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Marketing & Analytics · head to head

Microsoft Clarity vs Northbeam

Microsoft Clarity logo

Microsoft Clarity

Marketing & Analytics

Free behaviour analytics tool with session recordings, heatmaps, and AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Northbeam logo

Northbeam

Marketing & Analytics

Marketing intelligence for growth brands

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Clarity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Clarity no paid tier means no premium support; enterprise SLAs and dedicated account management are unavailable; Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Clarity and Northbeam actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Clarity and Northbeam differ
AttributeMicrosoft ClarityNorthbeam
Starting priceFree$1500/month
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Marketing & Analytics).

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 Microsoft Clarity

Nothing recorded that Northbeam does not also cover.

Only in Northbeam

  • Cross-platform attribution
  • Media mix modeling
  • Creative analytics
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Incrementality testing
  • Customer journey
  • Cohort analysis
  • LTV predictions

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Clarity

  • SaaS product teams identifying checkout and signup funnel frictionnot Northbeam
  • E-commerce sites optimising product discovery and purchase flowsnot Northbeam
  • Content websites understanding reading patterns and article engagementnot Northbeam
  • Mobile app teams (iOS/Android) analysing user journey and drop-off pointsnot Northbeam
  • B2B platforms optimising onboarding and feature discoverynot Northbeam
  • Agencies and consultants providing UX analysis to clients free of chargenot Northbeam

Northbeam

  • Marketing attributionnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Media optimizationnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Creative testingnot Microsoft Clarity
  • Budget allocationnot Microsoft Clarity

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft Clarity

  • No paid tier means no premium support; enterprise SLAs and dedicated account management are unavailable
  • Dependency on JavaScript tracking; websites with strict CSP (content security policy) may struggle with integration
  • Session replay is limited to browser-based interactions; native app behaviour in web wrappers is not captured
  • AI Chat and summaries require adequate session volume; low-traffic sites lack sufficient data for meaningful pattern detection
  • Privacy masking is automatic but lacks granular configuration; custom masking rules for proprietary data require workarounds

Northbeam

  • Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
  • Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
  • Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
  • Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Clarity

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Clarity review.

Northbeam

$1500/month
  • Starter$1500/month
    • Multi-touch attribution
    • Media mix modeling
    • Up to 1M monthly pageviews
  • Professional$2500/month
    • All Starter features
    • Creative analytics
    • Export API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Clarity if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
Microsoft Clarity review

Choose Northbeam if

  • You need cross-platform attribution.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want media mix modeling.
Northbeam review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Clarity or Northbeam better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Clarity starts at Free and Northbeam at $1500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Clarity or Northbeam?
Microsoft Clarity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Clarity and $1500/month for Northbeam.
Does Microsoft Clarity or Northbeam run on more platforms?
Microsoft Clarity runs on Web, iOS, Android. Northbeam runs on Web, API.
Can I use Microsoft Clarity for free?
Yes. Microsoft Clarity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
What is Microsoft Clarity best used for?
Microsoft Clarity is most often used for saas product teams identifying checkout and signup funnel friction, e-commerce sites optimising product discovery and purchase flows, content websites understanding reading patterns and article engagement, mobile app teams (ios/android) analysing user journey and drop-off points. Of those, saas product teams identifying checkout and signup funnel friction and e-commerce sites optimising product discovery and purchase flows are not what Northbeam is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Clarity do that Northbeam cannot?
Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Clarity: Is Microsoft Clarity truly free?

Yes. Microsoft Clarity is completely free with no traffic limits, no paid tier, and no restrictions based on session volume. It integrates with web properties via a single tracking snippet.

Source
Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?

Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.

Source
Microsoft Clarity: Does Clarity comply with GDPR and CCPA?

Yes. Clarity automatically masks sensitive form field data before transmission and supports privacy-by-default configuration. EU and California data residency options are available.

Source
Northbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?

Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.

Source
Microsoft Clarity: Can Clarity track mobile apps?

Yes. Clarity provides native SDKs for iOS and Android, as well as support for React Native and Flutter apps.

Source
Northbeam: What does Northbeam measure?

Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.

Source
Northbeam: Who should use Northbeam?

Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.

Source
Northbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?

Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.

Source
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