CJ Affiliate vs Hotjar Analytics: Shopify Performance Comparison
Hotjar Analytics wins with Grade A vs Grade B — a one-grade performance difference that compounds on mobile devices.
Both apps provide heatmaps, session recording, and analytics functionality for Shopify stores. This page presents StackConflict’s independent lab results for both — measured in a clean-room environment with no other apps installed.
Head-to-Head Metrics
| Metric | CJ Affiliate | Hotjar Analytics | Faster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B | A | Hotjar Analytics |
| JS Payload | 49.53 KB | 14.81 KB | Hotjar Analytics |
| CPU Desktop | 16 ms | 8 ms | Hotjar Analytics |
| CPU Mobile | 92 ms | 24 ms | Hotjar Analytics |
| Layout Shift | 0.0 | 0.0 | CJ Affiliate |
Mobile CPU measured with 4× CDP throttle (mid-range Android). Tested 2026-05-30.
Hotjar Analytics — The Faster Option (Grade A)
Hotjar Analytics scores Grade A with a JS payload of 14.81 KB and 8 ms desktop CPU execution. Mobile CPU: 24 ms. It passes every StackConflict threshold for payload, CPU, and layout stability — making it safe to install on any storefront including mobile-first stores where Time-to-Interactive directly impacts conversion.
View full Hotjar Analytics speed report →
CJ Affiliate — The Heavier Option (Grade B)
CJ Affiliate scores Grade B with a JS payload of 49.53 KB and 16 ms desktop CPU execution. Mobile CPU: 92 ms. Performance is acceptable but worth monitoring, particularly on stores with high mobile traffic share.
View full CJ Affiliate speed report →
When to Choose CJ Affiliate
- You need its specific features and can monitor its mobile impact
- Your other apps are lightweight (Grade A) so there is headroom
- You are on desktop-skewed traffic where CPU cost matters less
When to Choose Hotjar Analytics
- You are running a mobile-heavy store and Core Web Vitals matter
- You want to stack multiple apps without worrying about combined JS cost
- Conversion rate optimisation is a key priority
Performance Verdict
Winner: Hotjar Analytics — Hotjar Analytics wins with Grade A vs Grade B — a one-grade performance difference that compounds on mobile devices.
About This Test
StackConflict measures each Shopify app in an isolated clean-room environment — a single development store, no other scripts, Playwright-controlled browser. V8 CPU cost is the ScriptDuration delta before and after injection. CLS is captured from the same browser session. Results represent the median of three independent runs with outliers removed.
Data from the StackConflict Lab. Last updated 2026-05-30.