Hotjar
Serpstat
| Feature | Hotjar | Serpstat |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $32/mo | Free / from $59/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | ux-designers, product-managers, marketers, conversion-optimizers | small-businesses, freelancers, agencies, content-marketers |
| Founded | 2014 | 2013 |
| Heatmaps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Session Recordings | ✓ | ✗ |
| Surveys | ✓ | ✗ |
| Feedback Widgets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Funnels | ✓ | ✗ |
| User Interviews | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dashboards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Keyword Research | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rank Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Site Audit | ✗ | ✓ |
| Backlink Analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Keyword Clustering | ✗ | ✓ |
| Competitor Research | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Serpstat Pros
- Affordable vs competitors
- Good keyword clustering
- API access
- All-in-one
✗ Serpstat Cons
- Smaller database
- UI needs improvement
- Slower crawling
The Verdict
Hotjar is built for ux designers and product managers, with a focus on heatmaps and session-recordings. Serpstat targets small businesses and freelancers and leads with keyword-research and rank-tracking.
On pricing, Hotjar is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $32/mo compared to $59/mo for Serpstat. That $27/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.
Hotjar edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Hotjar offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Serpstat takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Hotjar has a slight overall edge — but if affordable vs competitors matters most to you, Serpstat may still be the right call.