Best Hotjar Alternatives
for Heatmaps & Session Recording 2027
Hotjar is a popular behavior analytics tool, but free alternatives like Microsoft Clarity now cover its core features. We reviewed the top 6 alternatives for every need.
Top 6 Hotjar Alternatives Compared
Each tool evaluated on heatmap quality, session recording, pricing, and value for digital teams.
Dewx
Editor's PickAI-native business OS that provides integrated analytics and AI-driven insights alongside your CRM, inbox, and operations. For small businesses using Hotjar to understand customer behavior, Dewx connects behavioral insights to CRM contacts and business outcomes without a separate heatmap subscription.
Pros
- Behavioral insights connected directly to CRM contacts and revenue
- AI assistant surfaces patterns and growth opportunities automatically
- No separate heatmap or session recording subscription required
- Business context ties behavior to outcomes, not just interactions
Cons
- Not a dedicated heatmap and session recording tool like Hotjar
- Best for small businesses wanting integrated business intelligence
Microsoft Clarity
A completely free behavioral analytics tool from Microsoft offering session recordings, heatmaps, and user journey analysis with no session limits. Clarity is the most popular free Hotjar alternative and has added AI-powered session summaries.
Pros
- Completely free with no session recording limits
- Heatmaps, session recordings, and scroll maps included
- AI-powered session summaries (Copilot)
- Easy integration with Google Analytics and Shopify
Cons
- No surveys, NPS, or feedback widgets like Hotjar
- Less advanced filtering and segmentation than Hotjar
- Data privacy concerns for some teams (Microsoft infrastructure)
FullStory
A digital experience analytics platform with auto-capture session recording, frustration signal detection, and detailed behavioral analytics. FullStory targets enterprise teams needing deeper behavioral intelligence than Hotjar provides.
Pros
- Auto-captures all user interactions without manual setup
- Frustration signal detection (rage clicks, dead clicks, error clicks)
- Strong DX Data API for connecting to other analytics tools
- Better for complex product UX debugging than Hotjar
Cons
- Custom enterprise pricing — significantly more expensive than Hotjar
- No user survey or feedback collection tools
- Overkill for simple heatmap and session review needs
PostHog
An open-source product analytics platform that includes session replay, heatmaps, auto-capture, feature flags, and A/B testing. PostHog is a strong Hotjar alternative for technical teams that want behavioral analytics with data ownership.
Pros
- Session replay and heatmaps combined with product analytics
- Open-source — self-hostable for full data control
- Generous cloud free tier for startups
- Feature flags and A/B testing bundled in
Cons
- No user survey or feedback widget like Hotjar
- Self-hosting requires infrastructure management
- More technical to implement than Hotjar
Lucky Orange
A user behavior analytics tool with session recordings, heatmaps, form analytics, live chat, and visitor profiles in one affordable package. Lucky Orange is one of the most direct feature-comparable Hotjar alternatives at a lower price.
Pros
- More affordable than Hotjar for comparable features
- Includes live chat and visitor profiles — more than just heatmaps
- Form analytics highlight where users drop off in forms
- Easy setup and intuitive interface
Cons
- Less polished than Hotjar for heatmap visualization
- Smaller user community and fewer integrations
- Survey features less mature than Hotjar
Crazy Egg
A conversion rate optimization tool offering heatmaps, session recordings, A/B testing, and traffic analysis. Crazy Egg is positioned as an all-in-one CRO platform, bundling behavioral analytics with testing in one subscription.
Pros
- Heatmaps combined with A/B testing in one tool
- Traffic analysis shows where visitors come from
- Affordable at $49/mo for heatmaps + A/B testing combined
- Good confetti/click maps for visualizing interaction patterns
Cons
- No user survey or NPS feedback tools like Hotjar
- Session recording is less advanced than Hotjar
- Limited audience segmentation on lower plans
Quick Comparison Table
Side-by-side overview of all Hotjar alternatives.
| Tool | Starting Price | Best For | Heatmaps | Free Tier | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewx | From $49/mo (all features included) | Small businesses wanting behavioral insights connected to CRM and revenue data | 4.8/5 | ||
| Microsoft Clarity | Free | Small businesses wanting free session recording and heatmaps without Hotjar costs | 4.4/5 | ||
| FullStory | Free tier (limited); paid custom pricing | Enterprise product teams needing deep auto-capture behavioral analytics | 4.3/5 | ||
| PostHog | Free tier (cloud); self-hosted free | Technical teams wanting open-source session recording with product analytics | 4.4/5 | ||
| Lucky Orange | From $32/mo | Small businesses wanting Hotjar-like features at a lower monthly price | 4.1/5 | ||
| Crazy Egg | From $49/mo | Teams wanting heatmaps combined with A/B testing without separate subscriptions | 4/5 |
Why Consider Hotjar Alternatives?
Hotjar is a popular behavioral analytics tool, but free competitors now cover most of its core value.
Free Alternatives
Microsoft Clarity provides unlimited session recordings and heatmaps completely free — making Hotjar's paid plans hard to justify for most small businesses.
Session Volume Limits
Hotjar's lower plans cap session recordings, meaning you may miss important user journeys on high-traffic pages.
Behavior-Only Scope
Hotjar tracks on-site behavior only. It cannot connect visitor actions to your CRM contacts, deals, or revenue outcomes.
Growing Alternatives
PostHog and FullStory have added heatmaps and session recording alongside broader product analytics, making standalone tools less necessary.
Hotjar Alternatives FAQ
What is the best free Hotjar alternative?
Microsoft Clarity is the best free Hotjar alternative. It provides unlimited session recordings, heatmaps, and scroll maps at no cost with no session limits. It has added AI-powered session summaries via Copilot. For technical teams, PostHog offers a generous free tier that adds product analytics alongside session recording.
Why do businesses switch from Hotjar?
The main reasons are: 1) Cost — Hotjar's paid plans start at $39/mo and increase with session volume. 2) Microsoft Clarity is free and covers most of Hotjar's core features. 3) Scope — Hotjar is a behavioral analytics tool only; teams need separate CRM, support, and operations tools alongside it. 4) Session limits on lower plans frustrate high-traffic sites.
Does Microsoft Clarity replace Hotjar completely?
Microsoft Clarity covers Hotjar's session recording and heatmap features but does not include user surveys, NPS widgets, or feedback collection. For teams using Hotjar primarily for recordings and heatmaps, Clarity is a complete free replacement. For teams relying on Hotjar's feedback and survey tools, Clarity alone is insufficient.
Can Dewx replace Hotjar for understanding customer behavior?
Dewx provides business-level behavioral insights — customer activity patterns, CRM interaction history, and revenue-connected analytics — but not website-level heatmaps or session recordings. For website UX optimization, Microsoft Clarity (free) or PostHog are better fits. For understanding customer business behavior and connecting it to CRM and revenue, Dewx is the stronger choice.
Which Hotjar alternative is best for CRO (conversion rate optimization)?
Crazy Egg is purpose-built for CRO, bundling heatmaps with A/B testing and traffic analysis. Lucky Orange includes form analytics that are specifically useful for identifying conversion drop-offs. For full funnel CRO combining behavioral analytics with testing, Crazy Egg or PostHog (which includes A/B testing) are the strongest alternatives.
Explore Dewx Features
See why Dewx is the top-rated Hotjar alternative for small businesses.
DEW Hub — AI & Automation
AI-driven behavioral insights connected to your business context.
CX Hub
Customer experience analytics tied to support, projects, and satisfaction.
GTM Hub
Visitor behavior connected to your sales pipeline and growth metrics.
More comparisons:
Ready to Replace Hotjar?
Stop paying for session recordings while free tools do the same. Dewx gives you AI-driven behavioral insights connected to your CRM and business data in one flat-rate subscription.