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Technology · head to head

Heap vs SonarQube

Heap logo

Heap

Technology

Product analytics for the modern product team

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
SonarQube logo

SonarQube

Developer Tools

Code quality and code security for clean code, at every step

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
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; SonarQube advanced Security add-on uses custom pricing
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heap and SonarQube actually diverge.

Attributes where Heap and SonarQube differ
AttributeHeapSonarQube
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools
Founded2013Unknown

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 Heap

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

Only in SonarQube

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 SonarQube
  • Conversion optimizationnot SonarQube
  • Product adoptionnot SonarQube
  • Customer journey mappingnot SonarQube
  • A/B testing analysisnot SonarQube

SonarQube

  • Code quality analysisnot Heap
  • Vulnerability detectionnot Heap
  • Security scanningnot Heap
  • Compliance reportingnot 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

SonarQube

  • Advanced Security add-on uses custom pricing
  • Only private project lines of code count toward limits

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

SonarQube

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Supports up to 50000 lines of code in private projects
    • Never expires
    • Covers public projects
  • Team$34/month
    • 30+ languages
    • Code quality standards
    • Bug and vulnerability detection
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Advanced security reports
    • OWASP/CWE/PCI DSS compliance
    • Unlimited users and projects

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 SonarQube if

  • You want to start without paying.
SonarQube review

Questions people ask

Is Heap or SonarQube better?
Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and SonarQube at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heap or SonarQube?
Heap starts at Free and SonarQube at Free.
Does Heap or SonarQube run on more platforms?
Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. SonarQube 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 SonarQube is typically brought in for.
What can Heap do that SonarQube 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.

Source
SonarQube: How much does SonarQube cost?

SonarQube offers a free tier supporting up to 50000 lines of code in private projects, a Team plan starting at $34/month, and custom Enterprise pricing. Team plan includes 14-day free trial.

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
SonarQube: Is SonarQube free?

Yes, SonarQube offers a free tier that never expires and covers both public and private projects up to 50000 lines of code in private projects.

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
SonarQube: What languages does SonarQube support?

SonarQube Team plan supports 30+ languages including common programming languages. Enterprise plan adds support for 40+ languages including ABAP, COBOL, and Apex.

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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