Softwr

SaaS · head to head

Pendo vs PostHog

Pendo logo

Pendo

SaaS

Product analytics and digital adoption platform

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Pendo pricing is not publicly available and requires a custom quote; 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: Pendo covers In-app messaging, PostHog covers Session recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pendo and PostHog actually diverge.

Attributes where Pendo and PostHog differ
AttributePendoPostHog
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategorySaaSTechnology
Founded20132020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Pendo

  • In-app messaging
  • User onboarding
  • Feature adoption tracking
  • User feedback
  • NPS surveys
  • Session replay
  • Mobile analytics
  • Salesforce

Only in PostHog

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

Both cover

  • Product analytics
  • Slack
  • Segment
  • Zapier
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Pendo

  • User onboardingnot PostHog
  • Feature adoptionnot PostHog
  • Product analytics
  • User feedback collectionnot PostHog
  • Digital adoptionnot PostHog

PostHog

  • Product analytics
  • Feature experimentationnot Pendo
  • User behavior trackingnot Pendo
  • A/B testingnot Pendo
  • Debug production issuesnot Pendo

Both are used for product analytics, 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.

Pendo

  • Pricing is not publicly available and requires a custom quote
  • Free tier limited to 500 monthly active users

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

Pendo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 MAU
    • Core analytics
    • In-app guides

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 Pendo if

  • You need in-app messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Desktop.
  • You also want user onboarding.
Pendo review

Choose PostHog if

  • You need session recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want feature flags.
PostHog review

Questions people ask

Is Pendo or PostHog better?
Neither clearly leads. Pendo starts at Free and PostHog at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pendo or PostHog?
Pendo starts at Free and PostHog at Free.
Does Pendo or PostHog run on more platforms?
Pendo runs on Web, Mobile, Desktop. PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Pendo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Pendo best used for?
Pendo is most often used for user onboarding, feature adoption, product analytics, user feedback collection. Of those, user onboarding and feature adoption are not what PostHog is typically brought in for.
What can Pendo do that PostHog cannot?
Pendo covers In-app messaging, User onboarding, Feature adoption tracking, User feedback. PostHog covers Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing, Heatmaps. Both handle Product analytics, Slack, Segment, Zapier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pendo: Does Pendo have a free tier?

Yes, Pendo Free supports up to 500 monthly active users and includes core product analytics, in-app guides, Pendo-branded roadmaps, and Pendo-branded NPS surveys.

Source
Pendo: What is Pendo's core functionality?

Pendo combines product analytics, in-app guides, session replay, NPS surveys, product discovery, roadmaps, and cross-channel orchestration to measure and improve product adoption.

Source
Pendo: What CRM systems does Pendo integrate with?

Pendo offers two-way integrations with Salesforce, mapping Pendo product usage and sentiment data with Salesforce records, and with HubSpot for contact mapping and campaign orchestration.

Source
Pendo: What impact does Pendo have on customer retention?

Companies using Pendo for product analytics see on average a 5% reduction in customer churn and report an average 15% increase in net revenue retention.

Source
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Related pages

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