What Is a Digital Adoption Platform?
Mix (13 tools)
- License: 3 open source · 10 proprietary
- Hosting: 2 self-hosted · 10 SaaS · 1 both
A Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) is software that layers on top of other applications (ERP, CRM, HRIS, custom web apps) to guide end users through workflows as they actually use the application. DAPs provide:
- In-app walkthroughs – step-by-step overlays that guide a user through a task in the real UI
- Contextual tooltips / smart tips – help bubbles tied to specific fields, buttons, or screens
- Task lists / checklists – persistent onboarding checklists users work through at their own pace
- Launchers / widgets – a “help” button inside every app that surfaces relevant content
- User behaviour analytics – heatmaps, drop-off points, feature usage, and where users get stuck
- In-app surveys and NPS – feedback collection triggered by behaviour
DAPs are most commonly deployed when an organization rolls out a large enterprise system (ERP, CRM, HCM) and wants to accelerate user adoption without rewriting the target application.
About this data & disclaimer
The information on these pages was researched by a combination of human review and large language models. This catalogue serves as a reference for the resources, applications, devices, deployment payloads, and other components that the ResorsIT platform integrates, deploys, and manages. To suggest an addition or correction, please contact us. Prepared by Rhodium Systems Inc., author of the ResorsIT platform — a unified IT operations management platform for IT teams and MSPs that integrates a curated suite of open-source, commercial, and SaaS applications into a single system with shared identity, single sign-on, access control, and a common audit trail. This information is compiled on a best-effort basis: it may be incomplete, contain errors, and become out of date as tools, vendors, licences, and features change. Use this catalogue only as a starting point for your own research, and independently verify and review any tool carefully against your own requirements before relying on it.
Comparison
SSO / OIDC Comparison
SAML and OIDC are the preferred SSO protocols; SAML is the dominant protocol in this category. The notes below assume Authentik as the external identity provider.
| Tool | OIDC | SAML | SCIM | Authentik Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WalkMe | Yes | Yes | Yes | End-user identity inherited from host app |
| Whatfix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Admin via SAML; end-user via host app |
| Pendo | Yes | Yes | Yes* | SCIM on higher tiers |
| Userlane | Yes | Yes | Yes* | SCIM on enterprise tier |
| Usetiful | Yes | Yes | – | Paid tiers; on-prem option |
| Appcues | Yes | Yes | – | Enterprise tier |
| Chameleon | Yes | Yes | – | Enterprise tier |
| Shepherd.js | n/a | n/a | n/a | Client-side library; no identity layer |
| Digital Assistant | Yes* | Yes* | – | Self-hosted; depends on deployment topology |
| Usertour | – | – | – | Community edition: local admin auth, no SSO; end-user identity via host app |
| Prosci Proxima | – | Yes | – | Verify OIDC current state; SAML primary |
| OCMS Portal | – | Yes | – | Enterprise tier; verify OIDC |
| The Change Compass | – | Yes | – | Enterprise tier; verify OIDC |
* = requires specific configuration or confirmation with vendor
Best SSO support: WalkMe, Whatfix, Pendo, Userlane (all support OIDC, SAML, and SCIM at enterprise tier)
Not applicable: Shepherd.js (no identity layer – it runs inside your own app’s auth)
Deployment Comparison
| Tool | SaaS | Self-hosted | Air-gap | Mobile SDK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WalkMe | Yes | – | – | Yes (Workstation) |
| Whatfix | Yes | – | – | Yes |
| Pendo | Yes | – | – | Yes |
| Userlane | Yes | – | – | – |
| Usetiful | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Appcues | Yes | – | – | Yes |
| Chameleon | Yes | – | – | – |
| Shepherd.js | n/a | Yes (library) | Yes | – |
| Digital Assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Usertour | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Prosci Proxima | Yes | – | – | – |
| OCMS Portal | Yes | – | – | – |
| The Change Compass | Yes | – | – | – |
Self-hostable: Usetiful, Shepherd.js, Digital Assistant, Usertour. Shepherd.js is unique in being a pure client-side library with no server component.
License & Pricing
| Tool | License | Pricing model | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|
| WalkMe | Proprietary | Enterprise per-user / per-app | ~$79K+/yr reported |
| Whatfix | Proprietary | Per-user annual | Enterprise |
| Pendo | Proprietary | Per-MAU tiered | Free tier (500 MAU) |
| Userlane | Proprietary | Per-user / per-app | Enterprise |
| Usetiful | Proprietary | Tiered + free | Free-forever tier |
| Appcues | Proprietary | Per-MAU tiered | Low thousands / month |
| Chameleon | Proprietary | Per-MAU tiered | Free “Startup” tier |
| Shepherd.js | MIT | Free (library) | Free |
| Digital Assistant | AGPL-3.0 | Free (OSS) | Free (hosting costs only) |
| Usertour | MIT | Free (OSS) + cloud/enterprise | Free (self-hosted) |
| Prosci Proxima | Proprietary | Bundled with Membership | Via Prosci engagement |
| OCMS Portal | Proprietary | Per-user annual | Enterprise |
| The Change Compass | Proprietary | Tiered subscription | Enterprise |
Accessible / free options: Pendo (free tier), Usetiful (free tier), Chameleon (Startup tier), Shepherd.js (OSS), Digital Assistant (OSS), Usertour (OSS).
Category Focus
| Tool | DAP | OCM Programme | Product Analytics | In-app guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WalkMe | Yes | – | Light | Primary |
| Whatfix | Yes | – | Light | Primary |
| Pendo | Yes | – | Primary | Yes |
| Userlane | Yes | – | Value-realization | Primary |
| Usetiful | Yes | – | – | Primary |
| Appcues | Yes | – | – | Primary (SaaS onboarding) |
| Chameleon | Yes | – | – | Primary (PLG) |
| Shepherd.js | Yes | – | – | Primary (library) |
| Digital Assistant | Yes | – | – | Primary |
| Usertour | Yes | – | – | Primary |
| Prosci Proxima | – | Primary | – | – |
| OCMS Portal | – | Primary | – | – |
| The Change Compass | – | Portfolio | – | – |
Host Application Fit
| Tool | Custom web apps | SAP / Oracle / Workday | Salesforce / Dynamics | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WalkMe | Yes | Primary | Yes | Workstation |
| Whatfix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pendo | Primary | – | Yes | Yes |
| Userlane | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Usetiful | Primary | – | – | – |
| Appcues | Primary (SaaS) | – | – | Yes |
| Chameleon | Primary (PLG) | – | – | – |
| Shepherd.js | Own app only | – | – | – |
| Digital Assistant | Yes (extension) | Yes (extension) | Yes (extension) | – |
| Usertour | Primary | – | – | – |
Recommendation Shortlist
For large ERP rollouts
- Whatfix – authoring ergonomics, mid-market pricing, broad enterprise-app coverage
- WalkMe – where SAP is the dominant host system and budget allows
- Userlane – EU customers with GDPR data- residency requirements
For building product tours
- Pendo – analytics-first product-led SaaS
- Chameleon – engineering-led product-led SaaS with custom triggers
- Appcues – smaller SaaS with product-manager authors
- Shepherd.js – when the team prefers an OSS library in their own codebase
- Usertour – self-hosted OSS platform alternative to Appcues/Chameleon for teams that want no-code authoring
For organizations with mature OCM practice
- Prosci Proxima – ADKAR-certified orgs
- OCMS Portal – methodology-flexible orgs
- The Change Compass – large transformation offices needing portfolio visibility
Tools
13 tools.
Appcues
Appcues is a long-established DAP (founded 2013, Boston) focused primarily on product onboarding for SaaS applications – the “help your product’s new users succeed” use case – rather than employee adoption of enterprise software.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on
Chameleon
Chameleon is a DAP targeted at product-led growth SaaS companies, positioned between Appcues (simpler) and Pendo (heavier).
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on
Digital Assistant (Open Source DAP)
Digital Assistant (also called UDAN – Universal Digital Assistant Network) is a lesser-known open-source Digital Adoption Platform.
License: AGPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: direct · SSO: none
ResorsIT usage: Web App without SSO
Access & Identity: Forward-auth · Vaulted credential
OCMS Portal
OCMS Portal is marketed as an all-in-one Organizational Change Management platform from OCM Solution (a consulting and content-publishing company operating under the Airiodion brand).
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on · Provisioned account
Pendo
Pendo is a hybrid product analytics / digital adoption platform. Unlike WalkMe or Whatfix, which start from in-app guidance and add analytics, Pendo started from user-behaviour analytics (page views, clicks, feature adoption) and added guid…
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on · Provisioned account
Prosci Proxima
Prosci is the best-known name in Organizational Change Management (OCM) methodology, the author of the ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) and the corresponding Prosci 3-Phase Process for organizational ch…
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on
Shepherd.js
Shepherd.js is an open-source JavaScript library for building interactive product tours and onboarding flows.
License: MIT (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: direct · SSO: none
ResorsIT usage: Web App without SSO
Access & Identity: Forward-auth · Vaulted credential
The Change Compass
The Change Compass is a specialised Organizational Change Management platform whose distinguishing feature is portfolio-level visibility across concurrent changes.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on
Userlane
Userlane is a Munich-based Digital Adoption Platform that positions itself as a simpler, more affordable alternative to WalkMe.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on · Provisioned account
Usertour
Usertour is an open-source (MIT) Digital Adoption Platform for building in-app product tours, checklists, and surveys – a self-hostable alternative to Appcues, Userpilot, Userflow, Userguiding, and Chameleon.
License: MIT (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: docker, saas · SSO: none
ResorsIT usage: Web App without SSO
Access & Identity: Forward-auth · Vaulted credential
Usetiful
Usetiful is a smaller DAP aimed at SMBs, with the notable property of offering a usable free-forever tier and an on-premise deployment option.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on
WalkMe
WalkMe is the category-defining Digital Adoption Platform. Founded in 2011, it became synonymous with in-app guidance for enterprise rollouts of SAP, Salesforce, Workday, Oracle, ServiceNow, and large custom applications.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on · Provisioned account
Whatfix
Whatfix is one of WalkMe’s principal competitors and is widely deployed for ERP, CRM, and HCM rollouts.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
ResorsIT usage: Web App with SSO
Access & Identity: Single sign-on · Provisioned account
