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Comparison · Heatmaps & replays

VisualClicks vs Microsoft Clarity: free heatmaps or everything in one tool?

Microsoft Clarity is a free tool for heatmaps and session recordings without volume limits, now extended with AI features and reports on AI bots and AI citations. VisualClicks combines heatmaps and replays with full web analytics, e-commerce, a technical SEO check and hosting in Germany.

Microsoft Clarity is a good fit if …

  • you want heatmaps and replays for free and without volume limits
  • you want to monitor AI citations of your content
  • your shop runs on Shopify and its purchase metrics are enough for you

VisualClicks is a good fit if …

  • you need full web analytics with custom dashboards and funnels
  • you want to analyse e-commerce regardless of your shop system
  • you want to keep data in Germany and measure without cookies
  • you want to check domain, Core Web Vitals in lab tests and keyword rankings

VisualClicks and Microsoft Clarity side by side

As of October 20, 2026. Based on the vendors’ publicly available information.

Cookieless measurement available
VisualClicks
Yes – cookieless mode, consent modes to choose from
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – limited per-pageview data without consent
Data stored in the EU
VisualClicks
Yes – servers in Germany
Microsoft Clarity
Not stated – Microsoft Azure, region not stated
Self-hosting possible
VisualClicks
No – cloud service only
Microsoft Clarity
No
Open source
VisualClicks
No
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – tracking script open, backend not
Custom dashboards
VisualClicks
Yes – drag and drop, cards with own filters
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – show, hide and reorder cards
Funnels
VisualClicks
Yes – including path analysis
Microsoft Clarity
Yes
E-commerce tracking
VisualClicks
Yes – including server-side orders
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – purchase metrics for Shopify only
Click and scroll heatmaps
VisualClicks
Yes – on the live page, add-on
Microsoft Clarity
Yes – free
Session replays
VisualClicks
Yes – add-on
Microsoft Clarity
Yes – free, kept for 30 days
Inputs masked in replays
VisualClicks
Yes – input fields always
Microsoft Clarity
Yes – input boxes in all modes
Technical domain/SEO check
VisualClicks
Yes – daily domain check with score
Microsoft Clarity
No – not part of the product
Core Web Vitals per URL (lab test)
VisualClicks
Yes – phone and desktop
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – real-user field data, no lab tests
Keyword rankings with competitors
VisualClicks
Yes – SEO Pro add-on
Microsoft Clarity
No – only AI citations, no keyword rankings
AI assistants as a dedicated channel
VisualClicks
Yes – ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Gemini, Claude and more
Microsoft Clarity
Yes – “AIPlatform” channel
AI crawler detection
VisualClicks
Yes – via server API or log import
Microsoft Clarity
Yes – via CDN and server integrations
Server-side API
VisualClicks
Yes – with API keys
Microsoft Clarity
No – read-only export API
Automatic anomaly detection
VisualClicks
Yes – daily, with causes
Microsoft Clarity
Partly – AI summaries, no anomaly alerts documented

The key differences

Cost and scope

According to Microsoft, Clarity is free forever with no traffic limit; replays are kept for 30 days. VisualClicks is a paid service with heatmaps and replays as an add-on – but with analytics, e-commerce and an SEO check in the same product.

Privacy and data storage

Clarity processes data in the Microsoft Azure cloud; Microsoft does not name a region. Since October 2025, Clarity requires a consent signal for EEA visitors to use its full feature set; without consent only limited per-pageview data is collected. VisualClicks runs on servers in Germany and measures every visit in cookieless mode.

Analytics and e-commerce

Clarity offers an adjustable dashboard and funnels; purchase metrics are only available for Shopify. VisualClicks captures e-commerce events in any shop system, server-side too, and calculates all the way to the contribution margin.

SEO and AI

Clarity reports AI platforms as a channel and shows AI bot activity via CDN integrations as well as AI citations. VisualClicks captures AI crawlers via server API or log import and also checks domain, Core Web Vitals in lab tests and keyword rankings against competitors.

Using VisualClicks and Microsoft Clarity together?

It is possible, for example Clarity for additional replays and AI citations and VisualClicks for analytics, e-commerce and the SEO check. Two recording scripts at the same time do increase loading time and data volume, though.

Frequently asked questions

Why pay for heatmaps when Clarity is free?

If you only need heatmaps and replays, Clarity serves you well. VisualClicks is worth it when heatmaps, analytics, e-commerce and the SEO check should come together on the same data and the data should stay in Germany.

Where does Microsoft Clarity store data?

According to Microsoft, in the Azure cloud; the documentation does not name a region. VisualClicks stores all data on servers in Germany.

Does VisualClicks detect AI bots like Clarity?

Yes, via the server API or by importing an access log – independent of your CDN. Clarity uses integrations with CDN and server services for this.

Sources

All information on Microsoft Clarity without guarantee, as of October 20, 2026, researched on the vendors’ websites and documentation. Features and prices may change. Trademarks belong to their respective owners; VisualClicks is not affiliated with them.

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