A popular fitness tracking app launches with a lengthy welcome sequence that explains every feature before users can even log their first workout. Meanwhile, another fitness app lets users jump straight into tracking their run, gradually introducing features as they need them. The first app sees 60% of users abandon during setup; the second keeps 85% engaged past their first session. This difference comes down to onboarding strategy.
When you're designing a mobile app, one of the biggest decisions you'll face is how to introduce users to your product. Get it wrong and people will delete your app before they've even seen what it can do. Get it right and you'll create engaged users who stick around for months or years.
The world of UX design has evolved dramatically over the past decade, and nowhere is this more obvious than in how we approach user onboarding. We've moved from the old-school approach of front-loading everything upfront to more nuanced methods that respect users' time and attention spans.
The best onboarding doesn't feel like onboarding at all—it feels like using the app
Traditional onboarding and progressive onboarding represent two completely different philosophies about how people learn and engage with new technology. One assumes users want comprehensive information before they start; the other believes users learn best by doing. Both have their place in mobile app development, but understanding when and how to use each approach can make or break your user experience. That's what we're going to explore in this guide.
What Is Traditional Onboarding?
Traditional onboarding is the classic way of introducing new users to your mobile app—it's what most people think of when they hear the word "onboarding". This approach shows users everything they need to know about your app right at the beginning, usually through a series of screens or tutorials that appear when someone opens your app for the first time.
Think of it as giving someone a complete tour of a house before they've even decided which room they want to visit first. The user sits through multiple screens explaining features, benefits, and how things work before they can actually start using the app properly. It's comprehensive, thorough, and leaves very little to chance.
How Traditional Onboarding Works
Most traditional onboarding flows follow a predictable pattern. Users download your app, open it for the first time, and are immediately presented with a sequence of introductory screens. These might include welcome messages, feature explanations, permission requests, and account setup—all bundled together in one go.
The process typically covers the main features of your app, explains the user interface, and tries to demonstrate the value proposition before users have had a chance to experience it themselves. It's front-loaded with information and aims to prepare users for everything they might encounter.
Common Elements of Traditional Onboarding
Traditional onboarding sequences usually include several key components that appear in a specific order:
- Welcome screens with your app's value proposition
- Feature overview slides showing what the app can do
- Permission requests for things like location, notifications, or camera access
- Account creation or login screens
- Tutorial walkthroughs explaining the main interface
- Settings configuration for personalisation
This approach assumes that users need—and want—all this information upfront before they can use your app effectively. It's comprehensive but can feel overwhelming, particularly for apps with lots of features or complex functionality.
What Is Progressive Onboarding?
Progressive onboarding takes a completely different approach to welcoming new users to your mobile app. Instead of dumping everything on people the moment they open your app, progressive onboarding spreads the learning process out over time. Think of it as teaching someone to drive—you wouldn't explain every single traffic rule, road sign, and parking technique on day one, would you?
This method introduces features and information only when users actually need them. So if your app has a complex search function, progressive onboarding won't show users how to use it until they're ready to search for something. It's contextual, which means it appears at the right moment in the user's journey.
How Progressive Onboarding Works
Progressive onboarding happens in small chunks throughout the user experience. You might show someone how to create their first post when they tap the "create" button, rather than explaining it during setup. Or you could introduce advanced settings only after they've used the basic features a few times.
Progressive onboarding works best when you focus on just one feature at a time and make sure each tip directly helps the user complete their current task.
The key elements of progressive onboarding include:
- Contextual tips that appear when relevant
- Just-in-time learning moments
- Gradual feature discovery
- User-triggered help and guidance
- Minimal upfront cognitive load
This approach works particularly well for complex mobile apps with lots of features. Rather than overwhelming users with information they can't use yet, progressive onboarding lets people learn as they go—building confidence and reducing the chance they'll abandon your app before experiencing its real value.
The Key Differences Between Traditional And Progressive Onboarding
Right, let's get straight to the point—these two onboarding approaches are completely different beasts. I've worked with both methods across dozens of apps, and the differences go much deeper than you might think at first glance.
Traditional onboarding hits users with everything upfront. It's like being handed a thick manual before you can even touch the app. Users see multiple screens explaining features they haven't used yet, which often leads to them skipping through without reading. Progressive onboarding takes the opposite approach—it teaches users one thing at a time, right when they need to know it.
User Experience and Engagement
The biggest difference is how users actually feel during their first app experience. Traditional onboarding can overwhelm people before they've even started using your app properly. Progressive onboarding feels more natural because it mirrors how we learn things in real life—step by step, with context.
Implementation and Timing
Here's where things get technical. Traditional onboarding happens once, usually right after signup or first launch. Progressive onboarding is scattered throughout the app experience, triggered by specific user actions or when they encounter new features.
- Traditional shows all information in one go
- Progressive reveals information when it's relevant
- Traditional requires more upfront development time
- Progressive needs ongoing maintenance and updates
- Traditional has higher skip rates
- Progressive sees better feature adoption
The choice between these approaches depends entirely on your app's complexity, your target audience, and what you're trying to achieve. Neither is inherently better—they just serve different purposes.
When To Use Traditional Onboarding In Your Mobile App
After working with countless mobile app projects, I've noticed that many developers rush towards progressive onboarding because it sounds modern and trendy. But here's the thing—traditional onboarding still has its place in UX design, and knowing when to use it can make or break your user experience.
Traditional onboarding works best when your mobile app has complex features that users need to understand before they can get any value from the experience. Think about apps with intricate interfaces, multiple user roles, or specialised functions that aren't immediately obvious. If someone opens your app and has no clue what they're looking at or how to achieve their goals, a structured walkthrough becomes necessary.
Apps With Safety or Compliance Requirements
Some mobile apps simply can't let users explore freely without proper guidance first. Financial apps, medical platforms, or business tools often need users to understand security features, privacy settings, or compliance requirements before they start using the core functionality. You can't really let someone dive into a banking app without explaining how two-factor authentication works!
Traditional onboarding creates a safety net for both users and businesses when the stakes are high
When Your Target Audience Prefers Structure
Not everyone wants to figure things out through trial and error. Professional users, older demographics, or people using your app for work often prefer clear, step-by-step guidance. They want to know exactly what your mobile app does and how to do it properly before they invest their time. For these users, traditional onboarding feels reassuring rather than overwhelming—it builds confidence and reduces the chance they'll abandon your app out of confusion.
When Progressive Onboarding Works Best
Progressive onboarding shines brightest when you're dealing with complex apps that have multiple features or workflows. Think about social media platforms, project management tools, or financial apps—these aren't simple one-trick ponies that users can master in thirty seconds. They need time to reveal their full potential, and that's exactly what progressive onboarding allows.
The sweet spot for progressive onboarding is when your app has a clear hierarchy of features. Some functions are absolutely needed from day one, whilst others can wait until users are more comfortable. Email apps work brilliantly this way—users need to know how to read and send messages immediately, but advanced filtering and automation can be introduced later when they're ready.
Apps That Benefit Most From Progressive Onboarding
- Social media platforms with multiple content types and interaction methods
- Productivity apps with team collaboration features
- Financial applications with investment tools and budgeting features
- Creative software with advanced editing capabilities
- Gaming apps with complex mechanics and upgrade systems
- E-commerce platforms with personalisation and loyalty programmes
Progressive onboarding also works exceptionally well when your users come from different backgrounds or skill levels. A design app might have professional graphic designers alongside complete beginners—progressive onboarding lets each group learn at their own pace without overwhelming the novices or boring the experts.
The key is knowing your users well enough to predict their journey. If people typically use your app in stages or return multiple times before becoming regular users, progressive onboarding can guide them through that natural progression rather than fighting against it.
Common Mistakes To Avoid With Both Approaches
After years of working on mobile app UX design projects, I've noticed that teams make the same errors over and over again—regardless of whether they choose traditional onboarding or progressive onboarding. These mistakes can kill user engagement faster than you can say "app store rating".
The biggest blunder I see is information overload. Teams get so excited about their features that they dump everything on users at once. Your app might be brilliant, but users don't need to know about every single feature before they've even used the basic ones. Keep it simple and focus on what matters most for getting users started.
The Most Common Onboarding Blunders
- Making users sign up before they see any value from your app
- Using too much text when visuals would work better
- Skipping user testing and assuming you know what works
- Forgetting to optimise for different screen sizes
- Not tracking where users drop off during onboarding
- Copying what competitors do without understanding why
Another mistake that drives me mad is the "set it and forget it" mentality. Your onboarding isn't a static thing—it needs regular updates based on user feedback and behaviour data. What worked six months ago might not work now.
Test your onboarding flow with real users every few months. Fresh eyes will spot problems that you've become blind to.
The truth is, both traditional onboarding and progressive onboarding can fail spectacularly if you don't put users first. Don't get caught up in which approach is "better"—focus on what works for your specific app and audience. That's where the real magic happens in mobile app development.
Conclusion
After working with mobile apps for the better part of a decade, I can tell you that choosing between progressive and traditional onboarding isn't about picking the trendy option—it's about understanding your users and your app's complexity. Traditional onboarding works brilliantly when you need to collect user information upfront or when your app has straightforward functionality that benefits from a complete walkthrough. Progressive onboarding shines when you want users to experience value immediately whilst learning features as they go.
The truth is, there's no universal right answer here. I've seen simple photo-editing apps benefit from progressive approaches because users want to start editing straight away. I've also seen complex productivity tools succeed with traditional onboarding because users need that foundation before they can be productive. What matters most is testing both approaches with real users and measuring what actually works for your specific audience.
Remember that whichever approach you choose, execution matters more than the method itself. Poor progressive onboarding that interrupts users constantly is worse than well-designed traditional onboarding that respects their time. The same goes the other way around—a lengthy traditional onboarding that doesn't deliver value will send users running regardless of how polished it looks.
Start with understanding your users' goals, test your assumptions early, and don't be afraid to adapt your approach based on real feedback. Your onboarding strategy should evolve with your app and your users' needs. That's how you build experiences that people actually want to complete.
