6 Best Heatmap Plugins – I Test, Review and Compare

I still remember staring at my Google Analytics dashboard, frustrated.

My landing page had solid traffic. But almost no one clicked the call-to-action button. I knew something was wrong, but analytics just showed numbers. It didn’t show me where people were actually clicking.

That’s when I discovered heatmaps. Within minutes of installing one, I saw the problem. Visitors were clicking on an image that looked like a button but wasn’t clickable.

One simple fix and landing page conversions improved.

If you’ve ever wondered where visitors actually click, scroll, or get stuck on your WordPress site, heatmap plugins give you answers that regular analytics can’t.

In this article, I will break down the 6 best heatmap plugins that will help you understand your users more and drive more conversions.

Key Takeaways:

1. I test and rank 6 heatmap plugins for WordPress sites
2. You’ll see my hands-on experience with each tool’s features
3. I share honest pros and cons from real testing
4. You’ll learn which free options actually deliver good results
5. I show you which plugin fits your specific needs

Quick Summary Table

Now, I understand you might not have the time to go through the entire list. So, here’s the comparison table showing all 6 heatmap plugins at a glance:

Plugin	Free Version	Best For	Rating	Ease of Use	Starting Price
🥇 UserFeedback	❌	WordPress-native data ownership	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Very Easy	$149.50/year (Elite Plan)
🥈 Microsoft Clarity	✅	Budget-conscious beginners	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Very Easy	Free forever
🥉 Crazy Egg	❌	Traffic source analysis	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Easy	$29/month
4. Mouseflow	✅	Form-heavy websites	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Easy	$25/month
5. Hotjar	✅	All-in-one research platform	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Easy	$40/month
6. Lucky Orange	✅	Real-time visitor monitoring	⭐⭐⭐	Very Easy	$32/month

Plus, here is a table of contents if you want to skip to any heatmap plugin on my list.

With that out of the way, let us begin!

How I Test Heatmap Tools for WordPress

Choosing a heatmap plugin shouldn’t feel like guesswork. I test each tool on actual WordPress sites to see how they perform in real conditions.

Here’s exactly what I evaluate:👇

• Setup ease: I time how long installation takes. I check if coding is required and test if the plugin works smoothly with WordPress.
• Interface clarity: I review the dashboard to see if it’s beginner-friendly. I check if heatmap visualizations make sense without a tutorial.
• Features included: I test all heatmap types available. I check for session recordings and additional tools and note what’s free versus paid.
• Performance impact: I run GTmetrix tests before and after installation. I monitor page loading times and check if the plugin slows down my site.
• Value for money: I compare free tiers and their limits and review pricing against the features offered. I then look for hidden costs or surprise charges.
• Support quality: I read through the documentation. Then, I test response times when issues come up and evaluate how helpful support is for beginners.

The key aspect in my testing is my personal experience. I installed each plugin on test sites and let them collect data from real visitors. This gives you an honest look at what actually works.

Why Trust IsItWP?

At IsItWP, my team and I have been the WordPress community’s go-to resource since 2009, helping over 2 million users choose better tools.

Unlike review sites that never actually use the WordPress products, we install these plugins on real sites, test them with actual traffic, and provide ongoing WordPress consultation.

I’ve personally tested each heatmap plugin in this guide and watched the data they collect, reviewed the reports, and dealt with the quirks.

You’re getting honest feedback from someone who actually uses these tools, not just reads about them.

The Best Heatmap Plugins for WordPress I have Tested

Now that you understand my testing process and what I was looking for when compiling this list of the best WordPress heatmap plugins, let us get into the list.

1. UserFeedback ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

300,000+ active installations | Best for: WordPress purists wanting native integration

I recommend UserFeedback for any client who doesn’t want to send data to external platforms. This is my top heatmap pick because it is easy to use and keeps data readily available inside WordPress.

The reality is, UserFeedback is the only heatmap plugin that runs entirely inside your WordPress dashboard.

As a result, there’s no need to create accounts on external platforms or jump between different tools.

Everything from setup to viewing reports happens in the same place you manage your content. For beginners who find even the best analytics tools overwhelming, this simplicity makes a real difference.

My Experience

Setting up took about 5 minutes from start to finish. I installed the plugin, entered the license key, and activated the Heatmaps addon without leaving WordPress.

The click map showed me where visitors engaged most on the homepage, and I used the device filtering to compare how mobile users behaved differently from desktop visitors.

Apart from that, the scroll map revealed that most visitors stopped reading halfway down the page, which helped us restructure the content.

All the data is displayed as color-coded overlays directly on the page screenshots, making patterns easy to spot without needing analytics training.

What Stands Out

As mentioned, the biggest win for UserFeedback heatmaps is the data ownership.

Everything stays on your server instead of being sent to third-party platforms, which satisfies strict privacy requirements.

I also tested the survey feature alongside the heatmap data to get a complete picture of visitor behavior and feedback in one place.

►Pros

• Only WordPress-native solution; everything stays in your dashboard
• Full data ownership with GDPR compliance built-in
• No coding required with simple setup process
• Lightweight script that won’t slow your site down

►Cons

• Heatmaps locked behind the more expensive Elite plan
• WordPress-only limitation for multi-platform businesses

My Verdict: UserFeedback is best for WordPress site owners who want native integration and complete data control. Choose this when privacy and WordPress-native tools matter most.

Check out my UserFeedback review.

Pricing: Heatmaps available on the Elite plan starting at $149.50/year

[Get Started with UserFeedback Elite Here →]

2. Microsoft Clarity ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

100M+ users monthly | Best for: Budget-conscious beginners and high-traffic sites

I tested Microsoft Clarity, expecting to find hidden limits or forced upgrades at some point. After using it on multiple client sites for several months, I still haven’t found the catch.

Microsoft launched Clarity in 2020 as a completely free behavioral analytics tool, and it’s stayed that way.

There are no paid tiers, no session limits, and no restrictions on how many websites you can track.

The fact that it comes from Microsoft means it’s well-maintained and regularly updated. This gives me confidence it won’t suddenly disappear like some free tools do.

My Experience

Installing the WordPress plugin took about 3 minutes. There are several methods you can use to get started, including a WordPress plugin, Google Tag Manager, manually through a tracking code and so on.

I prefer using Google Tag Manager because it is a one-click solution. With this method, all you have to do is sign up on the Clarity homepage and select “Get Started” on the Google Tag Manager tab.

Once connected, the data started appearing within a few hours, which was faster than I expected.

The dashboard shows four heatmap types: click maps, scroll maps, area maps, and conversion maps.

I used the click map first to see where visitors engaged on a landing page, then checked the scroll map to find where people stopped reading.

Apart from that, the rage click detection flagged spots where visitors clicked repeatedly, which pointed me to a broken contact form button.

What Stands Out

The session recordings paired with heatmaps give you the full story. I could watch how visitors actually navigated through pages, not just see where they clicked.

My favorite feature is how the Clarity Copilot AI explains patterns in plain language, which helps when you’re not sure what the data means.

For an even more beginner-friendly approach, the Chrome extension lets you view heatmap overlays directly on your live site. This makes it easier to spot issues without switching between tabs.

Plus, the Google Analytics 4 integration links session playbacks directly to your existing analytics. So you can see the behavior behind your GA data.

►Pros

• Completely free forever with unlimited everything
• Easy WordPress setup with dedicated plugin
• AI explains patterns in plain language for beginners
• No performance impact on your site speed

►Cons

• Only 30-day data retention for recordings
• No surveys or feedback widgets available
• Email-only support with no live chat option
• Cannot be used on sites targeting users under 18

My Verdict: The best value in heatmap tools. If you need just heatmaps and session recordings without surveys, Clarity delivers everything for free. Perfect for beginners or high-traffic sites that want to avoid per-session pricing.

Pricing: Completely free forever.

[Get Started with Microsoft Clarity Here →]

3. Crazy Egg ⭐⭐⭐⭐

436,000+ websites | Best for: Traffic source analysis and A/B testing

I’ve used Crazy Egg since early in my WordPress career, and it’s taught me something important about traffic. Not all visitors behave the same way.

Crazy Egg has been around since 2005, making it one of the original heatmap tools.

The founders, Neil Patel and Hiten Shah, built it specifically for conversion optimization. What makes it different from newer tools is the Confetti report feature.

My Experience

Like with Microsoft Clarity, Crazy Egg also offers several setup methods. For me, using the WordPress plugin is the easiest solution.

After that, I pasted the tracking script from my Crazy Egg dashboard to the WordPress plugin. To make sure everything is running smoothly and loading properly, I cleared my cache.

While Crazy Egg offers automated heatmaps that are easy to set up, they are limited. You will not see Scrollmaps, Confetti Reports, and other advanced analytics. As a result, I prefer the manual approach.

I particularly like Confetti Reports. It segments your click data by different traffic sources. This means you can see how visitors from Google behave differently from visitors coming from social media or email campaigns.

So to view these results, I manually set up Snapshots for each page I want to track, which takes a few extra minutes.

I created Snapshots for my main landing pages and waited for enough data to generate useful heatmaps.

The click map showed me the engagement areas, but the Confetti report revealed something more interesting.

Visitors from Pinterest clicked on image galleries far more than visitors from Google, who focused on the call-to-action buttons instead.

What Stands Out

The traffic source segmentation really helps with conversion optimization. I used the Overlay report to see exact click counts on each element, filtered by referrer.

This showed me that organic traffic converted better than paid traffic on certain pages, which helped adjust the ad strategy.

The A/B testing feature with the visual editor lets you create page variants without coding. Apart from that, the AI analysis automatically interprets your heatmap patterns and session recordings.

This saves time when you’re reviewing data from multiple pages.

►Pros

• Confetti reports provide unique traffic segmentation by source
• WordPress plugin makes installation simple and quick
• 30-day free trial with full feature access
• AI analysis included for interpreting heatmap data

►Cons

• Manual snapshot creation required for advanced heatmap tracking
• A/B testing requires the more expensive Plus plan
• Annual billing only, with no monthly payment option

My Verdict: Choose Crazy Egg when you need to understand how different traffic sources behave on your site. The Confetti reports are genuinely unique. The manual snapshot setup and annual-only billing might not suit everyone though.

Pricing: Starts at $29/month. Free 30-day trial

[Get Started with Crazy Egg Here →]

4. Mouseflow ⭐⭐⭐⭐

7 heatmap types | Best for: Form-heavy sites and dynamic content

I use Mouseflow when forms are critical to the business. The form analytics show exactly where people quit filling out your forms.

Mouseflow offers seven different heatmap types, which is more than any competitor in this list.

What really sets it apart is how the interactive heatmaps work on dynamic content like dropdown menus, modals, and popups. Most other tools struggle with these elements or miss them entirely.

The platform also automatically generates heatmaps for all your pages instead of requiring manual setup for each one.

My Experience

You can directly add the tracking code to your header or footer of your WordPress site. But this requires technical experience.

If you want to go this route, I recommend you use WPCode. It helps you add the tracking code as a simple snippet.

For beginners, use the native Mouseflow plugin. Installing the WordPress plugin took just a few minutes. After that, I pasted my tracking code from Mouseflow, and it started collecting data right away.

The automatic generation meant I didn’t need to configure individual pages, which saved a lot of time compared to tools that require manual snapshots.

I tested the click maps on standard pages first, then moved to the interactive heatmaps on dropdown menus to see if they actually tracked the clicks inside those elements.

They did, which was impressive since some competitors miss this entirely.

The scroll maps showed me where visitors stopped reading. And the attention heatmaps combined scroll depth with time spent to show the areas that held interest longest.

What Stands Out

The form analytics feature breaks down field-by-field behavior in a way that’s incredibly useful.

I could see exactly which form fields caused people to abandon, how long they spent on each field, and which ones they filled out and then deleted.

This level of detail helped identify confusing labels and unnecessary fields that were killing conversions.

The friction detection uses machine learning to automatically score sessions based on rage clicks, dead clicks, and erratic movement.

Instead of watching hundreds of session recordings, I could filter to just the most frustrated visitors and fix their problems first.

►Pros

• Seven heatmap types; more variety than heatmap plugin competitors
• Automatic heatmap generation with no manual setup needed
• Interactive heatmaps work on dynamic content and SPAs
• Free plan with 500 sessions monthly available

►Cons

• Entry plan limited to 1 website only
• Data retention only 1-3 months on lower tiers
• Movement heatmaps work on desktop only
• Can get pricey for high-traffic sites

My Verdict: Best choice for sites with important forms or dynamic content that other tools miss. The seven heatmap types and automatic generation work well without adding complexity. Choose this when you need form analytics alongside behavior tracking.

Pricing: Free plan with 500 sessions/month; paid starts at $25/month

[Get Started with Mouseflow Here →]

5. Hotjar ⭐⭐⭐⭐

1.1M+ websites | Best for: All-in-one feedback and behavior analytics

Most conversion teams I work with have used Hotjar at some point. This is because it is one of the best tools for connecting what users do with why they do it.

Hotjar combines multiple research tools in one platform instead of just focusing on heatmaps alone.

You get heatmaps, session recordings, surveys, feedback widgets, and even user interview recruitment all under one roof.

This makes it easier to understand the complete picture of user behavior rather than piecing together data from different tools.

The free plan is genuinely generous, offering unlimited heatmaps and up to 10,000 session recording captures per month.

My Experience

Installing the WordPress plugin took about 5 minutes. I entered my Site ID from the Hotjar dashboard, and data collection started within an hour.

The four heatmap types cover the basics well: click maps, scroll maps, move maps, and rage click detection.

I used the click maps first to see engagement zones on a landing page, then checked the scroll maps to find where visitors dropped off.

The rage click detection highlighted areas where users clicked repeatedly out of frustration, which pointed me to broken elements.

On top of that, the session recordings let me watch actual navigation paths. While the Frustration Score helped me prioritize which recordings to review first based on user struggle.

What Stands Out

The survey feature with the AI generator makes getting feedback much easier. I created a simple survey asking why visitors didn’t complete checkout. After this, the AI summary compiled hundreds of responses into key themes.

I like how the feedback widgets let you collect ratings on specific page elements in real time. This helps validate changes quickly.

Apart from that, Google Analytics 4 integration links session playbacks directly to your existing analytics dashboard. This way, you can see the behavior behind your conversion data.

You can use this with the Journey analysis feature to track how visitors move from entry to exit, showing you the paths that lead to conversions versus the ones that don’t.

►Pros

• Generous free plan with unlimited heatmaps included
• All-in-one platform with multiple research tools
• WordPress plugin requires no coding knowledge
• Extensive integrations, including Google Analytics and HubSpot

►Cons

• Session limits create gaps on high-traffic sites
• Costs increase quickly with higher usage needs
• No live chat; only chatbot and email support

My Verdict: The balanced choice for beginners wanting heatmaps, recordings, surveys, and feedback together. The generous free plan lets you test thoroughly. Best when you need multiple research methods working together, not just heatmaps alone.

Pricing: Free plan with 10,000 recordings/month; Growth starts at $40/month

[Get Started with Hotjar Here →]

6. Lucky Orange ⭐⭐⭐

500,000+ websites | Best for: Real-time monitoring and live chat combined

Lucky Orange turns passive data collection into active problem-solving. It does this through its Live View feature, which lets you watch visitors navigate your site in real time.

You can see where they’re clicking, where they’re getting stuck, and even initiate a chat conversation if you notice someone struggling.

This real-time capability, combined with live chat support, makes it unique among heatmap tools.

My Experience

Once I signed up on the Lucky Orange site, I was prompted to add my website so that I could get my Site ID.

After this, I installed the WordPress plugin, activated it, pasted my Site ID from the Lucky Orange dashboard, and the tracking started immediately.

The Live View showed me active visitors on my site right away, which felt different from other tools that only show historical data.

I tested the dynamic heatmaps on dropdown menus and modal windows to see if they tracked interactions inside those elements.

They did, which helped me spot navigation issues that standard heatmaps miss.

The session recordings showed me how people moved through multi-step forms, and the form analytics broke down completion rates field by field.

What Stands Out

The live chat integration with behavioral data creates opportunities that other heatmap tools don’t offer.

For example, I watched someone struggle with the shipping calculator in Live View and started a chat to help them right then.

The best part? The co-browsing feature even lets you see their screen while chatting, which speeds up problem resolution significantly.

The conversion funnels visualize where people drop off in multi-step processes. While the Discovery AI answers questions about your data in a simple way that beginners can understand.

Announcements let you create targeted popups based on visitor behavior. This is helpful to spot frustration, like when someone rage clicks or spends too long on a page.

This heatmap platform also includes all features on every plan, including the free tier, so you’re not locked out of important functionality.

►Pros

• All features available on every plan including free
• Live View for real-time visitor monitoring capability
• Easy setup process
• Dynamic heatmaps work on interactive elements

►Cons

• Free tier only 100 sessions monthly
• Entry plan limited to one website only
• No built-in A/B testing capabilities
• Big gap between free and Build plan limits

My Verdict: This is the only tool that lets you watch and respond to visitors in real time. Good for eCommerce sites wanting behavior analytics with live support. Choose this when real-time insights matter as much as historical data.

Pricing: Free with 100 sessions/month; Build plan starts at $32/month

[Get Started with Lucky Orange Here →]

That’s it for my list of the best WordPress heatmap plugins. But learning about the best options is only half the battle. You need to understand the best heatmap option that suits your needs.

How to Choose the Right Heatmap Plugin

Picking the right heatmap plugin depends on your budget and what you actually need from the tool.

If you’re on a tight budget:

• Microsoft Clarity gives you unlimited everything for free.
  • You get heatmaps, session recordings, and friction detection without spending a dollar.
  • It’s perfect for beginners who want to learn how heatmaps work before committing to paid tools.

If you need WordPress-only native integration:

• UserFeedback keeps all your data on your server instead of sending it to external platforms.
  • This matters when you have strict privacy requirements.
  • Or simply prefer keeping everything inside your WordPress dashboard.

If forms are critical to your business:

• Mouseflow‘s form analytics show exactly where users quit filling out forms.
  • The field-by-field breakdown reveals which questions confuse people or which fields they abandon most often.

If you want all-in-one research tools:

• Hotjar combines heatmaps, recordings, surveys, and feedback widgets in one platform.
  • You can see what users do and ask them why they do it, all without switching between different tools.

If you need real-time monitoring:

• Lucky Orange lets you watch visitors navigate your site live and start chat conversations when you spot someone struggling.
  • This works especially well for eCommerce sites where quick support can save a sale.

If you analyze traffic sources differently:

• Crazy Egg‘s Confetti reports segment your click data by 22 different traffic sources.
  • This shows you how visitors from Google behave differently from those coming from social media or email campaigns.

Remember, start by considering your budget first. Most beginners should test Microsoft Clarity’s free tier to understand how heatmaps work.

Once you know what patterns to look for, you can add a paid tool like UserFeedback, based on your primary goal, whether that’s form optimization, traffic segmentation, or real-time support.

FAQs: Best Heatmap Plugins for WordPress

Final Verdict: Start Tracking Visitor Behavior Today

Choosing a heatmap plugin doesn’t need to be complicated. The right tool depends on your budget and what you need most from the data.

Start with a free option to learn how heatmaps work without spending money. Install it, let it collect data for a week, and review the patterns. You’ll quickly see where visitors click, where they get stuck, and which pages hold their attention.

Once you understand what to look for in heatmap data, you can decide if you need additional features from a paid tool based on your specific goals.

Related Resources:

Now, heatmaps are only the first step of fully understanding user behavior. Check out the following posts for more ways to understand your site analytics.

Track Your Marketing Campaigns:

• How to Track Pinterest Ads in WordPress – Monitor Pinterest ad performance directly in WordPress
• How to Track TikTok Ads on WordPress – See which TikTok ads drive conversions

Understand Visitor Behavior:

• How to Set Up User Tracking in WordPress – Track individual user actions and behavior patterns
• OnePageGA Review – Simple Google Analytics reporting in your WordPress dashboard

Analytics Tools and Alternatives:

• Best WordPress Statistics Plugins – Top analytics plugins for tracking site performance
• MonsterInsights Review – The most popular Google Analytics plugin for WordPress
• Best Google Analytics Alternatives – Privacy-friendly analytics options beyond Google

These guides will help you build a complete analytics system that goes beyond heatmaps.

You’ll see not just where visitors click, but where they come from, what campaigns work best, and which metrics matter most for your business.

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment with any questions and feedback.