Hotjar vs Microsoft Clarity: Session Replay 2026
Quick Comparison
| Microsoft Clarity | Hotjar | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Teams that want unlimited session recordings and heatmaps at zero cost | Product and UX teams that combine session replay with continuous user feedback collection |
| Pricing | Free forever | Free (35 sessions/day) / from $32/mo |
| Winner | Our Pick |
Tool Breakdown
Microsoft Clarity
Completely free with no session cap, rage click detection, and a solid heatmap — the obvious choice for most teams that don't need Hotjar's survey and feedback features.
- Completely free — no session cap, no paid tier required
- Rage click and dead click automatic detection with filtering
- Dashboard integrates with Google Analytics 4
- No surveys or on-site feedback widgets
- Session data retained for 30 days only
- Less granular filtering than Hotjar
Hotjar
Session replay and heatmap platform with built-in surveys, feedback widgets, NPS, and user interview scheduling.
- On-site surveys and NPS widgets in the same tool
- Funnels, cohorts, and user attributes for session filtering
- Hotjar Engage for scheduling user research interviews
- Free tier capped at 35 sessions/day — too low for most production apps
- Paid plans start at $32/mo for meaningful session volume
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Clarity really free with no hidden limits? +
Yes. Clarity is free with no session cap, no daily limit, and no credit card required. Microsoft funds it as a way to drive Bing and Azure adoption. Session data is retained for 30 days, which is the only meaningful constraint.
Does Hotjar do anything that Clarity cannot? +
Yes — on-site surveys, NPS scores, and feedback widgets are exclusive to Hotjar. Clarity records sessions and shows heatmaps, but has no way to collect qualitative user feedback or schedule user research interviews. If you need both behavioral and attitudinal data, Hotjar is the better tool.
Are there privacy compliance differences between Clarity and Hotjar? +
Both support IP masking and PII masking on recordings. Hotjar is SOC 2 Type II certified. Clarity is hosted on Microsoft Azure and complies with GDPR — Microsoft's compliance documentation is extensive. For most teams, both are equally viable; verify your specific regional requirements.