Fullstory vs. Smartlook
Full intelligence, not just a look
Smartlook reached end-of-sale on May 31. No new accounts, no new features. Fullstory picks up where it left off—and goes further.
Why customers choose Fullstory over Smartlook
Zero event tagging. Full behavioral data from day one- StoryAI proactively surfaces rage clicks, friction points, and opportunities—no query required
- Private-by-Default masks sensitive data before it leaves the browser—compliance built in
- MCP server and continuous product development
Zero event tagging. Full behavioral data from day one
Requires manual event setup before funnel and analytics work can begin- Frustration signals are detectable but require manual filtering; no AI layer brings patterns to you
- Element-level masking creates gaps as UI changes—ongoing configuration required
- Development frozen post-Cisco acquisition; End-of-Sale May 31, 2026; no new features
Requires manual event setup before funnel and analytics work can beginPowering leading digital experiences
Intelligent digital experiences. Powered by human context.
Complete data, zero gaps
Fullstory
Fullcapture automatically captures every interaction, with no tagging required. Teams can retroactively analyze any event, even ones never anticipated, with full session context and integrated quantitative analytics like Journeys and conversion funnels.
Smartlook
Requires manual event tagging for most analytics. Session replay is available, but retroactive analysis is limited to pre-defined events. Funnel and trend data lacks the deep contextual linkage to individual sessions that Fullstory provides.
Proactive frustration detection
Fullstory
Automatically flags rage clicks, dead clicks, and error clicks as struggle signals. A session-level struggle score quantifies friction so teams can prioritize fixes. Engineers can jump from flagged sessions to console logs for faster root cause analysis.
Smartlook
Detects rage clicks and provides heatmaps to surface friction areas. Struggle identification is largely manual: teams must interpret session replays to diagnose issues. No equivalent struggle scoring or direct console log integration.
Private by default
Fullstory
Private by Default architecture automatically redacts sensitive PII without manual configuration. Granular data governance lets organizations define capture scope, retention, and access, built for enterprise compliance and regulated industries.
Smartlook
Offers GDPR-compliant data handling and customizable masking. Privacy controls require more manual setup and are less granular. Less suited for enterprises with strict regulatory requirements or complex data governance needs.
Learn how Fullstory can accelerate your business
“Sometimes it’s not capturing all those web pages.”
"We had problems with the Smartlook because sometimes it's not capturing all of those web pages... some elements are blurred or not blurred. Just missing the data."
Web Analyst, iGaming
“[Smartlook] is very bare bones.”
"It is very bare bones... it's not very user-friendly or intuitive to figure out."
Product Team Lead, Residential Security
Fullstory vs. Smartlook at a glance
Enterprise-grade intelligent digital experience platform | Session replay and analytics tool (End of Sale) | |
|---|---|---|
| Designed for | Designed forProduct teams, UX researchers, engineering, CX leaders | Designed forSMB marketing teams, mobile app developers |
| Primary use | Primary useCapture every user interaction across web and mobile, no tagging required | Primary useSession replay, heatmaps, and funnels for manually tagged events |
| Data capture methods | Data capture methodsFullcapture (indexes every element, retroactive queries) | Data capture methodsManual event configuration (instrument before you can analyze) |
| AI insights | AI insightsStoryAI (Gemini-powered summaries, opportunities, plain-English queries) | AI insightsNo AI-powered analysis |
| MCP & agent support | MCP & agent supportOfficial MCP server (beta)—surfaces sessions, segments, and behavioral metrics to AI agents and coding tools | MCP & agent supportNo MCP available |
| Privacy model | Privacy model Private by Default (PII masked client-side before transmission) | Privacy model Element-level masking; passwords and forms masked by default; full coverage requires manual configuration |
| Mobile | MobileNative iOS and Android SDK with Fullcapture—no instrumentation required; available on paid plans | MobileiOS, Android, and React Native SDKs available; manual event tagging required; no new mobile features shipping |
| Deployment options | Deployment optionsCloud SaaS with enterprise governance and consent APIs | Deployment optionsCloud SaaS (End of Sale May 31, 2026; support ends August 31, 2027) |
| Pricing & plans | Pricing & plans FullstoryFree (30K sessions/mo) + Business, Advanced, Enterprise tiers | Pricing & plans Pro plan from $55/month; End of Sale May 31, 2026—no new accounts after that date |
| Setup | SetupHours (one-time install, no instrumentation) | SetupDays to weeks (event tagging and funnel configuration required) |
Frequently asked questions
Is Smartlook shutting down?
What is the best alternative to Smartlook?
Is Fullstory better than Smartlook?
Can I migrate my Smartlook data to Fullstory?
I'd like to try Fullstory. Is a free plan available?
What happened to Smartlook after Cisco acquired it?
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Smartlook reached end-of-sale on May 31. No new accounts, no new features. Fullstory picks up where it left off—and goes further.