Softwr

Technology · head to head

PostHog vs Segment

PostHog logo

PostHog

Technology

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Segment logo

Segment

Technology

Customer data platform that unifies your data

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; Segment pricing is not transparent; requires sales contact for quotes
  • They diverge on capability: PostHog covers Product analytics, Segment covers Data collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostHog and Segment actually diverge.

Attributes where PostHog and Segment differ
AttributePostHogSegment
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, API
Founded20202011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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
  • Apps platform
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Segment

  • Data collection
  • Data routing
  • Identity resolution
  • Protocols
  • Privacy portal
  • Functions
  • Replay
  • 300+ destinations including

Both cover

  • Data warehouse
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

PostHog

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

Segment

  • Customer data unificationnot PostHog
  • Marketing attributionnot PostHog
  • Product analytics
  • Data governancenot PostHog
  • Personalizationnot PostHog

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.

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

Segment

  • Pricing is not transparent; requires sales contact for quotes
  • No lower-tier option for small businesses without contacting sales
  • Custom pricing can be expensive for mid-market companies
  • Now owned by Twilio, which affects long-term independence and focus

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

Segment

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Segment review.

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 Segment if

  • You need data collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want data routing.
Segment review

Questions people ask

Is PostHog or Segment better?
Neither clearly leads. PostHog starts at Free and Segment at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostHog or Segment?
PostHog starts at Free and Segment at Free.
Does PostHog or Segment run on more platforms?
PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Segment runs on Web, 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, feature experimentation and user behavior tracking are not what Segment is typically brought in for.
What can PostHog do that Segment cannot?
PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Segment covers Data collection, Data routing, Identity resolution, Protocols. Both handle Data warehouse, Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Segment: Does Segment have a free plan?

Segment uses a freemium model with 10K users included free. Additional users require paid plans based on monthly active users (MTUs), calculated as monthly active users plus anonymous visitors per month.

Source
Segment: What is Segment's pricing based on?

Segment pricing is based on monthly active users (MTU), which equals your monthly active users plus anonymous visitors. Pricing is customized; contact sales for specific quotes.

Source
Segment: What is the difference between Customer Data Pipeline and Customer Data Platform?

Pipeline (Business) focuses on data collection and delivery to 700+ destinations. CDP includes Pipeline plus Unify for unified profiles and Engage for audience orchestration with AI capabilities.

Source
Segment: How many integrations does Segment have?

Segment connects to over 700 destinations, allowing data to be sent to analytics platforms, data warehouses, CRMs, and other business tools.

Source
Segment: Does Segment have SSO and HIPAA compliance?

Yes. Both Pipeline and CDP tiers offer multi-factor authentication, single sign-on (SSO), and HIPAA eligibility for healthcare organizations.

Source
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Related pages

More on PostHog

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