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Marketing & Analytics · head to head

Countly vs PostHog

Countly logo

Countly

Marketing & Analytics

Product analytics for mobile and web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostHog logo

PostHog

Technology

The single platform to analyze, test, observe, and deploy new features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Countly the private cloud plan starts at $175 a month and is described as usage based without stating the unit; PostHog the free tier covers 1M events, 5K web session recordings and 2.5K mobile recordings per month before usage-based billing starts
  • They diverge on capability: Countly covers Event tracking, PostHog covers Product analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Countly and PostHog actually diverge.

Attributes where Countly and PostHog differ
AttributeCountlyPostHog
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryMarketing & AnalyticsTechnology
Founded20122020

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 Countly

  • Event tracking
  • Crash reporting
  • Analytics dashboard
  • User retention
  • Open-source
  • On-premise deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

Only in PostHog

  • Product analytics
  • Session recording
  • Feature flags
  • A/B testing
  • Heatmaps
  • SQL access
  • Data warehouse
  • Apps platform

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Countly

  • Product analytics for mobile and web applicationsnot PostHog
  • Self hosting analytics where data cannot leave the organisationnot PostHog

PostHog

  • Product analyticsnot Countly
  • Feature experimentationnot Countly
  • User behavior trackingnot Countly
  • A/B testingnot Countly
  • Debug production issuesnot Countly

Where each one falls short

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

Countly

  • The private cloud plan starts at $175 a month and is described as usage based without stating the unit
  • No event cap, data point limit or user limit is published for either paid plan
  • The self hosted Enterprise edition is custom priced and billed annually
  • Adaptivity and intelligence features are separately priced add ons on the cheaper plan

PostHog

  • The free tier covers 1M events, 5K web session recordings and 2.5K mobile recordings per month before usage-based billing starts
  • Accounts without a card on file are limited to 1 project; adding one raises it to 6
  • Data retention is 1 year until a card is added, which extends it to 7 years
  • Support is community-only until the account is on a paid plan
  • Error tracking is capped at 100K exceptions and surveys at 1500 responses per month on the free tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Countly

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Open-source
    • Self-hosted
    • Full features

PostHog

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M events/month
    • 5K sessions/month
    • Unlimited users
  • Paid$undefined/month
    • $0.00031/event
    • $0.005/session
    • Advanced permissions
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • SAML SSO
    • Advanced security
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Countly if

  • You need event tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want crash reporting.
Countly review

Choose PostHog if

  • You need product analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want session recording.
PostHog review

Questions people ask

Is Countly or PostHog better?
Neither clearly leads. Countly starts at Free and PostHog at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Countly or PostHog?
Countly starts at Free and PostHog at Free.
Does Countly or PostHog run on more platforms?
Countly runs on Web, Mobile, Api. PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Countly for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Countly best used for?
Countly is most often used for product analytics for mobile and web applications, self hosting analytics where data cannot leave the organisation. Of those, product analytics for mobile and web applications and self hosting analytics where data cannot leave the organisation are not what PostHog is typically brought in for.
What can Countly do that PostHog cannot?
Countly covers Event tracking, Crash reporting, Analytics dashboard, User retention. PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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