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Software · head to head

Heap vs Countly

Heap logo

Heap

Software

Product analytics for the modern product team

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Countly logo

Countly

Software

Product analytics for mobile and web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Heap no built-in A/B testing or feature flags; requires integration with separate tools for experimentation; Countly the private cloud plan starts at $175 a month and is described as usage based without stating the unit
  • They diverge on capability: Heap covers Autocapture, Countly covers Event tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heap and Countly actually diverge.

Attributes where Heap and Countly differ
AttributeHeapCountly
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded20132012

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 Heap

  • Autocapture
  • Retroactive analytics
  • Session replay
  • Funnel analysis
  • User segmentation
  • Path analysis
  • Data science
  • Virtual events

Only in Countly

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Heap

  • User behavior analysisnot Countly
  • Conversion optimizationnot Countly
  • Product adoptionnot Countly
  • Customer journey mappingnot Countly
  • A/B testing analysisnot Countly

Countly

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

Where each one falls short

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

Heap

  • No built-in A/B testing or feature flags; requires integration with separate tools for experimentation
  • Group analytics and advanced features require a sales conversation, not self-serve
  • Cloud-only deployment; no self-hosted option for data security or compliance requirements
  • Session replay lacks developer debugging tools compared to PostHog
  • Pricing for Growth and Pro plans requires direct sales contact; no transparency on how pricing scales

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Heap

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10,000 monthly sessions
    • Basic charts
    • 6 months data history
  • Growth$null/custom
    • Custom session pricing
    • Sense AI assistant
    • 12 months data history
  • Pro$null/custom
    • Custom session pricing
    • Account analytics
    • Engagement matrix
  • Premier$null/custom
    • Custom session pricing
    • Data warehouse integration
    • Unlimited projects

Countly

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Heap if

  • You need autocapture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want retroactive analytics.
Heap review

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

Questions people ask

Is Heap or Countly better?
Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and Countly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heap or Countly?
Heap starts at Free and Countly at Free.
Does Heap or Countly run on more platforms?
Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. Countly runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Heap for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Heap best used for?
Heap is most often used for user behavior analysis, conversion optimization, product adoption, customer journey mapping. Of those, user behavior analysis and conversion optimization are not what Countly is typically brought in for.
What can Heap do that Countly cannot?
Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis. Countly covers Event tracking, Crash reporting, Analytics dashboard, User retention. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Heap: What does Heap's autocapture feature do?

Heap's autocapture is a single code snippet that automatically captures every click, swipe, tap, pageview, and form fill on your website and apps without requiring manual event setup. Once installed, Heap captures the entire digital experience of every user on every platform with no ongoing engineering maintenance needed.

Source
Heap: What are Heap's pricing plans and how much do they cost?

Heap offers a Free plan for up to 10,000 monthly sessions. Growth, Pro, and Premier plans use custom session-based pricing that requires contacting sales for a quote. Free includes basic charts and 6 months data history. Growth adds the Sense AI assistant. Pro adds account analytics. Premier adds data warehouse integration and dedicated customer success management.

Source
Heap: Does Heap include session replay and A/B testing?

Heap includes integrated session replay showing exactly what users did on your site. However, Heap does not include built-in A/B testing or feature flags. Teams requiring these capabilities must use separate tools or integrate with third-party platforms.

Source
Heap: What integrations does Heap support?

Heap supports over 100 integrations connecting to business tools including marketing platforms, CRMs, and data warehouses. This allows insights to reach relevant teams and ensures data flows to other business systems automatically.

Source
Heap: Does Heap offer self-hosting or is it cloud-only?

Heap is cloud-only and does not offer self-hosted options. Organizations requiring on-premises deployment should consider alternatives like PostHog which supports self-hosting alongside its cloud product.

Source
Heap: What is Sense and how does it help with analytics?

Sense Chat is Heap's AI assistant that enables users to access analytics without extensive technical knowledge. It allows teams to ask questions about user behavior and get answers directly without lengthy onboarding or technical expertise, making insights more accessible to non-technical stakeholders.

Source
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