Softwr

Software · head to head

PostHog vs Pulumi

PostHog logo

PostHog

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pulumi logo

Pulumi

Software

Modern infrastructure as code using programming languages

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PostHog the free tier covers 1M events, 5K web session recordings and 2.5K mobile recordings per month before usage-based billing starts; Pulumi the free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • They diverge on capability: PostHog covers Product analytics, Pulumi covers Multi-language support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostHog and Pulumi actually diverge.

Attributes where PostHog and Pulumi differ
AttributePostHogPulumi
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiLinux, Windows, Mac, Api
Founded20202017

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

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

Only in Pulumi

  • Multi-language support
  • Multi-cloud
  • State management
  • Secrets management
  • RBAC
  • Stacks
  • Automation API
  • Policy as Code

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

PostHog

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

Pulumi

  • Defining cloud infrastructure as code in TypeScript, Python, Go, C# or Java rather than a DSLnot PostHog
  • Managing Pulumi state and secrets in a hosted backend instead of self-managed storagenot PostHog
  • Policy, drift detection and deployment workflows for platform engineering teamsnot PostHog

Where each one falls short

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

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

Pulumi

  • The free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • The Team plan is $40 per month base including 40 credits, and caps the organisation at 10 users
  • SAML/SSO, RBAC, audit logs and drift detection require the Enterprise plan at $400 per month base
  • The per-resource rate rises from $0.1825 per resource per month on Team to $0.365 on Enterprise, so upgrading raises the unit price as well as the base fee
  • Managed secrets are billed separately at $0.50 per secret per month on Team and $0.75 on Enterprise
  • Self-hosting, SCIM user sync, audit log export and 24x7 support are only in Business Critical, which is custom priced with no published rate
  • Team includes up to 500 resources and Enterprise up to 2,000, with everything beyond billed on demand as credits

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Pulumi

Free
  • Pulumi CommunityFree
    • Open source
    • Community support
    • Self-hosted
  • Pulumi Cloud$10/month
    • Hosted backend
    • Team collaboration
    • RBAC

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Pulumi if

  • You need multi-language support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want multi-cloud.
Pulumi review

Questions people ask

Is PostHog or Pulumi better?
Neither clearly leads. PostHog starts at Free and Pulumi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostHog or Pulumi?
PostHog starts at Free and Pulumi at Free.
Does PostHog or Pulumi run on more platforms?
PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Pulumi runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
Can I use PostHog for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PostHog best used for?
PostHog is most often used for product analytics, feature experimentation, user behavior tracking, a/b testing. Of those, product analytics and feature experimentation are not what Pulumi is typically brought in for.
What can PostHog do that Pulumi cannot?
PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Pulumi covers Multi-language support, Multi-cloud, State management, Secrets management. Both handle GitHub, Cloud deployment.
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