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Technology · head to head

Amplitude vs PocketBase

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Technology

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PocketBase logo

PocketBase

API Management

Open-source backend with REST API, real-time subscriptions and Admin UI

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; PocketBase not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, PocketBase covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and PocketBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and PocketBase differ
AttributeAmplitudePocketBase
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD
CategoryTechnologyAPI Management
Founded20122021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 PocketBase

  • REST API
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Admin UI
  • SQLite
  • Webhooks
  • File storage
  • Go support
  • Docker support

What people use each for

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

Amplitude

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

PocketBase

  • Embedded realtime database with REST APInot Amplitude
  • Backend-as-a-service for single-file deploymentsnot Amplitude
  • Rapid application development with email/OAuth2 authenticationnot Amplitude
  • File storage and media attachment managementnot Amplitude
  • Lightweight alternative to Firebase or traditional backend infrastructurenot Amplitude
  • Go and JavaScript customisable application frameworknot 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

PocketBase

  • Not recommended for production critical applications until reaching v1.0.0
  • Full backward compatibility not guaranteed before v1.0.0 (breaking changes possible with version updates)
  • Pull requests for new features are disabled due to spam concerns (feature contributions limited)

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

PocketBase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PocketBase 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 PocketBase if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want real-time subscriptions.
PocketBase review

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or PocketBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and PocketBase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or PocketBase?
Amplitude starts at Free and PocketBase at Free.
Does Amplitude or PocketBase run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. PocketBase runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
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 PocketBase is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that PocketBase cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. PocketBase covers REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Admin UI, SQLite.

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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