Softwr

Technology · head to head

Heap vs Stacker

Heap logo

Heap

Technology

Product analytics for the modern product team

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stacker logo

Stacker

No-Code

Permissioned portals over data that stays in Airtable, Salesforce or Postgres

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Stacker there is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
  • They diverge on capability: Heap covers Autocapture, Stacker covers Per-record permissions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heap and Stacker actually diverge.

Attributes where Heap and Stacker differ
AttributeHeapStacker
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryTechnologyNo-Code
Founded2013Unknown

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 Stacker

  • Per-record permissions
  • External user portals
  • Live connection to the source
  • Page and layout builder
  • Workflow actions
  • Custom domains and branding
  • User onboarding
  • Role based navigation

What people use each for

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

Heap

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

Stacker

  • Giving clients a login that shows only their own records inside an internal Airtable basenot Heap
  • Contractor or franchisee portals where each account must see one slice of a shared datasetnot Heap
  • Replacing a spreadsheet emailed to partners with a permissioned live view of the same datanot Heap
  • Putting a usable interface on a Salesforce or Postgres dataset for users who should never see the underlying systemnot 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

Stacker

  • There is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
  • Performance is bounded by the data source, so an Airtable base near its row limit or an API under rate limiting produces a slow portal that no amount of Stacker configuration will fix.
  • Pricing distinguishes internal editors from external portal users, so a portal that succeeds by adding hundreds of light-touch external users can end up costing more than the internal system it fronts.
  • Custom logic is limited to the actions and conditions the builder exposes, so anything resembling a calculation engine or a branching multi-step approval hits a wall and needs an external automation tool bolted on.
  • It is a portal and CRUD tool by design, with no offline mode, no native mobile application and no real reporting layer, so it will not be the only system a growing operation runs.

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

Stacker

On request
  • Stacker$undefined/month
    • Priced by workspace tier with caps on apps and users
    • External portal users charged differently from internal editors
    • Higher tiers add permission depth and 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.
Heap review

Choose Stacker if

  • You need per-record permissions.
  • You also want external user portals.
Stacker review

Questions people ask

Is Heap or Stacker better?
Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and Stacker at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heap or Stacker?
Heap has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Heap and On request for Stacker.
Does Heap or Stacker run on more platforms?
Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. Stacker runs on Web.
Can I use Heap for free?
Yes. Heap has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stacker starts at On request.
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 Stacker is typically brought in for.
What can Heap do that Stacker cannot?
Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis. Stacker covers Per-record permissions, External user portals, Live connection to the source, Page and layout builder.

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
Stacker: Where does my data live?

In the source you connect: Airtable, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets or your own Postgres. Stacker reads and writes to it rather than becoming the system of record.

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
Stacker: Can I export the app if I cancel?

No. The data stays in your source system, but the interface, permissions and workflows are Stacker configuration and do not come with you.

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
Stacker: Is it suitable for hundreds of external users?

Technically yes; check the pricing arithmetic first, because external portal users are charged separately and that is where the bill grows.

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
Stacker: Will it replace Airtable?

No, it sits in front of Airtable. If the base itself is at its limits, the fix is moving the data to Postgres rather than changing the portal.

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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