Marketing & Analytics · head to head
Microsoft Clarity vs Simple Analytics
Microsoft Clarity
Marketing & Analytics
Free behaviour analytics tool with session recordings, heatmaps, and AI insights
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Simple Analytics
Marketing & Analytics
Privacy-friendly analytics without cookies
- From
- $20/month
- Rated
- -
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; Simple Analytics the free plan requires a Simple Analytics badge on your site and is limited to 1 user, 5 websites and 30 days of history
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Clarity and Simple Analytics actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Clarity | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $20/month |
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Founded | Unknown | 2016 |
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 Simple Analytics does not also cover.
Only in Simple Analytics
- Page view tracking
- Goal tracking
- Real-time analytics
- Privacy-focused
- GDPR compliant
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- English language support
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 Simple Analytics
- E-commerce sites optimising product discovery and purchase flowsnot Simple Analytics
- Content websites understanding reading patterns and article engagementnot Simple Analytics
- Mobile app teams (iOS/Android) analysing user journey and drop-off pointsnot Simple Analytics
- B2B platforms optimising onboarding and feature discoverynot Simple Analytics
- Agencies and consultants providing UX analysis to clients free of chargenot Simple Analytics
Simple Analytics
- Cookie-free website analytics that avoids a consent bannernot Microsoft Clarity
- Keeping visitor data hosted in the EU for GDPR purposesnot Microsoft Clarity
- Replacing or running alongside Google Analytics with a single-page dashboardnot 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
Simple Analytics
- The free plan requires a Simple Analytics badge on your site and is limited to 1 user, 5 websites and 30 days of history
- Data older than 30 days is automatically deleted on the free plan
- The paid plan starts at $20 per month for 100,000 pageviews and includes only 1 user, with each extra user costing another $20 per month
- Single Sign-On, role-based access, SOC 2 documentation, an SLA and raw data export are Enterprise features quoted only by demo request
- On yearly plans, exceeding your estimated limit gives you one week to raise it before Simple Analytics raises it for you
- Paying by Bitcoin adds 10% and is only offered on yearly billing
- Bank transfer is only available for bills from $500 and adds 10% in banking and service fees
- Unlimited pageviews on the free plan are subject to a fair use policy rather than a stated number
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Clarity
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Clarity review.
Simple Analytics
$20/month- Standard$20/month
- Up to 100k page views
- Real-time analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Microsoft Clarity if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
Choose Simple Analytics if
- You need page view tracking.
- You also want goal tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Clarity or Simple Analytics better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Clarity starts at Free and Simple Analytics at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Clarity or Simple Analytics?
- Microsoft Clarity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Clarity and $20/month for Simple Analytics.
- Does Microsoft Clarity or Simple Analytics run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Clarity runs on Web, iOS, Android. Simple Analytics runs on Web.
- Can I use Microsoft Clarity for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Clarity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Simple Analytics starts at $20/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 Simple Analytics is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Clarity do that Simple Analytics cannot?
- Simple Analytics covers Page view tracking, Goal tracking, Real-time analytics, Privacy-focused.
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.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceMicrosoft 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