{"id":3550,"date":"2024-04-17T13:00:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/?p=3550"},"modified":"2025-07-16T09:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T09:04:46","slug":"in-app-messaging-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best In-app Messaging Tools Today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#00d1b2\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"bf2b7b\"><div class=\"gb-notice-title\" style=\"color:#fff\"><p>TL;DR<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#00d1b2\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These 7 tools simplify in\u2011app messaging with no\u2011code builders, segmentation, triggers and analytics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/\">Refiner<\/a><\/strong> best for surveys and in\u2011product notifications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Userlist<\/strong> works if you also use email automation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>OneSignal<\/strong> covers multi\u2011channel comms including in\u2011app<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Userpilot<\/strong>, <strong>Appcues<\/strong>, <strong>Pendo<\/strong> help with product growth, onboarding and feature adoption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customer.io<\/strong> adds personalization across email, SMS and in\u2011app<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s not beat around the bush here\u2014as a founder, you really can\u2019t grow your product without in-app messages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(To be clear, I am not saying you just need in-app messaging to grow. Far from it, of course. But the strategy should form an integral part of your product-led growth.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But naturally, to do that, you also need a dedicated tool, and often, that\u2019s where the problem starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which in-app messaging tool to use? There are so many, after all. Yet not all of them actually do in-app messaging but push messaging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how do you choose?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, keep reading to find out. We will examine in-app messaging tools as a product category and evaluate seven amazing ones in detail.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But first, let\u2019s do a quick recap on in-app messaging\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What exactly is in-app messaging?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#00d1b2\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"7917d5\"><div class=\"gb-notice-title\" style=\"color:#fff\"><p>Definition: In-app messaging<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#00d1b2\">\n<p><strong>In\u2011App Messaging<\/strong>: messages displayed while users are actively using the app<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A QUICK NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN: Below is a quick overview of in-app messaging. But I admit there is far more to it than the handful of paragraphs that follow. So, to learn everything about running an in-app messaging strategy, read my dedicated and <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-guide\/\">complete in-app messaging guide<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my guide, I described in-app messaging this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I bet sometimes you just want to tell users something quickly. It could be telling them about a new feature, showing them how to do something in the app better, or offering a hack\u2026.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>But the thing is \u2013 The information is so short that there really is no point in emailing them about it.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For one, there\u2019s not enough information there for an email, and there\u2019s nothing else you could add to make it longer. Not to mention that your users would see the advice out of context anyway.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Well, you know what \u2013 That\u2019s where in-app messaging comes in.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still think there\u2019s no better way to explain in-app messages\u2014small popup messages triggered in your app\u2019s interface that deliver information to customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What information you deliver will vary depending on your strategy, of course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It could be a notification about a new feature or a change to an existing one<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A quick note about your latest article<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A tip or best practice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A reminder about a specific event or scheduled maintenance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A survey that invites users to share their opinions about your product or its specific functionality, etc.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, however, in-app messages offer an incredible opportunity to deliver such information, and do so without disrupting the user experience and flow in the product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a handful of examples of how other software companies use in-app messaging:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"528\" height=\"232\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image.jpeg\" alt=\"Example of an in-app message.\" class=\"wp-image-3551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image.jpeg 528w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-300x132.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>(<em>Freshbooks posted this update notification on its login page. Note how this seemingly unusual location of the in-app message (the login page) actually makes sense. The information relates to changes to the login process, after all, so, what\u2019s a better place to trigger the message than on the login page itself.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"123\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1024x123.png\" alt=\"In-app notification example. \" class=\"wp-image-3552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1024x123.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-300x36.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-768x92.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1536x185.png 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image.png 1573w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SEMrush often triggers announcements like these in its tools.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"573\" height=\"223\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1.png\" alt=\"Another example of an in-app message. \" class=\"wp-image-3553\" style=\"width:573px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1.png 573w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1-300x117.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">New feature notification in Toggl<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"424\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a notification displayed inside the product.\" class=\"wp-image-3554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2.png 424w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2-249x300.png 249w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Christmas holiday support hours notification in Alitu<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-1024x198.png\" alt=\"In-app message as a banner.\" class=\"wp-image-3555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-1024x198.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-300x58.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-768x148.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3.png 1263w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ahrefs often uses banners like these to communicate changes to users.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"751\" height=\"328\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4.png\" alt=\"Video in an in-app message.\" class=\"wp-image-3556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4.png 751w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-300x131.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">And sometimes, they include video in in-app notifications to boost engagement further.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-1024x516.png\" alt=\"In-app message with a survey.\" class=\"wp-image-3557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-1024x516.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5.png 1178w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In-app message inviting users to take a survey in Refiner.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>NOTE: All those in-app messages are displayed so that they never disrupt what the visitor is doing. They either appear as part of the overall app UI (see examples from Freshbooks or Ahrefs) or as unobtrusive popups, placed strategically so as not to break the person\u2019s flow (Alitu, Refiner.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This is a critical factor to remember about in-app messages, and it is what makes this strategy so powerful and engaging.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OK, but what about the tools that help trigger those messages?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In-app Messaging Tools &#8211; Definition and Core Functionality<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In-app messaging software is exactly that: <em>a tool that provides you with the ability to design and create an in-app notification to deliver your message, and trigger it to the right users at the right time.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There really is no mystery behind it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, of course, that doesn\u2019t mean that all in-app messaging tools are the same. And unfortunately, this is where choosing the right tool becomes a bit more challenging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s why.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In-app messaging tools typically fall into a few categories.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The largest category is all-in-one communication platforms where in-app messaging is just one of their capabilities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A smaller yet equally significant segment is tools that specialize in only certain aspects of user comms and use in-app messaging as a delivery channel.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>My tool, Refiner, is a great example here. <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/features\/in-product-microsurveys\/\">Refiner<\/a> is primarily survey software for SaaS, but it also allows for triggering surveys (and other types of messages) inside the app.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, some mobile push notification tools also use the \u201cin-app\u201d moniker but don\u2019t actually help SaaS and software products communicate with users inside the app. (As you can imagine, I\u2019ve not included any such tools in the list below.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Given such diversity among in-app messaging tools, what features should you look for when evaluating potential vendors?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Critical in-app messaging software capabilities and features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1. Simple, no-code message builder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>By far, this is the most critical element. In-app messages are, by definition, small notifications. They aren\u2019t something that you should be spending hours and hours designing and perfecting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They just need to appear on the screen and deliver the information to users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so, the best in-app messaging tools offer a simple way to create new notifications and customize their style to your brand. Most either offer ready-made templates, or their interface is designed to capture the information that you want to deliver quickly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what the new message screen looks like in Refiner, for example.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"883\" height=\"876\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1.jpeg\" alt=\"No-code in-app message builder.\" class=\"wp-image-3558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1.jpeg 883w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1-300x298.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-1-768x762.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 883px) 100vw, 883px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2. User segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Some in-app messages are intended for all users, but there will be times when you want to display a message only to a specific user segment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take onboarding, for example. No existing user needs to see those messages anymore. But anyone signing up for the first time should receive those in-app messages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, license renewal notifications would work only for customers who are actually paying you money, and who\u2019s licenses are in fact up for renewal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your in-app messaging tool should allow you to create custom user segments and trigger messages to those segments specifically.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example from Refiner, showing a new notification targeting a custom audience segment. In this case, these are New Users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"901\" height=\"715\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6.png\" alt=\"User segmentation in an in-app messaging tool.\" class=\"wp-image-3559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6.png 901w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-300x238.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-768x609.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 901px) 100vw, 901px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3. Launch triggers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Launch triggers help you define when and where your notification will appear. It could be a dedicated page within the product or a specific time interval after a person has logged in or performed a specific action.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"892\" height=\"685\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7.png\" alt=\"Launch triggers in an in-app message software.\" class=\"wp-image-3560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7.png 892w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-300x230.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-768x590.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4. Analytics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the product you choose should provide you with a clear overview of how your in-app messages are performing. Let\u2019s face it: how else can you evaluate whether the strategy is delivering the desired results than by sifting through performance data\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, here\u2019s a reporting dashboard for an in-app message containing an NPS survey.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"562\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2-1024x562.jpeg\" alt=\"Reporting dashboard to measure in-app messaging strategy performance.\" class=\"wp-image-3561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2-1024x562.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2-300x165.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2-768x422.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-2.jpeg 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>But enough theory. Let\u2019s review some of the best in-app messaging tools on the market and help you decide which is best for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7 Best In-app Messaging Tools Today<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#00d1b2\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"f9bb65\"><div class=\"gb-notice-title\" style=\"color:#fff\"><p>Summary: Best in-app messaging tools<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#00d1b2\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Tool<\/th><th>Strengths<\/th><th>Best For<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Refiner<\/strong><\/td><td>Microsurveys + in\u2011app messages<\/td><td>Feedback and simple notifications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Userlist<\/strong><\/td><td>Email and in\u2011app from one platform<\/td><td>Combined customer communication<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>OneSignal<\/strong><\/td><td>Multi\u2011channel messaging platform<\/td><td>Apps needing push, SMS, email and in\u2011app<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Userpilot<\/strong><\/td><td>Onboarding flows and product nudges<\/td><td>Feature adoption and onboarding<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Customer.io<\/strong><\/td><td>Advanced personalization across channels<\/td><td>Cross-channel campaigns with triggers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Appcues<\/strong><\/td><td>Feature adoption and product growth<\/td><td>Visual onboarding flows and checklists<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Pendo<\/strong><\/td><td>Guides and feature rollout inside product<\/td><td>In-depth onboarding and analytics<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1. Refiner<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-1024x385.jpeg\" alt=\"In-app messaging platform.\" class=\"wp-image-3562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-1024x385.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-300x113.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-768x289.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3-1536x578.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-3.jpeg 1590w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> In-app survey and messaging platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/\">Refiner<\/a> (<em>disclaimer\u2014this is my tool) <\/em>is<em> <\/em>dedicated in-app survey and notification software for SaaS and digital product companies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refiner\u2019s core value is allowing you to ask users questions while using your product and collecting context-rich feedback.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as part of the platform, you also get the option to trigger in-app messages for users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>With Refiner, you can:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Collect powerful feedback from customers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Send on-time notifications about new features or general updates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run in-app surveys, including NPS or CSAT, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key functionality:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No-code message builder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ability to collect in-app <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/product-surveys\/\">product feedback<\/a> (incl. <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/solutions\/nps\/\">NPS<\/a>, CSAT, CES, PMF, and many other survey types)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In-app messaging and notifications functionality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced audience segmentation and custom segments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced triggering options<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Survey logic&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A wide range of templates to get you started<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reporting dashboard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Team alerts of new feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Powerful integrations, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/features\/in-product-microsurveys\/\">Find out more about Refiner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2. Userlist<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-1024x478.jpeg\" alt=\"Userlist.\" class=\"wp-image-3563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-1024x478.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-300x140.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-768x359.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4-1536x717.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-4.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Email marketing automation tool with in-app messaging functionality<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/userlist.com\/features\/in-app-messages\/\">Userlist<\/a> falls in the first category of tools I described &#8211; large communication platforms. Userlists core offering primarily focuses on helping SaaS companies engage with customers with email.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tool offers incredible capabilities to help you onboard new users, nurture leads, send transactional emails, behavior-based campaigns, lifecycle emails, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Userlist also features a dedicated in-app messaging tool to help engage customers inside your product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a perfect option if you want to share tips with your users, send them links to help articles, promote upgrades and coupon codes, announce new features, or simply broadcast company news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Core in-app messaging functionality:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quick installation through small JS snippet.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ability to send in-app messages and notifications directly from Userlist.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There is no \u201creply\u201d feature, making this a perfect way to communicate with users without distracting them or forcing to join a chat conversation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Message display location and look and feel customization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simple message compose window<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Built-in responsive mobile view for in-app messages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3. OneSignal<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-1024x450.jpeg\" alt=\"OneSignal.\" class=\"wp-image-3564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-1024x450.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-300x132.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-768x337.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5-1536x675.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-5.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Customer communications platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OneSignal is a massive customer comms platform spanning several channels &#8211; push notifications, email, SMS, and of course, in-app messaging aimed mostly at app developers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s feature set focuses on helping you engage customers of your mobile app, and make it easy to deploy those features without needing App store approvals, or so (whenever that\u2019s possible, of course.)&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you don\u2019t mind, for this overview, I\u2019m going to ignore the other channels, though, and tell you more about its in-app features.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so, OneSignal offers a simple, no-code message creator. Just like with Refiner and Userlist, you create your message by filling in specific fields on a form. You can also customize colors, fonts, or text alignment of your message, add buttons, images, etc.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But with OneSignal, you can also do the same through an HTML editor if you want to have greater control over your in-app message.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Core in-app messaging features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Simple, no-code editor or HTML editor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ability to include surveys, ratings, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Image carousels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Built-in analytics dashboard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4. Userpilot<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-1024x410.jpeg\" alt=\"Userpilot.\" class=\"wp-image-3565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-1024x410.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-300x120.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-768x307.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6-1536x614.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-6.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Product growth platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Userpilot doesn\u2019t target in-app messaging as a use case, specifically. For the company, in-app notifications are just one of the channels its customers can use to achieve their main goal &#8211; Greater product growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For that reason, Userpilot is more concerned with what you can achieve with the platform, rather than how.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, Userpilot can help you onboard new customers, drive product adoption, run in-app growth experiments, and even offer in-app support.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as you can imagine, in-app messaging plays a part in several of these objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#5. Customer.io<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-1024x420.jpeg\" alt=\"Customer.io.\" class=\"wp-image-3566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-1024x420.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-300x123.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-768x315.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7-1536x631.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-7.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type: <\/strong>Customer engagement and messaging platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer.io is another all-in-one tool that focuses on engaging and messaging customers. The tool offers capabilities to plan and deliver intricate and highly personalized messaging strategies across a wide range of channels, including email, SMS, and in-app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Customer.io, you can create powerful customer journeys, use data (the platform has plenty of it) to trigger conversations at the right time, use complex branch logic to deliver campaigns across multiple channels, trigger transactional messages, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Core in-app features:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No-code message builders (and the ability to code custom messages, too.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High level of message personalization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Localization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-device support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data-driven segmentation and triggering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Webhooks, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#6. Appcues<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8-1024x463.jpeg\" alt=\"Appcues.\" class=\"wp-image-3567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8-1024x463.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8-300x136.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8-768x348.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8-1536x695.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-8.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Product adoption platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Appcues helps solve a hugely important problem for us, founders: getting users to recognize the value of our products\u2014or, as we often refer to it, getting them to that \u201caha\u201d moment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This usually happens through careful onboarding, support, and messaging. As you can imagine, in-app messaging plays a huge role in the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter Appcues, a platform that facilitates communication with new users to ensure that they reach the most critical features, understand how to use them, and in turn, recognize the value of the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of its focus on activation, Appcues isn\u2019t a dedicated in-app messaging platform. At the same time, in-app messaging plays a huge role in delivering the information required to activate a user, hence its including on this list.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From user onboarding, feature adoption to simple announcements, Appcues provides all the tools you need to communicate with users inside your product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In-app messaging features:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Powerful message builder (and a Chrome extension)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Appcues studio to design and manage flows and events, set up targeting, and more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Powerful segmentation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data analytics, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#7. Pendo<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9-1024x406.jpeg\" alt=\"Pendo.\" class=\"wp-image-3568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9-1024x406.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9-300x119.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9-768x305.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9-1536x610.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image-9.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> In-app guides platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overview:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pendo is far more than an app for triggering in-app guides. It\u2019s a powerful platform for analyzing customer behavior, conducting research, and more. But since we\u2019re specifically talking about in-app messaging, I want to focus on this functionality.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pendo\u2019s in-app guides are just that: digital guidance that you can offer customers to familiarize themselves with the product, its features, and more. Pendo is ideal for using in-app messaging for onboarding, support, and guiding users to the most impactful features.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>And that\u2019s it\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the seven most powerful in-app messaging tools today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s left for you is to check them in more detail, and test the ones you think would deliver the biggest value to your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-cta ab-block-cta\"><div class=\"ab-cta-content\">\n\n<span class=\"ab-cta-title\">Increase SaaS Conversion and Retention Rates with Refiner<\/span>\n\n<div class=\"ab-cta-text\"><p>We help SaaS &#038; digital product teams to better understand the needs of their users. Make better product decisions, find upsell opportunities and send ultra-personalized campaigns to retain more customers.<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ab-cta-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\" target=\"_self\" class=\"ab-button ab-button-shape-rounded ab-button-size-medium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In-app messaging &#8211; FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752656582485\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How often should I show in\u2011app messages?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Show no more than two messages per session, only when relevant to a user\u2019s action, to avoid message fatigue.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752656594800\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What\u2019s the difference between in\u2011app messaging and push notifications?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">In\u2011app messages appear while the user is active in the app, push notifs appear outside the app and aim to bring users back.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752656618207\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Which message type should I use for onboarding?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Use modals or tooltips to introduce UI elements step\u2011by\u2011step during first\u2011use flow.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752656630382\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can in\u2011app messaging work for B2B products?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, B2B users often need contextual guidance on complex workflows, so in\u2011app messages are very effective.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752656650450\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I measure in\u2011app message effectiveness?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Track views, clicks, dismissals and downstream behavior like feature activation or survey responses.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s not beat around the bush here\u2014as a founder, you really can\u2019t grow your product without in-app messages.&nbsp; (To be clear, I am not saying you just need in-app messaging to grow. Far from it, of course. But the strategy should form an integral part of your product-led growth.) But naturally, to do that, you [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3572,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"refiner_sidebar_werbeblock":"1224","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-led-growth"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>7 Best In-app Messaging Tools to Try<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the best in-app messaging tools. Learn what software to use to display in-app messages to users.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Best In-app Messaging Tools to Try\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover the best in-app messaging tools. Learn what software to use to display in-app messages to users.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Refiner Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-04-17T13:00:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-16T09:04:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/In-app-message-tools.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Moritz Dausinger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mdausinger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Moritz Dausinger\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Moritz Dausinger\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/55632335b069a1d4a08cfd16de5d4dd2\"},\"headline\":\"7 Best In-app Messaging Tools Today\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-17T13:00:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T09:04:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\"},\"wordCount\":2601,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/In-app-message-tools.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Product-led Growth\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/\",\"name\":\"7 Best In-app Messaging Tools to Try\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-tools\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/In-app-message-tools.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-17T13:00:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T09:04:46+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover the best in-app messaging tools. 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