Happy Valley

Counter vs Microsoft Clarity

Counter and Microsoft Clarity are both analytics tools. Counter is aimed at freelancers and developers, while Microsoft Clarity is aimed at small businesses and E-commerce. Both have a free plan.

Counter

Free, minimal, privacy-respecting analytics

Microsoft Clarity

Free heatmaps, session recordings and AI insights from Microsoft

PricingFreeFree
Starting priceNot publishedNot published
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forFreelancers, DevelopersSmall businesses, E-commerce, Developers, Agencies, Enterprise
Platformswebweb, ios, android
CountryDE · 2020US · 2020
Rating——

Choose Counter if

Hobby sites.

  • Free
  • Private
  • Lightweight

Look elsewhere if: Business analytics.

Choose Microsoft Clarity if

Websites and apps of any size that want free heatmaps and session recordings with AI summaries.

  • Completely free with no traffic or session caps
  • Quick setup through a tag, plugin or Google Tag Manager
  • AI summaries save hours of watching recordings

Look elsewhere if: Teams that need surveys, in-depth product analytics or long data retention (Hotjar, PostHog, Mixpanel).

Counter vs Microsoft Clarity pricing

Counter

  • Free$0Donation-funded; pay when ready, AGPL-3.0 source

Microsoft Clarity

  • Free$0No traffic limits; recordings kept 30 days, heatmaps 13 months

Counter · Key features

  • Minimal script
  • No cookies
  • Referrers and devices
  • Open source
  • Free
  • Simple dashboard

Cons

  • Very basic
  • No events
  • Limited support

Microsoft Clarity · Key features

  • Session recordings with AI highlights of key moments
  • Click, scroll and area heatmaps with page version comparison
  • Automatic rage click, dead click and quick back detection
  • Copilot summaries and chat over your recordings and heatmaps
  • Bot Activity and Citations reports on AI crawlers and AI answers
  • Mobile app SDK for Android, iOS, Flutter and React Native

Cons

  • Recordings are deleted after 30 days unless favorited or labeled
  • No built-in surveys, feedback widgets or user interviews
  • Funnel and product analytics are basic next to PostHog or Mixpanel

Counter vs Microsoft Clarity: FAQ

Do Counter and Microsoft Clarity have a free plan?

Yes, both Counter and Microsoft Clarity have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, Counter or Microsoft Clarity?

Microsoft Clarity lists small businesses as a core audience, while Counter is aimed more at freelancers and developers.

Not sure yet?