Hotjar vs PostHog 2026: Two Free Tiers, Different Gifts
Quick verdict: PostHog is our overall pick for Hotjar vs PostHog.
Both keep unusually generous free plans: PostHog gives 1M events/mo with unlimited teammates and its own replay feature; Hotjar gives 200K sessions/mo of dedicated replay, heatmaps and surveys.
| Tool | Rating | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotjar | 3.9/5 | Free $39/mo | Hotjar is the behaviour-analytics layer — heatmaps, session replays, funnels and surveys —… |
| PostHog Best overall Best free Best for teams | 4.0/5 | Free Usage-based | PostHog is an open-source product analytics suite with session replay, feature flags and s… |
Bottom line: PostHog (4.0/5) first for most product teams — its free 1M events/mo already includes session replay and it grows into feature flags, experiments and warehouse queries without a seat bill. Hotjar (3.9/5) earns its slot on top when the qualitative loop matters: purpose-built replays with behaviour filters, heatmaps and in-session surveys the visitor actually answers. If PostHog's replay depth is enough, the free suite covers both.
Pricing and details
Hotjar · 3.9/5
Free plan available · $39/mo
Free: 200,000 sessions/mo, 1 project, replay + heatmaps + funnels + basic surveys (100 responses/mo), MCP/LLM integration; Growth from $39/mo annual ($49 monthly): up to 10M sessions, 3 projects, Sense AI summaries; Plus and Scale are sales-quoted (typical 10x jump from Growth); old per-session tiers ($39 = 100 daily sessions) were restructured under Contentsquare — many 2026 reviews still quote them
Growth from $39/mo (€39) billed annually
Hotjar is the behaviour-analytics layer — heatmaps, session replays, funnels and surveys — now sold and billed by Contentsquare, with the category's largest free session allowance.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Free plan gives 200,000 sessions/mo with replay, heatmaps, funnels and basic surveys (100 responses/mo) — a behaviour suite at $0, not a crippled demo (verified 2026-09-09).
- Qualitative loop rivals cannot match at this price: watch the session, then survey the same visitor (MCP/LLM analysis hook included on free).
- Pricing: Growth from $39/mo billed annually ($49 monthly) covers up to 10M sessions and 3 projects.
- GDPR posture is a named strength across sources: EU DPA paper trail, default field masking, IP anonymization on by default.
Cons
- Under Contentsquare, existing Hotjar orgs auto-switch to Contentsquare Growth unless the account owner opts out — 30 days of dual collection, then Hotjar data deleted after a 90-day read-only window (verified from 2026 reviews).
- Plus and Scale are sales-quoted only, and the step-up from Growth is reported around 10x — the self-serve ladder ends at $39-49.
- Old session-count pricing ($39 = 100 daily sessions) still circulates in 2026 reviews; the Contentsquare restructure invalidated it.
Pricing verified 2026-09-09
PostHog · 4.0/5
Free plan available · Usage-based
Usage-based: 1M events/mo free, then $0.00005/event; no seat fees; free tier includes unlimited team members, 1 project, 1-year retention; MIT self-host
PostHog is an open-source product analytics suite with session replay, feature flags and self-hosting.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Best dimension: Core features at 5/5 — backed by verification against the official site & pricing.
- Second strong point: Value for money at 5/5.
- Pricing: free tier, paid from usage-based/custom — Usage-based: 1M events/mo free, then $0.00005/event; no seat fees
- Positioning: PostHog is an open-source product analytics suite with session replay, feature flags and self-hosting.
Cons
- Weakest dimension: Collaboration at 3/5.
- Weigh the premium pricing for heavier usage before committing.
Pricing verified 2026-08-31
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall, Hotjar or PostHog?
PostHog is our overall pick (4.0/5 vs 3.9/5). Both keep unusually generous free plans: PostHog gives 1M events/mo with unlimited teammates and its own replay feature; Hotjar gives 200K sessions/mo of dedicated replay, heatmaps and surveys.
Do Hotjar and PostHog offer free plans?
Hotjar and PostHog have a free tier. Hotjar paid plans start at $39/mo; PostHog paid plans start at Usage-based.
What does PostHog cost?
Usage-based — Usage-based: 1M events/mo free, then $0.00005/event; no seat fees; free tier includes unlimited team members, 1 project, 1-year retention; MIT self-host. Prices were last verified on 2026-09-09.