Technology · head to head
Heap vs RAD Studio

RAD Studio
Developer Tools
Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder
- From
- $2000/perpetual
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Heap has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Heap no built-in A/B testing or feature flags; requires integration with separate tools for experimentation; RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Heap and RAD Studio actually diverge.
| Attribute | Heap | RAD Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $2000/perpetual |
| Pricing model | Unknown | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Category | Technology | Developer Tools |
| Founded | 2013 | Unknown |
Identical on both: 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 Heap
- Autocapture
- Retroactive analytics
- Session replay
- Funnel analysis
- User segmentation
- Path analysis
- Data science
- Virtual events
Only in RAD Studio
Nothing recorded that Heap does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Heap
- User behavior analysisnot RAD Studio
- Conversion optimizationnot RAD Studio
- Product adoptionnot RAD Studio
- Customer journey mappingnot RAD Studio
- A/B testing analysisnot RAD Studio
RAD Studio
- Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Heap
- Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Heap
- Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Heap
- Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot 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
RAD Studio
- Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
- Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
- The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription
Pricing, plan by plan
Heap
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 10,000 monthly sessions
- Basic charts
- 6 months data history
- Growth$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
RAD Studio
$2000/perpetual- Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $599
- Total $2,599 + Tax
- Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $1,199
- Total $4,599 + Tax
- Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $2,183
- Total $6,599 + Tax
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 RAD Studio if
Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Heap on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Heap or RAD Studio better?
- Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Heap or RAD Studio?
- Heap has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Heap and $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio.
- Does Heap or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
- Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. RAD Studio runs on Web.
- Can I use Heap for free?
- Yes. Heap has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
- 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 RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
- What can Heap do that RAD Studio cannot?
- Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis.
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.
SourceRAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?
RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).
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.
SourceRAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?
Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.
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.
SourceRAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?
Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.
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.
SourceRelated pages
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