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Technology · head to head

Heap vs Microsoft Outlook

Heap logo

Heap

Technology

Product analytics for the modern product team

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Outlook logo

Microsoft Outlook

Technology

Microsoft's email and calendar client, in the middle of a transition from the classic Windows application to a web-based replacement.

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; Microsoft Outlook microsoft is replacing the classic Win32 client with the new web-based Outlook, and the new one runs only web add-ins, not COM add-ins, so any line-of-business integration for CRM, dictation, document management or telephony must be rewritten or the desktop stays on classic until its support window closes.
  • They diverge on capability: Heap covers Autocapture, Microsoft Outlook covers Exchange calendar integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heap and Microsoft Outlook actually diverge.

Attributes where Heap and Microsoft Outlook differ
AttributeHeapMicrosoft Outlook
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 Microsoft Outlook

  • Exchange calendar integration
  • Delegate access
  • Shared mailboxes
  • Rules and Quick Steps
  • Retention, hold and eDiscovery
  • Sensitivity labels and encryption
  • Add-in platform
  • Offline cached mode

What people use each for

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

Heap

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

Microsoft Outlook

  • Organisations on Exchange Online or Exchange Server where free/busy scheduling and room booking across everyone is a daily requirementnot Heap
  • Executive assistants managing someone else's calendar and mailbox through delegate access, which no IMAP client supports properlynot Heap
  • Regulated environments that need retention policies, legal hold and eDiscovery applied to mail centrally rather than per usernot Heap
  • Teams handling shared inboxes such as support or accounts, where permissions and tracking matter more than the mail client itselfnot 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

Microsoft Outlook

  • Microsoft is replacing the classic Win32 client with the new web-based Outlook, and the new one runs only web add-ins, not COM add-ins, so any line-of-business integration for CRM, dictation, document management or telephony must be rewritten or the desktop stays on classic until its support window closes.
  • The new client's handling of non-Microsoft accounts synchronises mail through Microsoft's cloud rather than connecting from the machine to the provider, which several organisations' data residency and handling policies do not allow, and it is not an optional behaviour.
  • PST and OST files are a single-file, corruptible and effectively unshareable store, and the new client's reduced PST support means years of personal archives sitting in those files need an explicit migration plan rather than carrying forward.
  • Large mailboxes turn software problems into administration ones: search index rebuilds, OST files of tens of gigabytes and the mailbox quotas of whichever plan was bought, and the usual fix is archiving policy rather than anything a user can do.
  • Against IMAP or Gmail you lose most of what justifies it, including free/busy lookup, room booking, delegate access, and retention and compliance policies, because those are Exchange server features rather than client features.
  • The five or six products sharing the Outlook name have materially different feature sets, so internal documentation, training and support procedures must be written per platform and a user moving between desktop, web and mobile finds the same task done differently in each.

Pricing, plan by plan

Heap

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

Microsoft Outlook

Free
  • Outlook (Free)Free
    • 15 GB mailbox storage
    • 5 GB cloud storage
    • Web and mobile Office app access
  • Microsoft 365 Basic$1.99/month
    • 100 GB mailbox storage
    • 100 GB cloud storage
    • Ad-free experience
  • Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
    • 1 TB cloud storage
    • Desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
    • Copilot with high usage limits
  • Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
    • 1-6 users
    • Up to 6 TB total cloud storage (1 TB per person)
    • Same apps and features as Personal

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 Microsoft Outlook if

  • You need exchange calendar integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want delegate access.
Microsoft Outlook review

Questions people ask

Is Heap or Microsoft Outlook better?
Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and Microsoft Outlook at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heap or Microsoft Outlook?
Heap starts at Free and Microsoft Outlook at Free.
Does Heap or Microsoft Outlook run on more platforms?
Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. Microsoft Outlook runs on Web.
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 Microsoft Outlook is typically brought in for.
What can Heap do that Microsoft Outlook cannot?
Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis. Microsoft Outlook covers Exchange calendar integration, Delegate access, Shared mailboxes, Rules and Quick Steps.

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
Microsoft Outlook: What is the difference between classic Outlook and the new Outlook for Windows?

Classic is the long-standing Win32 application shipped with Microsoft 365 and Office LTSC. The new Outlook is a web-based client that replaced Windows Mail and Calendar. The most consequential difference is add-ins: the new client supports only web add-ins, not COM add-ins.

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
Microsoft Outlook: How long will classic Outlook be supported?

Microsoft has stated support through at least 2029. That is a planning window rather than a reprieve, and organisations with COM add-in dependencies should be scoping the replacement work now.

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
Microsoft Outlook: Can I use Outlook with Gmail or another IMAP provider?

Yes, but with reduced capability. You lose free/busy lookup, room booking, delegate access and server-side compliance policies, because those come from Exchange rather than from the client.

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
Microsoft Outlook: Is Outlook free?

Outlook on the web and the mobile apps are free with a Microsoft account, and the new Outlook for Windows is included with Windows 11. The classic desktop application requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or an Office perpetual licence.

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
Microsoft Outlook: Will my COM add-ins work in the new Outlook?

No. The new client supports only the cross-platform web add-in model. Vendors must publish a web add-in, and where they have not, the choice is to stay on classic Outlook or replace the integration.

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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