# Umami vs. Microsoft Clarity: Session replay and heatmaps without giving your data to Microsoft

> Clarity is free because Microsoft keeps the data. Umami gives you replays, heatmaps, and full web analytics — cookie-free, open source, and yours alone.

Feature table last verified: August 2026  
Source: https://umami.is/compare/microsoft-clarity

## Feature comparison

### Privacy & Compliance

| Feature | Umami | Microsoft Clarity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cookie-free tracking | Yes | No |
| No consent banner required | Yes | Required in EU/UK |
| No personal data collection | Yes | No |
| Vendor role | You own your data | Microsoft is data controller |
| Open source | MIT license | Tracking script only |
| Self-hosting option | Yes | No |

### Analytics Features

| Feature | Umami | Microsoft Clarity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web analytics (pageviews, referrers, UTM) | Yes | Limited |
| Custom events | Yes | Yes |
| Funnel analysis | Yes | Degraded without cookie consent |
| User journeys | Yes | Limited |
| Session replay | Yes | Yes |
| Heatmaps | Yes | Yes |
| Custom dashboards | Yes | No |
| Cohorts & retention | Yes | No |
| Revenue tracking | Yes | No |
| A/B testing | Via tags | No |

### Data Ownership

| Feature | Umami | Microsoft Clarity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Data storage | Your server or Umami Cloud | Microsoft Azure |
| Recording retention | You decide | 30 days |
| Delete individual user data | Yes | Entire project only |
| Raw data export | Yes | Limited |
| API access | Yes | Limited |

### Hosting & Pricing

| Feature | Umami | Microsoft Clarity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free tier | Yes | Free (ad ecosystem subsidized) |
| Cloud starting price | Free / $20 mo | Free |
| Self-hosting cost | Free | Not available |
| Unlimited websites | Business & self-hosted | Yes |

## Free has a price

Microsoft Clarity is free with no traffic caps — but Microsoft acts as a data controller for what it collects, uses cookies that tie your visitors into its advertising ecosystem, and feeds behavioral data into its AI and machine learning systems. Umami is free to self-host under the MIT license, collects no personal data, and your analytics never subsidize anyone else's business model.

## A full analytics platform, not just replays

Clarity is a behavior tool: session recordings and heatmaps with a thin analytics layer on top. Umami includes session replay and heatmaps too — plus the complete web analytics you would otherwise need another tool for: pageviews, referrers, UTM campaigns, funnels, cohorts, retention, revenue tracking, and custom dashboards, all in real time.

## Compliance without the caveats

In the EU, UK, and Switzerland, Clarity requires explicit cookie consent — and without it, sessions fragment and funnels stop working. Umami is cookie-free by design, so it works identically for every visitor, needs no consent banner, and is GDPR and CCPA compliant out of the box. Your recordings are also retained as long as you want, not deleted after 30 days.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Umami a good alternative to Microsoft Clarity?

Yes. Umami includes the session replay and heatmaps Clarity is known for, plus full web analytics — pageviews, referrers, UTM campaigns, funnels, cohorts, and revenue tracking — in one privacy-first tool. Unlike Clarity, it uses no cookies and requires no consent banner.

### Clarity is free — why pay for Umami?

Self-hosting Umami is completely free under the MIT license, and Umami Cloud has a free tier. Clarity is free because Microsoft acts as data controller for the behavioral data it collects, which feeds its advertising and AI ecosystem. With Umami, your data is yours alone.

### Does Microsoft Clarity require a cookie banner?

In the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, yes — Clarity uses cookies and requires explicit consent, and without consent its sessions fragment and funnels degrade. Umami is cookie-free, so it needs no banner and works identically for every visitor.

### How long does each tool keep session recordings?

Clarity deletes recordings after 30 days. With Umami, you control retention — self-hosted data is kept as long as you like, and Umami Cloud retains data according to your plan.

## Further reading

- [A mega list of Google Analytics alternatives](https://umami.is/blog/a-mega-list-of-google-analytics-alternatives.md): How Umami and other analytics tools compare across the landscape.
- [Website traffic analysis guide](https://umami.is/guides/website-traffic-analysis.md): Get more out of your analytics once you switch.