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Software · head to head

Backendless vs Hotjar

Backendless logo

Backendless

Software

Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
H

Hotjar

Software

Understand how users behave on your site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables; Hotjar website performance impact - Hotjar tracking code can cause noticeable slowdowns affecting site speed and Google rankings
  • They diverge on capability: Backendless covers REST API, Hotjar covers Heatmaps.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backendless and Hotjar actually diverge.

Attributes where Backendless and Hotjar differ
AttributeBackendlessHotjar
PlatformsCloud, Visual builderWeb
Founded20122014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Backendless

  • REST API
  • Real-time database
  • Cloud code
  • Custom integrations
  • Webhooks
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud support
  • Visual builder support

Only in Hotjar

  • Heatmaps
  • Session recordings
  • Feedback widgets
  • Surveys
  • User interviews
  • Conversion funnels
  • Form analytics
  • Rage click detection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Backendless

  • API Developmentnot Hotjar
  • API Gatewaynot Hotjar
  • API Testingnot Hotjar
  • API Documentationnot Hotjar
  • Microservicesnot Hotjar

Hotjar

  • User behavior analysisnot Backendless
  • Conversion optimizationnot Backendless
  • UX researchnot Backendless
  • Customer feedbacknot Backendless
  • Usability testingnot Backendless

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Backendless

  • Free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
  • Smaller community and integration ecosystem compared to Firebase or AWS
  • Customization beyond codeless tools requires developer expertise
  • Limited documentation for advanced use cases and edge cases

Hotjar

  • Website performance impact - Hotjar tracking code can cause noticeable slowdowns affecting site speed and Google rankings
  • Session recording limits - free and lower-tier plans have monthly session recording caps that must be sampled above the limit
  • Inaccurate heatmaps on dynamic pages - heatmaps fail to display correctly on pages with modals, sticky navigation bars, and pop-up overlays
  • No mobile app - only web-based access available
  • Not real-time analytics - includes slight data processing delay

Pricing, plan by plan

Backendless

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 API requests/minute
    • 20 database tables
    • 1 GB file storage
  • Scale Variable$15/month
    • Unlimited API requests/month
    • 100 database tables
    • 10 GB file storage
  • Scale Fixed$15/month
    • Same as Scale Variable
    • Fixed monthly pricing

Hotjar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hotjar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Backendless if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Visual builder.
  • You also want real-time database.
Backendless review

Choose Hotjar if

  • You need heatmaps.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want session recordings.
Hotjar review

Questions people ask

Is Backendless or Hotjar better?
Neither clearly leads. Backendless starts at Free and Hotjar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backendless or Hotjar?
Backendless starts at Free and Hotjar at Free.
Does Backendless or Hotjar run on more platforms?
Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder. Hotjar runs on Web.
Can I use Backendless for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Backendless best used for?
Backendless is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Hotjar is typically brought in for.
What can Backendless do that Hotjar cannot?
Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations. Hotjar covers Heatmaps, Session recordings, Feedback widgets, Surveys.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backendless: Does Backendless have a free tier?

Backendless Free plan ($0/month) includes 50 API requests per minute, 20 database tables, 1 GB file storage, 1 visualization, 2 security roles, and basic cloud code capabilities.

Source
Hotjar: Does Hotjar have a free tier?

Yes. Hotjar's free plan (now under Contentsquare) includes 200,000 monthly sessions, 10,000 session replays, and unlimited heatmaps, with no time limit on the free tier.

Source
Backendless: What features does the Scale plan include?

Scale plan ($15+/month) provides unlimited API requests per month, 100 database tables, 10 GB file storage, 5 visualizations, 10 custom API keys, daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 1,000 real-time connections.

Source
Hotjar: Can I export my data from Hotjar?

Yes. Hotjar allows exporting heatmaps as JPG images, survey responses as CSV files, and session recording metadata. Advanced export options are available through the Hotjar API.

Source
Backendless: Can I add more storage or increase API limits?

Yes, Backendless offers Function Packs ranging from $5-$399/month to increase specific limits such as storage, API requests, or security features.

Source
Hotjar: Does Hotjar provide real-time analytics?

No. Hotjar has a slight delay in data processing and does not offer true real-time analytics compared to some competitors.

Source
Backendless: Does Backendless support offline functionality?

Backendless supports real-time sync and offline capabilities for mobile apps, allowing data to sync when connectivity is restored.

Source
Hotjar: What integrations does Hotjar support?

Hotjar integrates with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Slack, HubSpot, Jira, Linear, Microsoft Teams, Zapier, and hundreds of other tools through its API and partner integrations.

Source
Backendless: Is Backendless Pro available for self-hosting?

Yes, Backendless Pro Community Edition is available under free licensing for core functionality. Managed Backendless is a paid option for self-hosted deployments with request-based pricing.

Source
Backendless: What are Backendless's integration limitations?

While Backendless supports many integrations, it has a smaller integration library compared to competitors. Finding solutions to edge cases or complex setups may require more development effort.

Source
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