Markers and dotmap carry some location parameter or coordinates. Basicaly, both of them are type of visualisation and can be displayed in the View together or separately.

Markers and dotmap differ in appearance but the main difference is the purpose.
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We recommend markers to visualize small dataset. The dataset can represent shops, ATMs, cafes, hospital, schools etc. These usually have spatial relationship to more granular data as customers, transactions, patients, students. 

In contrast to markers, dotmap is much more suitable to visualise the bigger dataset of more granular data, e.g. customers, population, students, transactions etc. Single dots in dotmap can have relationship to pinpoints. It usually means that student from some city visit different schools, population in some area belongs to specific hospitals, transactions in particular administrative unit were done using different ATMs in that area.

The relationships described above are in CleverMaps displayed as catchment area of marker. The catchment area can be visualised using dotmap. But heatmap, grids, administrative units or custom polygons can be used too. 

It works the other way round. Imagine that the dots in dotmap represent customer addresses. At some address live just one family at the other can be company with 100+ employees. You would like to see from which restaurant the customers in specific dot order food. You just select the dot and see in map which restaurants (= marker) has relationship to that dot. Moreover you got information about ranking of those restaurant based on number of orders in infopanel in block ranking.