SmartCue vs Navattic vs Walnut: Which Tool Should You Pick?

Bad demos don’t just bore prospects; they cost teams deals. For SaaS founders, sales leaders, and marketing teams, the pressure is on to deliver demos that engage fast, cut out the fluff, and let prospects see value right away. Interactive demo software promises exactly that: shorter cycles, more qualified leads, and fewer “let’s reschedule” emails.

The challenge? With so many platforms competing, picking the right one is a bit like shopping for running shoes; the options look similar, but the wrong fit will slow you down.

And here’s the kicker: while each platform serves a purpose, SmartCue is built for speed and simplicity, making it the practical choice for teams that want to start creating shareable demos today, not weeks from now.

What Are Interactive Demo Platforms?

Think of an interactive demo platform as a test drive for software. Instead of sitting through long video demos or waiting on a live sales call, prospects can click around and experience the product on their own terms.

That’s why marketing teams love them for product tours that boost adoption, and sales teams rely on them to shorten the sales cycle and keep buyers engaged. They’re basically the middle ground between a polished product demo and a hands-on trial, without the setup headaches.

How Do Navattic, Walnut, and SmartCue Compare? (Quick Comparison Table)

If you prefer the highlights upfront, this quick comparison table gives you a side-by-side view of all three demo automation platforms:

How Does SmartCue Compare as a Demo Platform? (G2 Rated 4.8/5)

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SmartCue is a demo automation platform built for speed and simplicity. It helps teams create interactive demos in minutes using a Chrome extension, making it far easier for startups and fast-moving sales teams to deliver personalized product experiences without the overhead of enterprise-heavy tools.

Here’s What Stands Out

• Chrome extension for fast screen capture and demo creation

• Personalization options like tooltips, highlights, and clickable steps

• AI-powered features (voiceovers, demo scoring, A/B testing, some others still in rollout)

• Analytics for demo usage: views, clicks, drop-offs, and conversion tracking

• Collaboration tools with commenting, chapters, and Showcase Hub

• Security features like SOC 2, SSO, audit logs, and custom domains

What Does SmartCue Really Cost?

• Essential: $10/user/month or $99/user/year

• Growth: $30/user/month or $300/user/year

• Enterprise: Custom pricing (minimum 10 users, includes advanced admin controls and API/webhooks)

Pros

• Extremely fast setup; demos can be built in under 10 minutes

• Affordable software with flexible pricing plans

• Lower learning curve compared to other demo automation software

• Great fit for small to mid-sized teams wanting faster sales cycles

What to Keep in Mind

• The feature set is expanding, so occasional new features may take time to mature

With SmartCue’s 14-day free trial, you can start building and sharing demos right away; no risk, just faster sales conversations from day one.

Who Is It Best For?

• Startups and small businesses looking for an affordable software option

• Sales, marketing, and customer success teams who want to create interactive demos fast

• Companies that need interactive product tours without the complexity of live demo environments

What Users Really Say

“SmartCue: Not Just for Marketers, It’s Every Team’s Dream Tool!”

"Initially, I procured SmartCue to enhance our product demos, aiming to provide a more immersive and interactive experience for our prospects. What I didn't expect was the sheer adaptability of the tool! Beyond its core functionality… SmartCue has truly outperformed my expectations."

Tony G., Sr. Product Marketing Specialist, Enterprise

“Real. Brilliant. Innovation.”

"What I like best is that it is intuitive—new users pick it up instantly. Tied with that is the ability to quickly produce different language versions. Also, how easy it is to share and have prospects or users see the value of our products in action."

Craig O., Product and Marketing Management, Enterprise

“Empowering EasyCloudBooks users with SmartCue’s interactive tutorials!”

"We have already created 200+ (tutorials) in less than a month with SmartCue! This has substantially boosted our productivity and customer support function. Its simplicity and affordability have made it a team favorite."

CA Vinod P., Committee Member, Small-Business

How Does Navattic Compare as a Demo Platform? (G2 Rated 4.8/5)

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Navattic is an interactive demo platform that helps companies create product tours without touching code. It’s built with marketing teams and PLG SaaS in mind, making it easier to showcase product features before a live demo. Think of it as a polished “try-before-you-buy” tool, though it can feel a bit heavy for smaller teams.

Here’s What Stands Out

• No-code editor to build interactive demos quickly

• Unlimited demo views (after paid plans)

• Personalization tools like overlays, tooltips, and callouts

• Analytics for demo usage: track drop-offs, clicks, and engagement

• Integrations with CRMs and marketing tools for smoother sales cycles

• Advanced options: A/B testing, demo translation, SSO, and team collaboration

What Does Navattic Really Cost?

• Starter: Free plan with 1 HTML demo and basic analytics

• Base: $500/month billed annually (or $600/month monthly)

• Growth: $1,000/month billed annually (or $1,200/month monthly)

• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Pros

• Great for marketing teams running product tours

• Unlimited users/views once you’re on paid plans

• Analytics and engagement insights built-in

• Secure setup with SSO and audit logs (higher tiers)

What to Keep in Mind

• Pricing plans aren’t exactly affordable software for startups

• Steeper learning curve for non-technical sales team members

• No free trial, only a limited free plan

• Can feel like overkill if your demo use case is lightweight

Who Is It Best For?

• PLG SaaS companies running self-serve product tours

• Marketing teams focused on product adoption campaigns

• Larger teams with budget flexibility

What Users Really Say

"Makes sales and marketing go from frenemies to friends"

“Really great way to help potential customers understand the product, easy to share, easy to make. Easy to use and start, and the customer success folks are amazing. They really seem to want to listen to customers and make the product better.”

- Taylor K.

"Great if you have time to create a good user experience"

“Customer service/client success team is great, responsive, and helpful. The product is pretty simple to use and integrate into your systems. If something is not intuitive, customer success is very responsive and almost always has a solution for you. Sometimes users might think the product demo is the actual platform, so they get frustrated trying to click around. We as the builders of the demo see that as by design, but it may be frustrating to users if the demos aren't set up exactly right.”

- G2 User

How Does Walnut Compare as a Demo Platform? (G2 Rated 4.7/5)

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Walnut is an interactive demo software designed for sales teams that need to personalize demos at scale. Unlike lightweight tools that focus on quick product tours, Walnut demo tool leans more toward enterprise-grade demo automation with advanced customization and analytics baked in. It’s powerful, but that power comes at a premium.

Here’s What Stands Out

• No-code editor for creating interactive product demos

• Personalization options: prospect logos, names, and video overlays

• Demo analytics with engagement tracking and AI-powered insights

• Integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other major tools

• Sandbox demos for live demo environments without breaking the real product

• Enterprise-grade features: white-labeling, SSO, SCIM, and localization (243 languages supported)

What Does Walnut Really Cost?

• Ignite: $750/month billed annually

• Accelerate: $1,550/month billed annually

• Scale: Custom pricing for enterprise needs

For context, Walnut demo pricing typically starts at ~$9K/year, scaling upwards depending on team size and advanced features.

Pros

• Strong customization options for personalized sales experiences

• Robust analytics and reporting to measure demo usage

• Deep integrations with CRMs and marketing automation tools

• Enterprise security and scalability

What to Keep in Mind

• Pricing plans are among the highest in the demo automation market

• Steeper learning curve compared to simpler demo platforms

• No free trial; requires credit card commitment for paid plans

• Better fit for enterprise sales cycles, less so for lean teams

Who Is It Best For?

• Enterprise sales teams that need secure, highly personalized interactive product demos

• Companies with long, complex sales cycles requiring sandbox or live demo environments

• Organizations with dedicated resources for onboarding and implementation

What Users Really Say

"Walnut - clickable, customizable demos for everyone"

“Using Walnut, it's so easy to create clickable demos to show during calls or to send to customers afterwards. Within a minute you can add a customer's logo to personalize the experience. Still some kinks in actually creating the demos, organizing them, and customizing - it took me a while to do the initial creation. Also it doesn't save automatically.”

- Aviva R

"Really powerful tool but requires time to learn how to use it"

“Ease of having storylines available that are possible to tailor to create a demo. Not intuitive about how to change aspects of the storyline to be able to achieve good results in a good amount of time. Most salespeople won't have the time to figure this out rendering the tool unusable.”

- G2 User

Feature-by-Feature Comparison: Navattic vs Walnut vs SmartCue

Ever sat through a demo that looked amazing on paper but fell apart once you clicked around? That’s why it’s not enough to just have demo software; how it handles ease of use, customization, and integrations makes all the difference. Let’s break down how Navattic, Walnut, and SmartCue stack up across the features that actually matter in day-to-day sales and marketing.

When choosing demo software, not every feature carries the same weight. From the side-by-side comparison, three areas stand out as the most important for day-to-day use: ease of use, demo customization, and analytics. Here’s how Navattic, Walnut, and SmartCue compare on each:

1. Ease of Use

• SmartCue: Wins here with its Chrome/browser extension that makes demo creation quick and frictionless. Teams can launch demos in minutes, making it ideal for speed-focused startups and lean GTM teams.

• Navattic: No-code setup, but comes with a steeper learning curve, especially for non-technical users.

• Walnut: Intuitive interface but requires a heavier setup, better suited for enterprise sales workflows.

2. Demo Customization

• SmartCue: Strikes the best balance between simplicity and flexibility, offering tooltips, chapters, and cues for guided demos without the setup complexity of enterprise platforms.

• Navattic: Provides basic customization like overlays, guided steps, and product tours.

• Walnut: Focused on advanced personalization with logos, names, video overlays, and white-label branding for large enterprises.

3. Analytics & Insights

• SmartCue: Delivers actionable insights, including click-throughs, drop-offs, and conversion-focused analytics, perfect for faster sales cycles.

• Navattic: Tracks engagement through demo completion stats, lead capture, and drop-off metrics.

• Walnut: Offers deep reporting, funnels, and AI-powered conversion analysis, but often more than what smaller teams need.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

We’ve seen teams get stuck in decision mode for weeks, weighing every feature and stat side by side. But here’s the truth: the “best” demo platform really depends on how you sell, who you sell to, and how fast you need to move. Let’s break it down by scenario so you can see where Navattic, Walnut, and SmartCue each make the most sense.

1. SmartCue: The Startup-Friendly Choice

If you’re a startup, go with SmartCue. It’s an affordable software option, easy to set up, and fast enough to keep pace with agile sales teams. You don’t need enterprise-level complexity when your goal is to close deals quickly and keep the sales process simple.

2. Navattic & SmartCue: Best Fit for PLG and Marketing Teams

For companies leaning into product-led growth, Navattic is a strong choice. It’s built for interactive product tours, lead capture, and campaigns where marketing teams want prospects to self-educate. But if you want a lighter, faster setup without the enterprise price tag, SmartCue delivers similar benefits with far less friction.

3. Walnut: Built for Complex Enterprise Sales

If you’re an enterprise with complex demos and multiple stakeholders, Walnut fits the bill. It offers a secure demo environment, advanced personalization, and the scalability that customer success teams need to deliver consistent demo experiences across large accounts.

Step Guide to use SmartCue

Why Most Teams Start (and Stay) With SmartCue?

Choosing between SmartCue, Navattic, and Walnut isn’t really about the tools themselves; it’s about how your team sells and what kind of buying experience you want to deliver. Interactive demos aren’t just another software trend; they’re quickly becoming the standard for how prospects evaluate products.

Our take? Start small, test fast, and invest in the platform that gets your team building and sharing demos without friction. For many, that’s going to mean leaning on a tool like SmartCue, where speed and affordability open the door to experimenting right away. Teams looking for Walnut software alternatives often find that SmartCue offers similar benefits without the enterprise overhead. But no matter which platform you pick, the real win comes from putting your product in your prospects’ hands sooner, because the faster they experience its value, the faster you’ll close the deal.

How Does SmartCue Help You Turn Interest into Sales?

Creating and sharing a product demo with SmartCue takes just a few minutes. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Started

Start your free trial and explore SmartCue’s clean, intuitive dashboard; no steep learning curve.

Step 2: Capture or Upload Your Flow

Use the SmartCue browser extension to record your product walkthrough, or upload screens manually.

Step 3: Personalize and Build

Add tooltips, highlights, and guided steps to showcase key features and keep prospects engaged.

Step 4: Publish and Share

Hit publish, grab your link, and send it directly to prospects; no coding or scheduling needed.

Want to see it live? Book a demo and see how quickly SmartCue helps convert curiosity into closed deals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for interactive product demos: Navattic, Walnut, or SmartCue, and why?

Choosing the right interactive demo platform depends on how your team sells and the experience you want to deliver. A Navattic demo suits PLG SaaS teams focused on self-serve tours, while Walnut interactive demo is built for enterprise sales needing deep personalization. SmartCue offers the fastest setup and most affordable pricing, making it ideal for fast-moving teams. If you're considering Walnut demo alternatives, SmartCue stands out for its simplicity, speed, and ease of adoption.

What are the main pros and cons of choosing Navattic, Walnut, or SmartCue for demo automation?

Navattic delivers strong marketing-focused product tours but feels costly for startups. Walnut provides deep customization and security but requires higher budgets and longer onboarding. SmartCue balances speed, affordability, and ease of use, though some advanced AI features are still rolling out.

How do users rate the customer support and onboarding experience for Navattic, Walnut, and SmartCue?

Users praise Navattic’s clean interface but note onboarding can feel heavy. Walnut earns credit for enterprise-level support, yet some mention a steep learning curve. SmartCue stands out for responsive, hands-on support that helps smaller teams adopt quickly without complex setup.

Which industries commonly use Walnut demo software?

Walnut is popular in enterprise B2B sectors, especially SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, and healthcare. These industries often require secure demo environments, advanced personalization, and compliance features, making Walnut a strong fit for large-scale sales processes with multiple stakeholders and long cycles.