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Software · head to head

Amplitude vs Principle

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Principle

Software

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amplitude has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Principle macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, Principle covers Timeline-based animation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and Principle actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and Principle differ
AttributeAmplitudePrinciple
Starting priceFree$129/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApimacOS
Founded20122015

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

What people use each for

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

Amplitude

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

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Amplitude
  • Micro-interactionsnot Amplitude
  • Animation designnot Amplitude
  • User flow designnot Amplitude
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot 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

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

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

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129/one-time
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/year
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

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 Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.
Principle review

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or Principle better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and Principle at $129/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or Principle?
Amplitude has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amplitude and $129/one-time for Principle.
Does Amplitude or Principle run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Principle runs on macOS.
Can I use Amplitude for free?
Yes. Amplitude has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Principle starts at $129/one-time.
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 Principle is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that Principle cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse.

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
Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

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
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

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
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source
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