Software · head to head
Heap vs PostHog
PostHog
Software
The single platform to analyze, test, observe, and deploy new features
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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; 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: Heap covers Autocapture, PostHog covers Product analytics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Heap and PostHog actually diverge.
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 PostHog
- Product analytics
- Session recording
- Feature flags
- A/B testing
- Heatmaps
- SQL access
- Data warehouse
- Apps platform
Both cover
- Segment
- Zapier
- SOC2
- GDPR
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Heap
- User behavior analysisnot PostHog
- Conversion optimizationnot PostHog
- Product adoptionnot PostHog
- Customer journey mappingnot PostHog
- A/B testing analysisnot PostHog
PostHog
- Product analyticsnot Heap
- Feature experimentationnot Heap
- User behavior trackingnot Heap
- A/B testingnot Heap
- Debug production issuesnot 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
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
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$null/custom
- Custom session pricing
- Data warehouse integration
- Unlimited projects
PostHog
Free- FreeFree
- 1M events/month
- 5K sessions/month
- Unlimited users
- Paid$undefined/month
- $0.00031/event
- $0.005/session
- Advanced permissions
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- SAML SSO
- Advanced security
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose Heap if
- You need autocapture.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want retroactive analytics.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Heap or PostHog better?
- Neither clearly leads. Heap 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, Heap or PostHog?
- Heap starts at Free and PostHog at Free.
- Does Heap or PostHog run on more platforms?
- Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, 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 PostHog is typically brought in for.
- What can Heap do that PostHog cannot?
- Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis. PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Both handle Segment, Zapier, SOC2, GDPR.
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.
SourceHeap: 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.
SourceHeap: 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.
SourceHeap: 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.
SourceHeap: 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.
SourceHeap: 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.
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