GazeRecorder

GazeRecorder uses a webcam to track eye movement and create video recordings, with online tools for remote UX research on desktop and mobile. The service can test websites, images, screenshots, mockups, pictures, videos and apps. The maker says it can show where participants look and for how long in real time. GazeFlow creates heatmaps over webpages, applications, images or videos and can combine data from multiple subjects. Desktop features include live webcam tracking, one-click experiment creation and dynamic heatmaps. A webcam is required for desktop use, but the maker says specialized hardware is not needed; smartphone tracking uses the selfie camera without extra equipment. Visualizations include heatmaps, gaze paths, fixation metrics and areas of interest, with video recordings and session data available for export. The free desktop version is for non-commercial use only. The FAQ gives approximate GazeCloud API accuracy of 1.0 degree and precision of 0.2 degree of visual angle. Platforms include web, Windows, iOS, Android and API; the FAQ lists browser requirements for PC participants.

GazeRecorder offers webcam-based tracking and several visualizations for remote studies, with a smartphone selfie-camera option. Commercial desktop use is not included in the unregistered free version.

GazeRecorder may suit UX researchers who want remote eye-tracking studies across desktop or mobile materials. The free desktop version is limited to non-commercial use.

GazeRecorder turns a standard webcam into a remote eye-tracking tool for UX researchers and teams studying visual attention. It is strongest when a study needs broad gaze patterns across websites, apps, images or video without dedicated tracking hardware; the desktop free version is non-commercial only.

Overview

Studies can run remotely on desktop or mobile, using live websites, screenshots, mockups, images, videos and apps as test material. GazeRecorder can show where participants look and for how long in real time, then provide respondent-level eye and click data alongside aggregated sample data. That mix supports both individual review and a view across participants.

GazeFlow adds heatmaps over web pages, applications, static images and videos, and can merge results from multiple subjects. Gaze paths, fixation metrics and areas of interest provide other ways to inspect attention. These visualizations make the tool more useful than a recording alone, but the FAQ gives GazeCloud API accuracy as approximately 1.0 degree and precision as approximately 0.2 degree of visual angle. That is worth considering for studies that depend on tightly localized gaze placement.

Key features

• Webcam-based tracking: The desktop feature set includes real-time tracking, one-click experiment creation and dynamic heatmaps. A webcam is required, but specialized hardware is not, which lowers the equipment burden for remote studies.
• Mobile option: Smartphone tracking uses the selfie camera without extra hardware, offering a route to remote mobile research.
• Study and data workflow: The software can work with survey platforms that send participants to an external URL and return them afterward. Its browser support for PC participants includes Chrome 53+, Edge 12+, Firefox 42+, Opera 40+ and Safari 11+.
• API access: GazeCloud API and GazeRecorder API are available, and GazeCloudAPI.js can add real-time eye tracking to a website. This is relevant for teams building tracking into their own web experience rather than relying only on the standard study flow.

Pricing

The GazeRecorder (non-commercial use) plan costs free. It suits individual researchers, students or teams conducting non-commercial studies who want webcam tracking and visualizations without paying for specialized equipment. Its key trade-off is explicit: the unregistered desktop version is restricted to non-commercial use, so commercial desktop projects need another option.

Platforms

GazeRecorder supports web, Windows PCs, iOS, Android and API access. That breadth accommodates desktop and smartphone studies, although the stated PC participant browser requirements should be checked against a study’s audience.

Who it's for

GazeRecorder fits UX researchers, product teams and educators who need remote observations of how people attend to digital or visual material. It is particularly practical when a webcam-based setup and heatmaps across multiple participants are more important than specialized tracking equipment. It is a weaker fit for commercial desktop work on the free version or research that requires finer gaze precision.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Tests live sites as well as images, mockups, videos and apps, so studies are not limited to one content format.
• Combines heatmaps, gaze paths, fixation metrics and areas of interest with respondent-level and aggregate data.
• Uses webcams, including a smartphone selfie camera, without requiring specialized tracking hardware.
• Supports external-URL survey workflows and website integration through GazeCloudAPI.js.

Cons

• The free desktop version is limited to non-commercial use, ruling it out for commercial desktop studies.
• GazeCloud API's stated approximate accuracy and precision may not satisfy work requiring highly exact gaze placement.
• PC participants need a supported browser, so older browser versions are not covered by the stated requirements.

Alternatives

For a free, open-source option that also runs on Linux and macOS, consider GazePlotter; its platform range is broader, while GazeRecorder offers the stated smartphone selfie-camera approach and remote study workflow.

Hawkeye is a freemium alternative with a free tier capped at one project and five sessions, plus a Starter Plan at $39.99 a month billed monthly.

Retra is a free, open-source Android alternative.

EyeWorks is a paid alternative for Android and iOS.

RealEye is a paid option with a free trial and a Basic annual plan at $325 a month, billed $3,900 annually; its plan includes unlimited studies, 20 own participants per month and studies up to three minutes.

Labvanced is a freemium alternative with a free tier providing 300 MB storage, 10 recordings and one active recruiting link, plus a free trial.

OGAMA is a free, open-source Windows alternative.

OpenGazer is a free, open-source option for Linux and self-hosted use that requires a webcam and Linux build dependencies.

Browse more options in Eye Tracking Software.

Verdict

Choose GazeRecorder for remote UX studies that need webcam-based tracking, multiple visualizations and broad test materials without dedicated hardware. Its free plan lowers the barrier for non-commercial research, but commercial desktop use and studies demanding very precise gaze placement are better served elsewhere.