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Technology · head to head

Mixpanel vs Plausible

Mixpanel logo

Mixpanel

Technology

Product analytics that helps you convert, engage, and retain more users

From
Free
Rated
-
Plausible logo

Plausible

Marketing

Simple, privacy-friendly analytics

From
$9/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Mixpanel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mixpanel pricing can scale significantly at high volumes with expensive per-user rates; Plausible there is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: Mixpanel covers Event analytics, Plausible covers Page view tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mixpanel and Plausible actually diverge.

Attributes where Mixpanel and Plausible differ
AttributeMixpanelPlausible
Starting priceFree$9/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, APIsWeb
CategoryTechnologyMarketing
Founded20092018

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 Mixpanel

  • Event analytics
  • User segmentation
  • Funnel analysis
  • Retention analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Predictive analytics
  • Custom dashboards
  • Real-time data

Only in Plausible

  • Page view tracking
  • Goal tracking
  • Real-time analytics
  • Outbound link click tracking
  • Privacy-focused
  • No cookies
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Mixpanel

  • User behavior analysisnot Plausible
  • Product optimizationnot Plausible
  • Conversion trackingnot Plausible
  • Retention improvementnot Plausible
  • Feature adoptionnot Plausible

Plausible

  • Privacy-focused web analytics without cookies or personal datanot Mixpanel
  • A Google Analytics replacement that needs no consent bannernot Mixpanel
  • Self-hosted analytics on your own infrastructurenot Mixpanel
  • EU-hosted measurement for data residency requirementsnot Mixpanel

Where each one falls short

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

Mixpanel

  • Pricing can scale significantly at high volumes with expensive per-user rates
  • Limited built-in data visualization options compared to some competitors
  • Requires implementation expertise to properly instrument event tracking

Plausible

  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • Paid plans are metered on monthly pageviews, so a traffic spike moves you up a plan
  • Self-hosting is possible but means running and updating the service yourself
  • Deliberately simple, so there are no user-level profiles or funnel-by-individual reports the way a cookie-based analytics tool provides

Pricing, plan by plan

Mixpanel

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Mixpanel review.

Plausible

$9/month
  • Starter$9/month
    • Up to 10k monthly pageviews
    • 1 site
    • 3 years data retention
  • Growth$14/month
    • Up to 3 sites
    • Up to 3 team members
  • Business$19/month
    • Up to 10 sites
    • Up to 10 team members
    • 5 years data retention
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • 10+ sites
    • Custom pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose Mixpanel if

  • You need event analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, APIs.
  • You also want user segmentation.

Choose Plausible if

  • You need page view tracking.
  • You also want goal tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Mixpanel or Plausible better?
Neither clearly leads. Mixpanel starts at Free and Plausible at $9/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mixpanel or Plausible?
Mixpanel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mixpanel and $9/month for Plausible.
Does Mixpanel or Plausible run on more platforms?
Mixpanel runs on Web, Mobile, APIs. Plausible runs on Web.
Can I use Mixpanel for free?
Yes. Mixpanel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plausible starts at $9/month.
What is Mixpanel best used for?
Mixpanel is most often used for user behavior analysis, product optimization, conversion tracking, retention improvement. Of those, user behavior analysis and product optimization are not what Plausible is typically brought in for.
What can Mixpanel do that Plausible cannot?
Mixpanel covers Event analytics, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Plausible covers Page view tracking, Goal tracking, Real-time analytics, Outbound link click tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mixpanel: Is Mixpanel free?

Yes, Mixpanel offers a generous free plan with up to 20 million events per month, unlimited team members, core analytics reports, 10K session replays, and 12 months data retention. No credit card required.

Source
Plausible: How much does Plausible Analytics cost?

Plausible offers plans starting at $9/month for the Starter tier, $14/month for Growth, and $19/month for Business. Enterprise pricing is custom. All plans include a 30-day free trial without requiring a credit card.

Source
Mixpanel: How does Mixpanel pricing work?

Mixpanel pricing is based on Monthly Tracked Users (MTUs). The free tier includes core analytics. Growth tier starts at $20/month for up to 10,000 MTUs. Enterprise pricing is custom based on volume, retention, and contract terms.

Source
Plausible: Is there a free version of Plausible?

Plausible does not offer a free plan; however, all paid plans include a 30-day free trial with full access to features.

Source
Mixpanel: What are Mixpanel's core analytics features?

Mixpanel provides Insights for user behavior analysis, Funnels for conversion tracking, Flows for user journey visualization, and Retention analysis. All available on the free tier.

Source
Plausible: What is the difference between Plausible's pricing tiers?

The Starter plan covers up to 10k monthly pageviews for 1 site. Growth adds up to 3 sites and 3 team members. Business expands to 10 sites, 10 team members, and includes advanced features like API access and 5 years data retention.

Source
Mixpanel: Does Mixpanel track page views or events?

Mixpanel tracks user actions and events rather than page views, providing a more granular understanding of user behavior. It offers a simple SDK compatible with major platforms including mobile.

Source
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