Hawkeye

Overview

Hawkeye is software for eye-tracking studies of websites, images and prototypes. It suits product and design teams seeking participant-level gaze evidence without dedicated tracking hardware. Its strength is the range from visual summaries to individual-element data; the five-session free-plan cap and TrueDepth requirement on iPhone and iPad are meaningful constraints.

Key features

Teams can test websites and images without code changes, as well as prototypes built with InVision, Marvel or Sketch. That makes Hawkeye useful across early design review and evaluation of existing interfaces. Participants can be invited by phone number through text message, which gives teams a direct recruitment route.

Heat maps, focus-point diagrams and screen recordings show attention at a glance, while participant-level data records where each person looked and for how long. Aggregated results help identify patterns across testers, and UI-element statistics can focus follow-up on specific parts of an interface. CSV exports include eye position, UI element and touch data; heat maps and screen recordings can also be exported.

Calibration centers the participant’s head, verifies calibration, and reports a five-star rating and accuracy estimate. This gives teams a useful indication of calibration quality. Sign-in is available through Slack and Google, and company Slack teammates are automatically added to the same team. Users can send questions, feedback and feature requests through the chat button.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and allows 1 project and 5 sessions. It is a practical way to assess Hawkeye or run a small study, but the session allowance is restrictive for repeated research. The Starter Plan costs $39.99 a month, billed monthly. It is the paid option for teams that need to move beyond the free allowance; the published plan details do not state its project or session quotas.

Platforms

Hawkeye supports iPhone, iPad and web. The iPhone and iPad app requires a TrueDepth camera, so mobile studies depend on participants having compatible devices. Its software-based approach avoids dedicated eye-tracking hardware, but that does not remove the mobile camera requirement.

Who it's for

Hawkeye is a good fit for product and design teams that need gaze evidence on live sites, images or supported prototypes and want both aggregate patterns and participant-level detail. It is less suitable when a study needs more than five sessions at no cost, or when participants cannot use an iPhone or iPad with a TrueDepth camera.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Tests cover websites and images without code changes, plus prototypes from InVision, Marvel and Sketch, supporting research at different design stages.
• Pro: Participant-level gaze, aggregated heat maps and UI-element statistics offer both broad and focused views of attention.
• Pro: CSV exports include eye position, UI element and touch data, giving teams structured data to work with beyond visualizations.
• Con: The Free plan stops at 1 project and 5 sessions, limiting its use for ongoing or larger studies.
• Con: iPhone and iPad testing requires a TrueDepth camera, narrowing the pool of suitable mobile participants.

Alternatives

GazePlotter is a free, open-source option licensed under GNU GPL v3, and supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. Consider it when open-source software or broader platform coverage matters more than Hawkeye’s stated study and visualization workflow.

GazeRecorder offers a free plan for non-commercial use and supports Android, iOS, web and Windows. Choose it when non-commercial use and those platforms fit your needs.

Labvanced has a free plan with 300 MB storage, 10 recordings and 1 active recruiting link, plus a free trial. It may suit readers who need those stated recording and recruiting allowances.

PyGaze is a free, open-source eye-tracking toolbox distributed as a Python package and source downloads for Linux, macOS and Windows. It is an alternative for readers seeking that toolbox format.

Chiasm offers pay-per-use Flex pricing at €0.25/min with no monthly minimum, as well as a Starter plan at €199 a month with 900 participant-minutes per month included. It is worth considering when that usage-based or participant-minute pricing better matches a study.

OGAMA is freeware and open source for Windows, a straightforward alternative for readers who want that platform and licensing model.

OpenGazer is an open-source gaze tracker for Linux and self-hosted use that requires a webcam and Linux build dependencies. Choose it when those deployment and technical requirements fit.

Pupil Player supports Linux, macOS and Windows.

Browse more options in Eye Tracking Software.

Verdict

Choose Hawkeye if your team wants gaze visualizations and participant-level interface data without dedicated tracking hardware, especially for studies spanning websites, images and supported prototypes. Its five-session free cap and mobile TrueDepth requirement are the main reasons to look elsewhere; check those constraints before committing to a study workflow.