Best Mobile App Onboarding Examples in 2025

If you're looking for some inspiration to improve your own mobile app onboarding experience, you've come to the right place.

We break down the best onboarding flows from across the mobile app industry and shed light on what makes them great.

‍Quick overview:

• Apps like Doordash, Calm, Bumble, Blinkist and Duolingo have some of the best onboarding flows from the mobile industry.
• Key reasons their onboarding flows are so successful include personalization of experience; intuitive UI; low time-to-value; well-placed social proof and finely timed prompts.
• Gaming apps in particular have really nailed onboarding. Candy Crush gives quick wins and Temple Run takes a "learn by doing" approach.

TL;DR

Looking to build a winning mobile app onboarding experience? This guide breaks down 15+ real examples from apps like DoorDash, Duolingo, and Google Pay that nail user onboarding.

Key takeaways: reduce friction by delaying signup, personalize with smart questions, give quick wins, use in-app messages for activation, and let users explore before committing. Apps with great onboarding flows see up to 5X better engagement and 80%+ completion rates.

What is User Onboarding?

User onboarding is the process of introducing new users to your app and guiding them through its initial setup and core features. It's the critical first step in the user's journey, setting the tone for their entire experience with your product.

The onboarding flow is the sequence of steps that new or existing users take when they open your product.

An example of a flow includes a welcome page, two informational splash screens, and a login and registration page.

Why is app onboarding important?

By clearly demonstrating your app's value and functionality from the start, you're not just teaching users how to use your app - you're showing them why they should keep using it.

If you're here, you already know how important user onboarding is. We don't need to tell you that the average mobile app sees almost 80% of new users drop off after the first 3 days.

1. Impact on User Experience: A smooth, intuitive onboarding process creates a positive first impression, making users feel welcomed and supported.
2. Impact on User Engagement: Well-designed onboarding demonstrates how the app meets user needs, motivating further exploration and interaction.
3. Impact on User Retention: Users who quickly grasp an app's value and find it easy to use are more likely to become loyal customers.

Core Onboarding Questions Your Flow Should Answer

The best app onboarding experiences answer these fundamental user questions:

• How can I start using this app?
• How does this app work?
• What are the benefits of this app?
• How does this app solve my problem?
• What data do I need to give to use this app?

15 Best App Onboarding Examples & What Makes Them Work

DoorDash's user onboarding eliminates all friction

One of the biggest stages of friction when you download a new mobile app is the initial sign up phase.

The process of signing up and the associated friction can’t be skipped, but can you transfer this friction to a later stage - to a point where you’ve already delivered some value to the user?

DoorDash’s onboarding shifts the friction associated with signing up closer to the end of the user journey, to get more new users to place their first order as quickly as possible.

DoorDash’s initial signup page has the regular email, google signup options, but it also includes an option for continuing as a guest.

This is brilliant because DoorDash can let users explore its value - browse restaurants in their location and even add items to cart - without signing up. Only when you need to place your order are you asked to fill in your address and other details.

If possible, you can also experiment with your onboarding flow to check if significant points of friction (such as signing up) can be backloaded to the later stage of the user journey, to a point after your users have seen value.

Calm delivers a relaxing onboarding experience

Calm is a meditation and relaxation app. If you ever use Calm, you’ll notice it starts delivering value immediately - right when the app is loading!

Calm’s onboarding has a few steps, including questions around my goals for joining (meditation, managing stress, sleeping better, etc). Due to this slightly longer onboarding, they have included some social proofing midway to motivate users to finish onboarding.

Bumble's onboarding nudges users to take specific actions

What stands out in Bumble’s onboarding is the right nudge at the right time.

Any dating app needs both men and women to make it successful. The most drop off in men who’ve signed up on Bumble would probably happen within the first few days, especially if they’ve not received any “likes”.

Bumble reduces this drop-off with the well-placed “Spotlight” feature. When you go to the "Likes" screen, if no one's swiped right on you yet, Bumble keeps your hopes alive with Spotlight.

The value is evident: By skipping to the front of the queue, increase your odds of getting matched with people you’re interested in. If you get a match, you’re much more likely to stay.

Google Pay uses in-app messaging in onboarding to drive users to complete core actions

Google Pay knows that a new user will be activated much faster if they make a payment to their contacts via a search, or by scanning a QR code. They make sure a new user is aware of how to use those two features with tooltips.

These tooltips drive activation rates up because:

1. They drive awareness and education about key features
2. More users complete these core actions and derive value
3. Users take these actions in their first 1-2 app experiences, thereby reducing time to value

If you'd like to dig deeper, here are some examples of consumer apps who've improved onboarding and activation rates with in-app messages.

Duolingo: Another masterclass in reducing onboarding friction

Start learning a language as soon as possible, no signup required. Duo wastes no time showing you what their experience looks like and how easy it will be to learn that language you've been eying for a while now!

A very clean user experience, and keeping things simple enough to not overwhelm new users.

As you progress, Duolingo asks you to commit to learning French everyday with a daily streak.

This must have been a great growth experiment for Duo. Here's how they would have planned this experiment:

1. Hypothesis: We believe that users who commit to learning a new language are more likely to use Duolingo again
2. Prediction: If they commit to a 7-day streak, day 7 retention will increase by XX%

I'm guessing this experiment paid off for Duolingo, which is why they've had this screen in place for a long time now.

Once you've shown new users what a lesson looks like and have them commit to learning with you, getting them to make a profile to save their progress becomes a very small ask.

Blinkist: Personalize onboarding with relevant questions

Blinkist is a subscription app that offers book summaries and key ideas in 15-minute listens. Its user interface is excellent, and it has a light, pleasant feel.

During the onboarding process, Blinkist starts by asking users about their goals. This helps collect user intent and deliver personalized content later in the user journey.

To curate personalized recommendations, Blinkist asks you about the genre in which you want to invest yourself based on which, it shows you a list of book suggestions as a part of the subsequent onboarding process.

Blinkist then delivers a personalized and interactive onboarding process by including book recommendations tailored to the genre the user chose.

Additionally, Blinkist fosters motivation by showcasing how its reading/listening habits compare favourably to others. This personalised experience, combined with motivational prompts, effectively encourages potential customers to sign up for a free trial at the end of the onboarding process.

Candy Crush Saga: Quick wins in onboarding boost user motivation

Ever played Candy Crush Saga? The success of Candy Crush Saga lies in its ability to tap into our innate desire to win quickly and experience the satisfaction of mastering a skill.

This habit-forming thrill can also be applied to user onboarding and training by creating an easy and rewarding "beginner's level."

This approach can help reduce the mental friction a user would have during the onboarding process and lead to long-term stickiness. This also instills a sense of satisfaction in the users that they are doing the right thing.

Map out your product’s onboarding experience and try to give your users an early win to get to improve activation and long-term retention.

Masterclass: Explore before signing up

Masterclass is an extensive online learning platform with an impressive app onboarding process.

The app allows new users to freely explore available courses without signing up, offering them the freedom to discover the platform's full potential. The entire onboarding process is brief yet informative, providing users with essential details while also granting them the liberty to explore on their terms.

As we saw with Duolingo and Doordash, the icing on the cake is that users can access all of this without the need to sign in or create an account. This feature enables users to discover what interests them in the app and become engaged in the experience before dealing with mundane tasks like filling out forms and granting permissions.

TIDAL: Onboarding serves as reminder of core benefits

TIDAL, a music app, has an onboarding process which focuses on core functionality and competitive benefits.

When users open the TIDAL app for the first time, they are presented with previews of its strongest features, such as hi-fi sound quality, high-definition music videos, and offline mode.

By reminding users of your core value, you motivate your users to continue and finish signing up. Users are then prompted to sign up or log in to experience these features for themselves.

Rather than emphasizing emotional benefits, this strategy involves showcasing your app's standout features, particularly those that your competitors don't offer.

Temple Run: Learn by doing

Learning through doing things in an app can be considered to be one of the best onboarding practices adopted.

Building interactive onboarding helps keep the user engaged and guides them to experience the AHA moment.

Temple Run, as shown in the image above, is an example of how this is embraced wherein interactive messages while playing keeps the users hooked to the game and also give them a sense of learning while actually performing/playing the game

Soundcloud: Keep things simple

SoundCloud is a well-known social network app for music. It offers a convenient one-step sign-up process.

Once users sign up, they they are asked to provide their age, gender, display name, and photo (optional) for account creation which may also help SoundCloud understand its user demographics to provide personalized music recommendations.

Unlike many other apps, SoundCloud does not provide an explanation of its features or benefits. Users are free to explore the app and discover music right away, allowing them to reach the "aha moment" quickly because of its self-explanatory UI.

Instagram: finding and following friends

• Welcome screen introduces the app's purpose: sharing photos and videos
• Prompts users to create an account or log in with Facebook
• Asks for permissions to access photos, camera, and contacts
• Guides users to follow friends and popular accounts based on interests
• Introduces the main feed and how to navigate between posts
• Shows how to create a first post, emphasizing filters and editing tools

Etsy: highlighting the ease of browsing and purchasing

• Starts with a brief explanation of Etsy as a marketplace for unique goods
• Presents popular categories and trending items
• Introduces the search function with autocomplete suggestions
• Demonstrates how to favorite items and shops
• Explains the purchasing process, including secure checkout
• Offers to set up notifications for deals and favorite shop updates

Trello: iterative tutorials demonstrating workflow organization

• Begins with a simple explanation of Trello's board-list-card system
• Offers a guided tour of a sample board
• Walks users through creating their first board, list, and card
• Demonstrates drag-and-drop functionality
• Introduces collaboration features, showing how to invite team members
• Highlights integrations with other productivity tools

Coinbase: secure account creation and verification processes

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MyFitnessPal: understand users' fitness goals

• Begins by asking users about their health goals (lose weight, gain muscle, maintain)
• Collects basic information like age, height, weight, and activity level
• Sets up a personalized daily calorie goal based on input
• Guides users through logging their first meal, demonstrating the food database
• Introduces the meal and exercise logging feature, offers to set up reminders
• Shows how to connect with friends for accountability

Airbnb: inspire to discover local experiences

• Asks users about their travel preferences (leisure, business, local experiences)
• Demonstrates how to search for accommodations with filters
• Explains the booking process and communication with hosts
• Introduces the "Experiences" feature for local activities
• Shows how to save favorite listings and create wishlists
• Offers to set up notifications for deals in favorite destination

How Can I Improve My App's Onboarding Flow- Mobile onboarding best practices

Your Checklist

To ensure your onboarding process effectively enhances user experience and boosts engagement and retention:

✅ Do

• Keep it Simple and Concise: Don't overwhelm users with information - focus on essentials
• Highlight Key Features and Benefits: Show users your app's specific value
• Use Progressive Disclosure: Introduce complex features gradually as familiarity grows
• Incorporate Interactivity: Let users learn by doing to increase engagement and information retention
• Provide Skip Options: Allow experienced users to bypass detailed tutorials
• Use Clear, Engaging Visuals: Visual cues often convey information more effectively than text
• Optimize for Different Devices: Ensure onboarding looks great across all screen sizes

❌ Avoid

• Information Overload: Explaining every feature at once overwhelms and frustrates users
• Forced Actions: Making users complete non-essential steps leads to drop-offs
• Ignoring User Context: Not considering user familiarity with similar apps or their download reasons
• Generic Experiences: One-size-fits-all onboarding that doesn't personalize
• Too Many Steps: Long onboarding flows before users see value
• Delayed Value: Taking too long to show users why your app matters

Build Your Own Exceptional Mobile Onboarding Experience

And there you have it. Onboarding flows from some of the best mobile apps in the consumer tech space.

As demonstrated by Google Pay, Bumble and more examples, one powerful way to improve onboarding is using strategic in-app messages at the right moments.

At Plotline, we help mobile-first companies build better onboarding experiences with a variety of in-app messages - completely no-code.

What you can launch:

• Tooltips that guide users to key features
• Spotlights highlighting important UI elements
• Coachmarks for multi-step guidance
• Gamification elements to boost engagement
• Stories for immersive onboarding
• And more

Book a demo with us to explore how you can deploy tooltips, and other app experiences like spotlights, coachmarks, gamification elements to improve your app's onboarding and retention.

Summary: Key Takeaways for App Onboarding Success

Essential Mobile Onboarding Principles:

1. Reduce Friction: Delay signup until after users see value (DoorDash, Duolingo, Masterclass)
2. Deliver Immediate Value: Show don't tell - let users experience your core benefit quickly (Calm, Temple Run)
3. Personalize the Experience: Ask smart questions to tailor the onboarding flow (Blinkist)
4. Give Quick Wins: Help users succeed fast to build motivation (Candy Crush)
5. Use In-App Messages Strategically: Guide users to complete core actions with tooltips and prompts (Google Pay, Bumble)
6. Show Social Proof: Use testimonials and data to encourage completion of longer flows (Calm)
7. Keep It Simple: If your UI is intuitive, minimal onboarding might be best (SoundCloud)
8. Make It Interactive: Learning by doing beats passive instruction (Temple Run)
9. Time Your Asks Right: Request permissions and information when users understand why they matter
10. Remind Users of Value: Reinforce your unique benefits and competitive advantages (TIDAL)

The Bottom Line: Great mobile app onboarding reduces friction, delivers quick value, and guides users to their "aha moment" as efficiently as possible. Apps that nail this see dramatically better activation, engagement, and retention metrics.