Compare Hotjar and Stormly on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.
Both listed as alternatives to: Google Analytics, Mixpanel
France· Web Analytics
Needs review
Shortlist for Contentsquare-owned heatmaps and replay with a public DPA and Ireland defaults. Skip if you need an independent recorder or no US-group cloud. Consider Mouseflow.
Netherlands· Web Analytics
Needs review
Shortlist Stormly when you need Dutch-contracted, e-commerce-first product analytics: SKU-aware report packs, Shopify/Adobe-oriented setup, inbox-style AI anomaly narratives, and a public DPA. Skip when you need cookieless privacy web stats only (consider Plausible, Simple Analytics, or Pirsch), open-source self-hosting, verified ISO/SOC on a public cert page, or a subprocessor chain free of US-group cloud and Azure OpenAI.
Highlighted rows differ between the two products.
| Feature | Hotjar | Stormly |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | France | Netherlands |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
| Headquarters | France | Netherlands |
| Legal entity | Content Square SAS, Paris (EU Hotjar contractor). Historical Hotjar Ltd Malta merged 1 July 2025. | Monon B.V. (Lutmastraat 1-3, 1072 JL Amsterdam; KvK 76248747 per Terms) |
| Governing law | Not listed | Netherlands (Dutch law; Amsterdam courts) |
| US parent / control | No known US parent | No known US parent |
| CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Medium | Medium |
| Hosting / residency | Visitor data: AWS and Azure Ireland for Free/Growth and VoC Observe/Surveys. Pro/Enterprise may pick Ireland or Virginia. Defaults: EU/Japan to EU; US and most other APJ to US. Support: Content Square, Inc. and Zendesk (USA), Atlassian (Australia). Sense AI on AWS Bedrock/Azure; survey AI on Azure OpenAI France. Engage: Twilio, Daily.co, Postmark, Tremendous. | Client analytics subprocessors (Security Architecture): Hetzner (EU); Amazon AWS (US company, vendor states EU regions only for encrypted analytics backups); Vultr (US company); Microsoft Azure OpenAI (US company, vendor states EU Azure region). Plans market EU data residency. Controller privacy policy also references Vultr/AWS for account data, AuthSMTP EU + Amazon SES USA for email, Stripe for payments; marketing site uses Google Analytics and Hotjar. |
| Summary | Contentsquare-owned heatmaps, session replay, and on-site surveys. French-group SaaS with default EU hosting on AWS and Azure Ireland, not an independent Maltese startup. | Dutch SaaS product analytics for e-commerce teams: SKU-aware reports, AI-assisted anomaly and root-cause insights, and Shopify/Adobe Commerce/Segment/GTM-oriented connections under Monon B.V. (Amsterdam). |
| Tags |
| At a glance | Hotjar | Stormly |
|---|---|---|
| Current HQ / entity | Content Square SAS, Paris, France | Not listed |
| Origin | Founded in Malta in 2014 (vendor history) | Not listed |
| Ownership | Contentsquare group (acquired 2021, merged 1 July 2025) | Not listed |
| Hosting (public) | AWS/Azure Ireland default for EU Free/Growth; Virginia optional on higher plans | Hetzner; AWS EU-region backups; Vultr; Azure OpenAI EU region (vendor docs) |
| Deployment | SaaS JavaScript tag; not self-hosted; not open source | Not listed |
| Commercial model | Free tier plus paid Growth, Pro, and Enterprise (see vendor site for current terms) | Free tier + monthly plan + custom; trial path on paid |
| HQ / entity | Not listed | Monon B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Category | Not listed | E-commerce product analytics (SaaS) |
| Open source | Not listed | No |
| Self-host | Not listed | No |
| Governing law | Not listed | Dutch law; Amsterdam courts |
| Key capabilities | Hotjar | Stormly |
|---|---|---|
| EU-operated (Contentsquare) | Yes | Not listed |
| Heatmaps + session replay | Yes | Not listed |
| Surveys and feedback | Yes | Not listed |
| Public B2B DPA | Yes | Not listed |
| ISO 27001 (claimed) | Yes | Not listed |
| E-commerce product analytics | Not listed | Yes |
| SKU-aware reports | Not listed | Yes |
| AI anomaly insights | Not listed | Yes |
| Shopify / Adobe Commerce | Not listed | Yes |
| NL entity + public DPA | Not listed | Yes |
| SaaS (not self-host) | Not listed | Yes |
Click, move, and scroll heatmaps with Attention Maps
Aggregated overlays show where visitors click, hover, and scroll. Contentsquare documents Attention Maps (engagement, not only clicks) and, on the wider platform, zone-based heatmaps that attach conversion context to page elements. Use this when a page-level bounce rate does not explain the layout. Coverage is limited to sessions the tag actually captures and to pages the recorder can reconstruct.
Session replay with claimed automatic masking
Replays mouse movement, clicks, taps, and scrolls so UX and engineering can watch a single journey. Official pages describe event-triggered recording, comments, and jump-to-replay from heatmaps or surveys. Contentsquare states that card and bank details are masked automatically. You still must suppress other personal data with blocking scripts or field exclusion. This is a browser reconstruction, not a server-side log archive.
Surveys, feedback widgets, and Engage research
On-site surveys and feedback widgets (Ask) plus user interviews and unmoderated tests (Engage). The DPA treats this as Voice of Customer. Observe and survey visitor data is hosted on AWS Ireland. Interview and user-test recordings are retained for 2 years per the DPA. Engage adds extra subprocessors (Twilio, Daily.co, Postmark, Tremendous). Response volume is plan-gated.
Funnels that open the matching recordings
Build step funnels and open sessions that converted or dropped at a step. That pairing is the reason teams keep a recorder next to GA-style charts. Advanced journey and multi-session funnel work sits on Contentsquare product analytics (Heap lineage), not on the classic Hotjar-only recorder. Funnel depth and comparison features are plan-dependent.
Error and speed context on the Contentsquare platform
The unified platform adds JavaScript error lists ranked by impact and speed analysis tied to behavior. Classic standalone Hotjar was weaker here. Full network-waterfall debugging is a platform capability. If you refuse the DXA transition you may not get this layer. Errors are only as good as what the browser tag can see.
AI agent for trends, anomalies, and root-cause style digs
Stormly positions an AI agent that watches connected e-commerce data for trends and anomalies (for example conversion drops or product spikes), then delivers plain-language findings—often to the inbox—with root-cause style exploration for questions like mobile conversion drops or regional return spikes. AI assistant access is plan-dependent; the public DPA documents Azure OpenAI (Microsoft) handling of assistant queries with a 30-day retention window and property stripping rules. Best for merchandising and growth leads who want narrative answers without waiting on a data team.
SKU-aware e-commerce report library (plus custom builds)
Ready reports target commerce questions: New Arrivals Performance (early SKU winners/laggards), Unviewed & Unsold Products, cart abandonment and revenue contribution by product/category, Conversion Journey and funnels by device/region, A/B test insights, Aha Moment Discovery, cross-selling analysis, and broader library items (retention, CLV, forecasting, SQL report, and more). Vendor materials state custom reports are included without a separate fee when a needed view is missing—useful for mid-market retailers that outgrow generic event charts.
Shopify, Adobe Commerce, Segment, and GTM-oriented connections
Homepage setup emphasizes linking Shopify, Adobe Commerce, or Segment quickly, with Google Tag Manager also listed among integrations. The DPA describes additional programmatic paths (JS library, import, custom endpoints, third-party sources). Fits stores already on common commerce stacks; teams on exotic storefronts should validate event coverage and product-feed depth in a pilot before replacing an existing analytics stack.
End-user tracking with IP anonymization defaults
Per the DPA, IP addresses for end-user analytics are not stored in full: the last octet is removed and geo/timezone are derived from the anonymized value. Web integrations automatically capture first-party cookie user ids, page/referrer/UTM context, and device metadata; app properties depend on client or CDP configuration. This is still full product analytics (not cookieless aggregate-only web stats)—clients remain responsible for consent banners and lawful basis for shopper tracking.
Public DPA, security architecture, and Dutch contracting
B2B buyers can download a Data Processing Agreement (effective 2023-09-06) and a Security Architecture page listing subprocessors, encryption expectations, backup retention (analytics backups up to six months), and logical tenant isolation. Contracts and DPA are governed by Dutch law with Amsterdam courts. Useful for EU procurement packages—but US-group subprocessors (AWS, Vultr, Azure OpenAI) still require transfer and CLOUD Act diligence.
| Assurance & compliance | Hotjar | Stormly |
|---|---|---|
| Independent security / no-logs audit | On request / NDA Vendor claims annual external penetration tests and publishes a Trust Portal with pentest reports behind access. No public independent no-logs audit (this is a recorder, not a no-logs VPN). | Not found Security Architecture describes encryption, monitoring, isolation, and vulnerability contact (security@stormly.com); no public third-party audit PDF found. |
| ISO 27001 | Vendor claimed Contentsquare states it is ISO 27001 certified (also claims ISO 27017, 27018, 27701). Certificates are on the Trust Portal; not independently downloaded for this draft. | Not found No public ISO 27001 certificate located on official legal/security pages reviewed. |
| SOC 2 / SOC 3 | Vendor claimed Trust portal and security pages claim a SOC 2 Type II report. Report not independently downloaded. | Not found No public SOC 2/3 report located on official pages reviewed. |
| GDPR / EU data protection | Vendor claimed EU parent and contracting entity for non-Americas Hotjar Services. Public DPA, SCCs, and GDPR language. Customer is controller and must supply a lawful basis for visitor capture. | Vendor claimed NL entity; public privacy policy and DPA (GDPR-oriented); IP last-octet anonymization for end-user analytics; SCCs language for restricted transfers in DPA. |
| US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Partial Assessment, not a vendor slogan. French parent and no known US parent, but AWS and Azure host visitor data, Content Square, Inc. and Zendesk process support data, and US regions exist. Not legal advice. | Partial EU entity / no known US parent, but public client subprocessors include AWS, Vultr, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI (US-group companies). Account path historically also lists Amazon SES and Stripe. Residency claims do not remove US-group legal exposure. Indicative only—not legal advice. |
| Data processing agreement (B2B) | Vendor claimed Public Contentsquare DPA incorporated by the MSA. Execution of the MSA or an order form is treated as execution of the DPA and SCCs. | Vendor claimed Downloadable DPA PDF linked from stormly.com/dpa (effective 6 September 2023); audit rights and subprocessor notice described; Security Architecture lists subprocessors. |
| EU AI Act | Not applicable Core product is analytics and replay, not an AI system sold as such. Sense AI and survey LLMs exist as optional features. Confirm AI Act role if you enable those modules. | Partial Product includes an AI assistant via Azure OpenAI; not positioned as a high-risk AI system marketing claim. Buyers should map AI assistant use to their own AI Act / internal AI policy—vendor does not publish a full AI Act conformity package on the pages reviewed. |
| CSA STAR | Vendor claimed Security page displays a STAR badge. Scope and level not independently verified. | Not listed |
| Considerations & known limitations | Hotjar | Stormly |
|---|---|---|
| No longer an independent Maltese company | High Acquired in 2021 and described as merged into Contentsquare on 1 July 2025. New contracts are Contentsquare entities. A scheduled DXA transition from 18 August 2026 can move data and retire the old UI unless you elect to stay. Practical impact: vendor risk, product roadmap, and DPA counterparty are the French group, not Hotjar Ltd. | Not listed |
| US-group cloud and US support path | Medium Visitor data sits on AWS and Azure. Zendesk (USA) and Content Square, Inc. handle support. US regions are default for some geographies. Practical impact: an Ireland region does not remove US-group infrastructure from a CLOUD Act discussion. | Not listed |
| Session replay can capture extra personal data | Medium The vendor asks customers to block non-permitted personal data and claims card masking. Misconfigured tags still record inputs or on-screen PII. Practical impact: you need a suppressions review and a consent story before go-live. | Not listed |
| SaaS tag only | Low No official self-hosted or open-source edition. Practical impact: skip this product if residency rules require your own servers. | Not listed |
| Optional LLM features add extra processors | Low Sense AI and survey AI use AWS Bedrock and Azure OpenAI. Practical impact: disable those features or map their regions if procurement treats LLMs as a separate transfer. | Not listed |
| US-group cloud and AI subprocessors | Not listed | Medium Despite Dutch HQ and EU residency marketing, client data paths publicly include AWS, Vultr, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI. Transfer tooling (SCCs) and encryption of backups are documented, but CLOUD Act / US legal process risk remains a diligence item for sovereignty-sensitive buyers. |
| No public ISO/SOC or independent audit | Not listed | Medium Enterprise security questionnaires may stall without ISO 27001/SOC 2 packs. DPA offers information/audit rights—plan time for NDA evidence requests. |
| Azure OpenAI retains assistant context 30 days | Not listed | Medium AI queries and aggregate report results are stored on Microsoft Azure OpenAI for 30 days per DPA. Property stripping reduces some identifiers, but misconfigured event properties could still expose sensitive content—govern AI use and property hygiene. |
| Controller privacy policy vs security architecture drift | Not listed | Low Privacy policy (controller, effective 2019) still emphasizes Vultr USA wording in places, while Security Architecture (client data) lists Hetzner/AWS/Vultr/Azure. Ask for a single current subprocessor and region matrix at contract time. |
| Not a privacy web-analytics substitute | Not listed | Low Full product analytics with cookies/identifiers for web integrations—not a cookieless aggregate counter. Consent UX remains on the client. |
When: You want session replay and heatmaps from an independent European vendor, not the Contentsquare group
Consider: Mouseflow
Danish SaaS with selectable EU or US Google Cloud residency and a public DPA.
When: You only need page or privacy-oriented analytics without replaying mouse paths and form fields
Consider: Plausible Analytics or etracker
Lighter measurement. Not a substitute for session replay.
When: You want a no-contract recorder and will accept a US vendor
Consider: Microsoft Clarity
Free Microsoft product. Different jurisdiction and contract posture than Content Square SAS.
When: You need a US-native event warehouse more than qualitative replay
Consider: Mixpanel or Amplitude
Product analytics incumbents. Pair with a recorder only if you still need heatmaps.
When: You only need privacy-oriented website metrics (pageviews, sources) rather than SKU-level product analytics
Consider: Plausible Analytics, Simple Analytics, or Pirsch Analytics
EU web-analytics peers; different category from e-commerce product analytics
When: You need deep general-purpose product analytics, large ecosystem, and mature multi-product SaaS event modeling
Consider: Mixpanel or Amplitude
US incumbents; stronger breadth, different jurisdiction and commercial model
When: You primarily need free/universal marketing acquisition reporting already embedded in the stack
Consider: Google Analytics (incumbent) or dual-run GA for marketing + Stormly for product/merch
GA is not SKU-first product analytics; Stormly is not a GA replacement for every report