Hotjar vs FullStory
Vignesh Sampath
Last updated on
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The short answer
Hotjar and FullStory both record what users do on your site and surface where they get stuck. Both have been around since 2014, both offer a permanent free tier, and both show up on most behavior analytics shortlists. The honest split is scope and budget: Hotjar is a self-serve qualitative toolkit (heatmaps, recordings, surveys, feedback, interviews) built for website teams at SMB prices, while FullStory is a high-fidelity digital experience platform with deep product analytics and mobile SDK support aimed at mid-market and enterprise teams willing to commit to annual contracts.
If your team needs heatmaps, session recordings, on-site surveys, and feedback widgets in one self-serve product, you are a website or web-app team (no native mobile app), and a free plan or ~$49/mo entry point matters, Hotjar is the more accessible pick. The 200,000-session free plan and no-sales-required signup mean you can evaluate it in an afternoon.
If your product spans web and native mobile (iOS/Android), your analytics team needs retention curves, user journeys, and path analysis, and your organization expects enterprise compliance (SSO, PCI/CCPA), FullStory is the stronger fit. Plan for an annual contract starting at roughly $10,000/year (per Vendr market data) and a sales-led process for any paid tier.
At a glance
| Hotjar | FullStory | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded / Vendor | Hotjar (hotjar.com), acq. by Contentsquare 2021 | FullStory (fullstory.com), independent |
| Category | Behavior analytics / Voice of Customer | Digital experience intelligence |
| Starting price | $0 free; first paid ~$49/mo (annual, verify live) | $0 free; paid from ~$10,000/yr (Vendr data) |
| Public rating | 4.3/5 G2 (337 reviews) | 4.5/5 G2 (1,048 reviews) |
| Best for | SMB website teams; surveys + heatmaps + recordings | Mid-market/enterprise; mobile + product analytics |
Vendor profile
Hotjar
Hotjar launched in 2014 in Malta as a self-serve behavior analytics tool built around heatmaps and session recordings. Contentsquare acquired it in September 2021 and the Hotjar brand continues as a distinct product within that umbrella. Its core strength is breadth of qualitative tooling at an accessible price: five heatmap types, session replay, built-in surveys with 40-plus templates, feedback widgets, and a moderated user-interview product (Engage), all available without a sales conversation. Following the acquisition, pricing has migrated toward a unified Contentsquare tier model and Hotjar now signposts “Hotjar is now part of Contentsquare” on its pricing page, with paid signup routed through Contentsquare’s portal. Verify current tier structure live before purchase.
- Vendor
- Hotjar (hotjar.com)
- Founded
- 2014, Malta
- Ownership
- Acquired by Contentsquare, September 2021
- Platform
- Web and web-app only; no native mobile SDK
- Pricing model
- Session-based, self-serve; free plan permanent
- Starting price
- Free; first paid ~$49/mo billed annually (verify live)
- Public rating
- 4.3/5 G2 (337 reviews, as of June 2026)
- Scale claim
- 1.3 million+ websites in 180+ countries (hotjar.com)
FullStory
FullStory was founded in Atlanta in 2014 by Scott Voigt, Joel Webber, and Bruce Johnson, all former Google engineers. It reached unicorn status in 2021 and remains independent. Its Fullcapture technology records user sessions at high fidelity and auto-surfaces frustration signals (rage clicks, dead clicks, error clicks) without manual tagging. Beyond replay, FullStory has expanded into product analytics with retention analysis, user journeys, and funnel visualization on higher tiers. The native iOS and Android SDK extends coverage to mobile apps, a capability Hotjar does not offer. All paid tiers require a sales conversation; there is no self-serve upgrade path.
- Vendor
- FullStory (fullstory.com)
- Founded
- 2014, Atlanta, GA
- Founders
- Scott Voigt (CEO), Joel Webber, Bruce Johnson
- Ownership
- Independent (unicorn 2021)
- Platform
- Web and native iOS/Android mobile SDK
- Pricing model
- Session-based, sales-led; free plan permanent
- Starting price
- Free; paid from ~$10,000/yr (Vendr data, not FullStory-published)
- Public rating
- 4.5/5 G2 (1,048 reviews, as of June 2026)
- Notable clients
- Adobe, JetBlue, Grammarly, Duolingo, Patagonia, Pizza Hut, Carvana
Pricing: what you'll actually pay
Hotjar’s pricing migrated to a unified Contentsquare model for new buyers, with paid signup routed through Contentsquare’s portal. The live tier grid (Free / Growth $49 mo / Pro / Enterprise) is published on hotjar.com/pricing; figures below are confirmed against it as of June 2026. FullStory publishes no paid-tier prices on its plans page; all figures for paid FullStory tiers are third-party estimates or Vendr market data, not FullStory-confirmed. Verify both vendors live before purchase.
| Hotjar | FullStory | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan sessions | 200,000 sessions/mo (verify live) | 30,000 sessions/mo |
| Starting paid price | ~$49/mo, billed annually (verify live) | ~$10,000/yr minimum (Vendr, 398 purchases) |
| Pricing transparency | Public, self-serve | Quote-only for all paid tiers |
| Typical operating range | ~$49 to custom (Pro/Enterprise) | $9,961 to $105,630/yr (Vendr data) |
| Pricing model | Session-volume tiers, self-serve | Session-volume, sales-led annual contract |
| Minimum contract | Month-to-month implied on Growth (verify live) | Annual; no public monthly option |
| Setup fee | None stated | None stated |
| Free plan: credit card? | No credit card required | No credit card required |
Capability comparison
Both tools cover session replay and heatmaps. The divergence is in qualitative feedback (surveys, interviews), mobile analytics, product analytics depth, and how far you can go without a sales call.
| Service | Hotjar | FullStory |
|---|---|---|
| Session recording / replay | ✓ | ✓ (higher fidelity; auto-surfaced frustration signals) |
| Heatmaps | ✓ (5 types, incl. movement + dynamic) | Partial (2 types + 3 overlays; no movement, no dynamic content) |
| Built-in on-site surveys | ✓ (native, all plans, 40+ templates) | ✕ (add-on or third-party integration) |
| Feedback widgets | ✓ (native, all plans) | ✕ (third-party integration required) |
| Moderated user interviews | ✓ (Engage product) | ✕ |
| Mobile app analytics (iOS/Android) | ✕ (web only) | ✓ (native SDK) |
| Product analytics (retention, journeys) | Partial (Contentsquare integration) | ✓ (Advanced+ tier) |
| Error / console log tracking | Partial (Scale tier only) | ✓ (Business tier and above) |
| Funnel / conversion analysis | ✓ (paid plans) | ✓ (all paid plans) |
| AI-generated insights | ✓ (Sense AI, Growth+) | ✓ (StoryAI, add-on) |
| Unlimited team seats | ✓ (all plans including free) | ✕ (10 on free; per-seat beyond) |
| Self-serve signup / upgrade | ✓ (no sales required) | ✕ (sales-led for all paid tiers) |
| Enterprise compliance (SSO, PCI/CCPA) | ✓ (Scale/Enterprise tier) | ✓ (Enterprise tier) |
Decision matrix – who fits which side
| Criterion | Hotjar | FullStory |
|---|---|---|
| Self-serve signup and transparent pricing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Generous free plan (high session cap) | ✓ | – |
| SMB or early-stage team budget | ✓ | ✕ |
| Built-in surveys and feedback widgets | ✓ | ✕ |
| Moderated user interview product | ✓ | ✕ |
| Widest heatmap types (incl. movement, dynamic) | ✓ | – |
| Unlimited team seats on all plans | ✓ | ✕ |
| Native mobile app analytics (iOS/Android) | ✕ | ✓ |
| Deep product analytics (retention, journeys) | – | ✓ |
| Auto-surfaced frustration signals in replay | – | ✓ |
| Error and console/network log tracking | – | ✓ |
| Enterprise compliance (SSO, PCI/CCPA) | – | ✓ |
| Higher G2 rating and deeper review pool | – | ✓ |
| Named enterprise brand clients | – | ✓ |
Check = clear edge. Dash = capable but not the stronger pick. Cross = outside the model or not offered.
Strengths & tradeoffs
Both tools record sessions and show where users click; the honest differences are in qualitative feedback depth (where Hotjar wins) versus product analytics and mobile coverage (where FullStory wins). Neither is the right answer for every team.
| Axis | Hotjar | FullStory |
|---|---|---|
| Qualitative feedback | Surveys (40+ templates), feedback widgets, and moderated interviews in one product | Surveys are an add-on; no feedback widget or interview product |
| Heatmap types | 5 types: move, click, scroll, engagement zones, rage-click, plus Retaker for dynamic content | 2 types (click, scroll) plus rage/dead/error-click overlays; no movement map, no dynamic content capture |
| Session replay quality | Solid replay with star/save filters; console tracking on Scale tier only | High-fidelity Fullcapture; frustration signals auto-surfaced; console and network logs from Business tier |
| Mobile analytics | Web and web-app only; no iOS/Android SDK | Native iOS and Android SDK; mobile and web covered together |
| Product analytics | Basic via Contentsquare integration; not standalone Hotjar | Retention curves, path analysis, user journeys on Advanced tier |
| Pricing accessibility | Free plan at 200,000 sessions/mo; first paid ~$49/mo; no sales required | Free plan at 30,000 sessions/mo; paid from ~$10,000/yr (Vendr); sales-led for all paid tiers |
| Seat model | Unlimited users on every plan including free | 10 users on free; per-seat cost on paid |
| Pricing transparency | Public, self-serve | Quote-only; no public paid-tier prices |
| Enterprise features | Available on Scale/Enterprise tier | SSO, PCI/CCPA compliance, advanced permissions on Enterprise |
| AI insights | Sense AI assistant (Growth+) | StoryAI (add-on); anomaly detection and behavioral summaries |
| Site performance impact | Cited repeatedly in G2 reviews as a concern | Also cited in reviews; similar concern |
Ratings & track record
| Metric | Hotjar | FullStory |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| G2 reviews | 337 | 1,048 |
| Founded | 2014, Malta | 2014, Atlanta, GA |
| Ownership | Acquired by Contentsquare (2021) | Independent (unicorn, 2021) |
| Notable clients | 1.3 million websites claimed; no named reference accounts found on primary source as of June 2026 | Adobe, JetBlue, Grammarly, Duolingo, Patagonia, Pizza Hut, Carvana |
FullStory holds both the higher G2 rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and the much larger review pool (1,048 vs 337), which gives its rating more statistical weight. Hotjar’s reviews highlight ease of setup and self-serve speed; recurring negatives are session limits on the Growth tier and reported site performance impact. FullStory’s reviewers consistently praise session replay quality and the ability to share specific moments with stakeholders; the most cited negative is cost, with G2 reviewers describing it as “great product, terrible cost.” Both G2 pages returned 403 on direct fetch during research; ratings are confirmed via search-result metadata and URL titles and should be cross-checked live before publish.
Both tools’ data is sourced from publicly available information as of June 2026. Hotjar’s pricing is in transition following the Contentsquare acquisition and signup is routed through Contentsquare; prices above are confirmed against the live hotjar.com/pricing grid as of June 2026. FullStory does not publish paid-tier prices; figures from Vendr market data are third-party estimates only. This comparison is independent; we take no affiliate or referral fees from either.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Hotjar and FullStory?
Is Hotjar better than FullStory?
Which is cheaper, Hotjar or FullStory?
Does Hotjar support mobile app analytics?
Does FullStory include surveys or feedback widgets?
Do Hotjar and FullStory offer a free plan?
Sources and references
- Hotjar homepage (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar acquired by Contentsquare (press release) (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar vs FullStory (Hotjar blog) (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar pricing compilation (checkthat.ai) (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar pricing (usercall.co) (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar G2 reviews (4.3/5, 337 reviews) (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory homepage (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory plans page (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory pricing, Vendr data (userpilot.com) (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory G2 reviews (4.5/5, 1,048 reviews) (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory G2 seller page (review count confirmed) (accessed June 2026)
- FullStory founding history (canvasbusinessmodel.com) (accessed June 2026)
- Hotjar vs FullStory feature comparison (fullsession.io) (accessed June 2026)
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