Software · head to head
Northbeam vs Triple Whale
The short version
- Only Triple Whale has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance; Triple Whale shopify-first focus limits functionality for multi-platform ecommerce operations beyond Shopify ecosystem
- They diverge on capability: Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Triple Whale covers First-party attribution.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Northbeam and Triple Whale actually diverge.
| Attribute | Northbeam | Triple Whale |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1500/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, API | Web |
| Founded | 2020 | 2021 |
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Northbeam
- Cross-platform attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Real-time dashboards
- Incrementality testing
- Customer journey
- LTV predictions
- Privacy compliant
Only in Triple Whale
- First-party attribution
- Real-time dashboard
- Sonar AI assistant
- Pixel tracking
- Profit tracking
- Benchmarking
- Gorgias
- Privacy-first
Both cover
- Creative analytics
- Cohort analysis
- Shopify
- Facebook Ads
- Google Ads
- TikTok Ads
- Klaviyo
- SOC2
- Data encryption
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Northbeam
- Marketing attributionnot Triple Whale
- Media optimizationnot Triple Whale
- Creative testing
- Budget allocationnot Triple Whale
Triple Whale
- Marketing analyticsnot Northbeam
- Attribution trackingnot Northbeam
- Profit optimizationnot Northbeam
- Creative testing
Both are used for creative testing, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Northbeam
- Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
- Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
- Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
- Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data
Triple Whale
- Shopify-first focus limits functionality for multi-platform ecommerce operations beyond Shopify ecosystem
- Creative analytics and advanced features sold as add-ons beyond base plan pricing
- GMV-based pricing for larger brands creates unpredictable costs at scale
Pricing, plan by plan
Northbeam
$1500/month- Starter$1500/month
- Multi-touch attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Up to 1M monthly pageviews
- Professional$2500/month
- All Starter features
- Creative analytics
- Export API access
Triple Whale
Free- Founders DashboardFree
- Basic analytics
- Dashboard access
- Starter$179/month
- Multi-touch attribution
- Sonar Send
- Analytics dashboard
- Advanced$259/month
- All Starter features
- Advanced analytics
- Add-ons available
Which should you pick?
Choose Northbeam if
- You need cross-platform attribution.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want media mix modeling.
Choose Triple Whale if
- You need first-party attribution.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want real-time dashboard.
Questions people ask
- Is Northbeam or Triple Whale better?
- Neither clearly leads. Northbeam starts at $1500/month and Triple Whale at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Northbeam or Triple Whale?
- Triple Whale has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for Northbeam and Free for Triple Whale.
- Does Northbeam or Triple Whale run on more platforms?
- Northbeam runs on Web, API. Triple Whale runs on Web.
- Can I use Triple Whale for free?
- Yes. Triple Whale has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
- What is Northbeam best used for?
- Northbeam is most often used for marketing attribution, media optimization, creative testing, budget allocation. Of those, marketing attribution and media optimization are not what Triple Whale is typically brought in for.
- What can Northbeam do that Triple Whale cannot?
- Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Real-time dashboards, Incrementality testing. Triple Whale covers First-party attribution, Real-time dashboard, Sonar AI assistant, Pixel tracking. Both handle Creative analytics, Cohort analysis, Shopify, Facebook Ads.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?
Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.
SourceTriple Whale: What is Triple Whale's pricing structure?
Triple Whale offers a free Founders Dashboard, Starter plan at $179/month, Advanced plan at $259/month, and Custom plans starting at $539/month. Brands above $5M GMV use GMV-based pricing, with brands at $10M-$15M GMV paying approximately $1,849/month.
SourceNorthbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?
Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.
SourceTriple Whale: Does Triple Whale integrate with Shopify?
Yes. Triple Whale is a Shopify-focused analytics platform that natively integrates with Shopify stores and connects to Meta, Google, and TikTok for multi-touch attribution.
SourceNorthbeam: What does Northbeam measure?
Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.
SourceTriple Whale: What AI features does Triple Whale offer?
Triple Whale includes Moby Actions for automated operations like pausing underperforming ad sets and sending segments to Klaviyo, plus Compass with MMM, incrementality testing, and AI agent suite capabilities.
SourceNorthbeam: Who should use Northbeam?
Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.
SourceTriple Whale: Is there a free plan?
Yes. Triple Whale offers a free Founders Dashboard for basic analytics access, but advanced features and full attribution require paid plans.
SourceNorthbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?
Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.
Source