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Technology · head to head

PostHog vs Tableau

PostHog logo

PostHog

Technology

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tableau logo

Tableau

Spreadsheet & Data

Visual analytics platform for business intelligence

From
$70/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PostHog has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Tableau listed on UK G-Cloud at £9.47 per device per month for the Salesforce Tableau Platform edition, via reseller XMA Limited
  • They diverge on capability: PostHog covers Product analytics, Tableau covers Interactive Dashboards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostHog and Tableau actually diverge.

Attributes where PostHog and Tableau differ
AttributePostHogTableau
Starting priceFree$70/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryTechnologySpreadsheet & Data
Founded20201999

Identical on both: 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 Tableau

  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Data Blending
  • Real-time Analytics
  • Advanced Visualizations
  • Mobile Support
  • Salesforce
  • SAP
  • Oracle

What people use each for

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

PostHog

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

Tableau

  • Self-service analyticsnot PostHog
  • Data explorationnot PostHog
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot PostHog
  • Collaborative analysisnot PostHog
  • Embedded analyticsnot 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

Tableau

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £9.47 per device per month for the Salesforce Tableau Platform edition, via reseller XMA Limited

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

Tableau

$70/month
  • Creator$70/month
    • Full authoring capabilities
    • Prep Builder
    • Data Management
  • Explorer$42/month
    • Web editing
    • Self-service analytics
  • Viewer$15/month
    • View and interact with dashboards

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 Tableau if

  • You need interactive dashboards.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want data blending.
Tableau review

Questions people ask

Is PostHog or Tableau better?
Neither clearly leads. PostHog starts at Free and Tableau at $70/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PostHog or Tableau?
PostHog has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for PostHog and $70/month for Tableau.
Does PostHog or Tableau run on more platforms?
PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Tableau runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use PostHog for free?
Yes. PostHog has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tableau starts at $70/month.
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 Tableau is typically brought in for.
What can PostHog do that Tableau cannot?
PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Tableau covers Interactive Dashboards, Data Blending, Real-time Analytics, Advanced Visualizations.
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