What’s working (and not) in onboarding flows right now?
Hey PH community!
I’m currently iterating on the onboarding flow for our app and wanted to spark a discussion around what’s working - and what’s not - in product onboarding right now.
There are a ton of approaches out there: interactive tours, blank states with hints, checklists, AI-based onboarding, progressive disclosure, etc. But the real challenge seems to be balancing speed to value with user clarity — without overwhelming or boring them.
From your experience:
• What’s the most effective onboarding you’ve recently seen, and why did it work?
• What tactics have totally flopped for your product or team?
Replies
The best onboarding I’ve seen is from Headspace — it personalizes right from the start, asking about user goals.
Calm also does a great job with a smooth, relaxing intro that doesn’t overwhelm.
On the flip side, MyFitnessPal can feel too checklist-heavy, and Strava’s early setup is a bit overwhelming.
One of the best I've seen recently is Linear. Super minimal onboarding, but it gets you into the product fast and shows value right away. No fluff, just smart defaults and clear UI :)