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Hotjar alternatives

Top Web & Product Analytics like Hotjar

The most popular alternative to Hotjar is Microsoft Clarity, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Hotjar are PostHog, Heap, Matomo, and Mixpanel.

Most alternatives to Hotjar are in the Web & Product Analytics category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Hotjar alternatives
AllFreeOpen source
8 apps

All Hotjar alternatives

  1. Microsoft Clarity is a free behavioral analytics tool that records user sessions and generates click and scroll heatmaps, for websites as well as mobile apps. It flags frustration signals such as rage clicks, dead clicks and quick backs, integrates with Google Analytics, and uses Copilot to summarize sessions and insights. There is no paid tier and no traffic cap.

    7 Microsoft Clarity alternatives

    Pros

    • Completely free with no traffic cap
    • Flags rage clicks, dead clicks and quick backs automatically
    • Integrates with Google Analytics and summarizes sessions with Copilot

    Cons

    • Data is processed by Microsoft, which may not suit privacy-sensitive sites
    • No on-site surveys or feedback widgets
    • Recordings are only kept for a limited time
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
    Platforms
  2. PostHog is an open source product platform that combines product and web analytics, session replay, feature flags, A/B testing, surveys and a data warehouse in one tool. It is built for engineers and product teams, with SQL access, an AI assistant and a free monthly usage allowance on PostHog Cloud. It can also be self-hosted for smaller deployments.

    12 PostHog alternatives

    Pros

    • Analytics, session replay, feature flags and A/B tests in one tool
    • Generous free monthly usage on PostHog Cloud
    • Open source with direct SQL access to your data

    Cons

    • Broad feature set can feel overwhelming for non-technical users
    • Usage-based billing is hard to predict as traffic grows
    • Self-hosting is only recommended for smaller deployments
    Cost / License
    FreemiumOpen source
  3. Heap

    Heap is a product analytics tool known for autocapture: its snippet records clicks, page views and form changes automatically, so teams can define events and analyze funnels retroactively without new tracking code. It adds session replay, journey analysis and account-level views for B2B products. Heap has been part of Contentsquare since 2023 and targets product and digital teams.

    7 Heap alternatives

    Pros

    • Autocapture records interactions without writing tracking code
    • Events can be defined retroactively on historical data
    • Account-level views suited to B2B products

    Cons

    • Autocaptured data gets noisy without careful naming
    • Paid plans become expensive as usage grows
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Platforms
  4. Matomo, formerly Piwik, is an open source analytics platform that you can self-host for free or use as a hosted cloud service. It offers reports comparable to Google Analytics, including goals, e-commerce tracking and custom dimensions, while keeping all data under your control, and it can be configured to track without cookies. Premium plugins add heatmaps, session recordings, funnels and A/B testing.

    11 Matomo alternatives

    Pros

    • Free to self-host with full ownership of your data
    • Reports comparable to Google Analytics, including e-commerce
    • Can be configured for cookieless tracking

    Cons

    • Self-hosting means managing updates and database performance
    • Heatmaps, recordings and funnels are paid plugins
    • Interface feels dated next to newer analytics tools
    Cost / License
    FreemiumOpen source
  5. Mixpanel is a product analytics platform that tracks user actions as events and lets teams explore them through funnels, retention curves, flows and cohort segmentation without writing SQL. It also offers session replay and AI-assisted querying, and can sync data from a data warehouse. Product managers, growth teams and analysts use it to understand how features are adopted.

    7 Mixpanel alternatives

    Pros

    • Funnels, retention and flows explored without writing SQL
    • Interactive reports make slicing event data quick
    • Usable free plan for smaller products

    Cons

    • Needs a well-planned event schema before data becomes useful
    • Costs grow quickly with event volume on paid plans
    • Less suited to marketing attribution than to product analysis
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Platforms
  6. Google Analytics 4 measures traffic and behavior on websites and mobile apps with an event-based model, offering reports on acquisition, engagement, conversions and audiences. It integrates tightly with Google Ads, Search Console and BigQuery, and adds predictive metrics and explorations for funnels and paths. The standard edition is free, and its cookie-based tracking requires a consent banner in many countries.

    12 Google Analytics alternatives

    Pros

    • Free standard edition with extensive reporting
    • Tight integration with Google Ads, Search Console and BigQuery
    • Covers websites and mobile apps in one event-based model

    Cons

    • GA4 interface is complex and hard to navigate for beginners
    • Cookie-based tracking needs a consent banner in many countries
    • Data is processed by Google, a concern for privacy-sensitive sites
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary
  7. Amplitude is a digital analytics platform centered on product analytics, with behavioral charts for funnels, retention, journeys and cohorts. Around that core the company offers experimentation and feature flags, session replay, customer data management and web analytics, along with AI features that surface insights. It is aimed mainly at product-led companies that want one system for analysis and experimentation.

    6 Amplitude alternatives

    Pros

    • Deep behavioral analysis of funnels, retention and user journeys
    • Experimentation and feature flags sit alongside the analytics
    • Free plan that covers smaller products

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve to set up tracking and build charts
    • Costs climb quickly as event volumes grow
    • Needs careful event planning to produce reliable data
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Platforms
  8. Formbricks is an open-source experience management tool for collecting feedback through link surveys, website pop-ups and in-app surveys targeted by user attributes or actions. It integrates with tools like Slack, Notion and Airtable, offers an API and webhooks, and can be self-hosted to keep data on your own servers. Its cloud version has a free plan, and the team is based in Germany.

    12 Formbricks alternatives

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable, so feedback data can stay on your servers
    • In-app and website surveys can target users by attributes or actions
    • API, webhooks and integrations with Slack, Notion and Airtable

    Cons

    • Self-hosting requires technical skills and ongoing maintenance
    • In-app targeting needs an SDK set up by developers
    • Younger product with fewer templates than established survey tools
    Cost / License
    FreemiumOpen source
    Categories

Hotjar vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Hotjar, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Hotjar vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsAI assistantFunnelsHeatmapsIntegrationsSession recording
HotjarFreemiumWeb
Microsoft ClarityFreeWeb
PostHogFreemiumOpen sourceWeb, Self-hosted
HeapFreemiumWeb
MatomoFreemiumOpen sourceWeb, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted
MixpanelFreemiumWeb

Hotjar alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Hotjar?

The most popular alternative to Hotjar is Microsoft Clarity: Free heatmaps and session recordings from Microsoft. Other great alternatives are PostHog, Heap, Matomo, and Mixpanel.

Is there a free alternative to Hotjar?

Yes, 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Microsoft Clarity, PostHog, Heap, and Matomo.

Is there an open source alternative to Hotjar?

Yes, 3 open source alternatives are listed, including PostHog, Matomo, and Formbricks.

Is Hotjar free?

Hotjar has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare Hotjar with its alternatives

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