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Technology · head to head

PostHog vs shadcn/ui

PostHog logo

PostHog

Technology

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
shadcn/ui logo

shadcn/ui

Web Development

Copy-paste React components you own, not a dependency

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; shadcn/ui no upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • They diverge on capability: PostHog covers Product analytics, shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostHog and shadcn/ui actually diverge.

Attributes where PostHog and shadcn/ui differ
AttributePostHogshadcn/ui
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
CategoryTechnologyWeb Development
Founded2020Unknown

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 PostHog

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

Only in shadcn/ui

  • Copy, not install
  • Radix primitives
  • Tailwind styling
  • Themeable

What people use each for

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

PostHog

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

shadcn/ui

  • Projects already using Tailwind that need accessible components without a theming fightnot PostHog
  • Design systems that will diverge from any library’s defaults anywaynot PostHog
  • Teams who have been burned by breaking changes in component library upgradesnot 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

shadcn/ui

  • No upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • Requires Tailwind and React, so it is not an option outside that stack
  • Component code lives in your repository, which grows it and puts maintenance on your team
  • Its popularity has made the default look recognisable, which undercuts the customisation argument

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

shadcn/ui

Free
  • shadcn/uiFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

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 shadcn/ui if

  • You need copy, not install.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want radix primitives.
shadcn/ui review

Questions people ask

Is PostHog or shadcn/ui better?
Neither clearly leads. PostHog starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostHog or shadcn/ui?
PostHog starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free.
Does PostHog or shadcn/ui run on more platforms?
PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. shadcn/ui runs on Web.
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 shadcn/ui is typically brought in for.
What can PostHog do that shadcn/ui cannot?
PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install, Radix primitives, Tailwind styling, Themeable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PostHog: What does PostHog's free tier include per month?

PostHog free tier includes: 1M analytics events, 5K session replays, 1M feature flag requests, 100K error tracking exceptions, 1,500 survey responses, 1M data warehouse rows, 10K data pipeline events, 100K AI observability events, 500 PostHog AI credits, 10K workflow messages, and 10GB log ingestion. Source: https://posthog.com/pricing

Source
shadcn/ui: Is shadcn/ui free?

Yes, open source and free for commercial use.

PostHog: How much data retention does PostHog provide on paid plans?

PostHog free tier provides 1-year data retention. Pay-as-you-go plans offer 7-year data retention across all projects, enabling longer historical analysis. Source: https://posthog.com/pricing

Source
shadcn/ui: Why is it not an npm package?

So you own the code. Components are copied into your project, which makes customisation trivial — at the cost of receiving no automatic updates.

PostHog: What percentage of PostHog users stay on the free tier?

PostHog states that 97% of companies use PostHog for free, indicating extensive free tier adoption. However, specific per-unit pricing rates for overages on paid plans are not published. Source: https://posthog.com/pricing

Source
shadcn/ui: Do I need Tailwind?

Yes. Components are styled with Tailwind utility classes and built on Radix primitives, so both are required.

PostHog: When does PostHog provide priority support on paid plans?

PostHog provides email or Slack support for accounts exceeding $2,000/month on pay-as-you-go plans. Specific response times and support SLAs are not detailed on their pricing page. Source: https://posthog.com/pricing

Source
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