Choosing a frontend monitoring tool for your SaaS is one of those decisions that sounds simple—until you start comparing features, pricing, and what your team actually needs. If you’re here, you probably want to cut through the sales fluff and get to what matters. This guide’s for you: product folks, engineers, or founders who want to know if LogRocket, Sentry, FullStory, or another tool is really worth your time and money.
Let’s skip the buzzwords and get right to it.
1. Figure Out What Actually Matters for Your SaaS
Before you get lost in product comparison grids, start with your real use cases. Every SaaS is different, and you’ll regret picking a “best tool” that doesn’t solve your actual problems.
Ask these questions:
- Do you want session replays (watching exactly what a user did)?
- Is JavaScript error tracking your #1 concern—or is performance monitoring more critical?
- Do you need to tie frontend issues to backend logs or events?
- Are privacy or compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) non-negotiable?
- Who on your team will actually use this? (Engineers? Support? Product?)
Pro tip: Write down your top 2-3 “must haves” and “nice to haves.” Share them with your team. This avoids chasing shiny features you’ll never use.
2. Know the Big Players (and What Sets Them Apart)
Here’s the honest lay of the land. There are dozens of tools, but for most SaaS teams, the shortlist usually includes:
- LogRocket
- Sentry
- FullStory
- Datadog RUM
- Heap
- Hotjar (for lighter-weight needs)
Let’s break these down with no sugarcoating.
LogRocket
What it’s good at: - Session replays that are detailed and easy to search. - Tracks console errors, network requests, and Redux/actions out of the box. - Decent integrations with support tools (like Intercom, Zendesk). - Good balance of developer and product features.
Where it falls short: - Gets expensive fast as you scale up. - Some privacy concerns: you have to configure masking/scrubbing carefully. - Not as strong on backend or mobile app monitoring.
Sentry
What it’s good at: - Best-in-class for error tracking and stack traces. - Ties frontend and backend errors together if you use Sentry everywhere. - Generous free tier.
Where it falls short: - Session replay is newer and not as robust as LogRocket’s. - Not built for product teams or non-developers. - UI isn’t always the friendliest.
FullStory
What it’s good at: - Probably the best for product analytics + session replay combined. - Powerful segmentation and search. - Good for larger orgs or customer-facing teams.
Where it falls short: - Pricey, especially if you want advanced features. - Not as developer-focused—less useful error details.
Datadog RUM
What it’s good at: - If you already use Datadog for infra monitoring, it’s a natural add-on. - Correlates frontend performance with backend and infra metrics. - Solid for large, complex systems.
Where it falls short: - Clunky UI for non-engineers. - Session replay is basic, not the main focus.
Heap & Hotjar
When to consider: - Heap: If analytics (funnels, retention, segmentation) is your primary goal. - Hotjar: If you just want heatmaps and basic replays, and price matters.
3. Evaluate the Features That Actually Move the Needle
Here’s what really matters for most SaaS teams. Ignore the rest.
Must-Have Features
- Session Replay: Can you watch what the user did, and is the video actually useful? (Some replays are glitchy or don’t show modals/popups.)
- Error Tracking: Does it catch all the ugly JavaScript errors, and can your devs reproduce bugs faster?
- Search & Filtering: Can you find a specific user session or error without pulling your hair out?
- Integrations: Does it connect to your existing tools (Slack, Jira, support tools)?
- Performance Metrics: Does it show page load times, slow API calls, and other stuff users actually notice?
Nice-to-Haves
- User Identification: Can you link a replay or error to a real user safely?
- Custom Events: Can you log business events (signup, payment) to see context?
- Privacy/Compliance Tools: Do you have control over what’s recorded (PII masking, opt-outs)?
- Mobile Support: If you have a mobile app, does the tool cover it at all?
Ignore: - AI “insights” that just generate noise. - Gimmicky dashboards you’ll never look at. - Features you have to pay extra for but won’t use.
4. Try Before You Buy (Seriously)
Don’t trust the sales demos. Most tools offer a free trial or at least a sandbox. Here’s how to kick the tires:
Set Up a Real-World Test
- Deploy the tool to a staging or low-traffic environment.
- Reproduce a few common user issues (404s, form errors, slow pages).
- Have someone from support or product try to find and play back the session.
- Check how easy it is to filter, search, and share results with your team.
- Review what data is actually being captured (make sure it’s not recording sensitive info).
Pro tip: Assign a “skeptic” on your team to poke holes and ask, “Will we use this in 3 months?”
Questions to Ask During Your Trial
- How fast can you find a user’s session after they file a support ticket?
- Does the error info actually help your developers fix the problem?
- Is setup breaking anything on your site (performance, compatibility)?
- How much time does it save you compared to your current process?
5. Price: What You’ll Actually Pay
Most monitoring tools have confusing pricing—“monthly sessions,” “MTUs,” “events,” and so on. Here’s what to watch for:
- How are “sessions” counted? (Bot traffic? Users refreshing?)
- What happens if you go over your quota? (Overages can sting.)
- Annual vs. monthly plans: Some only show “starting at” prices—get a real quote.
- Hidden costs: Team seats, integrations, or premium features may cost extra.
Honest take: If you’re a small SaaS, start on a free or low-tier plan. Don’t be afraid to switch up if your needs change—migrating isn’t as hard as they’ll make it sound.
6. Don’t Forget Privacy and Compliance
This is non-negotiable, especially if you’ve got European users or handle any sensitive data.
- Masking/Scrubbing: Make sure the tool can block or scrub fields like passwords, credit cards, or anything sensitive.
- Data Residency: Check where session data is stored (EU, US, etc.).
- User Consent: Can you respect user opt-outs or cookie consent?
- Compliance: Some tools claim “GDPR-ready,” but you still have to configure them right.
Don’t just take their word for it—read the docs and test it yourself.
7. Make Your Pick—and Keep It Simple
You won’t get this perfect on the first try. Don’t overthink it.
- Pick the tool that checks your top must-haves, works for your team, and fits your budget.
- Set it up for a month and actually use it.
- Review with your team: is it saving you time, helping you solve user issues, and giving you useful insights?
- If not, try the next tool. Don’t get stuck because you’ve “already invested.”
Summary: Iterate, Don’t Over-Engineer
Forget the perfect choice—just make a good one. Pick a tool, use it for real work, and don’t be afraid to switch if it doesn’t deliver. Frontend monitoring should make your SaaS better, not add busywork. Focus on what helps your team and your users, and keep the process as simple as possible.