Is Hotjar worth the price?
Hotjar (now Contentsquare) offers solid heatmaps and recordings but pricing got complicated after the merger.
The free plan is generous at 200K sessions/mo, but Growth at $49/mo is steep when Microsoft Clarity offers unlimited sessions free.
Pricing Plans
15-day Free TrialBasic
Free
- 35 sessions/day
- 20 survey responses/month
- 5 user interviews/month
Plus
$39/month
- 100 daily sessions
- 250 survey responses
- 15 user interviews
Business
$99/month
- 500 daily sessions
- 500 survey responses
- 30 user interviews
- Funnels
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Three separate products (Observe, Ask, Engage) each billed independently
Growth plan sessions start at just 7,000/mo despite paying $49/mo — confusing jump from 200K free sessions
Invoice billing costs $118/year more than credit card payment ($588 vs $470 annually)
Pro and Enterprise pricing is completely opaque — contact sales only
Data retained for only 365 days with no paid extension option
No option to buy additional SMS credits — hit the cap and recordings stop
Which Plan Do You Need?
UX researchers
Product managers
Conversion optimization teams
E-commerce sites
Our Recommendation
startup
Start with free tier (200K sessions). Only upgrade to Growth if you need AI insights or advanced filtering. Consider Microsoft Clarity as a free alternative first.
enterprise
Pro or Enterprise for 1M+ sessions. Negotiate hard — Contentsquare pricing ranges $15K–170K/year.
freelancer
Free tier handles most client sites. Microsoft Clarity is a better free option with unlimited recordings.
How Hotjar Compares to Competitors
Microsoft Clarity is completely free with unlimited heatmaps and session recordings — hard to beat on value. FullStory offers deeper product analytics but starts at custom enterprise pricing. Amplitude focuses on product analytics with a generous free tier (50K MTUs). Hotjar wins on survey/feedback tools (Ask product) but loses on value for pure heatmaps/recordings.
Hotjar Pricing FAQ
How much does Hotjar cost?
Hotjar starts at $39/month on the Plus plan. It offers 2 paid tiers ranging from $39/month up to $99/month. A free plan is also available with limited features.
Does Hotjar have a free plan?
Yes. Hotjar offers a free plan called "Basic". It includes: 35 sessions/day, 20 survey responses/month, 5 user interviews/month.
Does Hotjar offer a free trial?
Yes, Hotjar offers a free trial lasting 15 days. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
What is the cheapest Hotjar paid plan?
The cheapest paid plan for Hotjar is "Plus" at $39/month. Key features include: 100 daily sessions, 250 survey responses, 15 user interviews.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Hotjar?
Yes. Popular alternatives to Hotjar include Microsoft Clarity, Crazy Egg, FullStory, LogRocket. Free alternatives include Microsoft Clarity, Crazy Egg, LogRocket. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to Hotjar
4 of 6 direct competitors below offer a free plan. Per-seat pricing varies up to 60% across this set.
