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7 best ClickLearn alternatives for product training and guided demos (2025)

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Tom Bruining

Co-founder

ClickLearn is a well-known digital adoption platform (DAP) and training tool that’s particularly prevalent among enterprises using Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce. It’s highly regarded for its ability to record processes and automatically generate training documentation in a variety of formats, including video walkthroughs, slide decks, and step-by-step written guides. This makes it an appealing solution for large organizations with a need for standardized training materials across complex workflows.

We’re using CL classic for our IFS implementation.  ClickLearn is amazing!  We are publishing to OneDrive and have seemed to figure out almost everything just using this community website, videos, and a handful of help tickets. - User on the ClickLearn help forums
An example of a ClickLearn digital adoption platform guide
An example of a ClickLearn digital adoption platform guide

However, ClickLearn isn’t without limitations. Many teams eventually outgrow it or hit a wall where its design and capabilities start to feel constraining. Common reasons companies explore other options include:

  • The authoring tool is Windows only. No Mac or Linux support for content creators.
  • Limited real-time analytics compared to other modern DAPs.
  • A heavier focus on documentation over interactive in-app guidance or real-time user feedback.
  • Reports of recording and replay issues from users within the ClickLearn community.

If you're looking for more interactivity, easier guide creation, better analytics, or a solution that works across multiple platforms and use cases, this guide will walk you through the best ClickLearn alternatives available in 2025.

Tool

Best For

WalkMe

Large enterprises with complex workflows

Whatfix

Cross-platform adoption with strong analytics

HowdyGo

Best for web SaaS with unlimited seats and demos. Expansion-friendly pricing model.

Pendo

SaaS teams that want analytics + onboarding

Userlane

Simple, quick deployment for internal training

Appcues

Fast, beautiful onboarding for web SaaS

Trainual

SOP-focused teams replacing static docs

Why trust this guide

I’m the cofounder of HowdyGo, a modern demo creation platform used by SaaS and enterprise teams alike. Because we operate in this space ourselves, we can’t evaluate tools from an entirely neutral outsider’s perspective but we do try to present each alternative with firsthand knowledge of what matters to teams creating product training and onboarding experiences.

Our evaluations are based on testing the tools, reviewing their documentation and hunting down niche community feedback (specifically going beyond G2, Capterra - which are great review aggregation sites, but are inherently also biased.) We then compare the use cases that align best with these tools against our own customers. We update this guide regularly to reflect new tools, pricing changes, and product evolution.

1. WalkMe

A screenshot of the WalkMe interface for creating "guided flows"
A screenshot of the WalkMe interface for creating "guided flows"

Best for: Large organisations with complex change management needs and enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.

Pros

  • Advanced automation tools that can guide or complete user workflows.
  • Built-in AI assistant and chatbot for real-time user help.
  • Platform-agnostic and works across web, desktop, and mobile environments.
  • Deep integration and analytics across complex software stacks.

Cons

  • Steep learning curve and setup time.
  • High price point geared toward enterprise-level budgets.

Pricing: Only available via custom quotes. Typically considered among the most expensive options.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Offers broader capabilities beyond documentation and training.
  • WalkMe can handle large-scale change management across many applications.
  • No OS restrictions for authoring or playback. Supports full tech stack.

Customer perspectives on WalkMe

The takeaway from our research is that WalkMe is enterprise ready (perhaps to be expected from an SAP product), and that comes with capability but also can make rollout more complex.

Jeff May Hugh, a WalkMe consultant notes:
“When WalkMe is first setup in an organization, there are going to be hiccups, challenges, support requests. … one of the biggest mistakes I see is incorrect use of support channels.”

He also notes "WalkMe builders need to advocate for WalkMe and attempt to spread it in their organization."

2. Whatfix

A screenshot of the WhatFix interface showing an in-app product tour popup.
A screenshot of the WhatFix interface showing an in-app product tour popup.

Best for: Organizations that want a DAP that blends walkthrough creation with strong usage analytics and self-help features.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use no-code editor supports guide creation on web, desktop, and mobile apps.
  • Self-Help widget can pull in your existing knowledge base content.
  • SCORM-compliant. Can export content to LMS platforms.
  • Advanced analytics for monitoring feature adoption and user success.

Cons

  • Interface is powerful but could be more polished.
  • Limited automation features compared to WalkMe.

Pricing: Available on request. Generally more affordable than WalkMe for similar functionality.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Offers deeper insight into user behavior through built-in analytics.
  • Works across operating systems with broader support for different app environments.
  • Supports content reuse and LMS integration for formal training programs.

Customer perspectives on WalkMe

"We used WhatFix in my previous role for the customer service program to help guide our associates. We found that the flows were barely used and quite clunky. To me, the flows weren't usable because they consistently timed out and were only useful if the customer didn't ask any questions." - Reddit User in /r/InstructionalDesign

3. HowdyGo

Best for: Product marketers and onboarding teams that want high-quality demos for onboarding, sales, or launches. Offers unlimited HTML product demos and unlimited seats on all pricing tiers.

Pros

  • Record actual product flows and edit the UI of your app with a visual editor.
  • Supports partial Figma prototypes, dev environments, and live apps.
  • Share via link, embed on your website, or gate for lead gen.
  • Quick to update and re-record when changes happen.

Cons

  • Not built for traditional LMS export or SCORM workflows.
  • Not as effective for desktop based apps, but you can upload screenshots directly.

Pricing: Starts at $159 per month. Free trial available.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Easier to use for marketing and product teams.
  • More modern, web-first design with quick editing of your UI to perfect the story.
  • Great for customer-facing demos, not just internal training.

Customer perspectives on HowdyGo

Callum is a Product Marketing Manager at Komo and shared his take on using interactive product demos.
If I had any advice for somebody thinking about demos. Make sure you're thinking through what it is you want to show and communicate.

The actual capturing part is the easy part. It's thinking through the strategy around it and what you're going to show and how you're going to do it that is the time consuming part and the difficult part.

4. Pendo

Pendo's in-app guide creation process
Pendo's in-app guide creation tool

Best for: SaaS companies that want to combine product usage analytics with in-app onboarding and messaging.

Pros

  • Comprehensive analytics for tracking feature usage and user engagement.
  • In-app walkthroughs, tooltips, and announcements with behavioral targeting.
  • Built-in NPS and sentiment survey tools.

Cons

  • More complex platform with a steeper learning curve.
  • Costs can escalate quickly if you only need the onboarding features.

Pricing: Offers a free tier. Paid plans typically start at $2,000 per year and scale based on user volume and features.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Offers robust analytics and messaging in one tool.
  • Ideal for customer-facing SaaS applications.
  • Can be a powerful PLG (product-led growth) driver.

Customer perspectives on Pendo

"Pendo is alright for analytics. But I did not like it one bit for in-app guides. It is glitchy, slow, unnecessarily complicated to implement and also very limited in triggers. Also it will stick out like a sore thumb in your interface unless your product is also one of those dull and boring enterprise applications." - Reddit user on /r/ProductManagement

5. Userlane

Userlane's in-app guidance
The UserLane in app guidance assistant

Best for: Internal training and onboarding on enterprise tools like SAP, Salesforce, or Microsoft Dynamics.

Pros

  • Extremely easy to use. Non-technical staff can create step-by-step guides.
  • Provides fast deployment for live guidance in existing software.
  • Highly responsive support and implementation assistance.

Cons

  • No built-in resource center for housing help articles.
  • Basic analytics may not be enough for some use cases.

Pricing: Quote-based. Considered mid-tier pricing among DAPs.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Easier for teams to get started with minimal training.
  • Works directly within live apps. Not simulation based.
  • No platform limitations for authors or viewers.

Customer perspective on Userlane

BrainSensei reviewed Userlane and had a lot of positives to share, but did note some challenges.

Learning curve: There’s a bit to figure out at first, especially for teams less comfortable with new software.

Editor quirks: Formatting within the content editor is “good enough” but feels basic. Attaching large files can be glitchy.

Price: Not the cheapest for very small teams unless you’re serious about training and documentation.

Customization ceiling: While templates and labels help a lot, niche processes may still need some workarounds.

6. Appcues

The AppCues in-app tour building interface
The AppCues in-app tour building interface

Best for: SaaS companies that need onboarding flows and tooltips for user engagement.

Pros

  • Easy to build modals, tooltips, and checklists without code.
  • Supports custom styling for on-brand user experiences.
  • Offers in-app surveys like NPS and product feedback.

Cons

  • Focused only on web applications. No desktop or native mobile support.
  • Lacks broader enterprise-level training features.

Pricing: Starts at $249 per month for up to 2,500 monthly active users. Tiered pricing for larger apps.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Designed for fast deployment of beautiful onboarding flows.
  • More focused on growth and engagement than documentation.
  • Easier for small teams to maintain.

Customer perspective on AppCues

We're on a cheaper plan (which costs almost 1000$ monthly anyways), where many valuable features are locked. Some tools cost around 100-200$ monthly for a complete set of features. On paper, they are not worse than Appcues, but we have yet to check them out.

And I also HATE the interface and logic of designing flows in Appcues. It feels like you're back in 2003 word. - Reddit User on /r/UXDesign

Another user with a more complimentary view of AppCues had this to say:

I've used Appcues at my last company. It was great, but a overly complicated for our needs. And the price tag was a bit too high (although you get a lot of features, if you use them all, it is easily justified)

7. Trainual

Trainual user interface showing the onboarding playbooks you can create for employees.
Trainual user interface showing the onboarding playbooks you can create for employees.

Best for: Teams creating SOPs and internal process documentation with quizzes and video.

Pros

  • Centralizes training and onboarding into searchable libraries.
  • Includes video, step-by-step content, and assessments.
  • Easy to update and share across departments.

Cons

  • Doesn’t overlay on live software.
  • Less dynamic than real-time walkthroughs.

Pricing: From $250/month. Scales by seats and features.

Why choose over ClickLearn

  • Better for companies standardizing SOPs.
  • More structured and team-focused.
  • Simpler than using a full DAP for documentation needs.

Customer perspective on Trainual

I run a small team (under 50) and I paid nearly $3,500 for my plan last year only to realize that there’s a lot of stuff I just don’t need for basic team training documentation, updating our SOPs, etc. - Trainual user on Reddit in /r/managers

Why people leave ClickLearn

Users have shared a number of frustrations with ClickLearn in their own forums. Here are some of the recurring themes:

  • Recording issues. Users report that recording sometimes fails to initiate properly. “Unable to create a recording. Full screen stays greyed out.”
    View discussion
  • Click detection failures. Trackpads in particular can result in missed clicks. “Only recorded 3 out of 10 clicks on the trackpad.”
    View discussion
  • Replay errors. Users report the replay feature often fails when fields or values in the system change.
    View discussion

While ClickLearn remains effective for generating process documentation at scale, its limitations around real-time support, OS compatibility, and in-app analytics lead many teams to switch.

Comparison table

Tool

Best For

Authoring OS

Analytics

Video Export

Pricing

ClickLearn

Enterprise doc automation

Windows only

Basic

Custom

WalkMe

Complex enterprise workflows

Any

Advanced

No

$$$

HowdyGo

Marketing and onboarding demos

Any

Moderate

$

Whatfix

Cross-platform DAP + analytics

Any

Advanced

$$

Pendo

SaaS analytics + onboarding

Any

Advanced

No

$$ to $$$

Userlane

Fast enterprise app training

Any

Basic

No

$$

Appcues

Web SaaS onboarding

Any (web)

Basic+

No

$ to $$

Trainual

SOP and process documentation

Any

Basic

$$

Final thoughts

ClickLearn has carved out a valuable role for itself in the enterprise training space. Especially if you're already committed to Microsoft platforms and need to produce formalized documentation across multiple languages, it's a mature option with proven use cases.

However, if you're frustrated with the Windows-only authoring limitation, tired of replay errors, or looking for something more dynamic and modern, the alternatives in this guide provide plenty of compelling choices. Whether you're focused on customer onboarding, internal training, or marketing-ready product demos, there’s a better match out there.

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