Alternatives · CRO and testing
Hotjar alternatives: 6 options compared
The short answer
People look past Hotjar for cost, for a free tool, or because its pricing has moved under its parent Contentsquare. Microsoft Clarity is free, PostHog combines recordings with product analytics and experiments, Mouseflow and Crazy Egg are focused heatmap tools, FullStory suits enterprise digital experience teams, and Survicate covers the on-site survey side.
On this page 5 sections
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Why people switch from Hotjar
- Pricing changes. Hotjar's pricing page now redirects to Contentsquare's, which meters plans by monthly sessions. Teams on older Hotjar plans are re-evaluating.
- A free tool would do. Many small sites only need heatmaps and a sample of recordings.
- One tool for product teams. Product teams often want recordings joined to event analytics, feature flags and experiments.
- Surveys only. Some teams used Hotjar mainly for feedback widgets and want a survey-first tool.
What to check before switching
- Recording consent and masking: confirm form fields and personal data are masked by default.
- Page weight: every tag adds script; check the new snippet's effect on load time.
- Session limits and sampling on the plan you would buy, against your monthly traffic.
- Data retention, since old recordings may disappear when you cancel.
The options
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. Descriptions come from each vendor’s own site as of October 2026; we have not tested these products in a live account. Prices appear only where we read them on the vendor’s pricing page.
Crazy Egg
Best for: if you want heatmaps plus simple A/B tests
Heatmaps, scroll maps, session recordings and A/B testing for marketing sites.
FullStory
Best for: if you want enterprise digital experience analytics
Session replay and behavioural analytics for larger product and ecommerce teams, with frustration signals and data export.
Microsoft Clarity
Best for: if you want free heatmaps and recordings
Microsoft's free heatmaps and session recordings, with rage-click and dead-click signals and a GA4 integration.
Mouseflow
Best for: if you want funnels and form analytics with recordings
Session replay, heatmaps, conversion funnels, form analytics and feedback surveys in one tool.
PostHog
Best for: if you want recordings joined to product analytics
Open-source platform with product analytics, session replay, feature flags, experiments and surveys, with a free monthly allowance.
Survicate
Best for: if you want the on-site feedback side
Website and in-product surveys with targeting by page, behaviour and user attributes, plus AI analysis of open answers.
PriceGrowth plan from $114 per month, billed annually (October 2026)
Migration notes
- Remove the old snippet once the new one is collecting, so you do not load two recording scripts.
- Recreate saved heatmaps for your key templates (home, pricing, checkout) on day one; heatmaps only cover data collected after set-up.
- Update your privacy page and consent banner categories to name the new tool.
What these tools show and their limits: heatmaps and session recordings explained. Head to head: Survicate vs Hotjar. More options: best heatmap and CRO tools. Before you test changes: A/B testing for small business.
Free toolConversion rate calculator: Conversion rate from visitors and conversions, with a confidence interval and the visitors needed to hit a target.
Questions
- Is there a free alternative to Hotjar?
- Microsoft Clarity is free and offers heatmaps and session recordings. PostHog has a free monthly allowance. Contentsquare's own pricing page also lists a free plan with monthly session limits.
- Is Hotjar part of Contentsquare?
- Yes. Contentsquare acquired Hotjar, and in October 2026 Hotjar's pricing page redirected to Contentsquare's pricing page, which meters plans by monthly sessions.
Sources
Read next
Conversion rate optimisation and testing
Why do visitors leave without converting, and what change would fix it?
Heatmaps and session recordings explained
What click, scroll and move heatmaps and session recordings show, what they cannot tell you, how much traffic you need, privacy and masking, and free options.
A/B testing for small business: traffic and significance
How to run an A/B test on a small site, how much traffic you need, how to read statistical significance, and when not to test. With a free calculator.