Head-to-Head

Hotjar vs Microsoft Clarity

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Side-by-side feature matrix for these two tools with per-row priority sliders. Adjust weights in the last column to recalculate Platform SCORE instantly.

Full category matrix: UX Analytics

Updated: July 23, 2026

Hotjar Visit Website ↗	Microsoft Clarity Visit Website ↗	Priority
Funnel & Drop-off Analysis
Allows creation of retroactive funnels with direct session recording links for drop-offs.	Enables building basic, retroactive conversion funnels with session recording integration.	10
Heatmaps (Click/Scroll/Move)
Heatmap analysis generates continuous, retroactive heatmaps based on clicks, mouse movements, and scrolling, allowing teams to visualize aggregate user attention.	The heatmap feature automatically generates click, scroll, and area heatmaps for every page on your site, providing instant visual feedback on user engagement.	10
Session Recordings
Records continuous user journeys, capturing mouse movements and clicks.	Provides unlimited session recordings for high-fidelity user navigation playback.	10
GDPR / CCPA Compliance
Operates as a data processor with native tools for user consent and data deletion.	Its compliance features operates as a data controller under Microsoft's privacy framework, offering built-in tools for user data masking and consent integration.	10
PII Masking / Data Governance
Strict privacy safeguards suppress keystrokes and replace text inputs with asterisks before server transmission.	Aggressive, automatic masking of numeric inputs and text fields prevents capturing sensitive data.	9
Raw Data Export (BigQuery/S3)
The platform does not offer raw hit-level event streaming; exports are limited to CSV files of heatmap data, survey responses, and recording metadata.		9
Data Retention Limits
Data retention is capped at 365 days for all paid plans to comply with data minimization.	Session recordings are retained for 30 days, while heatmap data is stored for 13 months at no cost.	8
Feedback Surveys / Polls
Features customizable on-page survey widgets and feedback polls for capturing user sentiment.		7
Friction / Rage Click / Error Detection
Automatically highlights user frustration periods like u-turns and rage clicks.	Machine learning flags sessions with 'Rage Clicks' and 'Dead Clicks' to highlight UX issues.	7
SSO Support
Supports secure authentication through SAML 2.0 Single Sign-On for top-tier plans.		6
Platform SCORE Hotjar 7.5 / 10 Microsoft Clarity 6.5 / 10

Features	Hotjar Visit Website ↗	Microsoft Clarity Visit Website ↗	Your Priority
Funnel & Drop-off Analysis	Allows creation of retroactive funnels with direct session recording links for drop-offs.	Enables building basic, retroactive conversion funnels with session recording integration.	Priority for Funnel & Drop-off Analysis 10 0 10
Heatmaps (Click/Scroll/Move)	Heatmap analysis generates continuous, retroactive heatmaps based on clicks, mouse movements, and scrolling, allowing teams to visualize aggregate user attention.	The heatmap feature automatically generates click, scroll, and area heatmaps for every page on your site, providing instant visual feedback on user engagement.	Priority for Heatmaps (Click/Scroll/Move) 10 0 10
Session Recordings	Records continuous user journeys, capturing mouse movements and clicks.	Provides unlimited session recordings for high-fidelity user navigation playback.	Priority for Session Recordings 10 0 10
GDPR / CCPA Compliance	Operates as a data processor with native tools for user consent and data deletion.	Its compliance features operates as a data controller under Microsoft's privacy framework, offering built-in tools for user data masking and consent integration.	Priority for GDPR / CCPA Compliance 10 0 10
PII Masking / Data Governance	Strict privacy safeguards suppress keystrokes and replace text inputs with asterisks before server transmission.	Aggressive, automatic masking of numeric inputs and text fields prevents capturing sensitive data.	Priority for PII Masking / Data Governance 9 0 10
Raw Data Export (BigQuery/S3)	The platform does not offer raw hit-level event streaming; exports are limited to CSV files of heatmap data, survey responses, and recording metadata.		Priority for Raw Data Export (BigQuery/S3) 9 0 10
Data Retention Limits	Data retention is capped at 365 days for all paid plans to comply with data minimization.	Session recordings are retained for 30 days, while heatmap data is stored for 13 months at no cost.	Priority for Data Retention Limits 8 0 10
Feedback Surveys / Polls	Features customizable on-page survey widgets and feedback polls for capturing user sentiment.		Priority for Feedback Surveys / Polls 7 0 10
Friction / Rage Click / Error Detection	Automatically highlights user frustration periods like u-turns and rage clicks.	Machine learning flags sessions with 'Rage Clicks' and 'Dead Clicks' to highlight UX issues.	Priority for Friction / Rage Click / Error Detection 7 0 10
SSO Support	Supports secure authentication through SAML 2.0 Single Sign-On for top-tier plans.		Priority for SSO Support 6 0 10
Platform SCORE	7.5 / 10	6.5 / 10

Make your pick

Hotjar

Hotjar combines behavioral analytics and user feedback tools to improve UX, offering a basic free tier for smaller projects.

Visit Website ↗ Read Full Review

Microsoft Clarity

Microsoft Clarity is a free analytics tool that tracks user interactions through heatmaps, session recordings, and funnel analysis.

Visit Website ↗ Read Full Review