Design & Product

Top 10 Hotjar Alternatives in 2025

Hotjar’s great for tracking what’s live, but what about testing ideas before launch? Dive into these 10 alternatives designed to help you create better user experiences from the ground up!
Eric Jones

Sr. UXR Manager

Top Alternatives to Hotjar

Imagine this: you’ve been using Hotjar for a while to track user behavior on your website. Heatmaps? Check. Session recordings? Check. It’s fantastic for analyzing live interactions on a finished website. 

But let’s say you’re in the early design phase of a project. What if you need to test a prototype with real users, validate your site’s navigation structure through tree testing, or understand how users naturally group information using card sorting? 

Hotjar’s scope narrows considerably—it’s designed more for analyzing what’s already live, leaving pre-launch testing an untapped territory.

For example, let’s say you’re a UX designer working on a prototype for a new app. Hotjar can’t help you here. You need tools that let you test with real users before launching, something Hotjar simply doesn’t offer. Similarly, if you’re redesigning a website and want to validate your site’s menu structure using tree testing, Hotjar falls short.

That’s where this blog comes in. We’ll explore the top Hotjar alternatives for 2025- tools that give you everything from advanced usability testing to more robust analytics.

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Why You Should Consider Switching from Hotjar

Hotjar has its strengths, no doubt. But there are several reasons why you might want to look elsewhere. While it’s great for small-scale projects, Hotjar can become prohibitively expensive for larger teams. 

Moreover, Hotjar is tailored for post-launch analytics like heatmaps and session recordings but lacks pre-launch testing features beyond basic surveys. Its credit-based pricing model can also feel overwhelming forcing you to pay for features you might rarely use. So, whether it’s scalability, compliance, or a broader feature set you’re after, it might be time to consider other options.

  1. Limited Usability Testing: Hotjar lacks full-scale usability testing features, so users must rely on other platforms for deeper insights.
  2. Basic Analytics: While the heatmaps and session recordings are useful, they don’t offer the advanced segmentation and filtering many businesses need.
  3. Scalability Issues: As your team grows, you’ll need features like team collaboration and integration with other tools areas where Hotjar falls short.
  4. Lack of Advanced Features:AI-driven insights, predictive analytics, or custom reporting? Not Hotjar’s forte.
  5. Pricing Concerns: Hotjar’s credit-based pricing model can be a double-edged sword. While it offers flexibility, many users find themselves paying for features they rarely use. This makes it less ideal for smaller-scale projects or organizations with tight budgets. Additionally, the cost can skyrocket for larger teams, especially as data needs grow, leaving businesses questioning the value for money.
  6. Integration Limitations: Hotjar doesn’t integrate seamlessly with some essential tools, like advanced CRM platforms, in-depth usability testing software, or prototyping tools such as Figma. This can create a disconnect for teams relying on these systems, limiting their workflow efficiency and data centralization.

If any of these resonate with you, don’t worry there are plenty of alternatives that might better suit your needs. Let’s check them out.

  • Note:  If you’re specifically looking for tools that excel in usability testing, check out our detailed guide on the best UserTesting alternatives.
analytics tools

1. UXArmy

Looking for a platform that does it all? Enter UXArmy. Unlike Hotjar, UXArmy goes beyond user behavior analytics to offer full-scale usability testing. It’s a one-stop shop for user researchers and businesses alike.

What Makes UXArmy Stand Out:

  • Advanced Analytics: Dive deeper with features like screen recordings and heatmaps combined with feedback recorded verbally by users.
  • Full-Scale Usability Testing: Test prototypes, websites, or apps with real users and get detailed feedback.
  • AI-Driven Insights: Smart analysis tools help you pinpoint issues faster.
  • Team Collaboration: Share insights, tasks, and results with your team seamlessly.
  • Analysis Space: A dedicated space to organize, analyze, and review all your collected data, add notes and create highlight reels ensuring nothing gets overlooked.
  • User Interviews & Focus Groups: Conduct live sessions with one or more users to gather qualitative insights and in-depth feedback directly from your audience with live translator, observer and note taking facilities.

Pricing: We have a free forever plan, paid plans start at $72 and an option for customized Enterprise plan for larger teams.

2. Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg focuses on understanding user interaction on live websites through heatmaps and A/B testing. Ideal for businesses aiming to optimize specific pages.

What Makes Crazy Egg Stand Out:

  • Visual Behavior Analysis: Scrollmaps and clickmaps help pinpoint user focus areas.
  • Built-in A/B Testing: Quickly test variations to improve conversions.
  • No Coding Required: Easy for non-technical teams to set up and use.

Pricing: Starts at $29/month.

3. FullStory

FullStory specializes in giving teams a granular understanding of user behavior through detailed session replays and analytics. It’s great for spotting usability issues in live environments.

What Makes FullStory Stand Out:

  • Detailed Session Replay: Replay every click, scroll, and interaction to understand user journeys.
  • Advanced Filtering: Focus on specific user segments or behaviors.
  • Collaboration Tools: Annotate sessions and share actionable insights with your team.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on your needs.

4. Lucky Orange

Lucky Orange simplifies real-time behaviour tracking and engagement, making it perfect for small businesses seeking actionable insights.

What Makes Lucky Orange Stand Out:

  • Real-Time Dashboards: Monitor live user activity on your site.
  • Chat Integration: Connect with users while analyzing their behavior.
  • Dynamic Heatmaps: Works seamlessly on dynamic web pages.

Pricing: Starts at $14/month.

5. Mouseflow

Mouseflow focuses on identifying specific conversion issues, making it ideal for teams looking to enhance website performance.

What Makes Mouseflow Stand Out:

  • Conversion Funnels: See exactly where users drop off.
  • Heatmaps Across Pages: Get a comprehensive view of user behavior across your site.
  • User Feedback Surveys: Collect direct input from your users to understand pain points.

Pricing: Starts at $24/month.

6. Smartlook

Smartlook bridges qualitative and quantitative data, helping teams understand user behavior in depth. It’s particularly well-suited for app developers and e-commerce.

What Makes Smartlook Stand Out:

  • Automatic Event Tracking: Start tracking user actions without extra coding.
  • Crash Reporting: Identify and resolve app issues faster.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: Dive deep into user behaviour analytics.

Pricing: Starts at $39/month.

7. SessionCam

SessionCam is built for identifying usability problems on live websites, with advanced AI-driven features to highlight critical issues.

What Makes SessionCam Stand Out:

  • AI Insights: Automatically detect problem areas on your site.
  • Journey Mapping: Visualize entire user journeys to spot friction points.
  • Anomaly Detection: Proactively address usability challenges.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on usage.

8. Decibel

Decibel excels in providing a holistic view of digital experiences, focusing on frustration signals and satisfaction scores.

What Makes Decibel Stand Out:

  • Experience Scores: Quantify user satisfaction effectively.
  • Frustration Detection: Spot behaviors like repeated clicks or hesitations.
  • Enterprise-Ready Features: Ideal for large teams and projects.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on your needs.

9. Inspectlet

Inspectlet is a budget-friendly solution for businesses seeking session replays and form analytics.

What Makes Inspectlet Stand Out:

  • Session Replays: Watch and analyze user interactions in detail.
  • Form Analytics: Pinpoint where users face challenges in forms.
  • Affordable Plans: A great option for small businesses.

Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $39/month.

10. Zoho PageSense

Zoho PageSense combines behaviour analytics with optimization tools, making it a go-to choice for businesses looking to increase conversions efficiently.

What Makes Zoho PageSense Stand Out:

  • A/B Testing: Experiment with and refine different page elements.
  • Goal Tracking: Measure specific KPIs and track success.
  • Seamless Zoho Integrations: Perfect for teams already using Zoho’s suite of tools.

Pricing: Starts at $16/month.

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How to Choose the Right Hotjar Alternative

Not sure which tool to pick? Let’s break it down with some real-world scenarios and tips:

  • Project Goal: Are you trying to boost conversions on a landing page, or are you deep into usability research? For example, if you’re an e-commerce business wanting to track user clicks and optimize the checkout flow, Crazy Egg might be ideal. On the other hand, if you’re a UX researcher testing prototypes, UXArmy offers in-depth usability testing tools you’ll love.
  • Team Size: Consider the size of your team and how you collaborate. Larger teams often need tools like FullStory, which allow seamless sharing and annotation of user session replays. For instance, a marketing team with multiple stakeholders could use FullStory’s collaboration features to analyze user journeys together.
  • Budget: If you’re a startup or small business, staying within budget is crucial. Tools like Lucky Orange or Inspectlet offer affordable plans without skimping on essential features. 
  • Integration Needs: Already using a suite of tools? If your team is working within the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho PageSense is a natural choice due to its seamless integrations. A marketing agency already leveraging Zoho CRM can easily track and optimize web pages using PageSense without juggling multiple platforms.
  • Advanced Features: If AI-driven insights or predictive analytics are what you’re after, tools like Decibel and UXArmy shine. Imagine running a travel booking site—Decibel could help detect frustration signals during the booking process, while UXArmy provides detailed feedback from real users to refine your design.

Let’s say you’re a growing SaaS company needing usability insights for your app’s onboarding flow, UXArmy would be your best bet for actionable feedback.

Why Try UXArmy?

If advanced analytics and full-scale usability testing are what you need, UXArmy stands out as the ultimate Hotjar alternative. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools to cover all your research needs, ensuring you’re equipped at every stage of your project. Whether you’re testing prototypes, evaluating websites or apps, or conducting tree testing and card sorting, UXArmy has you covered.

  1. All-in-One Platform: Say goodbye to juggling multiple tools. UXArmy integrates various research methods in one place.
  2. Real User Feedback from a diverse pool of UserAdvocates from around the world: Go beyond numbers with detailed insights directly from users.
  3. Multi-Language Testing: Expand your research to global audiences with multi-language testing capabilities. Ensure your product resonates with users across different regions and cultures.
  4. Advanced Analytics: Leverage AI-driven insights to identify and resolve usability issues faster.
  5. Affordable Pricing: Get premium features without breaking the bank.
  6. Scalable for Teams: Share insights, collaborate with stakeholders, and manage your projects seamlessly.

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