Heap
Hotjar
| Feature | Heap | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free only | Free / from $32/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | product-teams, growth-marketers, ux-researchers, saas-companies | ux-designers, product-managers, marketers, conversion-optimizers |
| Founded | 2013 | 2014 |
| Auto Capture | ✓ | ✗ |
| Session Replay | ✓ | ✗ |
| Funnel Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retention Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| User Segments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Science | ✓ | ✗ |
| Integrations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Heatmaps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Session Recordings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Surveys | ✗ | ✓ |
| Feedback Widgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Funnels | ✗ | ✓ |
| User Interviews | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dashboards | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Heap Pros
- Auto-captures all user interactions without code
- Retroactive analysis (define events after the fact)
- Session replay integrated with analytics
- No engineering resources needed for tracking
✗ Heap Cons
- Pricing not transparent (sales-required for growth+)
- Can generate excessive data requiring cleanup
- UI can feel slower than event-based alternatives
✓ 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
Heap is built for product teams and growth marketers, with a focus on auto-capture and session-replay. Hotjar targets ux designers and product managers and leads with heatmaps and session-recordings.
Heap uses custom enterprise pricing, while Hotjar starts at $32/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
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.