Microsoft Clarity Alternative
Love Clarity's free heatmaps and session recordings? OpenPanel adds what Clarity lacks - product analytics, user identification, retention analysis, cohorts, and self-hosting - while staying privacy-friendly and open source.
- Open-source
- Product Analytics
- Self-hostable
- Retention Analysis
OpenPanel vs Microsoft Clarity: Which is right for you?
Clarity focuses on behavioral analytics (session recordings, heatmaps). OpenPanel focuses on product analytics (events, retention, cohorts). Different tools for different needs.
Choose OpenPanel if...
SaaS products needing retention and cohort analysis
Teams requiring self-hosting for data sovereignty
Products needing user identification and profiles
Choose Microsoft Clarity if...
Teams needing session recordings and heatmaps (completely free)
Visual debugging of user frustration (rage clicks, dead clicks)
Organizations comfortable with Microsoft cloud hosting
Key differences at a glance
Here's how OpenPanel and Microsoft Clarity compare on key factors.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Microsoft Clarity |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics Focus | Product Analytics | Behavioral Analytics |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - Full Docker deployment | No - Cloud only |
| Session Recordings | Yes - Unlimited free recordings | |
| Retention & Cohort Analysis | Yes - Built-in | |
| Pricing | Free tier + paid plans | 100% Free forever |
| Session Recordings | Clarity offers unlimited session recordings with 30-day retention | |
| Click Heatmaps | ||
| Scroll Heatmaps | ||
| Rage Click Detection | Clarity auto-detects frustration signals like rage clicks | |
| Dead Click Detection | ||
| JavaScript Error Tracking | ||
| Custom Event Tracking | Clarity calls these Smart Events | |
| Funnel Analysis | Clarity added funnels in 2024 | |
| Retention Analysis | Clarity focuses on session-level data, not retention over time | |
| Cohort Analysis | ||
| User Profiles | Clarity has custom identifiers but not full user profiles | |
| User Path Analysis | Clarity shows session journeys but not aggregate user paths | |
| A/B Testing | ||
| Page Views & Visitors | ||
| Traffic Sources | ||
| Geographic Data | ||
| Device & Browser | ||
| Real-Time Dashboard | Clarity offers live session viewing | |
| UTM Campaign Tracking | ||
| GDPR Compliant | Both require consent for full tracking | |
| CCPA Compliant | ||
| Data Masking | Clarity auto-masks sensitive content in recordings | |
| Self-Hostable | Clarity data stored on Microsoft Azure | |
| Cookie-Free Option | Clarity uses first-party cookies for session tracking | |
| Open Source | partial Clarity tracking code is open source on GitHub | |
| JavaScript SDK | ||
| React/Next.js | ||
| iOS SDK | Clarity iOS SDK launched July 2024 | |
| Android SDK | ||
| Flutter SDK | Clarity Flutter SDK launched June 2025 | |
| React Native SDK | ||
| Google Analytics Integration | Clarity has native GA4 integration | |
| REST API |
Feature comparison
Clarity and OpenPanel serve different purposes - behavioral vs product analytics.
Custom Event Tracking
Funnel Analysis
Retention Analysis
Cohort Analysis
User Profiles
User Path Analysis
A/B Testing
Page Views & Visitors
Technical comparison
For developers evaluating analytics tools, here's the technical breakdown.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Microsoft Clarity |
|---|---|---|
| SDK Size | 2.3 KB (gzipped) | Lightweight async script, mobile SDKs ~400-900 KB |
| Platforms |
|
|
| Open Source | Yes - MIT License | Partial - Tracking code onlyClarity tracking code is open source on GitHub. Backend is proprietary. |
| Self Hosting | Docker (simple single-container setup) | Not available - Cloud only (Microsoft Azure) |
| Database | ClickHouse | Microsoft Azure (proprietary) |
| Data Retention | Unlimited (self-hosted), configurable (cloud) | 30 days recordings (13 months if labeled), 13 months heatmaps |
| Language | TypeScript/Node.js | TypeScript (tracking code), proprietary backend |
Pricing comparison
Microsoft Clarity is 100% free. OpenPanel offers free tier with paid plans.
OpenPanel
Event-based, transparent
Simple pricing with 10,000 free events per month.
All features included at every tier.
Microsoft Clarity
100% Free forever
Unlimited sessions, unlimited heatmaps, up to 100,000 sessions per day, all features included.
Session recordings, heatmaps, insights, Copilot AI, mobile SDKs, GA integration - all free.
Microsoft offers it as a free tool to compete with Hotjar and drive Microsoft ecosystem adoption.
Migrating from Microsoft Clarity to OpenPanel
Clarity and OpenPanel serve different purposes. Many teams use both.
Understand the Difference
Clarity and OpenPanel serve different purposes. Clarity is for behavioral analytics (watching sessions). OpenPanel is for product analytics (tracking user actions over time). Many teams use both.
Install OpenPanel SDK
Add the OpenPanel SDK to your application. If you're using Clarity's Smart Events, map them to OpenPanel events.
Set Up User Identification
Unlike Clarity, OpenPanel tracks users across sessions. Add op.identify() calls to enable retention analysis, cohorts, and user profiles.
Configure Funnels and Retention
Set up funnels in OpenPanel. Unlike Clarity's session-based funnels, OpenPanel tracks conversions over time across multiple sessions.
Consider Keeping Both
Since Clarity is free, consider keeping it for session recordings and heatmaps while using OpenPanel for product analytics. They complement each other.
SDK Compatibility
These tools serve different purposes. Clarity focuses on session recordings; OpenPanel focuses on event-based analytics.
Historical Data Import
Most teams use both tools together since they serve different purposes.
Where OpenPanel is a better fit than Microsoft Clarity
Choose OpenPanel when you need product analytics beyond behavioral observation.
SaaS Products Needing Retention Analytics
Clarity shows individual session recordings but doesn't track retention over time. If you need to understand how users return to your product week over week, OpenPanel's retention analysis provides these insights.
Teams Requiring Self-Hosting
Clarity is cloud-only with data stored on Microsoft Azure. If data sovereignty, compliance requirements, or privacy policies require self-hosting, OpenPanel can be deployed on your own infrastructure.
Products Needing User Identification
Clarity has custom identifiers but doesn't build comprehensive user profiles. OpenPanel lets you track individual users across sessions and analyze their complete journey with your product.
Teams Wanting A/B Testing
Clarity focuses on observation (watching what users do) not experimentation. OpenPanel includes A/B testing capabilities to measure the impact of changes.
Combining Both Tools
Since Clarity is free, many teams use both: Clarity for visual session recordings and heatmaps, OpenPanel for product analytics, funnels, retention, and cohorts. They complement each other well.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Microsoft Clarity and OpenPanel.
Related resources
Explore more comparisons and guides to help you choose the right analytics tool
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