Session Replay Buyer Checklist
Before you install a session replay script, answer these questions. They will help you compare tools by the decision they support, not by a generic feature list.
1. Role fit
- Who will use the tool weekly: UX, product, engineering, growth, support, or leadership?
- What decision should the tool improve?
- Who owns reviewing recordings and turning findings into action?
2. Pricing and limits
- How many monthly sessions or events do you expect to capture?
- What happens when you exceed plan limits?
- How many seats or workspaces does the team need?
- Are retention, feedback, AI, or integrations included in the plan?
3. Privacy and governance
- Which pages, fields, and user segments must be masked or excluded?
- How long should recordings be retained?
- Who can view recordings?
- Do your consent, privacy, or legal processes need updates before install?
4. Implementation
- Who owns script installation, QA, and tag manager changes?
- Will the script be tested on key templates before rollout?
- How will performance impact be monitored?
- What is the rollback plan if the script causes issues?
5. Shortlist decision
If the primary workflow is UX research, compare Hotjar and Microsoft Clarity first. If the primary workflow is developer debugging, compare LogRocket and PostHog first. If pricing is unclear, use the pricing guide before starting a trial.