosing their industry use case, selecting their team size, or picking which workflow to explore first. These aren't just navigation choices - they're ownership triggers.

Based on our analysis of >500 high-performing demos, use branching functionality, but keep it simple. You don't need a complex decision tree with infinite paths. What works is 2-3 meaningful branches based on use case or role.

2. Progressive disclosure: How to reveal complexity without overwhelming

Progressive disclosure is about revealing your product's power gradually, in digestible chunks. Start with the core value proposition - the thing that made them click on your demo in the first place. Then layer in the sophistication.

The teams that nail this understand their prospects' learning curve. They don't lead with advanced integrations or edge-case features. They start with the "aha moment" and build from there.

From our analysis of >500 high-performing demos, you've got 1 step to hook a viewer and maximum 7 steps to get them to that first Aha! moment. Make them count and you've got an engaged visitor who is more likely to eventually convert.

3. Social proof through interaction: Why "doing" beats "seeing"

Static testimonials and case studies tell prospects other people found value. Clickable demos let them experience that value firsthand. When someone successfully completes a task in your demo they're not just learning about your product, they're proving to themselves that they can use it effectively.

From Flagsmith's analysis of their click-through demos, People who have engaged with a demo are 1.7x more likely to convert. Not bad for an intent signal...

Next steps

The thing about demos is they're not actually that complicated to get right. Pick one core workflow that shows your value prop. Build it. Put it in front of prospects. See what happens.

You don't need to demo your entire product on day one. You don't need complex branching logic or personalization engines. You just need to let people click around and see what it's like to actually use your product.

The teams that succeed with this stuff start simple and iterate. They track what matters - not just who watched the demo, but who converted afterward. They're honest about what works and what doesn't.

If you're ready to stop talking about your product and start showing it, HowdyGo can get you up and running today with a 14 day free trial - most teams publish their first demo within hours of signing up.

If you want to talk through your specific situation first, just hit the chat bubble and we'll walk through it with you.