Compare · Smartlook
Best Smartlook alternative.
Smartlook is being wound down. Pieowl gives you session replay, event tracking and funnels, plus retention, cohorts, user profiles and MCP access for your AI assistant. Try it free for 14 days in our EU cloud.
- Session replay
- Events, funnels and retention
- No cookies
- EU cloud
Pieowl vs Smartlook: Which is right for you?
Pieowl if…
- 1You used Smartlook for web replay, events and funnels
- 2You want retention, cohorts and user profiles too
- 3You want no cookies and an EU cloud
Smartlook if…
- 1You still have a paid Smartlook plan running until it ends
- 2You rely on heatmaps or mobile crash reports
- 3You already use Cisco or Splunk Observability Cloud
Smartlook is going away, so the real question is what replaces it. Pieowl fits teams that want replay plus product analytics without an enterprise suite.
Why consider Pieowl over Smartlook?
Smartlook combined session recordings with event-based analytics: events, funnels, heatmaps, behavior flows and crash reports. After joining Cisco, Smartlook announced it is winding down as a standalone product.
The dates matter. New subscriptions stopped on 31 May 2026. Renewals stopped on 31 August 2026. Paid subscriptions end by 31 August 2027, and the platform will be switched off on 30 September 2027. Smartlook advises you to export your data before your paid plan ends. Cisco points customers to Digital Experience Analytics in Splunk Observability Cloud.
If you want a lighter tool instead, Pieowl covers the core of what Smartlook did for websites: session replay, events and funnels. It adds retention, cohorts, user profiles, revenue tracking and an MCP server, so your own AI assistant can answer questions about your data. It sets no cookies.
Be aware of the gaps. Pieowl has no heatmaps and no crash reports, and its session replay works on websites only. Its React Native SDK tracks events without replay.
Key differences at a glance
How Pieowl and Smartlook compare. Smartlook details checked October 2026.
| Feature | Pieowl | Smartlook |
|---|---|---|
| Key differences | ||
| Status | Available, with a 14-day free trial | No new sales since 31 May 2026; switched off 30 Sep 2027 |
| Session replay | Yes, for websites | Yes |
| Retention and cohorts | Yes | Not listed |
| Heatmaps and crash reports | No | Yes |
| Core analytics | ||
| Event tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Funnels | Yes | Yes |
| User pathsSmartlook calls these Behavior Flows | Yes | Yes |
| Retention | Yes | Not listed |
| Cohorts | Yes | Not listed |
| User profiles | Yes | Not listed |
| Revenue tracking | Yes | Not listed |
| AI answers about your data | Via your AI assistant (MCP) | Not listed |
| Visual behavior | ||
| Heatmaps | No | Yes |
| Crash reports | No | Yes |
| Integrations and data | ||
| Raw data export | API, S3 or Google Cloud Storage | Export before your paid plan ends |
Technical comparison
For developers, here is what changes when you move.
| Feature | Pieowl | Smartlook |
|---|---|---|
| SDKsPieowl's React Native SDK tracks events; replay is for websites |
|
|
| Future | Actively sold | Platform switched off on 30 September 2027 |
| Successor | Not applicable | Digital Experience Analytics in Splunk Observability Cloud |
Pricing comparison
Smartlook no longer sells new subscriptions. Pieowl's prices are on the page. Checked October 2026.
Pieowl
Event-based, prices on the page- 14-day free trial, no card needed.
- Starter: from $9/month for 10K events, $19 for 100K and $69 for 1M.
- Growth: twice the Starter price, for up to 30 sites and 30 team members.
- Over 10M events a month: talk to us.
- Pay yearly and get 2 months free.
- Paid plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Smartlook
No longer sold- New subscriptions ended on 31 May 2026, and renewals ended on 31 August 2026.
- Paid plans end by 31 August 2027.
- After your paid plan ends, you can use the Free plan until the platform is switched off on 30 September 2027.
- Checked October 2026.
Migrating from Smartlook to Pieowl
Export what you need from Smartlook first, then set up Pieowl and run both while your Smartlook plan is still active.
- 01Export your Smartlook data
Smartlook advises exporting your data before your paid plan ends, and no later than 31 August 2027.
- 02Add the Pieowl script or SDK
Add the Pieowl script tag or an SDK such as @pieowl/web or @pieowl/react-native. Page views and outgoing links are tracked for you on the web.
- 03Turn on session replay
Turn it on in Settings → Site, with no code to edit. Text and form fields are always hidden. Block other sensitive elements with data-pieowl-replay-block.
- 04Map events and identify users
Recreate your Smartlook events with pieowl.track('event_name', { property: 'value' }), and call pieowl.identify({ profileId: user.id }) after login.
- 05Rebuild funnels and add retention
Recreate your funnels, then add retention and cohort reports. Or ask your AI assistant to run them for you over MCP.
Effort: Moderate
Estimated time: 2-4 hoursSDK compatibility
Both use named events with properties. Recordings start once you turn on Pieowl's replay in Settings → Site.Historical data
Smartlook recordings cannot be moved to Pieowl. If you export raw events, you can send them to Pieowl's bulk import API, but you will need to map the fields yourself.
Where Pieowl is a better fit than Smartlook
Pieowl suits Smartlook users who want replay and product analytics in one simple tool.
Product analytics and growth
Funnels, retention, cohorts and user profiles show who stays and why.
EU hosting
Your data is stored in our EU cloud.
Replay with context
Jump from a funnel drop-off straight to the session replay behind it.
Ask your AI assistant
Connect Claude or Cursor over MCP and ask "Where do new users get stuck?"
A tool that is not going away
Smartlook will be switched off on 30 September 2027. Pieowl has public prices and a 14-day free trial today.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about moving from Smartlook to Pieowl.
Is Smartlook shutting down?
Yes. Smartlook stopped new sales on 31 May 2026 and renewals on 31 August 2026. Paid plans end by 31 August 2027, and the platform will be switched off on 30 September 2027. Checked October 2026.
What should I do with my Smartlook data?
Smartlook advises exporting your data before your paid plan ends, and no later than 31 August 2027.
Can Pieowl replace Smartlook's session recordings?
For websites, yes. Pieowl has session replay that you turn on per site. It has no heatmaps, no crash reports and no replay in mobile apps.
What does Cisco recommend instead?
Smartlook points customers to Digital Experience Analytics in Splunk Observability Cloud. Pieowl is a lighter option if you mainly need web replay and product analytics.
Does Pieowl support mobile apps?
Pieowl has a React Native SDK for events and an HTTP API. It has no native Swift or Kotlin SDKs, and replay is for websites only.
How much does Pieowl cost?
After a 14-day free trial with no card, Starter is $9/mo for 10K events, $19/mo for 100K and $69/mo for 1M. Growth is twice the Starter price and covers up to 30 sites and 30 team members. Every feature is on every plan.
Keep reading
Ready to make the switch?
14-day free trial, no card needed. Then from $9 a month for 10K events.