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All comparisons

Say So vs Hotjar

Feedback widget vs behavior analytics suite (heatmaps, recordings, surveys)

TL;DR

Hotjar is a behavior-analytics suite — heatmaps, session recordings, and surveys — where feedback is one module of a heavy platform (now split into separate products after the Contentsquare merger). Say So is a tiny, focused widget that captures structured feedback and triages it with a Slack loop, with no session recording and no analytics weight. Choose Hotjar to watch behavior and run surveys. Choose Say So to collect and act on direct feedback without slowing your site or recording your users.

At a glance

Say SoHotjar
What it isFocused feedback widget + triage inboxHeatmaps + session recordings + surveys suite
FootprintTiny vanilla script, zero deps, Shadow DOM, loads after interactiveHeavier tracking script; behavior capture across the site
PrivacyNo recordings; feedback isn't sold or used to train anythingSession recording / replay of user behavior
Feedback handlingTyped feedback (issue/idea), screenshot, identify(), tags, resolveSurvey responses + feedback widget within an analytics tool
Close the loopTwo-way Slack + auto-email the submitter on status changeNot a triage/loop tool — it's analytics-first
Pricing shapeFlat: Free, then $120/yr ProSplit products (heatmaps from ~$49/mo, surveys from ~$59/mo, analytics custom)

What you actually get

Hotjar

Hotjar shows you behavior: where people click, how far they scroll, and recordings of sessions, plus surveys. It's strong for understanding what users do — quantitatively and visually.

Say So

Say So captures what users say: structured feedback (an issue or an idea), with the page URL, an optional screenshot, and the identified user attached — then helps you act on it.

Choose Hotjar to see behavior. Choose Say So to collect and triage direct feedback.

Performance and privacy

Hotjar

Behavior analytics and session recording mean a heavier script and capturing what users do on the page — which adds weight and brings privacy and consent considerations.

Say So

Say So is a tiny vanilla script in a Shadow DOM that loads after your page is interactive, so it won't dent Core Web Vitals. There's no session recording, and feedback isn't sold or used to train anything.

Choose Say So if footprint and a no-recording privacy posture matter to you.

Cost and complexity

Hotjar

Since the Contentsquare merger, Hotjar is three separately priced product lines (experience analytics, surveys, product analytics), which can get expensive and hard to total if you want more than one.

Say So

Say So is one product with one flat price: a genuinely useful free tier, then $120/yr for unlimited Pro.

Choose Say So if you want one simple tool and one predictable bill.

Choose Say So if…

  • Teams that want to collect and act on direct feedback, not analyze behavior
  • Sites that care about performance and Core Web Vitals
  • Teams that don't want session recording for privacy reasons
  • Anyone who wants feedback triage + a Slack loop, not a survey/analytics suite

Choose Hotjar if…

  • Teams that need heatmaps and session recordings to see behavior
  • Running surveys at scale across high-traffic sites
  • Quantitative UX research and funnel analysis
  • Teams already invested in the Contentsquare/Hotjar analytics stack
Straight up: Say So does not do heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, or behavior analytics. If your goal is to watch how users move through your site, Hotjar is the right tool — Say So is for collecting and acting on what they tell you, not analyzing what they do.
Good questions

Things people ask.

Is Say So a Hotjar alternative?

For the feedback piece, yes — Say So is a focused, lightweight way to collect and triage direct feedback. For heatmaps, recordings, and behavior analytics, no; Say So intentionally doesn't do those.

Does Say So record user sessions like Hotjar?

No. Say So has no session recording or replay. It only captures the feedback a user chooses to send, plus optional context like the page URL and a screenshot they include.

Will Say So slow my site down like a heavy analytics script?

No. It's a tiny vanilla script with zero dependencies, served with long cache headers and loaded after your page is interactive, so it stays out of your Core Web Vitals.

How does pricing compare?

Hotjar is now split into separately priced products (heatmaps/recordings from about $49/mo, surveys from about $59/mo, product analytics custom), so totals add up. Say So is flat: free to start, then $120/yr for unlimited Pro.

See if Say So fits in 60 seconds.

One script, a calm inbox, and a free Slack loop. Free forever for one project.

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