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Technology · head to head

Amplitude vs DuckDB

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Technology

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Database & Data Management

Fast in-process analytical database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Amplitude metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow; DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, DuckDB covers In-process Execution.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and DuckDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and DuckDB differ
AttributeAmplitudeDuckDB
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly
CategoryTechnologyDatabase & Data Management
Founded20122019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amplitude

  • Event tracking
  • User segmentation
  • Funnel analysis
  • Retention analysis
  • Cohort analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Revenue analytics
  • Predictive analytics

Only in DuckDB

  • In-process Execution
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vectorized Execution
  • Rich SQL Support
  • Parquet Support
  • CSV/JSON Import
  • Zero Dependencies
  • Python

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amplitude

  • User behavior analysisnot DuckDB
  • Feature adoption trackingnot DuckDB
  • Conversion rate optimizationnot DuckDB
  • Customer journey mappingnot DuckDB
  • Retention improvementnot DuckDB

DuckDB

  • Analytics and data warehousingnot Amplitude
  • OLAP queries and data explorationnot Amplitude
  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot Amplitude
  • Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot Amplitude

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amplitude

  • Metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • The free plan covers 2M events a month
  • The Plus plan scales to 70M events, above which pricing is custom
  • Growth and Enterprise pricing is not published

DuckDB

  • Client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios

Pricing, plan by plan

Amplitude

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 2 million events per month
  • Plus$49/month
    • $0.049 per MTU
    • Up to 300k MTUs
    • Advanced analytics
  • GrowthFree
    • Causal insights
    • Feature experimentation
    • Real-time streaming
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Cross-product analysis
    • Advanced permissions
    • Dedicated account manager

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Amplitude if

  • You need event tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want user segmentation.
Amplitude review

Choose DuckDB if

  • You need in-process execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
  • You also want columnar storage.
DuckDB review

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or DuckDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and DuckDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or DuckDB?
Amplitude starts at Free and DuckDB at Free.
Does Amplitude or DuckDB run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
Can I use Amplitude for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Amplitude best used for?
Amplitude is most often used for user behavior analysis, feature adoption tracking, conversion rate optimization, customer journey mapping. Of those, user behavior analysis and feature adoption tracking are not what DuckDB is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that DuckDB cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amplitude: Does Amplitude have a free plan?

Yes, Amplitude offers a free Starter plan with 2 million events per month and access to the entire platform including analytics, session replay, and experimentation features.

Source
Amplitude: What is Amplitude's pricing based on?

Amplitude's pricing is based on the number of monthly tracked users (MTUs), data volume, and advanced features selected. The Plus plan starts at $49 per month with a rate of $0.049 per MTU.

Source
Amplitude: What analytics features does every Amplitude plan include?

Every plan includes access to the full platform: analytics, session replay, feature experimentation, web experimentation, guides and surveys, activation, and AI tools like AI Feedback and AI Assistant.

Source
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