Behavior AnalyticsFullSession vs. Hotjar Heatmaps
FullSession vs. Hotjar Heatmaps: Which Wins for SaaS? ...
Walkthroughs
Heatmaps for Checkout Optimization: SaaS vs Ecommerce Walkthroughs
By Roman Mohren, CEO @ FullSession • Last updated: Nov 2025
Part of our pillar: Heatmaps for Conversion: From Insight to A/B Wins
TL;DR: Teams that pair interactive heatmaps with funnel drop-off context identify checkout friction faster and protect completion rates on the most valuable paths. Updated: Nov 2025.
Privacy: Inputs are masked by default; allow-list only when necessary.
On this page
Decision TL;DR: Who should pick which workflow?
SaaS checkout (subscriptions): Choose heatmaps + Funnels with device segmentation to isolate plan card interactions, below-the-fold CTAs, and disabled “Continue” states. Prioritize steps where payment + tax + address forms stack vertically on mobile.
Ecommerce checkout (carts): Choose heatmaps + Funnels focused on coupon/gift card fields, shipping method toggles, and guest vs sign-in friction. Prioritize tap clusters near Apply buttons and address auto-complete behavior.
Hybrid orgs: Standardize on Interactive Heatmaps for both flows so teams triage where (heatmap) → drop-off (funnel) → why (optional replay) in one motion.
Feature / Cost / Privacy Parity (Updated Nov 2025)
Snapshot of how SaaS vs Ecommerce checkout optimization typically uses FullSession. Use it to choose your starting configuration.
Feature parity (SaaS vs Ecommerce)
| Capability | SaaS Checkout | Ecommerce Checkout | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device/viewport segmentation | Required for plan grid + billing stacks | Required for cart + shipping steps | Nov 2025 |
| Rage-tap / dead-tap overlays | Disabled “Continue”, SSO, plan toggles | Coupon “Apply”, gift card, shipping toggles | Nov 2025 |
| Scroll/fold analysis | CTA falls below fold on mobile | Order summary pushes CTA below fold | Nov 2025 |
| Funnel jump-to-heatmap | Plan → Billing → Confirm | Cart → Shipping → Payment → Confirm | Nov 2025 |
| (Optional) jump-to-replay | Validate validation states & timing | Validate auto-complete & API latencies | Nov 2025 |
Cost posture (operating guidance)
| Lens | SaaS Checkout | Ecommerce Checkout | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data capture scope | Target pricing/plan + payment steps | Target cart + checkout steps | Nov 2025 |
| Scaling watch-outs | Long forms inflate retries; keep masking | High traffic → sample windows sensibly | Nov 2025 |
| Optimization cadence | Weekly micro-tweaks behind flags | Daily micro-tweaks tied to promo cadence | Nov 2025 |
Privacy posture
| Area | SaaS Checkout | Ecommerce Checkout | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input masking defaults | Keep masked; allow-list only non-sensitive display fields | Same; confirm coupon codes are masked | Nov 2025 |
| Consent & compliance | Honor consent signals; minimize payload | Same; confirm third-party widgets’ behavior | Nov 2025 |
Migration (3 steps, ~30 minutes typical)
Install & segment (5–10 minutes)
Add the FullSession snippet via tag manager or module import. Enable device/viewport filters and confirm masking & consent.
Create saved views (10–15 minutes)
- SaaS: “Plan Grid (Mobile)”, “Billing Form Error States”, “Confirm Step”.
- Ecommerce: “Coupon Apply + Order Summary”, “Shipping Method Toggle”, “Payment Step”.
Add funnel jump-to-heatmap shortcuts for each.
Validate parity & go live (5 minutes)
Run a 24–72h window, compare tap clusters, scroll depth, and drop-off deltas. (Optional) spot-check with replay. Standardize the daily triage ritual.
Risks & mitigations
- Risk: “Heatmap discrepancy” from mismatched windows. Mitigation: Align date ranges, devices, and steps before comparing.
- Risk: False positives from promo traffic. Mitigation: Annotate campaigns; compare like-for-like windows and traffic sources in Funnels.
- Risk: Over-collection / payload bloat. Mitigation: Keep masking defaults; restrict capture to checkout steps.
- Risk: Team context switching between tools. Mitigation: Use funnel jump-to-heatmap (and optional replay) to keep diagnosis in one place.
Proof (before/after)
| Scenario | KPI | Before (median) | After (median) | Lift | Method | Window | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce: Coupon “Apply” friction fix | Checkout conversion | 2.8% | 3.4% | +21% (dir.) | Pre/Post | Last 60 days | Nov 2025 |
| SaaS: Move Confirm CTA above fold (mobile) | Plan purchase completion | 43% | 48% | +5 pts (dir.) | AA cohort | Last 30 days | Nov 2025 |
| Mixed: Disabled-CTA rage-tap fix | Time-to-diagnosis | 9.6h | 6.2h | −35% (dir.) | ITS | Last 90 days | Nov 2025 |
Coupon “Apply” UX fix
Confirm CTA above fold
Disabled-CTA handling
Switch & Save
Get started on the plan that fits your workflow. You can switch plans anytime.
FAQs
- What’s the difference between SaaS and ecommerce checkout heatmaps?
- SaaS emphasizes plan selection + form validation, while ecommerce emphasizes cart/coupon and shipping/payment toggles. Heatmaps reveal where attention stalls; Funnels quantify impact.
- Do I need session replay to optimize checkout?
- Heatmaps + Funnels identify where and how much. Replay is optional but useful to verify why (e.g., disabled states, API errors).
- How do we avoid exposing sensitive data?
- FullSession masks inputs by default. Only allow-list non-sensitive fields required for UX diagnosis and document the decision.
- Will adding heatmaps slow checkout?
- FullSession capture is streamed/batched to minimize overhead and avoid blocking render.
- Can I compare pre- and post-fix quickly?
- Yes—re-run heatmaps for 24–72h, then compare predicted median vs observed median completion in Funnels.
- What should we test first?
- Start with mobile fold position, coupon “Apply” UX, tap-target sizes, and disabled-state feedback. These drive frequent, high-leverage wins.
- How do we scale this across brands/locales?
- Create saved views for common steps and replicate filters by brand/locale; review daily during promo periods.