Clarity by Microsoft vs Hotjar: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Clarity by Microsoft and Hotjar. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Both Clarity by Microsoft and Hotjar offer free plans. Clarity by Microsoft has 1 pricing tiers while Hotjar has 4.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Clarity by Microsoft vs Hotjar: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Clarity by Microsoft | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Custom pricing | $49/mo |
| Number of Plans | 1 | 4 |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Model | freemium | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Clarity by Microsoft and Hotjar are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible Analytics tools. Together they offer 5 pricing plans with 26 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.
Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget. Clarity by Microsoft uses freemium pricing while Hotjar uses usage-based pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Analytics needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Clarity by Microsoft Try free |  Hotjar Try free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
| Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
|
| Tier 2 | - | GrowthPopular $49/monthCheapest $39 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | - | Pro Custom pricing Includes
|
| Tier 4 | - | Enterprise Custom pricing Includes
|
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Clarity by Microsoft
Free heatmaps and session recordings by Microsoft
View all Clarity by Microsoft plansWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Clarity by Microsoft if:
- •You want completely free session recording and heatmaps with no traffic limits or feature restrictions
- •Microsoft Clarity's AI-powered insights automatically surface UX issues (dead clicks, rage clicks, excessive scrolling)
- •Clarity integrates with Bing Webmaster Tools and Microsoft ecosystem for additional context
- •Your budget for analytics tools is zero, and Clarity delivers real value at no cost
Choose Hotjar if:
- •You need user feedback tools alongside behavior analytics - Hotjar includes surveys, feedback widgets, and interviews
- •Hotjar's Observe (heatmaps + recordings) and Ask (surveys + feedback) products create a complete UX research platform
- •Your team wants to understand both what users do (behavior) and why they do it (feedback) in one tool
- •Hotjar Engage lets you recruit and interview users directly for qualitative research
Microsoft Clarity and Hotjar are the two most popular behavior analytics tools, competing primarily on price versus features. Clarity is 100% free with unlimited session recordings, heatmaps, and no traffic caps. No paid tier exists - everything is free. Hotjar Basic (free) includes 35 daily sessions and basic heatmaps. Plus at $39/month adds 100 daily sessions. Business at $99/month adds 500 daily sessions. Scale at $213/month adds integrations and removes branding. Hotjar also offers Ask (surveys/feedback) and Engage (user interviews) as separate paid products. Clarity wins decisively on recording volume and cost. Unlimited free sessions versus Hotjar's 35/day on the free tier is a significant gap. For teams that only need session recordings and heatmaps, Clarity provides more data at zero cost. Hotjar wins on qualitative research. Feedback widgets, on-page surveys, NPS tracking, and user interview recruitment tools create a complete UX research platform. Understanding why users behave a certain way (Hotjar surveys) is different from seeing what they do (session recordings). This combination is uniquely valuable for UX research teams. For teams that need session recordings and heatmaps, start with Clarity - it is free and unlimited. Add Hotjar when you need user feedback, surveys, and qualitative research tools alongside behavior data.
Frequently Asked Questions: Clarity by Microsoft vs Hotjar
How many pricing plans does Clarity by Microsoft have vs Hotjar?
Does Clarity by Microsoft or Hotjar offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Clarity by Microsoft or Hotjar?
What is the most popular Hotjar plan?
Does Clarity by Microsoft or Hotjar offer custom enterprise pricing?
What pricing models do Clarity by Microsoft and Hotjar use?
How do Clarity by Microsoft and Hotjar compare for Analytics?
Sources
- Clarity by Microsoft Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- Hotjar Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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