Smartlook

Session recordings, heatmaps, events, funnels, and mobile analytics

NOT REALLY · consider alternatives
price variesestimated build time not a true replacement; consolation build in one to two daysreplaced by 0 people

Do not mistake the interface for the product. Smartlook's durable value is ingestion, storage, reliability, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • high-volume ingestion and retention
  • bot and identity resolution
  • session replay privacy tooling
  • enterprise governance and integrations

Why people still pay

Smartlook: Customers pay for trusted numbers, retention, privacy controls, and a pipeline that remains accurate while traffic and schemas change.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • deploy target
  • ClickHouse or SQLite for low volume
  • first-party tracking script
  • Explicit README warning that this is a consolation build, not a production replacement
01
Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + ClickHouse + PostgreSQL.
02
Model data sources, dated observations, derived metrics, and report snapshots; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
03
Interface for this behavior analytics workflow: a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views.
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1, architecture and data

Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + ClickHouse + PostgreSQL. Model data sources, dated observations, derived metrics, and report snapshots; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.

2

Phase 2, implement

For behavior analytics, define the event schema and a permitted first-party source.

3

Phase 3, implement

Ingest events with stable IDs, aggregate the requested metric, and retain raw rows for audit.

4

Phase 4, review and output

Show a dated report with filters and CSV export.

5

Phase 5, recovery and acceptance

Verify this invariant with a saved fixture: A replayed batch cannot double-count events; missing or late data must be labelled in the report. State the practical limit: high-volume ingestion and retention.

the pro prompt
Build me a focused behavior analytics workflow for the personal core of Smartlook. Requirements:

- Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + ClickHouse + PostgreSQL. Model data sources, dated observations, derived metrics, and report snapshots; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
- Paid product context: Session recordings, heatmaps, events, funnels, and mobile analytics. Build only this DIY scope: Build a narrow behavior analytics collector for one site or app, ingest first-party events, and show a small set of decision-ready reports.
- For behavior analytics, define the event schema and a permitted first-party source.
- Ingest events with stable IDs, aggregate the requested metric, and retain raw rows for audit.
- Show a dated report with filters and CSV export.
- Use a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views. Required input or access: deploy target; ClickHouse or SQLite for low volume.
- Acceptance: with one labelled sample, show the input, saved intermediate state, and exported result; verify this invariant: A replayed batch cannot double-count events; missing or late data must be labelled in the report.
- Out of scope: high-volume ingestion and retention; bot and identity resolution. Keep this a personal, inspectable workflow.
- Include a README with setup, a sample input, required keys or permissions, data location, and the supported scope.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan

share on X ↗

Alternatives to building your own

PostHogReplays, heatmaps, funnels and mobile SDKs on a free allowance that covers a small product.38kaug 2026open source↗OpenReplayRecordings, heatmaps, events, funnels and mobile replay, with full data control and nontrivial operations.12kaug 2026open source↗

no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

Smartlook pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
free access during wind-down$0/workspace$0/workspace20 API requests/hour; other current session, project, retention and seat caps are not numerically published on the wind-down pageStandalone Smartlook is being discontinued; access is scheduled to end when the platform is decommissioned on 2027-09-30.
legacy paid subscription (renewal only)——100 API requests/hour; optional REST API add-on raises this to 1,000 requests/hour; other limits depend on the customer's legacy contractNot sold to new customers after 2026-05-31. Existing customers may renew through 2026-08-31, and paid subscriptions are scheduled to end by 2027-08-31.

free tierFree access remains during the product wind-down; 20 API requests/hour is the only current numeric cap verified publicly, and the platform is scheduled to shut down on 2027-09-30

billingno new paid plans; end of sale was 2026-05-31, legacy renewals remain available through 2026-08-31, paid subscriptions end by 2027-08-31, and the service is scheduled for decommissioning on 2027-09-30

hidden costsThe legacy REST API add-on raises the public rate limit from 100 to 1,000 requests/hour, but its price is not published.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-12 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Smartlook

Can you build your own Smartlook with AI?

A full replacement is not the recommended project. Do not mistake the interface for the product. Smartlook's durable value is ingestion, storage, reliability, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.

What does the Smartlook build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Build a narrow behavior analytics collector for one site or app, ingest first-party events, and show a small set of decision-ready reports. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: high-volume ingestion and retention; bot and identity resolution; session replay privacy tooling. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Smartlook prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Smartlook project take?

The catalogue estimate is not a true replacement; consolation build in one to two days for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Smartlook?

high-volume ingestion and retention; bot and identity resolution; session replay privacy tooling; enterprise governance and integrations. Smartlook: Customers pay for trusted numbers, retention, privacy controls, and a pipeline that remains accurate while traffic and schemas change.

What can I use instead of building Smartlook?

PostHog: Replays, heatmaps, funnels and mobile SDKs on a free allowance that covers a small product. OpenReplay: Recordings, heatmaps, events, funnels and mobile replay, with full data control and nontrivial operations. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.

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