Onboarding defines the first impression of a product. It decides whether users feel immediate value or abandon the app before they even begin. Instagram, Notion, and Venmo take very different approaches, each reflecting the kind of relationship they want with their users.
Instagram prioritizes speed and emotion. The moment a user signs up, the app focuses on immersion rather than setup. Within seconds of creating an account, the feed is already filled with suggested posts and reels. The product wants users to feel a spark of entertainment before it asks for effort. Information gathering is kept minimal at first, just an email or phone number. Contact syncing appears as a later prompt, which about one in four users skip. That trade-off makes sense because the business cost of losing a few contact uploads is small compared to the gain of having millions of users hooked within their first minute. Instagram’s strategy is about emotional engagement over completeness. It captures attention first and builds loyalty through habit, not data depth.
Notion takes a very different route. Its onboarding is slower but deeply intentional. The product asks users to define their purpose before showing the main workspace. This step helps the system tailor templates and examples that actually make sense to each user. While this creates friction, it also filters out casual browsers. The result is that the users who stay are more committed and more likely to convert into paying customers later. Notion’s approach values comprehension over speed. It teaches before it entertains. Each minute spent on setup increases the likelihood that users will understand the product’s flexibility and stick around.
Venmo represents a third category where friction is unavoidable. Financial apps depend on compliance and trust, so every step must feel secure. Users are required to verify identity, link a bank, and often wait for confirmation deposits. Around half of new sign-ups drop off during these steps. The cost is steep, but it is necessary. Without trust, a finance app cannot survive. Venmo compensates for this initial friction by making the first transaction as satisfying as possible. Once users complete a payment, retention skyrockets.
Across these three cases, the lesson is that onboarding must reflect the product’s core promise. For Instagram, the goal is immediate gratification. For Notion, it is clarity and control. For Venmo, it is safety and legitimacy. Friction is not inherently bad. A good onboarding flow understands what users fear losing and helps them cross that boundary with confidence.
