6 Best Client Onboarding Software for 2025: Boost Your Customer Success

Your search for the best client onboarding software should end here as we compare the top 6 through features, G2 reviews, feedback from Reddit users and more.

Published:

December 11, 2024

Getting customers through the product is just the beginning. The real challenge is ensuring clients understand, value, and succeed with your product. This is where client onboarding software helps. It offers a structured, engaging way to introduce clients to your services, setting them up for success from the very start.

If you're reading this, you're probably searching for the perfect client onboarding software. 

We’ll explore the six best software for client onboarding, complete with features, G2 reviews, Reddit user insights, and pricing options, to help you find the best fit for your business needs. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, we've covered you. Grab your coffee, and let's get started!

What is Client Onboarding?

Client onboarding guides new customers from their initial purchase to the point where they are fully engaged and comfortable using your product or service. It involves providing training, support, and resources to ensure a smooth transition. Successful onboarding doesn’t just teach clients how to use the product—it builds confidence, establishes a positive relationship, and can significantly impact customer retention and satisfaction.

Why Client Onboarding Software Matters

Before moving into our list, let's discuss why client onboarding software is needed. 

Picture this: you've just landed a new client (congrats!), and now you need to get them up to speed with your product or service. Without a streamlined process, this can quickly become a nightmare of endless emails, confusing spreadsheets, and missed deadlines.

That's where client onboarding software streamlines the process. It keeps everything on track and ensures your new clients feel welcomed, informed, and ready to rock. 

A good onboarding software can:

  • Shorten the time to value for your clients 
  • Save you time and resources
  • Improve client satisfaction and retention
  • Standardize your onboarding process
  • Provide valuable insights and analytics
  • Scale your business and increase profitability 

Differences Between Project Management, User Onboarding, and Client Onboarding Platforms

It’s easy to confuse client onboarding software with other tools like project management or user onboarding platforms. While all three support workflows, they serve different purposes.

  • Project Management Platforms: Focus on organizing and tracking tasks and deadlines, usually for internal teams. Examples include Asana, Trello, and Monday.com.
  • User Onboarding Platforms: These are centered on educating individual users about how to use a product. They offer features like in-app guidance and tutorials to enhance user engagement and adoption. Examples include Appcues, UserGuiding, and WalkMe.
  • Client Onboarding Platforms: Designed for B2B companies to streamline the onboarding journey for their clients. These platforms combine project management and user onboarding elements, using automation, progress tracking, and personalized resources to ensure clients successfully adopt the product. Examples include CogniSaaS, Rocketlane, and Totango.

Understanding these distinctions can help you choose the right tools to enhance user and client satisfaction.

Our Top Picks: 6 Best Client Onboarding Software

  1. CogniSaaS: The All-in-One Client Onboarding Platform

Let's talk about CogniSaaS first since they’re the host for today's blog post. CogniSaaS is a robust customer onboarding platform that's been making waves in the industry. It's designed to streamline the onboarding process, from initial contact to full product adoption.

Key Features:

  • End-to-end project management 
  • Real-time customer collaboration
  • Module-wise implementation tracking
  • Accurate billing through time sheet tracking 
  • Custom analytics and reporting
  • Resource allocation and capacity management

What Users Love:

CogniSaaS has been receiving rave reviews from its users. On G2, it boasts an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars based on numerous reviews. Users particularly praise its intuitive interface and powerful customization options.

A G2 reviewer states

"What I like best about CogniSaaS is its ability to prioritize high-value accounts and provide a clear overview of task tracking in fast-paced startup environments. It empowers efficient project management by offering a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status for all accounts, enabling teams to make better-informed decisions.

The most helpful aspect of CogniSaaS is its range of features that enhance customer engagement during onboarding. These include a document repository, client-to-product feature mapping, tracking of specific product feature usage by clients, and actionable insights. These features streamline the onboarding process and contribute to a smoother customer experience."

Reddit's Take:

The sentiment is similarly positive on Reddit. In a thread discussing onboarding software, one user commented, "We switched to CogniSaaS about six months ago, and it's been fantastic. The learning curve was minimal, and our clients love the transparency it provides."

Pricing:

CogniSaaS offers a tiered pricing model to suit businesses of all sizes. They’re most suitable for teams with at least 10 users:

  • Essential: $19/month billed annually
  • Premium: $39/month billed annually
  • Enterprise: $69/month billed annually

They also offer a free trial, so you can take it for a spin before committing.

The Bottom Line:

CogniSaaS is an excellent all-rounder that ticks all the boxes for effective client onboarding. Its combination of thoughtful features, user-friendly interface, and scalable pricing makes it a top contender for businesses of all sizes.

  1. GuideCX: Project Management Meets Onboarding

Next up, we have GuideCX, a platform that brings project management principles to client onboarding. If you're looking for a tool that can handle complex onboarding processes with ease, GuideCX might be just what you need.

Key Features:

  • Interactive project timelines
  • Client and internal portals
  • Automated task assignments
  • Resource forecasting
  • Extensive integration options

What Users Love:

GuideCX has earned a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars on G2. Users frequently mention its robust project management capabilities and how it helps keep everyone on the same page.

Reddit's Take:

On Reddit, GuideCX gets a thumbs-up from project managers. One user shared, "We use GuideCX for client onboarding, and it's been a lifesaver. It's especially great for managing multiple onboarding projects simultaneously."

Pricing:

GuideCX requires you to have a minimum of 4 users and they offer three main pricing tiers:

  • Starterl: $143/month 
  • Premium: Custom pricing
  • Advanced: Custom pricing

They don’t mention about a free trial to test the waters.

The Bottom Line:

GuideCX is an excellent choice for businesses with complex onboarding processes or those managing multiple clients simultaneously. Its project management focus sets it apart from more traditional onboarding tools.

  1. Userguiding: Simplifying User Onboarding

While Userguiding primarily focused on user onboarding for SaaS products, it can be adapted for client onboarding as well. If you're looking for a tool that can create interactive guides and walkthroughs, Userguiding is worth considering.

Key Features:

  • No-code onboarding flow creator
  • Interactive product tours
  • User segmentation
  • A/B testing
  • Analytics and heatmaps

What Users Love:

Userguiding scores a solid 4.6 out of 5 stars on G2. Users frequently praise its ease of use and its impact on user adoption rates.

Reddit's Take:

On Reddit, Userguiding is often recommended in threads about reducing churn and improving user onboarding. One user commented, "We implemented Userguiding last quarter, and our time-to-value for new users has decreased by 30%. It's been a game-changer for us."

Pricing:

Userguiding offers three main pricing tiers:

  • Basic: $69/month (billed annually)
  • Professional: $199/month (billed annually)
  • Corporate: Custom pricing

They offer a 14-day free trial.

The Bottom Line:

While Userguiding is primarily designed for product onboarding, its features can be adapted for client onboarding, especially for SaaS businesses. If you want to create interactive guides and improve user adoption, Userguiding is an option.

  1. Churn Zero: Onboarding with a Focus on Retention

Churn Zero takes a unique approach to onboarding by focusing heavily on customer success and retention. If reducing churn is a top priority for your business, Churn Zero might be the tool you're looking for.

Key Features:

  • Customer health scoring
  • Automated playbooks
  • Account segmentation
  • Usage tracking
  • Renewal management

What Users Love:

Churn Zero boasts an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars on G2. Users frequently mention its powerful analytics and how it helps them proactively manage customer relationships.

Reddit's Take:

On Reddit, Churn Zero is often mentioned in discussions about customer success tools. In a thread about reducing churn, one user shared, "We've been using Churn Zero for about a year now, and our retention rates have improved significantly. The automated playbooks are a huge time-saver."

Pricing:

Churn Zero doesn't publicly disclose its pricing, opting for custom quotes based on your specific needs. This can be a drawback since you will never know if you are being charged fairly. 

The Bottom Line:

Churn Zero is for businesses that want to tie their onboarding process directly to customer success metrics. Its focus on reducing churn and improving retention sets it apart from traditional onboarding tools.

  1. Rocketlane: Collaborative Client Onboarding

Rocketlane is a new player in the onboarding software space, but it focuses on collaboration and transparency. If you're looking for a tool to seamlessly connect your team and clients, Rocketlane is wan option

Key Features:

  • Collaborative project spaces
  • Time tracking and resource management
  • Document collaboration
  • Client surveys and feedback collection
  • Customizable templates

What Users Love:

Despite being newer to the market, Rocketlane has already earned an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars on G2. 

Reddit's Take:

Rocketlane is starting to pop up more frequently in Reddit discussions about onboarding tools. In a recent thread, a user commented, "We started using Rocketlane for client onboarding a few months ago, and it's been fantastic."

Pricing:

Rocketlane offers three main pricing tiers for a minimum of 5 users:

  • Essential: $19/user/month (billed annually)
  • Standard: $49/user/month (billed annually)
  • Premium:  $69/user/month (billed annually)
  • Enterprise:  $99/user/month (billed annually)

They offer a free trial.

The Bottom Line:

Rocketlane helps businesses prioritizing collaboration and transparency in their onboarding process. Its focus on bringing teams and clients together in a unified platform but lacks key features like module-wise implementation tracking.

  1. Userpilot: Onboarding with a Focus on Product Adoption

Last but not least, we have Userpilot. Similar to Userguiding, Userpilot is primarily focused on product adoption and user onboarding, but its features can also be adapted for client onboarding. It's particularly well-suited for businesses looking to improve their onboarding experience.

Key Features:

  • In-app onboarding experiences
  • User segmentation and targeting
  • A/B testing
  • Analytics and user behavior tracking
  • NPS surveys and feedback collection

What Users Love:

Userpilot scores an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars on G2. Users frequently praise its ease of use and the segmentation capabilities increasing user activation and adoption rates.

Reddit's Take:

On Reddit, Userpilot is often recommended in threads to reduce churn. In a discussion about onboarding tools one user shared, "We've been using Userpilot for about 6 months now, and it's been great. Creating targeted onboarding experiences based on user behavior has helped improve our activation rates."

Pricing:

Userpilot offers three main pricing tiers:

  • Starter: $249/month (billed annually)
  • Growth: $799/month (billed annually)
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing

They offer a free trial. 

The Bottom Line:

Userpilot helps improve product onboarding experience. It's not specifically designed for client onboarding.

Choosing the Right Onboarding Software for Your Business

With six great options on the table, if you still need help to choose the right one for your business here are a few key factors to consider:

  • Business size and scalability needs: Some tools are better suited for large enterprises, while others, like CogniSaaS, offer more flexibility for businesses of all sizes.
  • Complexity of your onboarding process: If you have a complex, multi-stage onboarding process, a tool like CogniSaaS or GuideCX might be more suitable. For simpler processes, Rocketlane could help. 
  • Integration requirements: Consider what other tools you're using (CRM, project management, etc.) and choose a solution that integrates well with your existing tech stack.
  • Budget: Pricing varies significantly between these tools. Consider not just the upfront cost, but also the potential ROI in terms of improved client retention and team efficiency.
  • Focus on client vs. product onboarding: While some tools like CogniSaaS and GuideCX are specifically designed for client onboarding, others like Userguiding and Userpilot are more focused on product onboarding. Consider which approach aligns better with your needs.
  • Collaboration features: If working closely with clients during the onboarding process is important to you, consider tools with strong collaboration features like Rocketlane or CogniSaaS.
  • Customization options: Some businesses need a high degree of customization in their onboarding process. In this case, tools like CogniSaaS might be more suitable.

Wrapping Up: Final Thoughts 

From the versatile CogniSaaS to the enterprise-grade GuideCX, there's something here for every business size and onboarding need.

Remember, the "best" software is ultimately the one that fits your specific needs and processes. Investing in the right onboarding software can dramatically improve your client relationships, increase efficiency, and ultimately drive business growth. Take your time, evaluate your options carefully, and get ready to transform your onboarding process!

No matter your choice, prioritizing client onboarding with the right software can lead to higher retention, greater customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, a more successful business. Give these platforms a try and find the best fit for your needs!

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