{"id":39649,"date":"2024-12-10T11:02:23","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T11:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/interactive-walkthrough-vs-product-tour\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T10:25:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T10:25:20","slug":"interactive-walkthrough-vs-product-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/interactive-walkthrough-vs-product-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Interactive Walkthrough vs. Product Tour: Is There A Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When should you use an interactive walkthrough vs. a product tour?<\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re in the process of designing your product’s onboarding process, you’ve likely had to spend some time considering this question. You may have also wondered:<\/p>\n

Is there a difference between an interactive walkthrough vs. a product tour? How can you tell the difference? And… which is better suited to your product?<\/em><\/p>\n

The truth is that both are excellent onboarding tools with different approaches, and most of the best tools for product tours<\/a> let you build either one.<\/span> So, this article will explore their ideal use cases and some best practices to help you implement them correctly.
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What is an interactive walkthrough?<\/h2>\n

An interactive software walkthrough<\/a> is essentially a series of driven actions designed to educate users. Each Driven Action is a tooltip prompting the user to take a certain action before moving to the next step.<\/p>\n

In this walkthrough below, for example, Attention Insight – an AI-powered heatmap analysis tool – guides the user to the heatmap comparison page and prompts them to create a new comparison.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 Read the full case study:<\/strong> How Attention Insight Improved User Activation by 47% with Userpilot\u2019s Interactive Walkthroughs<\/a><\/div>\n
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An interactive walkthrough by Attention Insight. Learn how attention insight improved user activation by 47% with Userpilot\u2019s interactive walkthroughs here!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notice how there’s no \u2018Next<\/em>\u2019 button? Instead of simply informing the user and skipping to the next, the user is compelled to take action. This improves user engagement<\/a>, ensuring they understand the described flow.<\/p>\n

What is a product tour?<\/h2>\n

As the name implies, a product tour<\/a> is a tour of your product. They are designed to showcase the product’s key features, highlighting each feature\/button\/section and its use.<\/p>\n

Product tours use a combination of non-action-driven tooltips, spotlights, and\/or modals with embedded tutorial videos.<\/p>\n

For example, Impala, a virtual assistant for nonprofits, grantmakers, and networks, uses a product tour to guide users around a new feature.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 Read related blog posts:<\/strong> How Impala Increased User Activation by 100% Using Userpilot<\/a><\/div>\n
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Impala\u2019s product tour highlights product features and their uses. Learn\u00a0How Impala increased user activation by 100% using Userpilot here!\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All you have to do is click the “Next” button to move across the tour’s different steps and explore the feature. As a result, product tours are typically linear and non-interactive.<\/p>\n

Is there a difference between a product tour and an interactive walkthrough?<\/h2>\n

To answer simply, Yes<\/em>.<\/p>\n

By virtue of how they both work, they’re not the same.<\/p>\n

Interactive walkthroughs are typically focused on specific workflows or actions. Essentially, a walkthrough is a form of interactive product tour that requires the user to take an action.<\/p>\n

It requires user input and action during the flow, making it more a dynamic and personalized customer experience<\/a>: Completing the required action triggers the next sequence in the walkthrough. This is different from a standard product tour, which only requires user action in the form of “Next” and “Back” or “Previous” buttons.<\/p>\n

Product tours, however, are less interactive and often passive. As a result, they can provide a broader overview of a product’s key features and functionalities. They are also more structured and linear.<\/p>\n

But, they also share some similarities.<\/p>\n

For example, they’re both user onboarding tools<\/a> designed to improve the user experience, increase product or feature adoption<\/a>, and boost user retention<\/a>.<\/p>\n

They can also both be triggered at any point in the user journey – during onboarding, after the launch of new features, etc. Whenever they’re triggered, the goal is always the same: educate users about the product’s features.<\/p>\n

Is the interactive walkthrough a better choice than a product tour?<\/h2>\n

The short answer is, No.<\/em><\/p>\n

You see, the best user onboarding experience<\/a> is one that helps new users progress to the activation point. And, although interactive product walkthroughs are sometimes ideal, that is also true for product tours.<\/p>\n

Think of it this way…<\/em><\/p>\n

To guide users to success with your product, you must first create a good product that’s as easy to use as possible. Naturally, some products are more complex than others, but they should still be fairly intuitive.<\/p>\n

You also need to have a good understanding of your product and its users (particularly their technical level). This understanding <\/em>will inform all of your onboarding decisions.<\/p>\n

For example, if your product\u2019s features are…<\/p>\n