The challenge of user onboarding is a perennial headache for software companies. Getting new users to understand the value of a product quickly, and preventing them from abandoning it out of frustration, requires dedicated effort. Increasingly, companies are turning to interactive demo tools to address this, and one platform, Arcade, is gaining traction for its ease of use and scalability.
A recent LinkedIn post from an unnamed user highlighted the speed with which interactive demos can be created using Arcade. The user reported building a demo in under 15 minutes with no prior experience of the platform, and noted a significant increase in onboarding rates – over 60% of those presented with a demo chose to proceed. This anecdotal evidence points to a powerful shift in how software companies are approaching user education.
Arcade, launched in 2024, is a cloud-based tool specifically designed to create interactive product demos without requiring any coding knowledge. It’s positioned as a more engaging alternative to traditional methods like static screenshots or lengthy video tutorials. According to Marketertools.co, the platform aims to “show, not tell,” allowing potential users to actively experience a product’s functionality.
The appeal of Arcade lies in its accessibility. The platform’s interface is described as “sleek, modern, and intuitive,” making it easy for marketers, sales teams, and product educators to create compelling walkthroughs. The speed of demo creation – as demonstrated by the LinkedIn user’s experience – is a significant advantage, particularly for companies iterating rapidly on their products or needing to generate a high volume of demos. The ability to create demos from screen recordings further lowers the barrier to entry.
The market for demo automation software is clearly heating up. A recent report by G2 evaluated eight different solutions in 2025, indicating a growing recognition of the need for more sophisticated onboarding tools. Arcade’s focus on interactive, no-code demos positions it well within this landscape. The platform’s pricing reflects this demand, with a freemium tier available for limited use, and a Pro version costing $32 per month for unlimited demos and removal of the Arcade watermark. Pricing scales up to $42.50/month for small teams, with custom options for larger organizations.
The problem Arcade addresses is not new. Poor onboarding experiences have long been a source of user frustration and churn. As the Arcade blog points out, a clunky onboarding process can quickly derail user enthusiasm. Effective user onboarding software guides users to value quickly, focusing on essential features first to avoid overwhelming them. Crucially, it also facilitates the collection of user feedback, allowing companies to iterate and improve the onboarding flow over time.
The shift towards interactive demos represents a broader trend in software design: a move away from passive consumption of information towards active engagement. Traditional onboarding methods often rely on users reading documentation or watching videos, which can be time-consuming and ineffective. Interactive demos, allow users to learn by doing, reinforcing their understanding and increasing their likelihood of adoption.
However, the success of Arcade, or any demo automation tool, ultimately depends on the quality of the demos themselves. A poorly designed demo, even if interactive, can still be confusing or unhelpful. Companies need to invest in thoughtful design and clear messaging to ensure that their demos effectively showcase the value of their products. The LinkedIn user’s comment about focusing on building great software *before* great onboarding is a crucial reminder of this point.
The scalability offered by tools like Arcade is also a key benefit. While personalized Loom videos, as mentioned by the LinkedIn user, can be effective for individual interactions, they are not sustainable for onboarding large numbers of users. Arcade provides a way to deliver a consistent, high-quality onboarding experience to a wider audience, freeing up sales and support teams to focus on more complex issues.
Looking ahead, the integration of demo automation tools with other customer success platforms will likely become increasingly important. Seamless integration with CRM systems, analytics tools, and customer support platforms will allow companies to track user engagement with demos, identify areas for improvement, and personalize the onboarding experience even further. The ability to measure the impact of demos on key metrics, such as conversion rates and customer lifetime value, will be essential for demonstrating the ROI of these tools.
