Fullstory vs Microsoft Clarity: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Fullstory and Microsoft Clarity? Both are popular session replay & heatmaps tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Both Fullstory and Microsoft Clarity are strong session replay & heatmaps choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
Fullstory vs Microsoft Clarity — Side by Side
| Fullstory | Microsoft Clarity | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Session Replay & Heatmaps | Session Replay & Heatmaps |
| Pricing | Free · paid plans by quote | Free |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Best for | Session Replay & Heatmaps — digital-experience, analytics | Session Replay & Heatmaps — heatmaps, free |
Pros & Cons
- Retroactive analysis: everything is captured, so no tagging plan is needed
- Strong search, funnels and frustration signals
- Enterprise-grade privacy controls
- No public pricing; annual contracts only
- Overkill for a marketing site that just wants heatmaps
- Costs scale with sessions
- Completely free at any traffic level
- Rage-click and dead-click insights out of the box
- Two-minute install, works alongside GA
- 30-day recording retention with no way to pay for more
- No surveys, funnels or product analytics depth
- Data goes to Microsoft, which some privacy reviews will flag
Key Features Compared
Fullstory
- Auto-capture, search and funnels
- Session-volume pricing
- Annual contract
Microsoft Clarity
- Unlimited traffic, no sampling
- Recordings retained 30 days
- Heatmaps retained up to 9 months
- Unlimited team members
Choose Fullstory if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Retroactive analysis: everything is captured, so no tagging plan is needed
- Strong search, funnels and frustration signals
- Enterprise-grade privacy controls
Choose Microsoft Clarity if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Completely free at any traffic level
- Rage-click and dead-click insights out of the box
- Two-minute install, works alongside GA
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fullstory better than Microsoft Clarity?⌄
Both Fullstory and Microsoft Clarity are strong session replay & heatmaps choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
What is the difference between Fullstory and Microsoft Clarity?⌄
Fullstory — Enterprise digital experience analytics: pixel-accurate replay, auto-captured events and funnels. It is quote-based, with a free tier. Microsoft Clarity — Free session recordings and heatmaps from Microsoft, with no traffic limits, no sampling and no paid tier. Both are session replay & heatmaps tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Fullstory vs Microsoft Clarity: which is cheaper?⌄
Fullstory pricing: Free · paid plans by quote. Microsoft Clarity pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Fullstory or Microsoft Clarity?⌄
In our catalog, Fullstory rates 4.5 out of 5 and Microsoft Clarity rates 4.6 out of 5, so Microsoft Clarity has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best session replay & heatmaps tools for startups.
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