Is there a free alternative to Hotjar?

Yes. PostHog offers a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest Hotjar alternative to try before you pay.

Why switch away from Hotjar?

Hotjar is a strong tool, but our full hands-on testing is still in progress. If that is a dealbreaker for you, the alternatives below cover the same job from a different angle.

How do you choose these alternatives?

Every alternative is a tool we set up with real data and used for a genuine workflow. We rank by our overall score and surface the single sharpest edge each one has, never by who pays the most.

Analytics & Data

Best Hotjar alternatives

Q: What is the best alternative to Hotjar?

Plausible is our top Hotjar alternative. Plausible starts at $9/mo, undercutting Hotjar's $32/mo while covering the same core ground. It scores 4.6 in our testing.

We put Hotjar head to head with the 6 closest rivals we have tested, so you can switch on evidence, not a hunch.

Read our Hotjar review

Why people look elsewhere

Where Hotjar can fall short

Our full hands-on testing is still in progress

Pricing can climb on higher tiers

Ranked by our testing

6 alternatives worth your time

Plausible

4.6

Lightweight, privacy-friendly web analytics.

Lower priceFrom $9/moPaid only

Plausible starts at $9/mo, undercutting Hotjar's $32/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.6

Our score

Try Plausible Read review

PostHog

4.6

Product analytics, session replay, and flags in one.

Higher ratedFrom Free tierFree tier

PostHog edges out Hotjar in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.3 overall.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.6

Our score

Try PostHog Read review

Fathom Analytics

4.5

Simple, private analytics with no cookies.

Lower priceFrom $15/moPaid only

Fathom Analytics starts at $15/mo, undercutting Hotjar's $32/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.5

Our score

Try Fathom Analytics Read review

Metabase

4.4

Open-source BI anyone on the team can use.

Higher ratedFrom FreeFree tier

Metabase edges out Hotjar in our testing, scoring 4.4 to 4.3 overall.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.4

Our score

Try Metabase Read review

Mixpanel

4.3

Event-based product analytics for growth teams.

Lower priceFrom $28/moFree tier

Mixpanel starts at $28/mo, undercutting Hotjar's $32/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.3

Our score

Try Mixpanel Read review

Amplitude

4.3

Deep product analytics for understanding users.

Ease of useFrom $49/moFree tier

Amplitude is the pick when you want deep product analytics for understanding users., and it leads on ease of use.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.3

Our score

Try Amplitude Read review

Side by side

Hotjar vs the alternatives

Tool	Our score	From	Free tier	Best for
HotjarYou have	4.3	$32/mo	Yes	Heatmaps and recordings that show real behavior.
Plausible	4.6	$9/mo	No	Lightweight, privacy-friendly web analytics.
PostHog	4.6	Free tier	Yes	Product analytics, session replay, and flags in one.
Fathom Analytics	4.5	$15/mo	No	Simple, private analytics with no cookies.
Metabase	4.4	Free	Yes	Open-source BI anyone on the team can use.
Mixpanel	4.3	$28/mo	Yes	Event-based product analytics for growth teams.
Amplitude	4.3	$49/mo	Yes	Deep product analytics for understanding users.

Our pick

Switch to Plausible

Plausible starts at $9/mo, undercutting Hotjar's $32/mo while covering the same core ground. It is the Hotjar alternative we recommend first for most people.

Try Plausible Compare them side by side

Questions

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Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we have tested, and commissions never change our scores or rankings. We currently track 218+ tools, including 8 across Analytics & Data.