Softwr

Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Heroku vs PostHog

Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostHog logo

PostHog

Technology

The single platform to analyze, test, observe, and deploy new features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PostHog has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month; 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: Heroku covers Git-based deployment, PostHog covers Product analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heroku and PostHog actually diverge.

Attributes where Heroku and PostHog differ
AttributeHerokuPostHog
Starting price$7/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, WorkersWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureTechnology
Founded20072020

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 Heroku

  • Git-based deployment
  • Buildpacks
  • Dynos (containers)
  • Add-ons marketplace
  • Postgres database
  • Environment variables
  • Logging
  • API

Only in PostHog

  • Product analytics
  • Session recording
  • Feature flags
  • A/B testing
  • Heatmaps
  • SQL access
  • Data warehouse
  • Apps platform

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Slack
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Heroku

  • Deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administrationnot PostHog
  • Running managed Postgres, Redis and Kafka as attached data servicesnot PostHog
  • Isolated production environments in a Private Space for regulated workloadsnot PostHog

PostHog

  • Product analyticsnot Heroku
  • Feature experimentationnot Heroku
  • User behavior trackingnot Heroku
  • A/B testingnot Heroku
  • Debug production issuesnot Heroku

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Heroku

  • There is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • Eco dynos sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity, are restricted to personal accounts and allow only 2 process types
  • Free SSL and 10 process types start at the Basic dyno at $7 per month
  • Private and Shield dyno types require a Private Space, which is billed on top of the dynos
  • Private Space dynos start at $250 per month for Private-M and $500 per month for Private-L
  • Dyno prices are per dyno per month, so an app with several process types multiplies the bill

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

Heroku

$7/month
  • Hobby$7/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Shared CPU
    • 1 web dyno
  • Standard$50/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Dedicated CPU
    • Automatic scaling

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 Heroku if

  • You need git-based deployment.
  • You work on Web, Api, Workers.
  • You also want buildpacks.
Heroku review

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.
PostHog review

Questions people ask

Is Heroku or PostHog better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroku starts at $7/month and PostHog at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heroku or PostHog?
PostHog has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $7/month for Heroku and Free for PostHog.
Does Heroku or PostHog run on more platforms?
Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers. PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use PostHog for free?
Yes. PostHog has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Heroku best used for?
Heroku is most often used for deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administration, running managed postgres, redis and kafka as attached data services, isolated production environments in a private space for regulated workloads. Of those, deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administration and running managed postgres, redis and kafka as attached data services are not what PostHog is typically brought in for.
What can Heroku do that PostHog cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Both handle GitHub, Slack, Cloud deployment.
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