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E-Commerce · head to head

Hotjar vs Squarespace Commerce

Hotjar logo

Hotjar

E-Commerce

Understand how users behave on your site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Squarespace Commerce logo

Squarespace Commerce

E-Commerce

All-in-one website builder and ecommerce platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hotjar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hotjar website performance impact - Hotjar tracking code can cause noticeable slowdowns affecting site speed and Google rankings; Squarespace Commerce the entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • They diverge on capability: Hotjar covers Heatmaps, Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hotjar and Squarespace Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Hotjar and Squarespace Commerce differ
AttributeHotjarSquarespace Commerce
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20142003

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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 Squarespace Commerce

  • Website builder
  • Ecommerce platform
  • Mobile optimization
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Domain registration
  • SSL certificate
  • Customer accounts

What people use each for

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

Hotjar

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

Squarespace Commerce

  • Website building and hostingnot Hotjar
  • eCommerce and online store managementnot Hotjar
  • Digital content and membership salesnot Hotjar
  • Service booking and schedulingnot 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

Squarespace Commerce

  • The entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • Digital content and membership sales carry their own fee, up to 7% on the lowest tier
  • The entry plan is limited to 2 contributors
  • Reaching a 0% transaction fee requires moving up from the entry plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Hotjar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hotjar review.

Squarespace Commerce

On request
  • Basic Plan$null/month
    • Designer templates included
    • Drag-and-drop editor
    • Free custom domain (annual plans only)
  • Standard Plan$null/month
    • All Basic features
    • Transaction fees: reduced rates
    • Gift cards and invoicing
  • Advanced Plan$null/month
    • All Standard features
    • Further reduced transaction fees
    • Point-of-sale capability
  • Premium Plan$null/month
    • All Advanced features
    • Lowest credit card processing rates (0% transaction fees for digital/memberships)
    • Dedicated Customer Success Manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Hotjar if

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

Choose Squarespace Commerce if

  • You need website builder.
  • You also want ecommerce platform.
Squarespace Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Hotjar or Squarespace Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Hotjar starts at Free and Squarespace Commerce at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hotjar or Squarespace Commerce?
Hotjar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hotjar and On request for Squarespace Commerce.
Does Hotjar or Squarespace Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Hotjar for free?
Yes. Hotjar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Squarespace Commerce starts at On request.
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 Squarespace Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Hotjar do that Squarespace Commerce cannot?
Hotjar covers Heatmaps, Session recordings, Feedback widgets, Surveys. Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Ecommerce platform, Mobile optimization, Email marketing.

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
Squarespace Commerce: How much does Squarespace cost?

Squarespace does not publish specific plan prices on their pricing page. Four tiers (Basic, Standard, Advanced, Premium) are listed with descriptions of features and benefits. Annual subscriptions offer up to 36% savings compared to monthly billing.

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
Squarespace Commerce: Does Squarespace offer a free trial?

Yes, Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. You can upgrade to a paid plan at any time during or after your trial, and there are no long-term contracts required.

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
Squarespace Commerce: What are Squarespace's transaction fees?

Transaction fees start at 2% on the Basic plan and decrease as you upgrade, reaching 0% for digital content and memberships on the Premium tier. Card processing rates also decrease by tier, reaching the lowest rates on Premium.

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
Squarespace Commerce: How many AI credits does each Squarespace plan include?

AI credits range from 10 to 120 monthly depending on the plan tier, but specific allocations per plan are not detailed on the public pricing page.

Source
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