In short
Smartlook, owned by Cisco, records websites and mobile apps, and is closing: no new paid plans have been sold since 31 May 2026, and the platform shuts down with all data deleted on 30 September 2027. Cisco's route is Splunk Observability Cloud. Faintrail records websites only. It replays each visit beside a plain-words log, marks problems such as rage clicks and errors, never records typed text, and keeps the data in the EU, the UK or the US, as you choose. Smartlook's successor suits teams that need mobile apps, funnels and heatmaps; Faintrail suits website teams who mostly watch visits.
Smartlook and Faintrail side by side
| Faintrail | Smartlook | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Each visit replayed beside a plain-words log of pages, clicks and problems: rage clicks, unanswered clicks, unsent forms, errors | Recordings, event analytics, funnels, heatmaps (clicks and scrolling), behaviour flows and crash reports |
| Mobile apps | No: websites only | Yes |
| Privacy defaults | Typed text is never recorded, and there's no setting that records it. Email addresses, phone and card numbers on the page are hidden. Pages you mark private aren't recorded | On websites, no form inputs are recorded unless you switch form recording on; passwords never are. IP addresses aren't recorded unless switched on, and once on, that can't be undone |
| Where data is kept | Hosted by Faintrail on a server in the EU, the UK or the US: you choose | Projects are in the EU region by default; a change of region goes through Smartlook's support |
| AI | Download up to 100 visits as one text file for the assistant you already use. Nothing is sent to an AI automatically | Not described on its current pages |
| How long it's kept | Replays 30 days and logs 90 days by default, up to a year if you choose | Varies by plan; not stated on its current pages. All data deleted on 30 September 2027 |
| Taking data with you | Download up to 100 visits as one text file | API for visitors, events, funnels and sessions (recordings aren't listed). Splunk won't migrate old data |
| Price | Not set yet | No new paid plans since 31 May 2026; renewals ended 31 August 2026. Existing customers keep the free plan until 30 September 2027 |
| Future | Getting ready for its first websites: early list | Support ends 31 August 2027; platform shut down 30 September 2027. Cisco points customers to Splunk Observability Cloud |
| Set-up | One small script, pasted once into your site | A script for websites; SDKs for mobile apps |
Sources, checked 15 November 2026: Smartlook pricing and FAQ; The future of Smartlook; smartlook.com; Cisco end-of-life notice; Smartlook: recording sensitive data; Smartlook API overview.
Why teams choose Faintrail
- It does the website part on its own. Cisco's route leads to Splunk Observability Cloud, where digital experience analytics sits beside real user monitoring and synthetic tests. If all you did in Smartlook was watch visits to your website, Faintrail does that and nothing you'd have to learn around it.
- You choose the country, the UK included. Smartlook projects sit in the EU region unless support moves them. With Faintrail you pick the EU, the UK or the US when you set up, and your visitors' data is never sold or shared.
- Typing stays out, with no switch to get wrong. Smartlook hides form inputs until someone turns form recording on. Faintrail has no such setting: text typed into any field is never recorded, only that someone typed and how many characters.
- Read a visit in seconds, then watch the moment that matters. Every visit has a plain-words log beside the replay, with problems marked, and you can download the visits you filter as one text file for an AI assistant to read.
When Smartlook, or Splunk, is the better choice
If you recorded mobile apps, or relied on funnels, heatmaps, event analytics or crash reports, Faintrail can't replace them: it records websites only and has none of those yet. Cisco's own route, Splunk Observability Cloud, is where Smartlook's tools are moving, and is the natural step if your company already uses Splunk. Until 30 September 2027 you can also keep using Smartlook's free plan as an existing customer.
Switching from Smartlook
- List what you used. Website recordings point to Faintrail; app recordings, funnels and crash reports point elsewhere.
- Copy what you need through Smartlook's API. Its API covers visitors, events, funnels and sessions; its pages don't say that recordings can be downloaded, so ask Smartlook before you count on them. Splunk won't migrate old data either.
- Run Faintrail beside Smartlook. Your old recordings won't move to Faintrail; it records from the day you add it, so start early and you'll have a history before Smartlook stops.
- Faintrail isn't open yet. It's getting ready for its first websites. Join the early list and you'll hear when you can add it.
Questions people ask
Is Smartlook becoming Splunk?
In effect, yes. Smartlook's tools are moving into Digital Experience Analytics, part of Splunk Observability Cloud, which Cisco names as the replacement. Your Smartlook subscription won't move across automatically, and neither will your old data.
Can I still sign up for Smartlook?
Not for a paid plan: sales ended on 31 May 2026 and renewals on 31 August 2026. Existing customers have the free plan until 30 September 2027. Smartlook's pages don't say whether new free accounts can still be opened.
Can I export my Smartlook recordings?
Smartlook says to copy your data through its APIs before the end-of-life date. The API lists visitors, events, funnels and sessions; it doesn't list the recordings themselves, so check with Smartlook what you'll get. Faintrail can't import Smartlook data.
How does Faintrail compare with Smartlook for websites?
For watching website visits, closely: both replay visits and keep what's typed out of the recording by default. Faintrail adds a plain-words log of every visit and a choice of the EU, the UK or the US for the data. Smartlook has funnels, heatmaps and event analytics; Faintrail has none of those yet.
Does Faintrail record mobile apps?
No. Faintrail records websites only, not mobile apps.
When can I start using Faintrail?
Faintrail is getting ready for its first websites. Join the early list and we'll tell you when you can add it. Smartlook keeps running until 30 September 2027, so there's time to compare both side by side.
