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Software · head to head

Amplitude vs RescueTime

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
RescueTime logo

RescueTime

Software

Take back control of your time

From
$12/month
Rated
-

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; RescueTime no free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and RescueTime actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and RescueTime differ
AttributeAmplitudeRescueTime
Starting priceFree$12/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWindows, macOS, Android, Web
Founded20122006

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 RescueTime

  • Automatic time tracking
  • Productivity scoring
  • Detailed categorization
  • FocusTime blocking
  • Goal setting
  • Alerts & notifications
  • Offline time entry
  • API access

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Amplitude

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

RescueTime

  • Personal productivity trackingnot Amplitude
  • Time auditnot Amplitude
  • Focus improvementnot Amplitude
  • Work-life balancenot Amplitude
  • Team productivity analysisnot 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

RescueTime

  • No free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation
  • Limited iOS support compared to competitors that offer full mobile app access
  • Requires integration via categories and rules rather than direct app detection on some platforms

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

RescueTime

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Automatic time tracking
    • Focus Time
    • Idle time monitoring
  • Team$6/month
    • All Standard features
    • Team analytics
    • Cross-device tracking

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.

Choose RescueTime if

  • You need automatic time tracking.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want productivity scoring.

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or RescueTime better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and RescueTime at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or RescueTime?
Amplitude has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amplitude and $12/month for RescueTime.
Does Amplitude or RescueTime run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. RescueTime runs on Windows, macOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Amplitude for free?
Yes. Amplitude has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RescueTime starts at $12/month.
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 RescueTime is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that RescueTime cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking, Productivity scoring, Detailed categorization, FocusTime blocking. Both handle Slack.

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
RescueTime: Does RescueTime still have a free tier?

No. RescueTime discontinued its free tier in 2023. The service now requires a paid subscription starting at $12 per month or $78 per year.

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
RescueTime: What platforms does RescueTime support?

RescueTime supports Windows, macOS, Android, and web. iOS support is limited to passive features like calendar sync and mobile summary emails.

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
RescueTime: What are the key productivity features in RescueTime?

RescueTime offers automatic time tracking, Focus Time for blocking distractions, idle time monitoring, goal-setting with reminders, and in 2026 adds AI-Based Focus Sessions with real-time alerts to detect poor focus patterns.

Source
RescueTime: Is there a team plan for RescueTime?

Yes. The team plan costs $6 per user per month when billed annually, with a minimum of 3 users required.

Source

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