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Technology · head to head

Heap vs Zeta

Heap logo

Heap

Technology

Product analytics for the modern product team

From
Free
Rated
-
Zeta logo

Zeta

Technology

Cloud native credit card processing and core banking from Bhavin Turakhia's Zeta

From
On request
Rated
-

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; Zeta it competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • They diverge on capability: Heap covers Autocapture, Zeta covers Tachyon card processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heap and Zeta actually diverge.

Attributes where Heap and Zeta differ
AttributeHeapZeta
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API, Cloud, iOS, Android
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Zeta

  • Tachyon card processing
  • Real time authorisation
  • Rewards and offers engine
  • Core banking modules
  • Programme configuration
  • Mobile and web SDKs
  • Fraud and controls

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Heap

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

Zeta

  • A United States bank whose card platform makes launching a new rewards product a multi quarter vendor projectnot Heap
  • An issuer that wants authorisation level controls and real time data rather than end of day filesnot Heap
  • A large fintech launching a credit card programme at scale with custom product logicnot Heap
  • A bank consolidating card and deposit processing onto one modern platformnot 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

Zeta

  • It competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • Contracts are enterprise scale and quoted with volume minimums, which puts it out of reach of small issuers who would otherwise benefit most from modern tooling.
  • A card portfolio migration runs twelve to twenty four months at minimum, during which the issuer runs two platforms and pays for both.
  • Zeta is a processor rather than a licence holder, so network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations remain entirely with the issuer.
  • Public references for large live United States production volumes are fewer than the announcements imply, so diligence should insist on active account counts and uptime history rather than partnership press releases.

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

Zeta

On request
  • Tachyon platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, commonly on active accounts or transaction volume
    • Implementation for a card portfolio migration measured in quarters to years
    • Minimum volume commitments typical on enterprise contracts

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 Zeta if

  • You need tachyon card processing.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real time authorisation.

Questions people ask

Is Heap or Zeta better?
Neither clearly leads. Heap starts at Free and Zeta at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heap or Zeta?
Heap has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Heap and On request for Zeta.
Does Heap or Zeta run on more platforms?
Heap runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zeta runs on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
Can I use Heap for free?
Yes. Heap has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zeta 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 Zeta is typically brought in for.
What can Heap do that Zeta cannot?
Heap covers Autocapture, Retroactive analytics, Session replay, Funnel analysis. Zeta covers Tachyon card processing, Real time authorisation, Rewards and offers engine, Core banking modules. Both handle Cloud deployment.

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
Zeta: Which Zeta is this?

The banking technology company founded by Bhavin Turakhia, which builds the Tachyon card processing and core banking platform. Not any similarly named payroll or accounting product.

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
Zeta: What is its strongest use case?

United States credit card issuing and processing, where legacy platforms make product changes slow and expensive.

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
Zeta: Does Zeta provide the BIN or licence?

No. It processes. Network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations stay with the issuer.

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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