Microsoft Clarity vs Fathom Analytics
The ultimate side-by-side head-to-head analysis for 2026.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — Microsoft Clarity is free, Fathom Analytics is pricing not verified.
- How to start: Microsoft Clarity is free, Fathom Analytics is pricing not verified.
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. We do not publish a quality score, because we do not have one we can stand behind. They cannot tell you which tool fits your workflow — the sections below are there for that. How we score tools.
Microsoft Clarity
Fathom Analytics
Category
Marketing
Marketing
Base Price
Free
Not verified
Public API
No
Yes
Mobile app
No
No
Open source / self-hostable
No
No
SSO (SAML)
No
No
Choose Microsoft Clarity if:
Website Owners and UX Designers.
Choose Fathom Analytics if:
Site owners who want honest numbers without a consent banner.
Microsoft Clarity: pros & cons
- 100% Free: No hidden fees or traffic limits, ever.
- Instant Setup: Start recording and generating heatmaps within minutes of installation.
- Rage Click Detection: Automatically highlights where users are getting frustrated.
- Google Analytics Link: Syncs your recordings directly with your GA data for deep context.
- Basic Surveys: Lacks the deep user feedback and survey tools found in Hotjar.
- Reporting Limits: Analytical filters are powerful but less customizable than pro tools.
- Data Retention: Historical data is kept for a limited time compared to paid competitors.
Fathom Analytics: pros & cons
- No cookies, simplifying consent
- Fast, lightweight script
- Simple dashboard anyone can read
- Fewer features than full analytics platforms
- No free tier
- No user-level journeys by design
Our verdict on Microsoft Clarity
The best free 'Hotjar alternative' on the market with no compromises on power.
Our verdict on Fathom Analytics
Directly comparable with Plausible; pick on price and data residency, since capability is close.