Marketing & Analytics · head to head
Simple Analytics vs Microsoft Clarity
Simple Analytics
Marketing & Analytics
Privacy-friendly analytics without cookies
- From
- $20/month
- Rated
- -
Microsoft Clarity
Marketing & Analytics
Free behaviour analytics tool with session recordings, heatmaps, and AI insights
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Clarity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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; Microsoft Clarity no paid tier means no premium support; enterprise SLAs and dedicated account management are unavailable
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simple Analytics and Microsoft Clarity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simple Analytics | Microsoft Clarity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $20/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2016 | Unknown |
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 Simple Analytics
- Page view tracking
- Goal tracking
- Real-time analytics
- Privacy-focused
- GDPR compliant
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- English language support
Only in Microsoft Clarity
Nothing recorded that Simple Analytics does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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
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
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Simple Analytics
$20/month- Standard$20/month
- Up to 100k page views
- Real-time analytics
Microsoft Clarity
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Clarity review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Simple Analytics if
- You need page view tracking.
- You also want goal tracking.
Choose Microsoft Clarity if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
Questions people ask
- Is Simple Analytics or Microsoft Clarity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simple Analytics starts at $20/month and Microsoft Clarity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simple Analytics or Microsoft Clarity?
- Microsoft Clarity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Simple Analytics and Free for Microsoft Clarity.
- Does Simple Analytics or Microsoft Clarity run on more platforms?
- Simple Analytics runs on Web. Microsoft Clarity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- 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 Simple Analytics best used for?
- Simple Analytics is most often used for cookie-free website analytics that avoids a consent banner, keeping visitor data hosted in the eu for gdpr purposes, replacing or running alongside google analytics with a single-page dashboard. Of those, cookie-free website analytics that avoids a consent banner and keeping visitor data hosted in the eu for gdpr purposes are not what Microsoft Clarity is typically brought in for.
- What can Simple Analytics do that Microsoft Clarity 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