Insights · 6 min read

How Fullstory is leading the charge in mobile app analytics tools

The Fullstory Team
Posted January 19, 2024
How Fullstory is leading the charge in mobile app analytics tools

In an era where seamless digital experiences are critical to enterprise success, Fullstory for Mobile Apps emerges as a crucial tool for brands striving to deeply understand their users and craft experiences that not only engage but also drive revenue. Equipped with cutting-edge features like continuous session tracking, robust data privacy measures, and in-depth mobile app analytics, Fullstory meets and exceeds modern enterprise demands.

But how does Fullstory truly compare to its rivals in the mobile analytics space? Let’s uncover the specific areas where competitors miss the mark, revealing why Fullstory is the preferred solution for enterprises seeking to participate and lead in the digital experience arena. Are these features just industry buzzwords, or do they translate into real business value? Let's dive in and find out.

Fullstory™ for Mobile Apps vs. Contentsquare™ for Mobile Apps : Consistency in user session tracking

Fullstory for Mobile Apps distinguishes itself in user session tracking with its unique approach to data capture, setting it apart from competitors like Contentsquare. Instead of relying on more intrusive methods like screenshots or screen recordings – a technique often associated with privacy and app store compliance issues – Fullstory adopts a more refined method. It captures the nuanced changes in an app's drawing operations, offering a detailed yet privacy-conscious analysis of user interactions. More like a surgical knife than a hammer, this precision is crucial for businesses seeking an in-depth understanding of user behavior while upholding high privacy standards.

The mobile setup process for Fullstory is notably more user-friendly and straightforward compared to Contentsquare, enabling businesses to harness the power of advanced analytics quickly. This ease of implementation does not compromise Fullstory’s commitment to user privacy, a critical aspect where traditional methods, sometimes still echoed in Contentsquare's approach, fall short. Fullstory’s comprehensive package for mobile ensures that vital tools like session replay are not optional extras but standard features. This inclusive strategy supports ROI goals and gives businesses the tools for a thorough digital experience analysis.

fs-vs-contentsquare-mobile

Fullstory™ for Mobile Apps vs. Glassbox™ Mobile App Analytics: Championing data privacy and user experience

Fullstory for Mobile Apps stands out in data privacy, setting a high bar with its on-device data security strategy. This approach ensures that personally identifiable information never leaves the user’s device. What sets Fullstory apart is its unique masking technology, which is inherently private, offering an additional security layer that's vital for businesses handling sensitive data.

When it comes to extracting and sharing mobile insights, Fullstory excels with its advanced search and intuitive integration capabilities. The platform enables effortless cross-functional sharing of insights, made even more efficient through integrations with platforms like Slack. User feedback suggests that this contrasts with Glassbox’s more complex and technically oriented approach, which users have noted requires a steep learning curve and dependence on support services for essential mobile functions, leading to bottlenecks and a user experience tailored more for those with an engineering background.

Fullstory's design for mobile prioritizes user-friendliness, broadening its accessibility within an organization. It is crafted to cater to technically proficient users and those newer to digital analytics, promoting a culture of inclusivity. Fullstory's versatility and ease of use underscore its role as a comprehensive tool for digital experience analysis, making it an invaluable asset for teams seeking to leverage analytics in a user-friendly and efficient manner.

fs-vs-Glassbox-mobile

Fullstory™ for Mobile Apps vs. Smartlook™ for Mobile Apps : Advanced techniques and simplified data privacy

Fullstory's modern approach in data handling outperforms Smartlook's reliance on outdated methods like screenshot-based mobile data capture. For businesses seeking detailed analysis without affecting app performance, Fullstory's techniques are invaluable. Here’s why: Our capture method is impressively efficient, requiring 10-25 times less bandwidth than equivalent PNG or MP4 recordings used by competitors. It intelligently pauses capture when users are idle on your app, conserving data, bandwidth, and battery life. Fullstory adds only about 25-50MB to an app’s memory footprint, which the system recovers once the app is not in use. Moreover, Fullstory operates smoothly without WiFi requirements, utilizing just ~20kb/minute of bandwidth and implementing intelligent caching to keep usage low.

Fullstory offers a straightforward and effective approach in terms of privacy, surpassing Smartlook's more cumbersome process. Fullstory captures the drawing operations of an app, never recording the screen, and transmits data in a proprietary binary format focused on analytics. Most importantly, data masking and exclusion happen client-side, meaning personally identifiable information never reaches our servers. Unlike Smartlook, which requires rendering modes and sensitivity settings in the application code, Fullstory’s method is less prone to human error and less reliant on engineering teams. This reduces security risks and eases the burden on resources. Customers do not upload app assets; instead, Fullstory collects and fetches them during the app build. Only the structural elements (size, length, location, color) are captured by default, ensuring analytics are still comprehensive while text and sensitive information remain excluded and untransmitted.

This ease of managing privacy settings makes Fullstory for Mobile Apps  a user-friendly option and the preferred choice for enterprises needing to make quick, accurate decisions. In contrast, Smartlook’s session replay uses rendering modes set at the application level, ranging from full-screen captures to wireframe representations, often capturing sensitive data even if not rendered. Their sensitivity settings are also coded, exposing them to potential human error and requiring heavy reliance on engineering teams. This approach can lead to security risks and operational inefficiencies, making Fullstory a more secure and efficient solution for enterprise organization apps.

fs-vs-Smartlook-mobile

Conclusion: Fullstory is the best mobile app analytics solution for enterprise platforms

Fullstory emerges as a robust, hassle-free choice for enterprises focused on effectively managing their mobile experiences. It offers comprehensive tracking, a streamlined setup process, and a well-balanced approach between acquiring detailed insights and maintaining robust privacy. This combination of features positions Fullstory as a superior tool for businesses aiming to enhance their mobile app experiences without the complexities and risks often associated with app analytics tools. By delivering on essential aspects such as user privacy, ease of use, and effective data management, Fullstory establishes itself as the definitive choice for enterprises seeking quality and efficiency in their digital experience management.

Ready to elevate your mobile experience? Request a demo and see what Fullstory for Mobile Apps can do for you.

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The Fullstory TeamContributor

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