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Software · head to head

Amplitude vs Google Analytics

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Analytics logo

Google Analytics

Software

Get to know your customers

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; Google Analytics data retention limited to maximum 26 months on standard properties, with automatic deletion after retention period expires
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and Google Analytics actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and Google Analytics differ
AttributeAmplitudeGoogle Analytics
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded20121998

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

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 Google Analytics

  • Real-time analytics
  • Audience insights
  • Acquisition tracking
  • Behavior flow
  • Conversion tracking
  • Custom reports
  • Mobile analytics
  • E-commerce tracking

Both cover

  • BigQuery
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Amplitude

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

Google Analytics

  • Website and web application analyticsnot Amplitude
  • Event tracking and user behaviour analysisnot Amplitude
  • Traffic source and conversion trackingnot 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

Google Analytics

  • Data retention limited to maximum 26 months on standard properties, with automatic deletion after retention period expires
  • Large and XL properties capped at 2-month data retention only
  • Age, gender, and interest data always expire after 2 months regardless of retention settings
  • Free tier does not include GA360 advanced features

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

Google Analytics

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Analytics 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 Google Analytics if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want audience insights.
Google Analytics review

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or Google Analytics better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and Google Analytics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or Google Analytics?
Amplitude starts at Free and Google Analytics at Free.
Does Amplitude or Google Analytics run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Google Analytics runs on Web.
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 Google Analytics is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that Google Analytics cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Audience insights, Acquisition tracking, Behavior flow. Both handle BigQuery, Salesforce, SOC2.

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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Related pages

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