Hotjar has established itself as a leading tool for quantitative user research, offering heatmaps, session recordings, and conversion funnels that provide valuable insights into user behavior. However, it’s not always the perfect fit for every team or project. If you’re looking to understand the ‘why’ behind user behavior, you might need a tool that offers qualitative user testing. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the 6 best Hotjar alternatives for product testing.

What makes Hotjar stand out?

Hotjar excels in providing quantitative data about user behavior on your website or app. Its heatmaps and session recordings give you a clear picture of what users are doing, while conversion funnels help you identify where users are dropping off. However, while Hotjar tells you what users are doing, it doesn’t necessarily tell you why they’re doing it.

Hotjar might not be the perfect fit for everyone

If you’re looking to understand the motivations and thought processes behind user behavior, you might need a tool that offers qualitative user testing. If you’re in this boat, don’t worry! There are plenty of fantastic Hotjar alternatives out there.

The 6 best Hotjar alternatives for product testing

In a rush? Here’s a quick rundown of our top 6:

1. Userbrain ?
2. Lookback
3. CrazyEgg
4. UX Tweak
5. UserTesting
6. UsabilityHub

Each of these Hotjar competitors offers something unique. Whether you’re looking for a more budget-friendly solution, a platform with more advanced features, or a tool that takes a fresh approach to user testing, we’ve got you covered.

Now, let’s delve deeper into the six top alternatives to Hotjar’s product testing platform:

1. Userbrain

Userbrain is a user testing platform that makes it easy, fast, and affordable to gather qualitative user feedback. It’s a top-notch alternative to Hotjar for product teams that want to make user testing a regular part of their development process.

Userbrain Features

Userbrain keeps things simple and straightforward. You can set up a test in minutes, and Userbrain’s global pool of over 100k testers will provide you with user test videos within hours. With Userbrain, gathering user feedback and improving your product becomes a breeze.

Userbrain also offers a flexible pricing model that caters to businesses of all sizes, with both Pay As You Go and Subscription options. No matter your budget, Userbrain is a cost-effective solution for your user testing needs.

Userbrain Pros vs. Hotjar

• Free Trial – Get started with Userbrain and enjoy your first 2 user tests absolutely free.
• Flexible pricing – Whether you’re just dipping your toes into user testing or need a robust package, Userbrain has got you covered. From the affordable Starter plan at $99/month to the unlimited Enterprise option, or Pay As You Go, there’s a subscription for everyone.
• Large tester pool – Forget the hassle of recruiting, managing, and compensating testers. Userbrain gives you access to a global community of over 100k quality-controlled user test participants.
• Quick turnaround – Get actionable insights fast with completed test videos delivered within hours.
• Unlimited team members – No matter the size of your team, you can invite everyone to Userbrain and assign roles as needed.
• 100% satisfaction guarantee – If a user test doesn’t meet your expectations, Userbrain will arrange a new tester and refund your test credit.
• AI Insights & Notes – Get instant, accurate AI analysis of your user tests. Userbrain’s AI assistant discovers key UX insights from user test videos within seconds.
• Ready-to-Share Reports – Export detailed user test reports to present to your team and stakeholders.

Userbrain Cons vs. Hotjar

• No heatmap or conversion funnel analysis – Userbrain focuses on qualitative user testing, so it doesn’t offer heatmap or conversion funnel analysis as Hotjar does.

Userbrain Pricing

• Pay As You Go – $39 per test.
• Starter – $79 /month for 3 user tests, plus 10 sessions with your own testers.
• Pro – $239 /month for 10 user tests, plus 30 sessions with your own testers.
• Agency – $659 /month for 30 user tests, plus 90 sessions with your own testers.
• Enterprise – Custom pricing based on your needs. Contact Sales! ?

Userbrain Reviews – via Capterra

Userbrain’s users have been vocal about their satisfaction with the platform. They’ve praised its simplicity and the value it offers, especially for continuous testing. The platform’s ease of use and straightforward pricing have been highlighted as major advantages. However, some reviewers were looking to run moderated user tests, which is not possible at Userbrain, as of August 2024.

2. Lookback

Lookback is a user research platform that focuses on remote research. It takes second place in our list of Hotjar alternatives because it’s a decent choice for product managers who want to conduct in-depth user research remotely.

Lookback Features

Lookback offers a range of features for remote user research, including live moderated research, unmoderated research, and participant recruitment. It also provides tools for analyzing and sharing your research, making it easy to turn your findings into actionable insights. Lookback also offers flexible pricing options for small businesses and larger teams. This makes it a versatile solution that can scale with your business.

Lookback Pros vs. Hotjar

• Remote research capabilities – Lookback focuses on remote user research, offering features for live moderated research, unmoderated research, and participant recruitment.
• Collaboration tools – Lookback provides tools for analyzing and sharing your research, making it easy to turn your findings into actionable insights.

Lookback Cons vs. Hotjar

• No integrated tester pool – Unlike Hotjar, Lookback does not have an integrated tester pool, so you’ll need to recruit your own participants or use a third-party recruitment service.

Lookback Pricing

• Freelance – Starting from $25/month (billed yearly).
• Team – Starting from $149/month (billed yearly).
• Enterprise – Custom pricing.

Lookback Reviews – via G2

Lookback has received positive feedback for its flexibility in offering both moderated and unmoderated testing options. Users have also appreciated its advanced features like live observation and collaboration, which are beneficial for team-based projects. On the flip side, some users have reported technical issues with the platform, and its pricing is higher compared to Hotjar, which might not be suitable for smaller businesses or startups.

Further reading: Discover the best-rated Lookback alternatives for your product.

3. CrazyEgg

CrazyEgg is a user testing platform that focuses on heatmap analysis and A/B testing. It’s a good Hotjar alternative for businesses that want a more comprehensive understanding of user behavior.

CrazyEgg Features

CrazyEgg offers a range of features for user testing, including heatmap analysis, scroll map analysis, and A/B testing. It also provides tools for recruiting participants and conducting both moderated and unmoderated tests.

With flexible pricing, abd options for both individual projects and unlimited testing, CrazyEgg is a versatile product testing solution for businesses of all sizes.

CrazyEgg Pros vs. Hotjar

• Heatmap analysis – CrazyEgg offers a range of features for heatmap analysis, providing a more comprehensive view of user behavior.
• A/B testing – CrazyEgg also offers A/B testing, allowing you to compare different versions of your website or app to see which one performs better.

CrazyEgg Cons vs. Hotjar

• No session recordings – Unlike Hotjar, CrazyEgg does not offer session recordings, which can provide valuable insights into user behavior.

CrazyEgg Pricing

• Basic – $24/month for 30,000 pageviews and 100 recordings.
• Standard – $49/month for 75,000 pageviews and 500 recordings.
• Plus – $99/month for 150,000 pageviews and 1,000 recordings.
• Pro – $249/month for 500,000 pageviews and 5,000 recordings.

CrazyEgg Reviews – via Capterra

CrazyEgg users have praised the platform for its heatmap analysis and A/B testing features, which provide a comprehensive view of user behavior. However, some users have noted that CrazyEgg does not offer session recordings like Hotjar does, which can provide valuable insights into user behavior.

Further reading: Discover the best-rated CrazyEgg alternatives for your product.

4. UX Tweak

UX Tweak is a user testing platform that focuses on usability testing. It’s a good Hotjar alternative for small-and-medium-sized businesses that want to conduct detailed usability tests.

UX Tweak Features

UX Tweak offers a range of features for usability testing, including task analysis, heatmaps, and clickstream analysis. It also provides tools for recruiting participants and conducting both moderated and unmoderated tests.

UX Tweak Pros vs. Hotjar

• Quantitative testing – While Hotjar provides user tests primarily for quantitative research, UX Tweak emphasizes gathering a statistically significant number of responses to a test, providing a more data-driven approach.
• Inclusion of 5-second & first-click tests – In contrast to Hotjar, UX Tweak also supports recording qualitative data such as heatmaps, clickstreams, and path analysis, providing a more comprehensive view of user behavior.
• Support for accessibility user testing – UX Tweak offers access to the AccessWorks database for all accessibility testing needs, saving users the time typically spent recruiting testers for in-person testing.
• Moderated & unmoderated user testing – UX Tweak provides the flexibility to conduct both moderated and unmoderated user tests, while offering more versatility than Hotjar.

UX Tweak Cons vs. Hotjar

• Less intuitive interface – Some users might find UX Tweak’s interface less intuitive than Hotjar’s, especially beginners.

UX Tweak Pricing

• Rapid Insights – $199/month for unlimited projects with up to 5 tasks and 1,000 participants per project.
• Pro – $399/month for unlimited projects with unlimited tasks and participants.
• Enterprise – $599/month for unlimited projects with unlimited tasks and participants, plus additional features.

UX Tweak Reviews – via G2

UX Tweak users have lauded the platform for its wide range of features, including heatmaps, clickstream analysis, and user path analysis. The ability to test on all devices, including desktop, mobile, and tablet, is another plus point. However, some users have found UX Tweak’s interface to be less intuitive, especially for beginners. The pricing, which is higher compared to Hotjar, might not be affordable for smaller businesses.

Further reading: Check out our top 6 UX Tweak alternatives for your product.

5. UserTesting

UserTesting is a user testing platform that focuses on providing a comprehensive solution for user research. It’s a good alternative to Hotjar for big corporate customers that want a comprehensive solution for user research – and we mean comprehensive…

UserTesting Features

UserTesting offers a range of features for user research, including live moderated research, unmoderated research, and participant recruitment. It also provides tools for analyzing and sharing your research, making it easy to turn your findings into actionable insights.

UserTesting also offers flexible pricing, with options for both small businesses and larger teams. This makes it a versatile solution that can scale with your business.

UserTesting Pros vs. Hotjar

• Comprehensive platform – UserTesting offers a wide range of testing options, including live moderated testing, unmoderated testing, and longitudinal studies.
• Large and diverse participant pool – UserTesting has a large and diverse participant pool.

UserTesting Cons vs. Hotjar

• Higher pricing – UserTesting’s pricing is significantly higher than Hotjar’s, making it less accessible for smaller businesses.
• Unfortunately, this is the downside of such a powerful all-in-one platform.
• Complexity – The platform might be more complex and require more learning time than Hotjar.

UserTesting Pricing

Pricing information is not directly available on their website.

UserTesting Reviews – via Capterra

UserTesting has been praised for its comprehensive platform with a wide range of testing options, including live moderated testing, unmoderated testing, and longitudinal studies. Its large and diverse participant pool has also been a point of appreciation. However, some users have noted that UserTesting’s pricing is significantly higher than Hotjar’s, making it less accessible for smaller businesses. The platform might also be more complex and require more learning time than Hotjar.

Further reading: Discover the best UserTesting alternatives for your product.

6. UsabilityHub

UsabilityHub is a user testing platform that focuses on quick and simple tests. It’s a good Hotjar alternative for product teams that want to gather user feedback quickly.

UsabilityHub Features

UsabilityHub offers a range of quick tests, including five-second tests, click tests, and preference tests. These tests are designed to be quick and easy to set up, allowing you to gather user feedback in minutes.

UsabilityHub also offers a large panel of testers, ensuring that you can gather diverse and representative feedback. It offers flexible pricing, with options for both pay-as-you-go and unlimited testing.

UsabilityHub Pros vs. Hotjar

Quick tests – UsabilityHub offers a range of quick tests, including five-second, click, and preference tests, allowing for rapid user feedback. Large tester panel – UsabilityHub offers a large panel of testers, ensuring diverse and representative feedback.

UsabilityHub Cons vs. Hotjar

Limited depth of insight – UsabilityHub’s tests focus on quick, impression-based feedback, which might not provide the depth of insight that Hotjar’s tests offer. Higher pricing for comprehensive testing: The pricing can often be higher for more comprehensive testing options.

UsabilityHub Pricing

Free – Limited features with 15 responses per test. Basic – $89 /month for unlimited responses and additional features. Pro – $199 /month for advanced features and unlimited test lengths. Enterprise –Custom pricing.

UsabilityHub Reviews – via G2

UsabilityHub has been praised for its variety of test types, including first click, five-second test, and preference test. Users have also appreciated the speed at which results are delivered, often within hours. However, some users have pointed out that UsabilityHub’s tests are more focused on quick, impression-based feedback, which might not provide the depth of insight that Hotjar’s tests offer. The pricing can also be high for more comprehensive testing options.

Further reading: Find the best UsabilityHub alternatives for your product.

Summary of the best Hotjar alternatives in 2024

That concludes our comprehensive review of Hotjar and the top contenders for the best Hotjar alternatives in 2024. If you’re seeking the most value for your investment, Userbrain emerges as the top choice. It’s budget-friendly and simplifies user testing, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.

Close behind are Lookback, CrazyEgg, UX Tweak, UserTesting, and UsabilityHub, each offering their unique take on user testing solutions. These Hotjar alternatives provide a refreshing variety if you’re looking for a change of approach.

Choosing the best Hotjar alternative isn’t just about finding the cheapest tool; it’s about finding the one that seamlessly integrates into your workflow and budget. Remember, much like shopping for a new pair of shoes, the best fit is always the one that provides the most comfort for you.

We hope this guide has illuminated the Hotjar cost structure and helped you narrow down your search for an affordable alternative. Remember, the perfect user testing tool is out there, waiting for you to take it for a spin!

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