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Software · head to head

Shortcut vs Amplitude

Shortcut logo

Shortcut

Software

Project management for software teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Shortcut limited reporting compared to Jira; Amplitude metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • They diverge on capability: Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Amplitude covers Event tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shortcut and Amplitude actually diverge.

Attributes where Shortcut and Amplitude differ
AttributeShortcutAmplitude
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, LinuxWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20142012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Shortcut

  • Stories & epics
  • Iterations (sprints)
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Reporting
  • Docs
  • API & webhooks
  • Mobile apps

Only in Amplitude

  • Event tracking
  • User segmentation
  • Funnel analysis
  • Retention analysis
  • Cohort analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Revenue analytics
  • Predictive analytics

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Shortcut

  • Sprint planningnot Amplitude
  • Bug trackingnot Amplitude
  • Feature developmentnot Amplitude
  • Product roadmappingnot Amplitude
  • Team collaborationnot Amplitude

Amplitude

  • User behavior analysisnot Shortcut
  • Feature adoption trackingnot Shortcut
  • Conversion rate optimizationnot Shortcut
  • Customer journey mappingnot Shortcut
  • Retention improvementnot Shortcut

Where each one falls short

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

Shortcut

  • Limited reporting compared to Jira
  • Designed specifically for software teams, not general project management
  • Can experience slow loading times with very large projects

Amplitude

  • Metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • The free plan covers 2M events a month
  • The Plus plan scales to 70M events, above which pricing is custom
  • Growth and Enterprise pricing is not published

Pricing, plan by plan

Shortcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Kanban boards
    • Sprints
    • Roadmaps
  • Team$8.5/user/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Advanced reports
    • WIP limits
  • Business$12/user/month
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • OKRs
    • Advanced custom fields
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Volume discounts
    • SSO/SCIM
    • Premier support

Amplitude

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 2 million events per month
  • Plus$49/month
    • $0.049 per MTU
    • Up to 300k MTUs
    • Advanced analytics
  • GrowthFree
    • Causal insights
    • Feature experimentation
    • Real-time streaming
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Cross-product analysis
    • Advanced permissions
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Shortcut if

  • You need stories & epics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want iterations (sprints).

Choose Amplitude if

  • You need event tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want user segmentation.

Questions people ask

Is Shortcut or Amplitude better?
Neither clearly leads. Shortcut starts at Free and Amplitude at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shortcut or Amplitude?
Shortcut starts at Free and Amplitude at Free.
Does Shortcut or Amplitude run on more platforms?
Shortcut runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux. Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Shortcut for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Shortcut best used for?
Shortcut is most often used for sprint planning, bug tracking, feature development, product roadmapping. Of those, sprint planning and bug tracking are not what Amplitude is typically brought in for.
What can Shortcut do that Amplitude cannot?
Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Iterations (sprints), Kanban boards, Roadmaps. Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shortcut: Does Shortcut have a free plan?

Yes, Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users with core features like kanban boards, roadmaps, sprints, and reports. Paid plans start at $8.50 per user per month.

Source
Amplitude: Does Amplitude have a free plan?

Yes, Amplitude offers a free Starter plan with 2 million events per month and access to the entire platform including analytics, session replay, and experimentation features.

Source
Shortcut: Does Shortcut integrate with GitHub?

Yes, Shortcut has native GitHub integration that automatically syncs pull requests and commits to stories, and includes GitLab and Bitbucket support as well.

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

Amplitude's pricing is based on the number of monthly tracked users (MTUs), data volume, and advanced features selected. The Plus plan starts at $49 per month with a rate of $0.049 per MTU.

Source
Shortcut: Can I use Shortcut for non-technical projects?

Shortcut is built for software teams, though you can customize workflows for other use cases. Linear and Asana may be better suited for non-technical project management.

Source
Amplitude: What analytics features does every Amplitude plan include?

Every plan includes access to the full platform: analytics, session replay, feature experimentation, web experimentation, guides and surveys, activation, and AI tools like AI Feedback and AI Assistant.

Source
Shortcut: Does Shortcut support SSO and SCIM?

Yes, SSO and SCIM support are available on the Enterprise plan, allowing centralized identity management for large organizations.

Source
Shortcut: What's the difference between Shortcut and Jira?

Shortcut is lighter and faster with less setup required, while Jira offers deeper customization and enterprise features. Shortcut works better for modern software teams wanting simplicity; Jira suits enterprises needing extensive configuration.

Source

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