Hotjar vs Smartlook:Which is searched more?
In August 2026, Hotjar had more branded searches than Smartlook among session replay tools worldwide. Hotjar was estimated to have 52.4K branded searches compared to Smartlook’s 14.8K, and held a 47.6% Share of Search versus Smartlook’s 13.4%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Hotjar or Smartlook?
Compare the session replay tools support teams use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Hotjar, Smartlook. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Hotjar | Smartlook |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64.7% | 8.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 63.5% | 10.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 61.4% | 11.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 63.1% | 10.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.9% | 14.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 51% | 14.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 50.6% | 13.9% |
| May 2026 | 53.3% | 14.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 55.4% | 10.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 50.1% | 14.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 47.6% | 13.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — |
How has the Hotjar and Smartlook comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Hotjar was ahead of Smartlook in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Hotjar’s estimated Share of Search among session replay tools worldwide moved from 64.7% to 47.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 138K to 52.4K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Smartlook’s estimated Share of Search among session replay tools worldwide moved from 8.5% to 13.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 18.1K to 14.8K.
How did search popularity change for session replay tools worldwide in August 2026?
3 changes
In August 2026, Fullstory overtook Smartlook to rank 2nd among session replay tools worldwide, at 14.1%.
In August 2026, Hotjar lost estimated Share of Search among session replay tools worldwide, from 50.1% to 47.6%.
In August 2026, Smartlook lost estimated Share of Search among session replay tools worldwide, from 14.2% to 13.4%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Hotjar’s and Smartlook’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.