Dub
Hotjar
| Feature | Dub | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $24/mo | Free / from $32/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | marketers, creators, saas-companies, agencies | ux-designers, product-managers, marketers, conversion-optimizers |
| Founded | 2022 | 2014 |
| Short Links | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Qr Codes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Domains | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Heatmaps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Session Recordings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Surveys | ✗ | ✓ |
| Feedback Widgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Funnels | ✗ | ✓ |
| User Interviews | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dashboards | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Dub Pros
- Open-source
- Beautiful analytics
- Custom domains
- QR code generation
✗ Dub Cons
- Limited links on free plan
- Newer platform
- Fewer integrations than Bitly
✓ Hotjar Pros
- Heatmaps show exactly where users click
- Session recordings reveal UX issues
- Easy to install (one script tag)
- Surveys and feedback widgets included
✗ Hotjar Cons
- Can slow down site if not configured well
- Session recordings take time to review
- Limited to web — no mobile app analytics
The Verdict
Dub is built for marketers and creators, with a focus on short-links and analytics. Hotjar targets ux designers and product managers and leads with heatmaps and session-recordings.
On pricing, Dub is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $24/mo compared to $32/mo for Hotjar. That $8/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Hotjar offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Dub takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for marketers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.