10 Best Tools for Customer Journey Mapping

Introduction

Understanding your customer journey is crucial for delivering exceptional user experiences and driving retention.

There are two main types of tools that can aid in this endeavor: tools for visualizing customer journey maps and tools for customer journey analytics. The former helps create visual representations of the customer journey, while the latter focuses on analyzing customer interactions and behaviors to derive actionable insights. 

This article explores the best tools in both categories, detailing their features and pricing to help you make informed decisions.

Tools for Visualizing Customer Journey Maps

Visualizing customer journeys helps teams understand the various touchpoints and experiences customers encounter. Here are five top tools for creating visual journey maps:

1. Lucidchart

Overview: Lucidchart is a versatile diagramming tool that simplifies the creation of customer journey maps and other visual representations.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Easy to use for creating various diagrams, including flowcharts and wireframes.
  
  

• Collaboration Tools: Real-time editing and commenting allow for team collaboration.
  
  

• Template Library: Offers customizable templates for journey mapping.
  
  

• Integrations: Works seamlessly with Google Workspace, Atlassian products, and Microsoft Office.

Pricing:

• Free tier available with limited features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $7.95/month per user for the Basic plan and $9.00/month for the Pro plan.

Why It’s Great: Its flexibility and ease of use make it ideal for teams looking to create custom maps quickly.

2. Smaply

Overview: Smaply is specifically designed for journey mapping and provides robust features tailored for user experience professionals.

Key Features:

• Persona Development: Create detailed customer personas to represent different segments.
  
  

• Journey Mapping Tools: Visualize touchpoints and emotional experiences.
  
  

• Storyboards: Capture user narratives to understand their journeys.
  
  

• Impact Mapping: Assess how each touchpoint influences customer satisfaction.

Pricing:

• Starts at €39/month (approximately $43) for the Basic plan and €79/month (approximately $85) for the Pro plan.

Why It’s Great: Focuses on emotional mapping, helping you understand customer feelings throughout their journey.

3. Miro

Overview: Miro is an interactive online whiteboard that facilitates collaborative journey mapping and brainstorming.

Key Features:

• Infinite Canvas: Unlimited space for detailed visualizations.
  
  

• Templates: Access to journey mapping templates and brainstorming boards.
  
  

• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can work together simultaneously.
  
  

• Sticky Notes and Drawing Tools: Easily add notes and visuals to enhance the mapping process.

Pricing:

• Free tier available with limited features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $8/month per user for the Team plan, with a Business plan at $16/month per user.

Why It’s Great: Its collaborative features encourage creative input from team members.

4. Microsoft Visio

Overview: Visio is a powerful diagramming tool that provides professional-grade mapping capabilities for customer journeys.

Key Features:

• Extensive Shape Library: A wide array of templates and shapes for diverse mapping needs.
  
  

• Integration with Microsoft Products: Works seamlessly with tools like Excel and PowerPoint.
  
  

• Collaboration Features: Allows team members to share and edit maps collaboratively.
  
  

• Data Linking: Connect diagrams to external data sources for real-time visualization.

Pricing:

• Starts at $5/month for the online version and $15/month for the desktop version.

Why It’s Great: Its professional features are beneficial for formal presentations and detailed reports.

5. Canva

Overview: Canva is primarily a graphic design platform that offers user-friendly templates for journey mapping.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simple to create visually appealing maps without design experience.
  
  

• Design Library: Access to a vast collection of images and icons for enhanced visuals.
  
  

• Collaboration Features: Team members can comment on and edit designs collaboratively.
  
  

• Presentation Mode: Present maps directly from Canva for easy sharing.

Pricing:

• Free tier available, with the Pro plan priced at $12.99/month.

Why It’s Great: Ideal for teams looking to create visually stunning maps with minimal effort.

Tools for Customer Journey Analytics

While visualization tools help map out customer interactions, analytics tools dive deeper into understanding customer behaviors and deriving actionable insights. Here are five top tools for customer journey analytics:

1. Mixpanel

Overview: Mixpanel is a powerful analytics platform that helps businesses track user interactions and behaviors within their applications.

Key Features:

• Event Tracking: Monitor specific user actions and events in real time.
  
  

• Funnel Analysis: Understand conversion rates at various stages of the customer journey.
  
  

• Cohort Analysis: Segment users based on behavior to tailor marketing strategies.
  
  

• A/B Testing: Optimize features and user experiences through controlled experiments.

Pricing:

• Free tier available with limited features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $25/month for the Growth plan.

Why It’s Great: Provides detailed insights into user behavior, allowing for data-driven decision-making.

2. Heap

Overview: Heap automates event tracking and provides comprehensive analytics to understand user journeys.

Key Features:

• Automatic Data Capture: Tracks every user interaction without manual setup.
  
  

• Visualizations: Create visual reports and dashboards to analyze user behavior.
  
  

• Segmentation: Segment users based on behavior, demographics, and more.
  
  

• Retrospective Analysis: Analyze historical data to identify trends and patterns.

Pricing:

• Free tier available for basic features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $3,600/year for the Starter plan.

Why It’s Great: Its automatic tracking saves time and effort while providing deep insights.

3. Google Analytics

Overview: Google Analytics is a widely used web analytics tool that provides insights into website traffic and user behavior.

Key Features:

• Real-Time Reporting: Monitor user interactions in real time.
  
  

• Goal Tracking: Set and measure goals to analyze conversion rates.
  
  

• User Flow Visualization: Visualize how users navigate through your site.
  
  

• Audience Segmentation: Analyze user behavior based on demographics and interests.

Pricing:

• Free tier available with robust features.
  
  

• Google Analytics 360 for enterprise solutions starts at $150,000/year.

Why It’s Great: Its comprehensive features and free access make it a go-to choice for many businesses.

4. Hotjar

Overview: Hotjar provides insights into user behavior through heatmaps, session recordings, and surveys.

Key Features:

• Heatmaps: Visualize where users click, move, and scroll on your website.
  
  

• Session Recordings: Watch recordings of real user sessions to identify usability issues.
  
  

• Feedback Polls: Collect user feedback to understand their experiences and pain points.
  
  

• Conversion Funnels: Analyze how users navigate toward conversions.

Pricing:

• Free tier available with limited features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $39/month for the Plus plan.

Why It’s Great: It combines qualitative and quantitative data to give a holistic view of user behavior.

5. Segment

Overview: Segment is a customer data platform that helps businesses collect and manage user data across various channels.

Key Features:

• Data Collection: Centralize user data from multiple sources and touchpoints.
  
  

• Integration with Tools: Connect with over 300 marketing, analytics, and data warehousing tools.
  
  

• User Profiles: Build detailed user profiles based on their interactions.
  
  

• Real-Time Data: Access data in real time for immediate insights.

Pricing:

• Free tier available for basic features.
  
  

• Paid plans start at $120/month for the Team plan.

Why It’s Great: Its ability to unify data from different sources provides a comprehensive view of the customer journey.

Pricing Comparison Table

Conclusion

Choosing the right tools for visualizing customer journey maps and analyzing customer interactions is crucial for optimizing user experiences in the SaaS industry. Whether you need detailed visual representations or deep analytics insights, each tool offers unique features that cater to different needs. By selecting the right combination of tools, you can effectively understand your customers’ journeys and enhance their overall satisfaction.