So you’re in charge of picking a digital experience analytics tool for a big team. Maybe you’re replacing something that’s not working, or maybe you’re finally moving past Google Analytics and a stack of random plugins. Either way, you’ve heard about FullStory and its competitors. Trouble is, everyone’s website makes the same promises. “Actionable insights.” “Frictionless journeys.” “Enterprise-ready.” You just want to know: what actually matters, and how do you compare these tools without getting lost in the marketing haze?
This guide cuts through the fluff. Here’s how to really compare FullStory with other digital experience analytics tools—so you don’t waste months, or worse, sign a pricey contract you regret.
1. Get Clear on What You Actually Need
Before you even look at product pages, get specific about your team's must-haves. Don’t let a vendor's demo drive your requirements—start with your own.
Ask yourself: - Who’s using the tool? (Product managers? UX designers? Support? Engineers?) - What problems are you actually trying to solve? - Pinpointing bugs? - Understanding why users drop off? - Finding high-value customer journeys? - Compliance/audit needs? - Do you need retroactive data, or is real-time enough? - Is privacy a huge blocker? (Think: healthcare, finance, EU users.) - How much data do you really need? (Be honest—do you need to store a year’s worth of session replays?)
Pro tip: Write this down. Vendors will try to dazzle you with features you’ll never use. If it’s not on your list, it’s probably a distraction.
2. Focus on the Core: Session Replay, Event Tracking, and Insights
Most digital experience analytics tools live and die on a few basics. Here’s what to actually test:
- Session replay: How easy is it to find and watch a user’s session? Can you filter by errors, device, or user segment? Do replays load fast, or do you get the spinning wheel of doom?
- Event tracking: Do you have to set up every event manually, or does the tool auto-capture everything? (FullStory is famous for “autocapture,” but so are some competitors.)
- User journeys and funnels: Can you see where users drop off, and can you slice and dice by segment, device, or other properties?
- Error and frustration signals: Rage clicks, dead clicks, JavaScript errors—can the tool surface where users are getting stuck?
- Search and filtering: Can you actually find the session you care about, or are you drowning in noise?
- Insights (not just charts): Is the tool just spitting out dashboards, or does it help you spot patterns that matter?
What often doesn’t matter: - Fancy AI “insights” that are just regurgitated event counts. If the “AI” is just giving you a dashboard you could build yourself, move on. - Heatmaps for the sake of heatmaps. They look cool in a deck, but they rarely drive real decisions for enterprise teams.
3. Evaluate Scalability and Performance (for Real)
Enterprise teams break tools in ways small companies don’t. Here’s what to check:
- Data volume: Can the tool handle your traffic without slowing down your site or itself? Some tools tank when you throw millions of sessions at them.
- API and integrations: Can you get your data out, or does it live in a walled garden? Will it play nice with your data warehouse, customer support tools, or product analytics?
- Latency: Is there a lag between when something happens and when you see it in the tool? This matters if you want to be proactive, not just reactive.
- SLAs and support: When something breaks—and it will—can you get help from someone who knows what they’re doing?
Ignore: - Vendor promises that “we scale with you!” unless they can back it up with case studies, references, or a proof-of-concept on your actual data.
4. Scrutinize Privacy and Security
This isn’t optional anymore—especially if you’ve got users in Europe or handle sensitive data.
- Data masking: Can you reliably redact PII (personally identifiable information) before it gets sent to the vendor? Is it easy to set up, or are you on the hook to find every input field?
- Compliance: Is the tool GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or SOC 2 compliant? Ask for their documentation—don’t just take their word for it.
- Data residency: Where is your data stored? Can you keep EU data in the EU?
- User opt-outs: How does the tool handle user requests to not be tracked, or to delete their data?
Red flag: Any tool that hand-waves privacy concerns or acts like “everyone just accepts cookies now” is asking for trouble.
5. Compare Pricing—But Don’t Get Fooled
Enterprise pricing is rarely transparent. But look past the sticker price.
- How do they charge? Is it by sessions, events, monthly active users, or a fuzzy “data volume” metric?
- Overage fees: What happens if you go over your limit? Some tools throttle you, others just send a surprise bill.
- Features in each tier: Does the base plan include what you need, or is everything gated behind “Enterprise”?
- Long-term contracts: Are you locked in for 2-3 years, or can you start small and grow? (Watch out for “land and expand” tricks.)
Pro tip: Get a sample bill using your actual data and usage. If a vendor won’t do this, move on.
6. Test Usability with Your Real Team
Demos are nice, but you’ll only know if a tool works when your team actually uses it.
- Onboarding: Can new teammates find what they need without a PhD in the tool?
- Collaboration: Can you easily share findings, tag teammates, or annotate sessions?
- Search: Is it fast? Is it flexible? Can non-technical folks use it?
- Support and training: Are there real humans to help, or just a help center?
Ignore: - Pre-recorded “success stories” or glossy testimonials. Get a trial or proof-of-concept in your real environment.
7. Look for Real-World Proof, Not Just Hype
Vendors love to show off their logo walls and case studies. Dig deeper.
- References: Ask to talk to a real customer, ideally in your industry or with similar scale.
- What breaks: Every tool has rough edges. Ask customers what doesn’t work.
- Community: Is there an active user community, Slack group, or public roadmap? This signals a vendor that listens.
Pro tip: Google “[vendor name] problems” or check Reddit, Hacker News, or G2 for gripes you won’t hear in the sales call.
8. Don’t Get Distracted by Shiny Extras
Every tool has bells and whistles—A/B testing, journey mapping, AI “insights,” chat widgets, and on and on. Stay focused on what you actually need.
If a feature: - Isn’t on your must-have list, - Won’t be used by your team in the next six months, - Or just duplicates what another tool does better,
…it’s probably not worth paying for or worrying about.
9. Run a Real Pilot Before You Commit
Don’t just buy based on a demo—run a real-world pilot.
- Instrument your actual product.
- Invite your real users.
- Give your team a few weeks to break it.
- Measure: Did it actually help you find issues faster? Did support resolve tickets quicker? Did product get new insight you couldn’t get before?
- Write down what annoyed you. The little annoyances in a pilot become huge headaches at scale.
If a vendor drags their feet or wants you to sign first, that’s a red flag.
Honest Takes: FullStory vs. The Competition
Since you’re here, you probably want head-to-head thoughts. Here’s the blunt view:
FullStory - Strengths: Autocapture is real—it records everything without much setup, so you don’t miss events you didn’t think to track. Session replays are smooth. Filtering, segmentation, and frustration signals (like rage clicks) are best-in-class. UI is polished. - Weaknesses: Can get expensive fast at enterprise scale, especially if you want long data retention. Privacy controls are decent, but you’ll need to double-check your masking config. Some advanced features (like robust integrations or API access) may require higher tiers. - Best for: Teams who want quick wins, minimal tagging setup, and strong session replay.
Competitors (e.g., Contentsquare, Quantum Metric, Heap, Hotjar, etc.) - Strengths: Some offer better pricing for high volume. Others have stronger data export, more robust integrations, or niche features (e.g., mobile app support, feature flags, A/B testing). - Weaknesses: Many require more manual tagging or setup. Some have clunky or slow replays, or less user-friendly interfaces. Privacy and compliance can be spotty—always double-check. - Best for: Teams with very specific needs (e.g., deep analytics, A/B testing, or heavy customization), or who need tighter integrations with existing data pipelines.
Ignore the hype: No tool is perfect. Each one will have trade-offs. The only wrong choice is picking based on a vendor’s sales pitch instead of your own team’s needs.
Keep It Simple: Your Next Steps
Don’t overthink it. Start with your real needs, narrow the field to 2-3 tools, and run a real-world pilot. Skip the endless feature matrix. What matters is whether your team can use the tool to spot problems, fix them, and improve your product—without drowning in complexity or surprise bills.
Pick what works, iterate as you grow, and remember: most of the value comes from how you use these tools, not which logo is in the corner.