Boost Toad vs Hotjar - Lightweight Alternative

Looking for a Hotjar alternative? You're not alone.

Hotjar is powerful, but it's also expensive and full of features most people never use.

If you just want to collect user feedback without the complexity, Boost Toad might be a better fit.

| Feature | Boost Toad | Hotjar | |---------|-----------|-----------| | Setup Time | 5 minutes | 30-60 minutes | | Backend Required | No | Optional | | Starting Price | Free / $19/mo | $39/mo | | Embedded Widget | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Bug Reports | ✅ Built-in | ❌ No | | Feature Voting | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | | Unlimited Projects | ✅ Pro plan | ❌ Limited |

▸1. Simpler Setup

Hotjar requires account setup, script installation, configuration, and often backend integration.

Boost Toad? One script tag. Done.

<script src="https://boosttoad.com/api/widget/bundle?projectId=YOUR_ID" async></script>

▸2. Better for Developers

Boost Toad is built by developers, for developers:

• ✓No complex configuration
• ✓Works with any framework
• ✓TypeScript support included
• ✓Programmatic API for custom triggers

▸3. All-in-One Feedback

While Hotjar focuses on heatmaps and session recordings, Boost Toad gives you everything for feedback:

• ✓Bug reports with screenshots
• ✓Feature request voting
• ✓NPS surveys
• ✓General feedback

▸4. Transparent Pricing

Boost Toad:

• ✓Free: 50 submissions/month
• ✓Pro: $19/month - 1,000 submissions, unlimited projects
• ✓Teams: $49/month - 10,000 submissions

Hotjar:

• ✓$39/month for basic features
• ✓Higher tiers for more pageviews
• ✓Can get expensive quickly

To be fair, Hotjar has some advantages:

Hotjar is better if you need:

• ✓Heatmaps and session recordings
• ✓Full user journey analytics
• ✓A/B testing capabilities
• ✓Enterprise features

Boost Toad is better if you need:

• ✓Just user feedback (bugs, features, questions)
• ✓Quick setup with no complexity
• ✓Developer-friendly tools
• ✓Affordable pricing

Switching from Hotjar to Boost Toad takes about 10 minutes:

• ✓Sign up at boosttoad.com
• ✓Create a project
• ✓Replace Hotjar script with Boost Toad script
• ✓Customize widget from dashboard
• ✓Done

Your old Hotjar data stays where it is. You can export it anytime.

*"We used Hotjar for 6 months. It was overkill. Switched to Boost Toad and haven't looked back."* — SaaS Founder

*"The setup time alone makes Boost Toad worth it. Hotjar took us a week to configure properly. Boost Toad took 5 minutes."* — Developer

*"We're paying 1/3 the price and getting exactly what we need. Hotjar had features we never used."* — Startup CTO

Choose Boost Toad if:

• ✓You want simple user feedback collection
• ✓You don't need heatmaps or session recording
• ✓You're a developer who values quick setup
• ✓You want affordable, predictable pricing
• ✓You need bug reports and feature voting

Choose Hotjar if:

• ✓You specifically need heatmaps and session recordings
• ✓You have budget for premium tools
• ✓You need full user analytics

No credit card required. Set up in 5 minutes. See if Boost Toad is a better fit than Hotjar for your needs.

Start collecting feedback →

Still not sure? Email us at hello@boosttoad.com and we'll help you decide if Boost Toad is right for you.