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Hotjar vs Plausible
Both sit in analytics & data. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: Plausible starts $40 a month cheaper than Hotjar ($9 against $49, 82% less) on its Starter tier. Paying annually takes Hotjar to $39/mo (20% off). Both figures were read from the vendors' own pricing pages on the dates shown below.
Hotjar
hotjar.com
Heatmaps, session recordings, on-site surveys and feedback widgets that show where users hesitate. Part of Contentsquare.
Free planAnalytics & Data
Visit HotjarPlausible
plausible.io
Lightweight, open-source site analytics with a single-page dashboard, EU hosting and no cookie banner requirement.
Analytics & Data
Visit Plausible| Hotjar | Plausible | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $49/mo | $9/mo |
| Entry plan | Growth | Starter |
| Paid annually | $39/mosave 20% | — |
| Price checked | 6 Sept 2026 | 21 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free plan | Free trial |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Category | Analytics & Data | Analytics & Data |
| Around since | 2014 | 2019 |
Every price here was read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
Hotjar vs Plausible, answered
- Is Hotjar cheaper than Plausible?
- No — Plausible is the cheaper entry point, at $9 a month against Hotjar's $49, 82% less.
- Do Hotjar or Plausible have a free plan?
- Hotjar publishes an ongoing free plan; Plausible does not.
- What is the difference between Hotjar and Plausible?
- Hotjar: Heatmaps, session recordings, on-site surveys and feedback widgets that show where users hesitate. Part of Contentsquare. Plausible: Lightweight, open-source site analytics with a single-page dashboard, EU hosting and no cookie banner requirement.
- Which one is cheaper paid annually?
- Plausible, at $9 a month against Hotjar's $39. Hotjar drops to $39 a month paid yearly (20% off), while Plausible publishes no annual discount we could read, so it stays at $9.
