A Pendo alternative — when you need onboarding, not an analytics suite
Pendo combines deep product analytics, session replay, feedback and in-app guides; its paid tiers are quoted. If your goal is onboarding — getting users to the first key action with tours, tooltips and checklists — Clew is a lighter tool with published prices and the option to run on your own servers.
Clew vs Pendo, point by point
| Feature | Clew | Pendo |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Web onboarding: tours, tooltips, checklists, modals | Product analytics + in-app guides, session replay, feedback, roadmaps |
| Free plan | Yes — 1 site, 3 published tours, no visitor caps | Yes — up to 500 MAU, Pendo-branded |
| Paid pricing | Published, from $14.99/mo | Quote-based (Base, Core, Ultimate) |
| Self-hosted | Yes (Docker, your server) | Not stated — cloud product |
| Analytics depth | Funnels per tour, drop-offs, broken-step detection | Full product analytics, session replay, NPS |
| Mobile apps | Web only | Web and mobile |
Comparison based on public information as of September 2026 — the vendors' own pricing, product and help pages. Features and prices change; if something here is outdated or inaccurate, email hello@getclew.io and we will fix it.
A hint inside your product
A tour, tooltip, checklist or modal — built in the visual editor and shown by URL, segment, trigger and frequency. A product manager or marketer edits it, with no release.
This is an illustrative scenario, not a real customer. Real customer stories will appear here as they happen.
Why teams pick Clew
Frequently asked questions
How is Clew different from Pendo?
Pendo combines deep product analytics, session replay, feedback and in-app guides; its paid tiers are quoted. If your goal is onboarding — getting users to the first key action with tours, tooltips and checklists — Clew is a lighter tool with published prices and the option to run on your own servers.
Is Clew cheaper than Pendo?
Clew publishes its prices: a free plan forever, and paid plans from $14.99/month. Pendo has a free plan for up to 500 monthly active users, Pendo-branded; its paid tiers (Base, Core, Ultimate) show "custom pricing" and are quoted by MAU volume and the functionality you pick. Checked on September 26, 2026 on pendo.io/pricing.
Do I need a developer to set up onboarding?
Only once — to paste one script tag into your page. After that, product managers, marketers or support build tours, tooltips and checklists in a visual editor right on the live page, with no releases.
Does Clew work with React, Vue and single-page apps?
Yes. The widget is dependency-free vanilla JavaScript; it survives route changes in single-page apps and does not pull in a framework.
Can I self-host Clew?
Yes. Run it in Docker or as a single Node process with a built-in SQLite database; visitor data stays on your servers. The self-hosted edition is a one-time license with a year of updates and support.
How much does Clew cost?
The Free plan is free forever: 1 site and up to 3 published tours, no visitor caps. Pro ($14.99/month, 20 published tours, no visitor caps) and Business come with a 14-day trial, no credit card. There is also a one-time Lifetime license and a self-hosted box.