Microsoft Clarity
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About Microsoft Clarity
Microsoft Clarity is a completely free behavior analytics tool from Microsoft that provides heatmaps, session recordings, and user behavior insights with no data limits and no cost — making it the most accessible alternative to Hotjar for teams with budget constraints. Launched in 2020, Clarity reached widespread adoption quickly due to its $0 price tag covering unlimited sessions and unlimited recordings. The tool captures click heatmaps, scroll maps, and session recordings that show exactly how users interact with pages — where they click, how far they scroll, and where they encounter friction. Clarity's AI-powered dashboard automatically surfaces insights like rage clicks (frustrated repeated clicks), dead clicks (clicks that produce no response), and excessive scrolling. The JavaScript snippet is lightweight and integrates with Google Analytics to segment Clarity sessions by GA4 audiences. Clarity integrates with WordPress, Shopify, and Wix via official plugins. Data is retained for 13 months. There is no paid tier — Clarity is entirely free as Microsoft uses it to improve Bing and its advertising products. The tradeoff versus Hotjar is fewer features: no surveys, no feedback widgets, no funnel analysis, and no integrations beyond GA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Clarity really free?
Yes, Microsoft Clarity is completely free with no paid tiers, no data limits, and no session caps. You get unlimited heatmaps, unlimited session recordings, and 13 months of data retention at zero cost. Microsoft funds Clarity as part of its advertising and Bing ecosystem.
Microsoft Clarity vs Hotjar: which is better?
Microsoft Clarity is better if you need heatmaps and session recordings at zero cost — for basic behavior analytics, Clarity's free tier beats Hotjar's free plan (limited to 35 daily sessions). Hotjar is better if you need surveys, in-page feedback widgets, funnel analysis, or integrations with marketing tools like HubSpot. Many teams use Clarity for recordings and add Hotjar surveys on top.
Is Microsoft Clarity GDPR compliant?
Microsoft Clarity has privacy features including IP masking and the ability to exclude sensitive pages from recording. However, as a Microsoft product, data flows to Microsoft's servers, which has GDPR implications similar to Google Analytics for EU users. For maximum compliance, self-hosted tools like Matomo are safer. Clarity's privacy settings and data processing agreement should be reviewed for your jurisdiction.
Top Alternatives to Microsoft Clarity
Hotjar
Adds surveys, feedback widgets, and funnel analysis
FullStory
More powerful session intelligence for enterprises
Mouseflow
More analytics features including form analytics
Lucky Orange
Adds live chat and conversion funnels alongside recordings
Crazy Egg
Adds A/B testing alongside heatmaps
Google Analytics
Quantitative analytics — pairs well with Clarity's qualitative data
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