Hotjar vs Crazy Egg: Honest Comparison [2026]

Quick Answer: If you need comprehensive user feedback tools (surveys, polls, feedback widgets) alongside heatmaps, Hotjar is your best choice. If you want built-in A/B testing with your heatmaps and don't need survey capabilities, Crazy Egg offers better value. Both are excellent tools—the right choice depends on your specific workflow. For more context, see our full Crazy Egg review and explore all Hotjar alternatives.

Choosing between Hotjar and Crazy Egg is one of the most common decisions website owners face when setting up behavior analytics. Both tools have been industry leaders for over a decade, and both promise to help you understand what users actually do on your website.

But they're not identical. After extensive research and analysis of both platforms, we've put together this comprehensive comparison to help you make an informed decision. We'll cover features, pricing, ease of use, and real-world use cases—so you can pick the tool that matches your needs (and budget).

Quick Comparison Table

| Feature | Hotjar | Crazy Egg | |---------|--------|-----------| | Starting Price | Free (then $32/mo) | Free (then $29/mo) | | Heatmap Types | Click, Scroll, Move, Engagement Zones | Click, Scroll, Attention, Confetti, Overlay | | Session Recordings | Yes (all plans) | Yes (all paid plans) | | A/B Testing | No (requires third-party) | Yes (built-in) | | Surveys & Feedback | Yes (comprehensive) | Yes (basic) | | Free Plan | Yes (35 daily sessions) | Yes (limited features) | | Billing Options | Monthly or Annual | Annual only | | Best For | User feedback + behavior | A/B testing + visual analytics |

What is Hotjar?

Hotjar is a behavior analytics and user feedback platform founded in 2014. It's now part of Contentsquare, one of the largest digital experience analytics companies in the world. The platform combines heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, and feedback tools into a single dashboard.

Hotjar's philosophy centers on understanding the "why" behind user behavior. While heatmaps show you where users click and scroll, their surveys and feedback widgets help you understand user intent and frustration.

Key Hotjar Features

Heatmaps: Hotjar offers multiple heatmap types including click maps, scroll maps, and move maps. Their newer "Engagement Zone" heatmaps visualize all interaction types in a single grid-like view, making it easier to spot patterns quickly.

Session Recordings: Watch reconstructed videos of real user sessions, including mouse movements, clicks, scrolls, and page navigation. Recordings automatically flag "rage clicks" and "u-turns" to help you find frustration points faster.

Surveys & Feedback: This is where Hotjar really shines. Create on-site surveys, Net Promoter Score (NPS) polls, and targeted feedback widgets. You can trigger surveys based on user behavior, exit intent, or time on page.

User Interviews (Engage): Hotjar's Engage product lets you recruit and schedule user interviews directly through the platform—a feature Crazy Egg doesn't offer.

Integrations: Hotjar integrates with 115+ tools on higher plans, including Slack, HubSpot, Google Analytics, Jira, Segment, and Zapier.

Hotjar Pricing (2026)

Hotjar uses a modular pricing structure with three product categories: Observe (heatmaps/recordings), Ask (surveys/feedback), and Engage (user interviews). You can mix and match plans for each.

Observe (Heatmaps & Recordings):

| Plan | Monthly Price | Daily Sessions | Data Retention | |------|---------------|----------------|----------------| | Basic (Free) | $0 | 35 | 30 days | | Plus | $32/mo (annual) | 100 | 365 days | | Business | $80/mo (annual) | 500 | 365 days | | Scale | $171/mo (annual) | Unlimited | 365 days |

Ask (Surveys & Feedback):

| Plan | Monthly Price | Responses/mo | |------|---------------|--------------| | Basic (Free) | $0 | 20 | | Plus | $48/mo (annual) | 250 | | Business | $64/mo (annual) | 500 | | Scale | $128/mo (annual) | Unlimited |

Note: Prices shown are for annual billing. Monthly billing is approximately 20% higher. Bundling multiple products provides additional discounts.

What is Crazy Egg?

Crazy Egg was founded in 2006 by Neil Patel and Hiten Shah, making it one of the original heatmap tools on the market. It focuses on visual analytics and conversion optimization, with a particular strength in A/B testing capabilities. For pricing details, see our Hotjar pricing breakdown.

Where Hotjar emphasizes user feedback, Crazy Egg leans into experimentation. The platform is designed to help you identify problems with heatmaps and recordings, then test solutions with built-in A/B testing—all without switching tools.

Key Crazy Egg Features

Heatmaps (Snapshots): Crazy Egg calls their heatmaps "Snapshots" and offers five different report types:

Heatmap: Classic color-coded click visualization
Scrollmap: Shows how far users scroll down the page
Confetti: Breaks down clicks by referral source, search terms, or other segments
Overlay: Shows click counts on individual page elements
List Report: Tabular data of all clicks for detailed analysis

Session Recordings: Watch visitor sessions with playback controls. Recordings are organized by page, device, and user behavior patterns.

A/B Testing: This is Crazy Egg's killer feature. Create and run split tests directly in the platform using a visual editor—no coding required. Most competitors (including Hotjar) require separate A/B testing tools that cost $150-300/month extra.

Surveys: Basic on-site surveys are included, though they're not as sophisticated as Hotjar's feedback tools.

Error Tracking: Higher-tier plans include JavaScript error tracking to identify technical issues affecting user experience.

Crazy Egg Pricing (2026)

Crazy Egg uses a simpler pricing model based on tracked pageviews. All plans include unlimited domains and team members.

| Plan | Monthly Price | Pageviews/mo | Heatmaps | Recordings/mo | A/B Testing | |------|---------------|--------------|----------|---------------|-------------| | Starter | $29 | 5,000 | 5 | 50 | No | | Plus | $99 | 150,000 | 75 | 1,000 | Unlimited | | Pro | $249 | 500,000 | 100 | 5,000 | Unlimited | | Enterprise | $599 | 1,000,000 | 200 | 10,000 | Unlimited |

Note: All plans require annual billing. No month-to-month option is available. A 30-day free trial is offered for all plans.

Important: Crazy Egg never charges overage fees. If you hit your monthly limit, tracking pauses until the next billing cycle—you won't get a surprise bill.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Heatmaps

Both tools offer excellent heatmap capabilities, but with different approaches.

Hotjar provides click, scroll, and move heatmaps with a clean, modern interface. Their newer Engagement Zone feature combines all interaction types into a single view, which some users find more actionable. You can also view heatmaps by device type (desktop, tablet, mobile) and compare different page variations side by side.

Crazy Egg offers more heatmap variety with five distinct report types. The Confetti report is particularly useful—it segments clicks by traffic source, so you can see if Google visitors behave differently than social media visitors. The Overlay report gives you exact click counts on every element, which is helpful for detailed analysis.

Winner: Crazy Egg for variety and segmentation options. Hotjar for simplicity and modern UI.

Session Recordings

Both platforms offer session replay functionality, but implementation differs.

Hotjar automatically flags important moments in recordings: rage clicks (rapid clicking from frustration), dead clicks (clicks that do nothing), and u-turns (users who immediately leave a page). These filters make it much faster to find problematic sessions without watching hours of footage.

Crazy Egg provides solid recording capabilities but with less sophisticated filtering. You can search by page, device, and basic behavior patterns, but you'll likely spend more time manually reviewing sessions.

Winner: Hotjar—the automatic frustration detection saves significant time.

Surveys and Feedback

This category isn't even close.

Hotjar treats surveys as a core product, not an afterthought. You can create:

On-site surveys with multiple question types
NPS (Net Promoter Score) polls
Feedback widgets for specific pages
Exit-intent surveys
Targeted popups based on user behavior

The survey builder is intuitive, and you can trigger surveys based on scroll depth, time on page, exit intent, or custom events.

Crazy Egg offers basic survey functionality, but it's clearly secondary to their visual analytics tools. Surveys exist, but they lack the depth and targeting options that Hotjar provides.

Winner: Hotjar, decisively. If user feedback is important to you, Hotjar is the clear choice.

User Segmentation

Hotjar allows you to filter heatmaps and recordings by device, browser, country, and custom attributes (if you implement user identification). On Business plans and above, you can segment by specific user properties synced from your CRM or analytics tools.

Crazy Egg's Confetti report provides excellent traffic source segmentation out of the box. You can segment by UTM parameters, referring URL, device type, and more. This makes it easier to understand how different audiences interact with your pages.

Winner: Tie—Crazy Egg is better for traffic source analysis, Hotjar is better for user attribute segmentation.

A/B Testing

Hotjar does not include A/B testing. You'll need a separate tool like Optimizely, VWO, or Google Optimize (now sunset) to run experiments. These tools typically cost $150-500+/month for comparable functionality.

Crazy Egg includes full A/B testing capabilities on Plus plans and above. The visual editor lets you create variations without coding—change headlines, images, buttons, or layout with point-and-click tools. You can run multiple variations simultaneously and Crazy Egg will automatically determine statistical significance.

Winner: Crazy Egg, significantly. If A/B testing is part of your workflow, Crazy Egg offers much better value.

Integrations

Hotjar offers more integrations overall:

Native integrations: Slack, HubSpot, Google Analytics, Jira, Linear, Microsoft Teams, Mixpanel, Segment, Zapier
Platform installations: WordPress, Shopify, ClickFunnels, Google Tag Manager, Wix, Squarespace
API access for custom integrations
8,000+ additional apps via Zapier

Crazy Egg has fewer native integrations but covers the essentials:

Platform installations: WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Magento, Squarespace, Joomla
Segment integration for data routing
Zapier for additional connections

Winner: Hotjar—more integration options, especially for larger tech stacks.

Analytics and Reporting

Hotjar provides clean dashboards with key metrics, but the analytics are relatively basic. You can see trends over time and export data, but advanced analysis typically requires exporting to other tools.

Crazy Egg recently added a Web Analytics dashboard that provides traffic metrics alongside behavior data. Their reporting tends to be more detailed for conversion-focused analysis, and the A/B testing reports include statistical significance calculations.

Winner: Crazy Egg for built-in analytics depth. Hotjar relies more on integration with dedicated analytics platforms.

Pricing Comparison: Which Offers Better Value?

Let's compare realistic scenarios:

Scenario 1: Small Website (50,000 monthly pageviews)

Hotjar: Plus plan at $32/month covers 100 daily sessions (roughly 3,000/month), which should be adequate. Add Ask Plus at $48/month for surveys. Total: $80/month

Crazy Egg: Starter plan at $29/month covers only 5,000 pageviews—not enough. Plus plan at $99/month covers 150,000 pageviews with A/B testing included. Total: $99/month

Winner: Hotjar for smaller sites, unless you need A/B testing.

Scenario 2: Growing Business (200,000 monthly pageviews)

Hotjar: Business plan at $80/month for heatmaps/recordings plus $64/month for surveys. A/B testing tool (VWO or similar): ~$200/month. Total: $344/month

Crazy Egg: Pro plan at $249/month covers everything including A/B testing. Total: $249/month

Winner: Crazy Egg—$95/month savings with A/B testing included.

Scenario 3: High-Traffic Site (500,000+ monthly pageviews)

Hotjar: Scale plan at $171/month (unlimited sessions) plus $128/month for surveys. External A/B testing: ~$300+/month. Total: $599+/month

Crazy Egg: Enterprise plan at $599/month covers everything. Total: $599/month

Winner: Tie on price, but Crazy Egg is simpler (one tool, one bill).

The Hidden Cost Factor

Crazy Egg requires annual billing only. If cash flow matters or you want to test before committing, this is a significant disadvantage. Hotjar's monthly billing option (at 20% premium) provides more flexibility.

Ease of Use

Setup and Installation

Both tools are straightforward to install. You add a JavaScript snippet to your site's header, or use Google Tag Manager for easier management.

Hotjar installation can be completed in under 5 minutes. The onboarding wizard walks you through creating your first heatmap and setting up recordings. Most users report seeing data within 24 hours.

Crazy Egg setup is similarly simple. Create a "Snapshot" (heatmap), paste the tracking code, and data starts flowing. The 30-day free trial lets you test everything before committing to annual billing.

Winner: Tie—both are easy to set up.

Learning Curve

Hotjar has a more modern, intuitive interface. Features are logically organized, and the navigation feels natural. New users can start gathering insights within their first session.

Crazy Egg has a slightly steeper learning curve, especially for the A/B testing features. The interface is functional but feels a bit dated compared to Hotjar. However, most users become comfortable within a few days.

Winner: Hotjar for UX polish. Crazy Egg is perfectly usable but less refined.

Day-to-Day Usage

Hotjar excels at surface-level insights. The dashboard highlights key metrics, and the frustration detection in recordings surfaces problems quickly. However, deeper analysis often requires exporting data.

Crazy Egg is better for users who want to dig into data. The five heatmap report types and detailed click data support more thorough analysis. The A/B testing workflow keeps optimization cycles within one platform.

Winner: Depends on your style—Hotjar for quick insights, Crazy Egg for detailed analysis.

Customer Support

Hotjar Support

Hotjar offers email support and an extensive knowledge base. Business and Scale plans include priority support with faster response times.

Pros:

Comprehensive documentation and tutorials
Active blog with UX optimization tips
Priority support on higher plans

Cons:

No phone support
Free plan users report slow response times
Some users find the chatbot-first approach frustrating

Crazy Egg Support

Crazy Egg provides email support with generally positive reviews for response quality.

Pros:

Helpful, knowledgeable support team
Good documentation
Enterprise plans include onboarding and training

Cons:

No phone support
Response times can vary
Some billing-related complaints

Winner: Tie—both have room for improvement, but neither has deal-breaking support issues.

Pros and Cons Summary

Hotjar Pros

Excellent survey and feedback tools
Modern, intuitive interface
Frustration detection in recordings
Flexible monthly billing option
Strong integration ecosystem
Now part of Contentsquare (ongoing investment)

Hotjar Cons

No built-in A/B testing
Higher total cost if you need testing capabilities
Session limits can be restrictive on lower plans
No mobile app support

Crazy Egg Pros

Built-in A/B testing (huge value)
Five heatmap report types
No overage charges ever
Unlimited domains and team members
More affordable for A/B testing workflows
Excellent traffic source segmentation

Crazy Egg Cons

Annual billing only (no monthly option)
Less sophisticated survey tools
Dated interface
Fewer integrations
Lower plan recording limits

Who Should Choose What?

Choose Hotjar If You:

Prioritize user feedback: Your workflow relies heavily on surveys, NPS scores, and feedback collection
Need monthly billing flexibility: Cash flow matters, or you want to test before committing annually
Have a large tech stack: You need integrations with multiple marketing and analytics tools
Already have an A/B testing tool: You're using Optimizely, VWO, or similar
Want the polished experience: Modern UI and onboarding matter to your team

Choose Crazy Egg If You:

Need A/B testing: You want heatmaps AND experimentation in one tool without paying separately
Focus on conversion optimization: Your primary goal is testing and improving page performance
Want detailed click analysis: The Confetti and Overlay reports match your analytical style
Have predictable budgets: Annual billing isn't a problem, and you appreciate no overage fees
Run multiple websites: Unlimited domains on all plans is valuable for agencies or portfolio sites

Consider Both If You:

Need comprehensive user research (Hotjar for feedback) AND conversion optimization (Crazy Egg for testing)
Have budget for multiple specialized tools
Want best-in-class capabilities for each use case

Alternatives to Consider

While Hotjar and Crazy Egg dominate the market, several alternatives deserve mention:

Microsoft Clarity (Free)

Microsoft's completely free heatmap and session recording tool has become a serious competitor. It offers unlimited traffic, click/scroll/move heatmaps, session recordings, and AI-powered insights through Copilot integration. The catch? No surveys, no A/B testing, and limited segmentation compared to paid tools.

Best for: Budget-conscious teams who need basic heatmaps and recordings without the price tag.

Lucky Orange ($32+/month)

Lucky Orange combines heatmaps, recordings, surveys, AND live chat in one platform. Their "dynamic heatmaps" capture interactions with pop-ups, sliders, and dynamic content that other tools miss. Pricing starts at $32/month with all features included.

Best for: Teams who want live chat alongside behavior analytics.

UXHeat (Coming Soon)

We're building UXHeat as a next-generation, AI-powered heatmap tool. Our focus is on using machine learning to automatically surface insights—instead of watching hours of recordings, you'll get actionable recommendations delivered to your inbox.

What makes UXHeat different:

AI-powered insight detection (not just data collection)
Automatic problem identification and prioritization
Natural language summaries of user behavior patterns
Fair, transparent pricing without enterprise gatekeeping

We're currently in development and building our early access list. If you're interested in a smarter approach to behavior analytics, join the UXHeat waitlist to be notified when we launch.

Final Verdict

After comparing every major aspect of these tools, here's our recommendation:

Choose Hotjar if: User feedback and surveys are central to your workflow. The combination of heatmaps, recordings, AND comprehensive feedback tools makes Hotjar unbeatable for teams focused on understanding user intent and sentiment.

Choose Crazy Egg if: Conversion optimization and A/B testing are your priorities. The built-in testing capabilities save $150-300/month compared to using Hotjar plus a separate A/B testing tool—that's $1,800-3,600/year in savings.

The budget-conscious choice: If you're just starting out, use Microsoft Clarity (free) for heatmaps and recordings, then add Hotjar's free tier for basic surveys. This combination costs nothing and covers fundamental needs.

The "I want it all" choice: Use Crazy Egg for heatmaps and A/B testing, Hotjar for surveys and feedback. Yes, it's two tools—but each does its job better than the other's version of that feature.

Ultimately, there's no wrong choice between Hotjar and Crazy Egg. Both are mature, reliable tools used by hundreds of thousands of websites. Pick the one that aligns with your workflow, budget, and priorities—then start optimizing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hotjar better than Crazy Egg?

Neither is objectively "better"—they excel at different things. Hotjar is better for user feedback, surveys, and qualitative research. Crazy Egg is better for A/B testing and detailed click analysis. Choose based on which capabilities matter most to your workflow.

Can I use Hotjar and Crazy Egg together?

Yes, many teams use both tools simultaneously. The tracking scripts are lightweight and don't conflict. However, running both may be redundant for heatmaps and recordings—most teams use one for behavior analytics and add the other only for its unique features (Hotjar for surveys, Crazy Egg for A/B testing).

Does Crazy Egg offer monthly billing?

No. As of 2026, Crazy Egg requires annual billing for all paid plans. They offer a 30-day free trial to test before committing. If monthly billing flexibility is important, Hotjar is the better choice (though monthly billing costs 20% more than annual).

Is Microsoft Clarity a good alternative to both?

For basic heatmaps and session recordings, absolutely. Clarity is 100% free with unlimited traffic—hard to beat on value. However, it lacks surveys, A/B testing, and advanced segmentation. Most serious optimization teams use Clarity as a supplement, not a replacement.

How long does it take to see data in Hotjar or Crazy Egg?

Both tools typically start showing data within 24 hours of installation. Heatmaps need traffic to populate (more visitors = faster, more accurate heatmaps), so high-traffic pages show results sooner than low-traffic pages.

Do these tools slow down my website?

Both Hotjar and Crazy Egg use asynchronous JavaScript that loads after your page content. Performance impact is minimal—typically less than 100ms of additional load time. Google's Core Web Vitals are rarely affected significantly, but you should always test after installation to confirm.

Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features may change. We recommend visiting Hotjar's pricing page and Crazy Egg's pricing page for the most current information.

Ready to understand your users better? While Hotjar and Crazy Egg are solid choices, we're building something smarter. UXHeat uses AI to automatically find the insights hiding in your user behavior data—so you can spend less time analyzing and more time optimizing.

Join the UXHeat Waitlist and be first to try our AI-powered approach to behavior analytics.