AhrefsMake your business discoverable, in search, AI, and beyond.
vs
HotjarHotjar is now Contentsquare: heatmaps, recordings and surveys.
Comparison · Web Analytics · weekly run Nov 2
Ahrefs vs Hotjar
Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?
The short answer
Hotjar is the stronger AI pick in Web Analytics: it has a visibility score of 4.9 versus 1.7 for Ahrefs.
Choose Ahrefs if…
- You want a lower entry price ($29 vs $39)
- AI answers describe it more positively (49% vs 6% positive)
- Flat tiers pricing suits your budget better than usage-based
- Strong backlink analysis and index
Choose Hotjar if…
- You want the brand AI engines rank higher (4.9 vs 1.7)
- You need ISO 27017 or ISO 27018 or ISO 27701 or SOC 2 Type 2 coverage
- Usage-based pricing suits your budget better than flat tiers
- Session replay and heatmaps for behavior analysis
AI visibility side by side
Latest weekly run · Nov 2
| Metric | Ahrefs | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 1.7% | 4.9% |
| Change vs last week | New | New |
| Rank in Web Analytics | #27 | #15 |
| Share of voice | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| Mentions this run | 2 | 10 |
| Positive in AI answers | 49% | 6% |
The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.
Visibility score trend
Weekly runs over the last 60 days
Ahrefs 0pp · Hotjar 0pp over 0 weekly runs.
Engine by engine
Hotjar leads on 3 of 3 engines
ChatGPT
AI Mode
Perplexity
AhrefsHotjar
Head to head in AI answers
0 engine answers name both brands
0Ahrefs ranked higher
0Hotjar ranked higher
Features, pricing & fit
| Dimension | Ahrefs | Hotjar |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat tiers | Usage-based |
| Entry price | Free; paid from $29 / mo | Free; paid from $39 / mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | SaaS | — |
| Integrations | — | 10+ |
| Compliance | ISO 27001 | ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type 2 |
| Support | Customer support five days a week, Academy courses and certification, Webinars and AMAs, YouTube tutorials | AI-powered support on the free plan, Priority support on Pro and Enterprise, Community, Education |
| Founded | 2010 | — |
| Headquarters | Singapore | — |
| Employees | 51–200 | — |
| Funding | Bootstrapped | — |
| Best for | Freelance SEOs, marketing consultants, and lean in-house marketing teams, from small businesses to Fortune 500 teams. | Midsize and SMB businesses that want heatmaps, session recordings and surveys in one product experience platform. |
Plans side by side
Ahrefs
Ahrefs Free$0month
Starter$29month
Lite$129month
Standard$249month
Advanced$449month
Enterprise$1,499month, annual commitment required
Hotjar
Free$0forever
Growth$39month, billed yearly ($49 billed monthly); from 7k monthly sessions
ProCustomcustom
EnterpriseCustomcustom
Pros and cons
Themes from the AI answers that mention each brand
Ahrefs
- Strong backlink analysis and index
- Strong competitor research
- Honest, transparent pricing
- Deep technical site audits
- Free Webmaster Tools tier for verified site owners
- High monthly cost, especially for smaller budgets
- Seat-based pricing needs careful evaluation against team size
Hotjar
- Session replay and heatmaps for behavior analysis
- Combines visual behavior with quantitative and feedback data
- Basic free tier or trial available
Data collected ·ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode·coverage 100%·next run
Cite as: SlateIndex, “Ahrefs vs Hotjar”, https://slateindex.ai/compare/ahrefs-vs-hotjar, data of Nov 2, 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.