# Microsoft Clarity vs Smartlook: which do AI models recommend for session replay, October 2026

GTM AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Session replay and heatmaps. Zero of fourteen models named Microsoft Clarity first on the direct prompt; one named Smartlook. Page: https://gtm-ai-index.com/gtm-data/session-replay-and-heatmaps/microsoft-clarity-vs-smartlook/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Clarity | 33% | #1 of 10 | 20% | 59 | 14 of 14 |
| Smartlook | 2% | #8 of 10 | 29% | 17 | 12 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Llama 4 Maverick: smartlook first (first choices: Smartlook) (alternatives: Adobe Analytics, Fullstory)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither first, one named (first choices: Hotjar) (alternatives: LogRocket, Microsoft Clarity, Mouseflow)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: PostHog) (alternatives: Hotjar, LogRocket, Microsoft Clarity, Mouseflow)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Hotjar) (alternatives: LogRocket, Mouseflow, Smartlook)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither first, one named (first choices: Hotjar) (alternatives: Crazy Egg, Fullstory, Microsoft Clarity, Mouseflow)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither first, one named (first choices: Fullstory) (alternatives: Contentsquare, Heap, Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity, PostHog, VWO)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Mouseflow) (alternatives: Hotjar)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither named (first choices: Contentsquare, Mouseflow) (alternatives: LogRocket)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither named (first choices: Pendo) (alternatives: LogRocket, Mouseflow, PostHog)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Fullstory) (alternatives: Hotjar, LogRocket)
- Mistral Small: neither named (first choices: Hotjar, Lucky Orange) (alternatives: Fullstory, PostHog, UXCam)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Hotjar) (alternatives: LogRocket, Matomo)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither named (first choices: Mixpanel) (alternatives: Fullstory, PostHog, UXCam)
- GPT-6 Luna: neither named (first choices: PostHog) (alternatives: Fullstory, Hotjar)

## What the models said about Microsoft Clarity

- "Both Hotjar (now part of Contentsquare) and Microsoft Clarity are consent-agnostic by default: paste the snippet in and they start recording on the first pageview." (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt, hard negative)
- ""Free" but with a substantial tracking footprint that privacy teams should scrutinize; starts recording immediately without waiting for consent" (Kimi K2, negative prompt, hard negative)
- ""Free" option with aggressive tracking... Limited default redaction; privacy teams flag its footprint. US-hosted; consent bypass risks in EU." (Grok 4.1 Fast, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "Microsoft Clarity is the best free option for behaviour analytics, with unlimited session recordings and heatmaps and no paid tier required." (Muse Glimmer 30B, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "Microsoft Clarity delivers unlimited session replays and heatmaps at no cost, making it a favorite for startups and high-traffic sites." (Muse Glimmer 30B, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "The best session replay and heatmap tool for a company with a limited budget is Microsoft Clarity, as it is free with no session cap." (Llama 4 Maverick, budget prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Smartlook

- "avoid or exercise extreme caution with Hotjar, FullStory, Mouseflow, LogRocket, and Smartlook" (Mistral Small, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "Listed together with Hotjar and FullStory as tools selling the legitimate interest no-consent narrative." (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Microsoft Clarity, Hotjar, FullStory, Mouseflow, LogRocket, and Smartlook all share common issues" (Kimi K2, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Smartlook is a popular choice for mid-market companies, offering session replay and product analytics for web and mobile apps." (Llama 4 Maverick, direct prompt, first choice)
- "Smartlook is budget-friendly with the best mobile app recording in the mid-market, with a generous free tier of 1,500 sessions a month" (Claude Haiku 4.5, budget prompt, alternative)
- "Other budget-friendly options include Smartlook, which offers the best mobile app recording in the mid-market." (Llama 4 Maverick, budget prompt, alternative)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.