15 Best Hotjar Alternatives You Should Use
In a very short period, Hotjar has become a favorite of website owners for their web analytics needs. What gives it a clear edge over other web analytics platforms is the versatility that not only offers more flexibility but also makes analyzing the online behavior of users hassle-free. That all being said, the website analytics tool does have some shortcomings like the inability to provide in-depth analytics and less organized video recordings. Not to mention, it also seems to add plenty of load time to websites – which is nothing but a nightmare, to say the least. If these downsides have forced you to look beyond, let’s jump right in to explore the best Hotjar alternatives of 2022!
Best Hotjar Alternatives You Should Try (2022)
1. Smartlook
When it comes to providing accurate analytics for websites and mobile apps, “Smartlook” has long been a trusted name. But unlike many other website analytics platforms, it’smore cost-effectivedespite being feature-rich. So, if you find Hotjar a bit too expensive for your budget, do not fail to try it out.
Smartlook is quite similar to Hotjar. It works pretty well in offering avivid insight into the behavior of visitorsand also allows you to get to the bottom of each reason.
Besides, it also comes with essential tools like heatmaps, funnels, and recording so that you can keep track of all the needed info with ease. Theheatmaps provide UX insights, allowing you to figure out where the users are clicking and how far they scroll.
Better yet, Smartlook has apowerful event tracking featurethat enables you to keep track of all the events on your websites automatically. Save this feature for the times when you wish to keep a close watch on every important event. In terms of event tracking, Smartlook has a clear edge over Hotjar – both in terms of simplicity and precision.
Taking everything into account, Smartlook is a highly-rated cost-effective, and free alternative to Hotjar in the market right now.
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Pricing:Free, premium plan starts at $39/monthVisit:Website
2. Mouseflow
Mouseflow is one of the very few website analytic tools that offer thebest of both worlds: impressive analysis and competitive price. So, if you are looking for an affordable yet highly effective Hotjar alternative, it can fit into your billing with fairly good results.
In terms of features, Mouseflow is very similar to Hotjar’s noted offerings likeform analytics, session replay, heatmaps, and funnels.Though they can’t compete with the latter’s offerings as far as efficiency is concerned, they can prove to be more than a handful. Besides, it also offers integrations with several popular platforms such asWordPress, Joomla, Google Analytics,Hubspot, and Shopify which provide more flexibility.
If Hotjar claims to have many filtering options, Mouseflow doesn’t look too far behind. For instance, you use filters and segments to quickly segment your visitors by the operating system, traffic source, location, and more. Even better, it also lets you save a separate filter to analyze later.
Overall, Mouseflow is a fully equipped alternative to Hotjar, thanks to its ability to offer in-depth analysis.
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Pricing:Free, starts at $24/monthVisit:Website
3. Microsoft Clarity
Microsoft Clarity is aHotjar alternative for free. Yes, that’s right. Microsoft offers access to Clarity to users for free. As you might have guessed already, there is a catch. Microsoft will process anonymous data of Clarity users to understand user behavior-related insights and to improve its machine learning models. Honestly, for what you’re getting here, it’s a fair trade-off if you ask me.
As far as the features are concerned, you get instant heatmaps with click regions to reveal areas of high engagement, scroll heatmaps to know how far your users scrolled, and area heatmaps to view the total clicks within an area. You also getsession recordings to view how users interact with your site, insights with over 25 filters, and Google Analytics integration. If you are a beginner who wants to get started with web analytics, Clarity has got you covered.
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Pricing:FreeVisit:Website
4. FullStory
Though there is a lot to like in FullStory, I would talk about the notable features that make it an excellent alternative to Hotjar. First and foremost, the web analytics platform is designed for multitasking. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are trying tokeep a close watch on user trendsor get the session replays, it comes with all the tools to keep you in the loop.
As compared to Hotjar, FullStoryprovides an extensive analysisof digital interaction. But what sets it apart from the rest is the intuitive way to present detailed insight. From comprehensive quantitative analysis to pivotal qualitative research, it ensures you have access to all the vital info on aclutter-free dashboard.
Even better, this web analytics platform also offers afreemium variantwith basic features like 1, 000 sessions/month, user trends, event funnels, and heatmaps. However, its premium version starts at a staggering price of $849. If you are looking for a basic tool without spending any bucks, the free version could be a fine alternative.
Despite the high price, FullStory’s premium variant could be the answer to your comprehensive and accurate analytical demand, should your need warrant an equally efficient Hotjar competitor.
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Pricing:2 weeks trial, enterprise and business plans availableVisit:Website
5. Crazy Egg
Should you think of getting a website analytics tool that can offerplenty of customization, look no further than “Crazy Egg”. Apart from providing more customization than Hotjar, it also comes with many notable features that can give its more popular rival a run for its money. And that too, without costing an arm and a leg!
The best part about Crazy Egg is the prettyimpressive heatmapsthat show where your users go and where they click. In terms of accuracy, it’s right on the money. As far as session recordings are concerned, they work spotlessly, allowing you to figure out where your visitors are coming from and where they seem to get stuck.
Moreover, itsrecordings look a bit more organizedthan those of Hotjar’s. Another area where this cost-effective alternative looks pretty good is the ability tocreate and modify contentthanks to the handy editor that’s quite easy to use. So, even if you aren’t a pro developer, you can modify some basic things without any hiccups.
Long story short, Crazy Egg is a notable replacement for Hotjar for the folks who want to have more customization at their disposal.
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Pricing:30-day free trial, starts at $29/monthVisit:Website
6. Contentsquare
Contentsquare is the elder sibling of Hotjar. In September of 2021,Contentsquare acquired Hotjar to streamline its operations. While Hotjar is aimed at entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and mid-market companies, Contentsquare caters to enterprises.
Contentsquare offers a variety of features including customer journey analysis, zone-based heatmaps, session replays, form analysis, and even merchandising analysis. Ideal for enterprises, Contentsquare’s features are beneficial for digital marketing, analytics, e-commerce, design & UX, operations & IT, and product teams.
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Pricing:Enterprise plans are availableVisit:Website
7. Browsee
Browsee is another Hotjar alternative you could consider. Like other services listed here, Browsee offers heatmaps and session recordings. Notably, you get the option to prioritize specific sessions to suit your needs.Browsee also lets you block pages and patterns for session recordings. With sentiment tags, you get to differentiate rage clicks from valuable high-engagement clicks.
Browsee’s heatmaps let you filter traffic based on the source, country, and click type. You can also compare heatmaps to track the changes in user behavior after you have modified an important page like the landing page. As far as the integrations are concerned, you can use Browsee with Intercom chat, Tawk chat, Shopify, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, and more.
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Pricing:Free; Starts at $12/monthVisit:Website
8. Matomo
Matomo” may not be a popular name but when it comes to offering reliable web analytics, it’s at par with the best in the business. Moreover, it comes at a relatively low price of $20/month which makes it an excellent budget-friendly alternative to Hotjar.
Beyond the price, the web analytics platform comes with all the essential features likeheatmaps, session recordings, A/B testing, funnels, goals, and form analyticsso that you can analyze visitors’ behavior with the desired flexibility.
But unlike Hotjar, Matomogoes a bit deeper into the detailproviding several vital info like media analytics, content interactions, transitions, and row evolution. So, if the former isn’t able to offer the needed analytical data about visitors, it can prove to be very helpful in driving the growth rate and alsodiagnosing the Achilles heels.
Another feature that makes Matomo a fine substitute for Hotjar is“Visitor Profiles”which allows you to evaluate every action of a visitor and compile a complete historical profile. You can use this handy profile to check out the entire journey of an active user in just a few seconds.
Everything considered; Matomo is easily one of the best Hotjar alternatives which you can use to have more accurate web analytics.
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Pricing:21-day free trial, Essential plan comes at $19/monthVisit:Website
9. VWO
For an in-depth analysis and much better insight into the behavior of visitors, you can’t go wrong with VWO (Visual Website Optimizer). In terms of accuracy and the ability to deliver detailed analysis, I put this platform a few notches above Hotjar. Combining heatmaps, on-page surveys, and session recordings, VWO enables you to easily spot the problematic areas.
You can make the most of funnels to discover conversion leaks and figure out the reasons behind the drop in visitors. My favorite feature of this analytic tool is thesuper handy segmentationfeature which makes it more convenient to filter reports and also plays a vital role in uncovering every subtle info.
Just like Hotjar, it also offersform analyticswhich allows you to figure out visitors’ interactions and the reasons why they drop off the form analytics. Furthermore, you can even find out the thing thatcaused the most confusionor took more time. If you want to go even further into the detail, you can also choose to watch the recordings of the visitors who either didn’t submit the form or got stuck.
Price-wise, VWO is on the expensive ($199/month vs $89/month) side of the spectrum. But if you can walk some extra miles in favor of detailed analysis and exceptionally helpful insight, VWO would be a top-notch alternative to Hotjar.
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Pricing:30-day free trial, starts at $199/monthVisit:Website
10. WalkMe
WalkMe has long been considered ahighly rated web analytics platform. What makes this a great substitute for Hotjar is its ability to offer a comprehensive solution. So, whether you wish to get better insights or the advanced tools to keep an eye on every activity performed by a visitor, it can live up to your expectations with aplomb.
With features likebusiness process funnels,auto-event tracking, andvisual session playback provide you the much-required convenience to track a variety of info. Thanks tointelligent automation, it also accelerates the whole process, which could prove to be a boon for your productivity.
But unlike Hotjar, WalkMe goes well beyond just providing in-depth analysis. You can take advantage of thetop-notch campaign designerto boost your campaign. With the advanced security to boot, your data remains safeguarded and away from the wicked eyes.
Notably, WalkMeoffers a basic variant for free. With features like 3 walk-through’s, up to 5 steps per walk-through, 300 assists /month, and basic online support, the freemium model is good for normal usage, which makes it a viable free substitute for Hotjar.
As for the price of the premium plans, it provides multiple enterprise pricing plans. While an unlimited free plan comes with basic functions like up to 300 assists per month, theadvanced custom planis priced on a per-quote basis. You can contact the vendor directly to get a quote for your company.
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Pricing:Free, the premium version comes at around $9000/yearVisit:Website
11. Zoho PageSense
If you have set your sight onenhancing conversion optimization, give a chance to Zoho PageSense to help you understand your visitors’ online behavior and offer them a fully personalized experience for much-improved conversions.
In terms of high-end tools, Zoho PageSense is on par with what Hotjar has to offer. Though the former requires some learning curve initially, you will enjoy sailing through it once you have gone past that learning phase. Like its famed counterpart, it also offersa solid roster of toolsthat make it straightforward for you to keep a tab on the key website metrics.
For a more personalized result, you canadd specific goals to monitor clicksand create a conversion funnel to keep a track of the pages that need immediate attention. Another feature that makes PageSense a notable Hotjar competitor is the powerful heatmaps that enable you to figure out the parts of your website that catch the attention of your visitors instantly.
Thanks to the session recordings, you can get thevideo playback of visitor interactionto have a better understanding of the behavior. With the detailed data at your disposal, it will become a tad easier for you to fine-tune your website in accordance with the demand of your visitors.
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Pricing:30-day free trial, starts at $29/monthVisit:Website
12. Freshmarketer
For the pro marketers who think that Hotjar isn’t able to help themget better leadsand desperately wish to win more sales withsmart conversion optimization, “Freshmarketer” appears to be an excellent bet. Using dynamic heatmaps, you can effortlessly analyze visitor behavior by monitoring several things like clicks and scrolls on your website.
Freshmarketer also comes with avisual editorto help you edit web pages. Being quite simple to use, you can change text, images, and many other elements with ease. Comparatively, Freshmarketer’s visual editor looks a touch more intuitive than that of Hotjar.
As for conducting polls, it offers you plenty of flexibility tocustomize the poll widgetusing a nice color palette. Notably, Freshmarketer also offers adecent freemium plan with basic featureslike contact and list management, web form tracking, email builder, and limited conversion optimization feature. As for the premium variant, it starts at $19/month, which is a solid deal considering the wide range of tools it offers.
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Pricing:Free, starts at $19/monthVisit:Website
13. Mopinion
Looking for a Hotjar alternative that can deliver the mosthelpful feedback analytics? “Mopinion” promises to be the right answer to your needs. What has caught my eye in this web analytics platform is theevent-driven feedback systemwhich enables you to fine-tune feedback forms for specific groups of online visitors. Thus, you have more chances of getting the desired response from visitors.
Another area where Mopinion seems to have an edge over Hotjar is the ability toprovide comprehensive text analytics reports. And with the fully customizable dashboard, you can get rid of the clutter to make it show only the info that you need. Furthermore, it also provides email sharing and real-time alerts to keep the entire team in sync.
The only department where Mopinion seems to have missed the mark as compared to Hotjar is the price point.At $229/month, the latter seems way too expensive. However, if you want to have comprehensive feedback analytics, it’s worth checking out.
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Pricing:14-day free trial, $229/monthVisit:Website
14. Lucky Orange
Last but not least, I have saved “Lucky Orange” specifically for the folks who want to get one of thecheapest Hotjar alternativeswithout compromising much on quality. This web analytics platform works pretty much like its more famed counterpart.
For starters, it has aclutter-free interfacethat makes sure everything you want to view is just a glance away. As the dashboard is fully customizable, tracking the important data and keeping the unwanted info at bay is never a big deal.
Just like Hotjar, Lucky Orange alsocreates an automatic recording of every visitor.Thanks to thesegment recordings, you can conveniently find out why users are dropping off. On the heatmaps front, it’s just up to the mark (if not better), allowing you to check out how visitors read and interact with your website.
Overall, Lucky Orange is what you need to analyze the online behavior of users efficiently without spending much money. In a nutshell, it’s one of the best affordable Hotjar alternatives that tick off most essential boxes.
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Pricing:7-day free trial, $10/monthVisit:Website
15. Ptengine
If you want to put more emphasis onwebsite analytics and customer engagement, Ptengine could be a better substitute for Hotjar. In terms of offering in-depth marketing and analytics data, it has a clear edge over Hotjar.
Notably, Ptengine has astriking similarity with Google Analytics. With the ability to show data in real time, it keeps you in the loop about what’s happening. Thus, you can take the needed action before it gets too late.
Like Hotjar, it also offers asolid heatmapthat provides a detailed graphical representation of data. Thanks to the neat color coding, keeping an eye on specific data becomes a painless exercise.
One of my favorite features of Ptengine is theability to visualize each user’s requirements, which plays a vital role in finding out what could be the ideal shape of your website. Hence, giving the desired shape to your website becomes a little straightforward.
Just like Hotjar, Ptengine offers a pretty good freemium model with basic features like 3, 000 page views, and 1 heat map. Talking about the premium plan, Ptengine starts at $39/month (same as Hotjar’s starting price). Putting everything into the right perspective, Ptengine could be a smart asset for detailed website analytics and customer engagement.
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Pricing:Starts at $39/monthVisit:Website
Choose the Top Web Analytics Tools Like Hotjar
Having explored all the best web analytics platforms like Hotjar, I guess you have finally found the right alternatives that can fit your use case. Keeping in mind various needs, I have chosen a variety of options. So, whether you want to go for a freemium option or pick out a powerful tool to keep a track of the voice of your users, they have got enough tools to analyze the areas that demand urgent attention or the upsides that need to be taken as role models for the way forward. By the way, let me know your favorite Hotjar alternative in the comments down below.
Subin B
Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.
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