Hotjar vs Metabase: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Hotjar and Metabase. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Metabase starts at $40/mo, making it $9/mo cheaper than Hotjar ($49/mo). Hotjar offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Hotjar vs Metabase: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Hotjar | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $49/mo | $40/mo |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 3 |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | open-source |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Metabase is the more affordable option, starting at $40/mo compared to Hotjar's $49/mo. Both are Analytics tools with 7 combined pricing plans and 23 features compared.
Hotjar stands out with a free plan for getting started. Hotjar uses usage-based pricing while Metabase uses open-source 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 |  Hotjar Try it free |  Metabase Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
| Metabot AI $100/month |
| Tier 2 | GrowthPopular $49/month $39 / year Includes
| Storage $40/monthCheapest |
| Tier 3 | Pro Custom pricing Includes
| Advanced transforms $250/monthCheapest |
| Tier 4 | Enterprise Custom pricing Includes
| — |
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Hotjar
Hotjar offers a free plan, offers 4 tiers vs 3.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Hotjar
Try Hotjar freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Hotjar if:
- •You need a free plan with 200k monthly sessions, 1 project—Hotjar offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You want more features built-in—Hotjar offers 23 additional features across its plans
- •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Hotjar offers negotiated terms for large deployments
Choose Metabase if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Metabase starts at $40/mo, saving $9/mo compared to Hotjar at $49/mo
- •Metabase's open-source pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps
- •You value Metabase's specific feature progression from free to advanced tier levels
Hotjar offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Metabase requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Hotjar a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Hotjar's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $49/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Metabase's tiering starting at $40/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Hotjar's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Metabase's 3 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Hotjar is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.
Frequently Asked Questions: Hotjar vs Metabase
Which is cheaper, Hotjar or Metabase?
How many pricing plans does Hotjar have vs Metabase?
Does Hotjar or Metabase offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Hotjar or Metabase?
What is the most popular Hotjar plan?
Does Hotjar or Metabase offer custom enterprise pricing?
What pricing models do Hotjar and Metabase use?
Sources
- Hotjar Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Metabase Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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