Appcues, Intercom, Pendo, Userpilot, and UserGuiding each describe an onboarding checklist inside the product on an official help page.
Key takeaways for tools that build an onboarding checklist inside a product
- Task limits vary by tool. "Create a Checklist - Userpilot Knowledge Base" states the maximum number of tasks that you can add to a Checklist is 15, according to Userpilot. "Design your Checklist | Intercom Help" notes you can add up to 25 steps to a Checklist, according to Intercom. Pendo and UserGuiding do not state a task limit.
- Appcues uses conditions. "Create a Checklist - Appcues" explains the item checks off when the user meets a condition you define — a user property, group property, event, or segment, according to Appcues. Userpilot's Do Nothing option marks a task complete without prior action.
- Check pages for specific mechanics. Verify if a tool supports the specific number of tasks and completion triggers your first session requires.
- No single standard exists. Compare the task line and the completion line on each help page before choosing.
The Onboarding module is a checklist module that functions like a guide list, with completion tracked in a checklist element showing progress by step, according to Pendo.
Which tools build an onboarding checklist inside your product? The short answer
Pendo’s help page defines its Onboarding module as a checklist module that functions like a guide list. The page states that guide completion is tracked in a checklist element that shows guide progress by step and completion, according to Pendo. This description confirms the tool builds a checklist inside the product. The page does not state a specific limit on the number of tasks a checklist can hold. It does not describe how a task is marked done beyond the general tracking of guide progress by step. It does not state whether different users can see different checklists. The page does not mention prices, plan names, or free-plan terms. It does not claim that the checklist raises activation, completion, retention, or revenue. The statement is the vendor describing its own product. This guide built no checklist of its own. Check the official page for details on task limits and completion mechanisms.
How we compared: five official help pages and what we looked for on each
We read the official help pages for five onboarding tools to understand how each describes building a checklist. The goal was to identify where the checklist is created, the stated limits on the number of tasks, and the mechanism for marking a task as done. We focused strictly on what each vendor states on its own page, avoiding assumptions about features not explicitly documented.
For each tool, we located the section explaining checklist creation. For example, the Appcues documentation instructs users to "Go to Experiences > Checklists and click Create a Checklist" according to Appcues. This specific navigation path shows where the feature resides within the product interface.
We also examined the guidance provided on task capacity. Some pages offer specific advice on the optimal number of tasks, while others do not state a limit. We noted any recommendations regarding task count as vendor-specific advice rather than universal best practices. If a page did not mention a limit or provide advice on the number of tasks, we recorded that information as not stated on the page read.
Finally, we identified how a task is marked complete. We looked for descriptions of user actions or system events that trigger completion. We also noted any rules or conditions attached to task completion, such as sequential requirements or tracking by user. This comparison allows you to see the specific mechanics each tool uses to track progress.
How five help pages describe a checklist
The table below lines up five help pages on checklist creation, task limits, completion, and constraints. Where a specific detail is absent from the cited page, the cell reads "not stated on the page read." This comparison does not test the tools or move a setup line from one row onto another.
| Publisher | Where checklist is created | Stated task limit or advice | How a task is marked done | Stated catch or constraint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Userpilot | not stated on the page read | The maximum number of tasks that you can add to a Checklist is 15 | Do Nothing: The task will automatically be marked as complete in this case, without prior action | No, Currently only one checklist can be triggered on a page at a given point of time |
| Appcues | Go to Experiences > Checklists and click Create a Checklist | List the top actions a new user needs to take to reach your activation goal, then cut it down to 3–5 items | The item checks off when the user meets a condition you define — a user property, group property, event, or segment | Checklist state is tracked by user ID, not by account |
| Intercom | not stated on the page read | You can add up to 25 steps to a Checklist | Add rules to automatically detect when a customer has completed a step using data that you're tracking in Intercom | Note: Audience targeting for individual checklist steps isn't currently supported |
| Pendo | not stated on the page read | not stated on the page read | guide completion is tracked in a checklist element that shows guide progress by step and completion | Each time you access the Resource Center, you can see the progress of the onboarding items |
| UserGuiding | To create a new Checklist, navigate to the Checklist creation page under the Widgets on the left-hand menu | not stated on the page read | Hide as Completed: Once all checklist goals (usually guide completions) are achieved, the Checklist will automatically hide | Be sure to set the same container for guides and the Checklist |
According to Userpilot, "The maximum number of tasks that you can add to a Checklist is 15." For completion, the page states, "Do Nothing: The task will automatically be marked as complete in this case, without prior action." A constraint on the page reads, "No, Currently only one checklist can be triggered on a page at a given point of time."
According to Appcues, the setup instruction is "Go to Experiences > Checklists and click Create a Checklist." The completion mechanism is described as: "The item checks off when the user meets a condition you define — a user property, group property, event, or segment." The page also notes that "Checklist state is tracked by user ID, not by account."
According to Appcues, the advice on task count is: "List the top actions a new user needs to take to reach your activation goal, then cut it down to 3–5 items."
How many tasks a checklist can hold and what each page advises
The "Design your Checklist | Intercom Help" page states a hard upper bound: "Note: You can add up to 25 steps to a Checklist," according to Intercom. This is the maximum number of individual steps the system accepts for a single checklist object. If your first-session plan requires more than 25 distinct actions, the page does not describe a way to extend this limit within a single checklist.
Beyond the hard limit, the "Checklist Best Practices | Intercom Help" page offers specific advice on how many tasks to actually include. It warns, "Don't overwhelm customers with really long checklists, make them look manageable by using between 3-7 tasks in your checklists," according to Intercom. This suggests that while the system allows up to 25 steps, the vendor’s own guidance recommends a much smaller range for optimal user experience. The gap between the technical limit (25) and the recommended practice (3-7) is significant. A marketer should note that the vendor advises keeping lists short to avoid overwhelming the user, even though the platform can technically hold more.
The same best practices page also notes a visual constraint related to task count. It states, "If you only use a title you'll notice 5 tasks are now visible before the customer has to scroll to see more," according to Intercom. This implies that if a checklist contains more than 5 tasks and relies solely on titles for display, the user will need to scroll to see the rest. This visual behavior is distinct from the total step limit; it describes how the interface displays the list. If you plan to use more than 5 tasks, the page suggests this may require scrolling, which could impact how "manageable" the list appears to the user.
How a task gets marked done: events and rules
The mechanism for marking a task complete varies by tool. Understanding these triggers helps you map your product events to the tool’s logic.
In "Create a Checklist - Appcues," the documentation states that an item checks off when the user meets a condition you define. These conditions can be a user property, group property, event, or segment according to Appcues. This allows you to tie completion to specific data points in your system. The same page notes that if items must be completed sequentially, you can enable "Complete in order" according to Appcues.
In "Design your Checklist | Intercom Help," the approach focuses on rules that detect completion automatically. The page advises adding rules to automatically detect when a customer has completed a step using data that you're tracking in Intercom according to Intercom. This implies that the tool relies on the data streams you have already configured within the platform. You do not need to manually mark tasks; the system observes the tracked data and updates the checklist status accordingly.
In "Creating Onboarding Checklists," UserGuiding describes a different end-state behavior. The page explains that once all checklist goals, usually guide completions, are achieved, the checklist will automatically hide according to UserGuiding. This "Hide as Completed" feature removes the interface element from the user's view after the final goal is met.
When comparing these mechanisms, note that Appcues offers granular condition types including properties and segments, while Intercom emphasizes rules based on tracked data. UserGuiding focuses on the automatic removal of the checklist after completion. Each tool handles the "done" state through its own specific logic, so you should verify that your product’s events align with the tool’s definition of completion.
To evaluate a tool, check if its completion triggers match your product’s event structure. If your product uses specific user properties, look for tools that support property-based conditions. If you rely on tracked events, ensure the tool can ingest those events to trigger updates. If you want the checklist to disappear after completion, confirm the tool supports automatic hiding.
A checklist to run on any tool before you choose
Before you commit to a platform, verify that its interface supports the specific workflow your team needs. The following worksheet helps you map your requirements against the capabilities described in official documentation. Use this table to check what each vendor states explicitly about checklist creation and configuration.
| Requirement to verify | Question to ask the vendor page |
|---|---|
| Location of creation interface | Where in the menu do I find the checklist creation page? |
| Container configuration | Does the page specify setting a container for guides and the checklist? |
| Task limit | What is the stated maximum number of tasks on a checklist? |
| Completion mechanism | How does the system mark a task as done? |
Start by identifying where the checklist is built. For example, the "Creating Onboarding Checklists" page states that to create a new Checklist, you navigate to the Checklist creation page under the Widgets on the left-hand menu, according to UserGuiding. This specific path is a fact you can verify against other tools' documentation. If a page does not name a specific menu location, mark that cell as unknown in your notes.
Next, check for configuration rules that link the checklist to other interface elements. The same "Creating Onboarding Checklists" page advises that you be sure to set the same container for guides and the Checklist, according to UserGuiding. This instruction implies a relationship between the checklist and other guide elements within that container. If a tool’s documentation does not mention container settings, you cannot assume they exist. Record this as a gap in your comparison table.
Do not infer capabilities from silence. If a help page does not state a limit on the number of tasks, do not assume there is no limit. Instead, note that the limit is not stated on the page read. This keeps your comparison grounded in documented behavior rather than speculation. The goal is to list what your first session needs and check each page for it. If a page describes how to mark a task done, record that mechanism. If it does not, note that the page does not state the mechanism.
Use this worksheet to maintain a clear record of what each vendor claims. Each row in your final comparison should trace back to a specific quote from the vendor’s help page. This approach prevents you from mixing up features between different tools. It also ensures that your decision is based on what the tools actually document, not on what you expect them to do.
Illustrative example: a five-task first session
Picture a first session with 10 actions. Cut the list to 5 tasks. A ceiling of 15 tasks holds that list, and a ceiling of 25 steps holds it too. A band of 3 to 7 tasks also fits 5. These round figures are illustrative and name no product.
What to check on a help page today
Open one official help page today and write down where a checklist is created, any stated task maximum, and how a task is marked done. Then read Five landing-page tool testing statements compared and How 5 billing tools start a free trial without a card.
FAQ: in-app onboarding checklists
Which tools build a checklist inside the product?
The five tools compared in this guide are Appcues, Intercom, Pendo, Userpilot, and UserGuiding. According to Pendo, the onboarding module includes a checklist that functions like a guide list. The other four tools also describe building checklists within their respective help documentation.
How many tasks can a checklist hold on each tool's page?
Userpilot's maximum is 15 tasks, Intercom's maximum is 25 steps, Appcues advises 3 to 5 items rather than a cap, Intercom suggests 3 to 7 tasks, and Pendo and UserGuiding do not state a task maximum.
How does a task get marked done?
Appcues uses condition-based checking to mark tasks complete. Intercom relies on rule-based detection to determine when a task is finished. Once all checklist goals are achieved, the UserGuiding checklist automatically hides. Each tool describes its specific mechanism for tracking progress differently.
Can different users see different checklists?
Appcues tracks checklist state by user ID, not by account. Intercom notes that audience targeting for individual checklist steps isn't currently supported. This distinction affects how each tool handles personalized experiences for different users.
What should I ask a vendor when its help page does not say?
Ask where the checklist is created, whether a task maximum is stated, and how a task is marked done. Check for specific constraints like sequential completion or by-user tracking that may not be explicitly stated. Ask whether the tool supports different checklists for different user segments. Verify how completion is detected if the page does not describe the mechanism.