You Need Two Analytics Tools. Maybe Three.

Event-based tracking, cross-device measurement, and machine learning insights. Connect it to Search Console for organic search data. Connect it to Looker Studio for reporting. The ecosystem integration is why it wins.

Unlimited heatmaps, session recordings, and rage click detection. Completely free. No sampling, no session limits. Microsoft subsidizes it for Bing Ads data, but you don't have to use Bing. Just install it.

The original heatmap/recording tool. Good product, but hard to justify when Clarity is free. Hotjar's surveys and feedback tools are nice additions if you need them. Otherwise, Clarity does the core job.

Early heatmap pioneer. Still works, but no compelling reason to choose it over Clarity. Neil Patel acquired it, which tells you where it's headed.

Another heatmap/recording tool. Good funnel analysis features. If you need form analytics or complex funnel tracking, this might edge out Clarity. For most sites, overkill.

Session recording with event tracking. Works for web and mobile apps. The mobile app support is the differentiator. For web-only, Clarity is better and free.

Lightweight, privacy-respecting, GDPR-compliant without cookie banners. Open source, EU-hosted option available. If you need analytics without tracking concerns, this is the cleanest option. Limited compared to GA4, but intentionally so.

Similar to Plausible - simple, private, no cookies. Slightly more polished interface. Good reputation, bootstrapped company. Choose between Plausible and Fathom based on UI preference. Both are solid.

The most feature-complete GA alternative. Self-hosted option means full data ownership. Complex to set up and maintain. Choose this if you need GA-level features without Google. For simpler needs, Plausible is easier.

Been around forever. Real-time focus. But the interface feels dated and there's no compelling reason to choose it over modern alternatives.

Enterprise A/B testing platform. Powerful but expensive. If you're doing serious experimentation at scale, this is the industry standard. Most sites don't need this level of sophistication.

More accessible than Optimizely, still powerful. Good for mid-market companies. If you need A/B testing without enterprise pricing, this is a solid choice.

Privacy-focused A/B testing. Good for GDPR-conscious companies. Less known than VWO but solid product.

Product analytics focused on user journeys and retention. Great for SaaS products. Not what you need for SEO - it's for understanding product usage, not traffic sources.

Auto-captures everything, lets you define events retroactively. Powerful for product teams. Overkill for most SEO use cases. Useful if you need deep funnel analysis.

White-label reporting dashboard for agencies. Pulls from GA, GSC, social, and ads platforms. Useful if you're managing multiple clients and need unified reporting. Not needed for in-house teams.