PLG software and tools for improving conversion and activation [2025] 

Product-led growth software can help product marketers and founders reduce friction, attract high-intent leads, and turn new users into power users. By focusing on the product itself as the core driver of growth, you can streamline signups, encourage self-service demos, and guide users straight to value - no heavy sales pitch required.

These are tools that we've used as a Product Led company to capture demand and improve user activation.

In 12 months we used these tools to achieve:

• Year on Year - MRR growth of over 1070%
• 60% in-app activation rate (users who created and edited a demo)
• 70% interactive demo engagement rate

Below, we’ll look at two essential parts of your funnel: Demand Capture (improving conversion) and User Activation. We’ll highlight a few PLG tools in each category, share details such as pricing considerations, who they’re best for, and how technical they are to implement.

Demand Capture: Improving Conversion

Once visitors land on your site, you need to streamline their path to conversion. This means removing unnecessary steps, offering immediate value, and giving them the confidence to say “yes” right now.

These PLG tools will help you to increase conversions, either by giving your visitors a faster route to understanding how your product works, or a more effective way of capturing their interest by helping you speak to them in a low friction way.

1. HowdyGo

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What it does: HowdyGo helps you create interactive demos and GIFs/videos that let visitors experience key features instantly - no heavy sales approach needed. 

Price: Starts with a free trial; tiered plans afterward. 

Best for: Early-stage startups to mid-sized PLG companies looking to shorten the “time-to-value.” 

Technical complexity: Low. You can embed demos without deep coding knowledge. Most product marketers can get up and running quickly. 

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Pro Tip: Start your free trial now and test an interactive demo on your homepage to boost conversions.

2. Knock2.ai

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What it does: Knock2.ai identifies which companies and individuals visit your site, qualifying leads in real time. It then routes this data into your CRM, email sequences, or Slack, ensuring high-intent leads never slip away. 

Price: Typically subscription-based, starting a few hundred dollars/month. 

Best for: B2B SaaS companies from scale-ups to enterprise, especially those with sales-assisted motions. 

Technical complexity: Moderate. Basic setup is straightforward, but advanced integrations may require developer input.

3. Crisp

What it does: Crisp adds live chat to your website, making it simple for prospects to ask questions and get instant responses. This immediacy removes friction and accelerates conversions. 

Price: Offers a freemium plan and affordable paid tiers as your needs grow. 

Best for: Small to mid-sized PLG companies that want a personal touch without hiring a large support team. 

Technical complexity: Low. Plug-and-play integrations with popular CMS and CRM platforms.

4. Zapier

What it does: Zapier automates tasks and connects your tools. For example, instantly notify your team on Slack whenever a new free trial signup comes in, so they can follow up quickly. 

Price: Free tier available; paid plans scale with workflow volume. 

Best for: Startups and SMBs that want to automate repetitive tasks and react faster to new leads. 

Technical complexity: Low. Mostly point-and-click automation; no coding needed.

5. Nextra Docs or GitBook

What it does: Both Nextra Docs and GitBook allow you to create and host product documentation that’s clear, easy to navigate, and accessible to prospects. By offering well-structured docs up front—no login required—these tools capture demand by helping visitors understand exactly how your product works, reducing friction and encouraging them to explore deeper. This transparent approach builds trust early on, often converting curious visitors into more serious evaluators.

Price:

• GitBook: Offers a free tier for smaller projects and scales up with subscription plans starting around $8-$10/month per user for additional features.

• Nextra Docs: An open-source Next.js-based framework, so the core usage can be free, but may require hosting and potentially developer time for customizations.

Best for: Startups to Mid-sized PLG companies: Ideal for teams that need user-friendly documentation without hiring a technical writer. Good for businesses that want to surface product information early in the buyer’s journey, helping visitors quickly understand if the product meets their needs.

Technical complexity:

• GitBook: Low. Marketers and product managers can easily set up and update documentation with a WYSIWYG editor—no coding required.

• Nextra Docs: Moderate. While still user-friendly, it’s built on Next.js, so setting it up and customizing its design might require a developer’s involvement. Once configured, non-technical team members can still update content easily.

Pro Tip: Clear, actionable documentation reduces the burden on your sales and support teams, making conversion more seamless. If prospects can find answers themselves, they’re more likely to convert with confidence.

User Activation

Converting visitors is just step one. Next, you need to guide them toward meaningful “aha” moments inside your product. The right tools can ensure users engage deeply, adopt core features, and ultimately stick around for the long haul.

1. Loops.so

What it does: Loops.so automates onboarding and lifecycle emails triggered by user actions, encouraging exploration and usage of your product’s key features. 

Price: Subscription-based, often starting under $100/month for smaller teams. 

Best for: Small to medium PLG companies needing robust onboarding sequences without coding them from scratch.

Technical complexity: Low to moderate. Marketers can build workflows with minimal dev support.

2. PostHog

What it does: PostHog provides product analytics, heatmaps, and user journey tracking. Understand where users get stuck and what features they adopt, so you can optimize the activation flow. 

Price: Free self-hosted version; paid cloud plans scale as you grow. 

Best for: Mid-size and enterprise companies that want full visibility into user behavior. 

Technical complexity: Moderate. Requires some technical setup, especially for self-hosting, but documentation is solid.

3. Usermotion

What it does: Usermotion is a PLG-focused CRM that tracks high-intent signups, highlighting who’s close to activation. It aligns product usage data with sales opportunities, helping you spot leads ready for an upgrade. 

Price: Typically starts at a few hundred dollars/month, depending on features and volume. 

Best for: Mid-sized PLG companies focused on scaling product-qualified leads into paying customers. 

Technical complexity: Moderate. Setup may require integration with your existing stack, but non-technical users can navigate the CRM easily afterward.

4. Semrush or Ahrefs

What it does: While known for SEO and keyword research, these tools ensure you’re attracting the right audience - users who are most likely to achieve activation once they sign up. Aligning content strategy with user intent improves the quality of inbound leads. 

Price: Both start around $100/month, with flexible tiers for bigger teams.

Best for: Companies of all sizes aiming to refine their acquisition funnel and target more activation-ready visitors. 

Technical complexity: Low to moderate. Marketers can handle keyword research, though advanced analytics might need some familiarity.

FAQs

What is Product-Led Growth (PLG)?

PLG puts your product front and center, allowing prospects to discover its value through direct usage. Instead of pushing leads through slow sales touchpoints, you let them “feel” the solution first-hand. This approach simplifies the path to conversion and sets the stage for long-term user activation.

What is PLG software?

PLG software supports a product-led strategy by enabling users to try the product first, making it easier to capture demand, shorten the conversion cycle, and ensure smooth onboarding toward activation.

What does PLG stand for?

PLG stands for Product-Led Growth, a model where the product itself is the primary growth driver, reducing reliance on a traditional sales-led approach.

What is the difference between PLG and SLG?

PLG (Product-Led Growth) emphasizes user self-service, letting prospects experience product value upfront. SLG (Sales-Led Growth) relies on human-driven sales outreach and demos to convert leads.

What is a PLG engine?

A PLG engine is the system - comprising tools, content, and workflows - that guides prospects from initial discovery through conversion and activation, all powered by the product’s intrinsic value.

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Ready to put your product at the center of your growth strategy? Sign up for a free trial of HowdyGo and start turning more visitors into engaged users - no high-friction forms or complicated steps required.

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