OnboardJS vs Reactour
Reactour Alternative: Why Devs Switch to OnboardJS
Reactour was one of the first React-specific tour libraries, but its class-based architecture and fixed UI make it feel dated. OnboardJS brings onboarding into the hooks era.
At a Glance
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Reactour | OnboardJS |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Class-based, fixed UI | Headless/native |
| Step Types | Tooltips only | Modals, tooltips, inline, custom |
| TypeScript | Basic types | Native TypeScript |
| Analytics | None | Built-in tracking |
| Design System | Styled-components theme | Your components (Tailwind/Shadcn) |
| Maintenance | Minimal updates | Active development |
Why Switch?
The Architectural Differences
Class Components in a Hooks World
Reactour's internal architecture uses class components. While it works, you can't use hooks inside step content, and the mental model feels outdated.
Step content is a render prop, not a component
Each step is a full React component with hooks support
Styled-Components Lock-in
Reactour uses styled-components for its theming. If your project uses Tailwind, Emotion, or vanilla CSS, you're stuck with a mismatch.
Must install and configure styled-components
No styling dependency—use whatever you already have
Limited Step Types
Reactour only supports tooltip-style steps attached to elements. No support for modal intros, checklists, or hotspots.
Every step must target a DOM element
Standalone steps, targeted steps, or hybrid flows
Migration
Before & After
See the difference in code. OnboardJS lets you use your own components while keeping the API simple.
import Tour from 'reactour';
const steps = [
{
selector: '.first-step',
content: 'This is the first step',
},
{
selector: '.second-step',
content: ({ goTo }) => (
<div>
Step 2
<button onClick={() => goTo(0)}>Back</button>
</div>
),
},
];
function App() {
const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(true);
return (
<Tour
steps={steps}
isOpen={isOpen}
onRequestClose={() => setIsOpen(false)}
accentColor="#5cb7b7"
/>
);
}
import { OnboardingProvider, useOnboarding } from '@onboardjs/react';
const steps = [
{
id: 'first',
target: '.first-step',
component: ({ onNext }) => (
<TooltipContent>
This is the first step
<Button onClick={onNext}>Next</Button>
</TooltipContent>
),
},
{
id: 'second',
target: '.second-step',
component: ({ onNext, onPrev }) => (
<TooltipContent>
Step 2
<Button onClick={onPrev}>Back</Button>
<Button onClick={onNext}>Next</Button>
</TooltipContent>
),
},
];
<OnboardingProvider steps={steps}>
<App />
</OnboardingProvider>
Ready to drop the overlays?
Start building onboarding that feels native to your app.
npm install @onboardjs/core @onboardjs/react