Mobile Onboarding
Benchmark Index
We've reviewed +200 mobile onboarding flows! here is what we found how app owners deliver their first-time-user-experience
Mobile companies have a need for a deeper understanding of how onboardings are constructed and what different options app owners can choose from.
The study presents common practices, based on the analysis of 200 mobile apps that include an onboarding process of any kind and have reached a substantial download volume.
Some intriguing discoveries presented in the research include:
This study provides app owners with a clear view of what other apps have chosen to include in their first time user experience.
4.2
1. Number of screens:
4.2 screens
The number of onboarding screens depends on the amount of information the app chooses to share with new users. one must be aware not to create a tedious onboarding process OR INCLUDe TOO MUCH INFORMATION ON EVERY SCREEN, considering today’s users’ short attention span. by not explaining the app properly, might have a negative effect as well.
2.Ask for login / CTA:
58%
58%
ask for sign up
A registration process is one of the classic ways to end an onboarding process. Some apps may choose to include this option in the very beginning (as a way of skipping the onboarding altogether). Others end the process with a sign up CTA, and focus on creating a flow that encourages users to register.
Out of those 58% that ask for CTA:
32%
At the beginning
26%
At the end
70.8%
3.Do not Allow to "skip" the onboarding:
70.8%
do not allow to
"skip"
App owners must take into consideration that mobile users are rather impatient, and given the possibility of skipping the onboarding portion users will most likely do it. If there is vital information that users should be exposed to in order to understand and enjoy the app, skipping could be harmful. On the contrary, users who are already familiar with the product or have low tolerance could find the lack of a skipping option upsetting.
4.Swipe direction:
72%
72% Horizontal
17% other
11% Vertical
Giving users a horizontal transition between screens is more common, which makes this a choice between a more intuitive and familiar option than a surprising one. Other issues to consider are whether users will actively swipe the screen, and if so, providing an explanation as to which direction they should be swiping at (using arrows, for example). The “other” segment refers to screen transition that did not call for a specific swipe direction (by fading out, for instance).
5.blocking the user, step by step:
19.2%
19.2%
Use blocking
This is a similar dilemma to that of allowing users to skip the onboarding process.
Forcing users to perform certain tasks in order to move forward is a way of educating them, but might also cause some frustration. Whether or not apps should include this aspect in their onboarding process also depends on the frequency and nature of actions users are asked to take.
6.Using a wizard:
13%
13% Include a Wizard
Another way of educating users is by including a wizard; a way of making app usage clear to users by displaying specific actions in a step-by-step manner. This may also combine interactive actions, as well as blocking users from moving forward without performing these tasks first.
7. Adding a live video:
20.8%
20.8%
Use video
Video onboarding is entertaining and exciting, when created properly. on the other hand, it is also quite demanding in terms of effort and resources they require. Choosing to include a video in the onboarding process could help grab users’ attention, but is also less flexible if you wish to change it later on. Apps that offer video features or services may include videos showing their product in action.
8.Average text per screen:
25.8%
25.8% Text per screen
Similarly to the number of screens an app displays to new users, choosing how much text to include in each screen is a balance between delivering important information and maintaining user-focus. An onboarding procedure should send users a message, but not necessarily a written one.
9.Visual elements:
62.3%
62.3% Graphics
55.4% Images
29.2% Illustrations
When looking into the types of visual apps chosen, we can see a choice between basic graphic elements, more detailed illustrations, and photo images. Some apps may choose to display more than one option. While images and graphics are easily available for free, and can sometimes be created by app owners themselves, illustrations can sometimes require hiring a professional.
10. specify a disclaimer in the onboarding process:
10.8%
10.8% Use disclaimer
A DISCLAIMER CAN BE A PROMISE TO PROTECT USERS’ PRIVACY, TO NEVER POST ON THEIR BEHALF ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IN SOME CASES BE PART OF A MORE ELABORATED TERMS AND CONDITIONS DOCUMENT. WHILE ASSISTING IN DECREASING USERS’ HESITATION TO ALLOW ACCESS TO OTHER ACCOUNTS, MAKE SURE THAT USERS ARE AWARE OF THE DISCLAIMER WHEN INITIALLY DOWNLOADING THE APP.
11. Onboarding duration
17.9
17.9 Seconds
In measuring the duration of onboardings, we estimated how long it would take users to read the text, watch a video and perform the actions required. As with the number of screens and information included in each one, the length of an onboarding process should be long enough to deliver the key messages, without making it exhausting to users.
12.Access request:
34.6%
