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Software · head to head

Hotjar vs InVision

H

Hotjar

Software

Understand how users behave on your site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
InVision logo

InVision

Software

Digital product design platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hotjar website performance impact - Hotjar tracking code can cause noticeable slowdowns affecting site speed and Google rankings; InVision service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported
  • They diverge on capability: Hotjar covers Heatmaps, InVision covers Interactive prototypes.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hotjar and InVision actually diverge.

Attributes where Hotjar and InVision differ
AttributeHotjarInVision
PlatformsWebWeb, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android
Founded20142011

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 Hotjar

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

Only in InVision

  • Interactive prototypes
  • Design collaboration
  • Freehand whiteboarding
  • Design system manager
  • Inspect mode
  • Comments & feedback
  • Version control
  • User testing

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • GDPR
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Hotjar

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

InVision

  • Prototype creationnot Hotjar
  • Design feedbacknot Hotjar
  • Whiteboarding sessionsnot Hotjar
  • Design handoffnot Hotjar
  • User testingnot Hotjar

Where each one falls short

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

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

InVision

  • Service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported
  • Workflow required constant switching between design software (Sketch/Photoshop) and InVision for prototyping, creating inefficiency
  • Performance issues and glitches reported, especially with larger projects
  • Limited development capabilities; required additional hosting and developer support for deployment
  • Could not export working web or mobile applications without additional development

Pricing, plan by plan

Hotjar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hotjar review.

InVision

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the InVision review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hotjar if

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

Choose InVision if

  • You need interactive prototypes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want design collaboration.
InVision review

Questions people ask

Is Hotjar or InVision better?
Neither clearly leads. Hotjar starts at Free and InVision at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hotjar or InVision?
Hotjar starts at Free and InVision at Free.
Does Hotjar or InVision run on more platforms?
Hotjar runs on Web. InVision runs on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
Can I use Hotjar for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hotjar best used for?
Hotjar is most often used for user behavior analysis, conversion optimization, ux research, customer feedback. Of those, user behavior analysis and conversion optimization are not what InVision is typically brought in for.
What can Hotjar do that InVision cannot?
Hotjar covers Heatmaps, Session recordings, Feedback widgets, Surveys. InVision covers Interactive prototypes, Design collaboration, Freehand whiteboarding, Design system manager. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, GDPR, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
InVision: Is InVision still active and supported in 2026?

No. InVision announced discontinuation of all services by end of 2024. The platform is no longer available or supported.

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
InVision: What were InVision's core features?

InVision allowed designers to transform designs into interactive prototypes and mockups for web and mobile. It supported Craft Player for Sketch, Craft Sync for Photoshop, and preview mode in Studio, enabling design-to-prototype workflows.

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
InVision: What were InVision's pricing plans?

InVision offered Free ($0), Starter ($25/month), Professional ($99/month), and Team plans. Annual billing provided a 10% discount. Free plan included basic prototyping; paid plans added collaboration and file access.

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
InVision: Why did InVision fail in the market?

InVision's market position was disrupted by Figma, which unified design, prototyping, and collaboration in a single web-based platform. InVision required switching between design software and prototyping, creating friction and reducing competitiveness.

Source
InVision: What integrations did InVision support?

InVision integrated with design tools like Sketch and Photoshop, and supported sharing and collaboration workflows. The platform did not support deployment or direct development integration.

Source
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