BoardFlow vs Loom

BoardFlow vs Loom: text guides vs video recordings

Both BoardFlow and Loom help teams share knowledge. But they take fundamentally different approaches — and for onboarding and process documentation, text-based guides win.

How they're different

Loom records your screen and camera as a video. It's excellent for quick async updates, demos, and one-to-one communication. But videos have serious limitations for onboarding and process documentation: they go out of date the moment the UI changes, you can't edit a single step without re-recording, you can't search the content, and team members have to sit and watch instead of follow along.

BoardFlow takes a structured approach. Instead of recording a video, it captures the discrete actions you take — each click, navigation, and input — and converts them into an editable, searchable, step-by-step guide. The result is documentation that works like a real procedure manual, not like a YouTube video.

Feature comparison

Feature BoardFlow Loom
Output formatEditable step-by-step text guideVideo file
Editable after recordingYes — edit any stepNo — must re-record
Searchable contentYes — full text searchPartial (transcript only)
Role-based assignmentYes — assign to positionsNo
Onboarding checklistsYes — personal task listsNo
Team org structureYes — org/team/positionNo
Cross-tab recordingYes — all tabs capturedYes
Works asyncYesYes
Free tierYes — full access in betaLimited (25 videos)

When to use BoardFlow instead of Loom

Choose BoardFlow over Loom when:

  • You need guides that can be updated without re-recording everything
  • You're onboarding new employees and need role-based checklists
  • Your team needs to search for specific steps in a process
  • You want to assign guides to specific positions or teams
  • You want shareable guides with no account required to view
  • Processes change frequently and you need documentation to stay current

Loom is still great for one-off async updates, quick demos for clients, or communicating nuanced feedback that benefits from tone of voice and facial expressions. But for systematic process documentation and team onboarding software, BoardFlow's structured guides are more practical and maintainable.

Try BoardFlow free

Create your first guide in under 10 minutes. No credit card, no commitment.

Get started free →