Hotjar vs. Microsoft Clarity Free: Which Tool Wins for Your Site?

By Azon Vault On May 11, 2026

Hotjar vs. Microsoft Clarity Free: Which Tool Is Right for Your Site?

Choosing the right user‑experience analytics tool can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re on a tight budget. Both Hotjar and Microsoft Clarity offer free plans that promise heatmaps, session recordings, and valuable insights. But which one delivers the best value for beginners to intermediate marketers?

What You’ll Learn

Key features of Hotjar’s free tier
What Microsoft Clarity provides at no cost
Side‑by‑side comparison of pros and cons
Best use cases for each platform
Quick FAQ and a call‑to‑action

Hotjar Free Plan Overview

Hotjar’s free version is designed for small sites and startups. It gives you a taste of their core analytics suite without any commitment.

Core Features

Heatmaps – Up to 2 heatmaps, tracking clicks, taps, and scroll depth.
Session Recordings – Record up to 100 sessions per month.
Incoming Feedback – Simple NPS‑style polls and emoji widgets.
Surveys – 3 active surveys with up to 100 responses each.
Data Retention – 12‑month storage for recordings.

Limitations

Only 2 heatmaps per month.
Dashboard branding and "Powered by Hotjar" badge.
No advanced funnels or conversion analysis.

Microsoft Clarity Free Plan Overview

Microsoft Clarity is 100 % free with no usage caps, making it attractive for larger traffic volumes.

Core Features

Heatmaps – Unlimited heatmaps for every page.
Session Recordings – Unlimited recordings, automatically filtered for quality.
Insights Dashboard – Auto‑generated "rage click" and "dead click" reports.
Performance Metrics – Page load time, JavaScript errors, and more.
Data Retention – 12‑month storage, same as Hotjar.

Limitations

Missing native survey and feedback widgets (you need third‑party tools).
No built‑in A/B testing integration.
Interface can feel data‑heavy for absolute beginners.

Feature‑by‑Feature Comparison

Feature	Hotjar Free	Microsoft Clarity Free
Heatmaps	2 per month, clicks/taps/scroll	Unlimited, auto‑generated per page
Session recordings	100/month	Unlimited
Surveys & feedback	Built‑in polls, NPS, emoji widgets	None (needs external form)
Rage‑click & dead‑click detection	Manual analysis	Automatic alerts
Data retention	12 months	12 months
Branding	Hotjar badge	No branding

When to Choose Hotjar

If you need quick, built‑in feedback tools (surveys, NPS).
When you prefer a clean, beginner‑friendly interface.
For small‑to‑medium traffic sites where 100 recordings are enough.

When to Choose Microsoft Clarity

If you run a high‑traffic blog or e‑commerce store and need unlimited recordings.
When automatic rage‑click insights are crucial for UX optimization.
If you don’t need native survey widgets and are comfortable using external forms.

Quick Implementation Tips

Install the script tag in the <head> of your site (both platforms provide a single line of code).
Verify data collection via the browser console to avoid caching issues.
Start with a single page heatmap to validate that the tool is tracking correctly.
Set up privacy filters (IP anonymization) to stay GDPR‑compliant.

FAQ

1. Can I use both tools at the same time?

Yes, but avoid overlapping scripts on the same page as it can cause duplicate tracking and slower page loads. Choose one as primary and use the other for occasional cross‑checks.

2. Does Clarity store personal data?

Clarity records mouse movements and clicks but strips out personally identifiable information by default. You can enable additional privacy settings in the admin console.

3. Is Hotjar’s free plan enough for A/B testing?

Hotjar does not include native A/B testing; you’ll need a separate testing tool. However, its recordings can help you analyze test results.

4. Will the free versions affect my site speed?

Both scripts are lightweight (<20 KB) and load asynchronously, so the impact on page load time is minimal.

5. Which tool integrates best with Google Tag Manager?

Both have GTM templates, but Hotjar’s tag is slightly more straightforward for beginners.

Conclusion

Both Hotjar and Microsoft Clarity offer compelling free plans, but they excel in different areas. If you value built‑in feedback widgets and a simple UI, start with Hotjar. If you need unlimited recordings and automatic UX alerts for a high‑traffic site, go with Microsoft Clarity.

Try one, evaluate the insights, and switch if your needs evolve—both platforms let you upgrade without losing historical data.

Ready to Boost Your Site’s UX?

Sign up for a free account with the tool that matches your goals, install the script, and start uncovering user behavior today. Need help with setup? Contact our UX consultancy team for a quick onboarding session.