clickmap.app vs Hotjar: The Free Google Analytics Heatmap Alternative
Looking for a Hotjar alternative that works with your existing Google Analytics data? clickmap.app offers click visualization directly on your website, without the complexity or cost of traditional heatmap tools.
Updated: December 2025 | Reading time: 5 minutes
🤔 What's the difference?
Hotjar is a popular behavior analytics tool that tracks user sessions, creates heatmaps, and stores data on their servers. It's powerful but can get expensive and creates a separate data silo.
clickmap.app takes a different approach: it integrates directly with your existing Google Analytics, so your click data stays in your GA account. You see click visualization right on your live website - no separate dashboard needed.
📊 Quick Comparison: clickmap.app vs Hotjar
| Feature | clickmap.app | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Uses existing GA data | Yes | Separate tracking |
| On-site visualization | Embedded widget | Dashboard screenshots |
| Free tier | 3 sites, 1K clicks/mo | 35 sessions/day limit |
| Pro pricing | $14.99/month | $39+/month |
| Data ownership | Your GA account | Hotjar's servers |
| Script weight | Lightweight (~5KB) | Heavy recording (~100KB+) |
| Session recordings | Not included | Yes |
🔄 Why Users Switch from Hotjar to clickmap.app
🔗 1. Your Data Stays in Google Analytics
Hotjar creates a separate data silo - your click data lives on their servers, disconnected from your main analytics. clickmap.app takes a different approach: it integrates directly with your existing Google Analytics property. Your click data flows into GA4, where you can combine it with all your other metrics, apply segments, and export it however you want.
No vendor lock-in
If you ever stop using clickmap.app, your historical data remains in your GA account forever.
👁️ 2. See Clicks Directly on Your Website
Traditional heatmap tools show you a static screenshot with colored overlays. You have to navigate to their dashboard, find the right page, and hope the screenshot matches your current design.
clickmap.app embeds a lightweight reporting widget directly on your website. See click data overlaid on your actual live pages - no separate dashboard, no outdated screenshots. The visualization updates as your site changes.
- ❌ Static screenshots
- ❌ Often outdated
- ❌ Separate dashboard
- ❌ Context switching
- ✅ Live website overlay
- ✅ Always current
- ✅ On-page widget
- ✅ Zero context switching
🎯 3. Clicks Show Clearer Intent Than Session Recordings
Hotjar's main selling point is session recordings - watching users navigate your site. But watching recordings is time-consuming, and the insights are often ambiguous. Why did that user pause? Were they confused or just distracted?
When someone clicks a button, there's no ambiguity - they wanted to perform that action. clickmap.app focuses on this high-signal metric, giving you clear insights without hours of video review.
💰 4. Significantly Lower Cost
Hotjar's free tier limits you to 35 sessions per day. Their paid plans start at $39/month and quickly climb to $99+ for growing sites. Many users report unexpected bills as their traffic grows.
📈 Monthly Cost Comparison
💡 Save up to $85/month compared to Hotjar Business
⚖️ When Hotjar Might Be Better
To be fair, Hotjar offers features that clickmap.app doesn't:
- 🎥 Session recordings: If you need to watch individual user sessions, Hotjar provides this capability
- 📝 User surveys: Hotjar includes feedback widgets and surveys
- 📜 Scroll heatmaps: Beyond click data, Hotjar shows scroll depth visualization
However, many users find they're paying for features they don't use. If click analytics is your primary need, clickmap.app delivers that at a fraction of the cost.
🚀 Getting Started with clickmap.app
Setting up clickmap.app takes about 5 minutes:
No credit card required to start. The free tier gives you everything you need to evaluate whether clickmap.app is right for your site.
Ready to Try a Simpler Approach?
See your click data directly on your website. Free to start, no credit card required.
Get Started Free →Join thousands of websites using clickmap.app
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use clickmap.app alongside Hotjar?
Yes. Since clickmap.app uses your Google Analytics data, there's no conflict with other analytics tools. Some users run both during their evaluation period.
Does clickmap.app slow down my website?
clickmap.app's tracking script is lightweight (~5KB) and asynchronous. It won't block page rendering or noticeably affect load times - unlike heavier session recording tools.
Is my data private with clickmap.app?
Your click data flows directly to your Google Analytics property. clickmap.app doesn't store your click data on our servers - it stays in your GA account where you control it.
📚 Related articles: Free Google Analytics Heatmap Tools | Why Click Analytics Beats Session Recordings