shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Smartlook?

Session recording and qualitative product analytics, now Cisco-owned and in end-of-sale - smartlook.com

Skip. New buyers should not start with Smartlook: Cisco has put it into end-of-sale, so there is no future to build on. Existing users get an easy, well-liked replay tool but must plan migration to Hotjar, Clarity, or UXCam.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 30+ public sources; many pricing and EOL snippets were truncated on the source pages.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo public evidence found
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Paid (3 editions)From $55/mo

Best for

  • Existing customers finishing their term
  • SaaS/e-commerce session-replay analysis
  • Mobile app product teams
  • CRO and UX troubleshooting

Not for

  • New buyers — Cisco end-of-sale means no vendor future
  • HIPAA-regulated health products — not compliant
  • Teams wanting built-in A/B testing
  • Anyone needing a long-term analytics commitment

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Cisco end-of-sale forces migration; commit to a successor tool instead

medium

Free tier only "previously" existed — expect plan changes or removal

medium

Paid plans start at $55/month with session caps; three editions total

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Easy to set up and use, per Reddit and G2 reviewers
  • Strong CRO fit: "Best CRO tool ever!"
  • Records web and mobile apps via SDKs
  • Free tier offered historically (freemium)
  • Cisco acquisition added enterprise backing

Cons

  • End of Sale now in effect — new purchases are off the table
  • 3.7/5 G2 rating trails Hotjar in head-to-head
  • Not HIPAA compliant
  • Lacks built-in A/B testing that rivals include
  • Migration guides already circulating ahead of Cisco wind-down

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 12 sources - Cisco-owned with DPA and security page; not HIPAA compliant; product is in end-of-sale.

official x1review x6security x2news x3
  • End of Sale in effect, Smartlook's own security page states end of sale is now in effect; existing customers affected.
  • Not HIPAA compliant, Paubox's 2026 research concludes Smartlook is not HIPAA compliant.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Freemium existed; paid starts at $55/mo
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Reddit users call setup easy
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Replays, heatmaps, funnels, mobile SDKs
  • Support quality. No public evidence found
  • Security posture: 2/5. Not HIPAA compliant; end-of-sale risk
  • 3.7/5 G2 rating 1,180 reviews, trails Hotjar
  • $55/mo Starting price cheapest paid plan, session-based
  • Yes (historically) Free tier freemium; status may change under Cisco EOL
  • $3.8M raised Funding $11.8M est. ARR (Latka, 2024)

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Limited recorded sessions
  • Historically freemium; availability uncertain under EOL

Paid (3 editions)

From $55/mo

  • Session-based caps
  • Replays, heatmaps, funnels

Security

Cisco-owned with DPA and security page; not HIPAA compliant; product is in end-of-sale.

  • End of Sale in effectSmartlook's own security page states end of sale is now in effect; existing customers affected.⁵
  • Not HIPAA compliantPaubox's 2026 research concludes Smartlook is not HIPAA compliant.⁶

What users say

Users praise Smartlook's ease of use and CRO value, but its 3.7/5 G2 rating trails Hotjar.

“Best CRO tool ever! Recommend everyon”
TrustRadius review
“Smartlook saved our UX designer”
Reddit, r/marketing
“Smartlook is easy to use and has a fre”
G2 review
Full analysis

Based on 30+ public sources; many pricing and EOL snippets were truncated on the source pages.

Cisco end-of-sale in effect: new buyers should skip Smartlook and pick Hotjar, Clarity, or UXCam instead.

Methodology

Based on 30+ public sources; many pricing and EOL snippets were truncated on the source pages.

Sources

  1. Smartlook vs Hotjar (2026)rfp.wiki
    review
  2. Smartlook Reviews — G2g2.com
    review
  3. Smartlook Reviews & Ratings — TrustRadiustrustradius.com
    review
  4. Session Replay tools — Reddit r/UXResearchreddit.com
    review
  5. Product security page — Smartlooksmartlook.com
    security
  6. Is Smartlook HIPAA compliant? — Pauboxpaubox.com
    security
  7. Smartlook Alternatives Before Cisco Ends — Rejourneyrejourney.co
    news
  8. Cisco completes Smartlook acquisitioncisco.com
    news
  9. Best Smartlook Alternatives for Session Recordingfullsession.io
    review
  10. Smartlook Revenue — Latkagetlatka.com
    news
  11. Smartlook Personal Data Processing Agreementsmartlook.com
    official
  12. Mouseflow vs. Smartlookmouseflow.com
    review

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