Session replay and heatmaps

Analytics tells you where shoppers leave. Session replay and heatmap tools help you see why. A recording shows one visitor's session as it happened: where they scrolled, what they tapped, where they hesitated and what they did just before leaving. A heatmap combines many sessions into a picture of where people click and how far they scroll on a page.

For a store, these tools are a steady source of fixes and test ideas. Common finds include a size guide hidden below the fold, product photos that shoppers try to tap and can't zoom, a promo code field that sends people off to search for coupons, a filter that resets on mobile, or a shipping cost that appears only at the last step. None of these show up clearly in a conversion rate, but each is obvious once you watch a few sessions.

Many tools add signals that point you to the right sessions. Rage clicks flag repeated taps on the same spot, often a broken button or an image that looks clickable. Dead clicks flag taps that do nothing. Error tracking links sessions to JavaScript errors. Form analytics show which field makes people give up. Some tools now use AI to summarize sessions and dashboards in plain language, which helps when you have thousands of recordings and little time.

Featured AI conversion tools: session replay and heatmaps

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9 AI conversion tools in session replay and heatmaps

Hotjar

by Contentsquare

Heatmaps, session recordings, surveys and feedback widgets for seeing how visitors use a site and why they leave.

  • Works with Shopify
  • Free plan or free tier
  • Developer API

Lucky Orange

Conversion tool for small stores with recordings, heatmaps, live chat and on-site surveys.

  • Works with Shopify
  • Free plan or free tier

Microsoft Clarity

by Microsoft

Free behavior analytics from Microsoft with session recordings, heatmaps, rage-click and dead-click reports.

  • Free plan or free tier

Fullstory

Digital experience analytics with session replay, funnels and frustration signals, used by product and ecommerce teams.

  • Developer API

Contentsquare

Experience analytics platform with zone-based heatmaps, journey analysis, session replay and error tracking.

Mouseflow

Session replay and heatmap tool with funnels, form analytics and friction detection.

  • Free plan or free tier

Crazy Egg

Heatmaps, scroll maps, recordings and simple A/B tests for website owners.

Smartlook

Session recordings, heatmaps and event analytics for websites and mobile apps.

  • Free plan or free tier

Quantum Metric

Digital analytics platform for large brands, with session replay, friction scoring and revenue impact estimates.

Privacy needs attention here more than anywhere. Recordings capture what visitors do on your pages, so make sure fields with personal or payment details are masked, that your consent banner covers the tool, and that you keep recordings only as long as you need. Most tools mask form inputs by default, but check the settings on your own checkout and account pages.

When you compare tools, look at how they handle mobile, since most store traffic comes from phones. Check sampling limits, because some plans record only a share of sessions. Ask how recordings connect to your analytics and testing tools, so you can jump from a drop in a funnel to the sessions behind it, and from there to a test.

The most useful habit is simple: watch sessions with a question in mind. Pick one step where shoppers drop off, filter to those sessions and watch twenty of them. You will usually find the problem faster than any report would show it.

Questions about session replay and heatmaps

Are session recordings legal?

They are widely used, but privacy and consent rules apply, and they differ by region. Mask personal and payment fields, cover the tool in your consent banner and privacy notice, and ask your own counsel what applies to your store.

What is the difference between a heatmap and a recording?

A recording replays one visitor's session. A heatmap combines many sessions into one picture of clicks, taps and scroll depth on a page. Heatmaps show patterns; recordings show the detail behind them.

What are rage clicks?

Rage clicks are repeated clicks or taps on the same spot in a short time. They often point to a broken button, a slow element or something that looks clickable but isn't. Many tools flag them so you can find those sessions quickly.

Do these tools slow down my store?

They add a script to every tracked page. Most load in the background, but it is worth testing page speed on a real phone before and after you install one, and removing tools you no longer use.

How many recordings should I watch?

Watch with a question in mind instead of browsing at random. Pick one page or funnel step where shoppers leave, filter to those sessions and watch around twenty. Patterns usually show up quickly.

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