Free Tier Comparison
| Tool | Free Tier | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|
| PostHog | 1M events + 5K replays + 1M feature flags | Pay-per-event beyond free tier |
| Mixpanel | 1M events/mo, unlimited reports | Usage-based (~$0.00028/event) |
| Amplitude | 10K MTUs or 10M events | Plus starts at $49/mo |
| Hotjar | 20K sessions/mo, unlimited heatmaps | Growth: $49/mo flat |
| Plausible | No free tier (trial only) | Starter: $9/mo (10K pageviews) |
Monthly Cost at Different Volumes
| Volume | PostHog | Mixpanel | Amplitude | Plausible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1M events | $0 | $0 | $0* | $9–$14 |
| 5M events | ~$200/mo | ~$1,120/mo | $49+/mo | N/A (pageview-based) |
| 20M events | ~$950/mo | ~$5,320/mo | Custom | N/A |
*Amplitude Starter is free for 10K MTUs or 10M events. Plausible tracks pageviews, not events — different metric. Hotjar is session-based ($49/mo flat for Growth) and not directly comparable to event-based tools.
Key Pricing Insights
- 1.PostHog is cheapest at scale. At 5M events, PostHog costs ~$200/mo vs Mixpanel's ~$1,120/mo. PostHog's pricing is roughly 5x cheaper per event.
- 2.Mixpanel and PostHog both offer 1M free events. For early-stage startups, either tool costs $0/mo.
- 3.Plausible is for web analytics, not product analytics. At $9/mo for 10K pageviews, it is the privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative — not comparable to Mixpanel or PostHog.
- 4.Hotjar fills a different niche. At $49/mo (Growth) for heatmaps and recordings, it complements event-based analytics rather than replacing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need both PostHog and Hotjar?
PostHog now includes session replay and heatmaps. If you use PostHog, you likely do not need Hotjar. Hotjar is only worth adding if you specifically need its user-friendly interface for non-technical team members.
Which analytics tool is best for a startup under 1M events?
PostHog Free. It gives you 1M events, 5K session replays, feature flags, and surveys for $0/mo. No other tool matches this combination at the free tier.
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