By Quick answer: Which is better: Mixpanel, Amplitude or PostHog?
- Mixpanel — fast self-serve analytics; 1M free events/month.
- Amplitude — deep behavioural analytics for larger teams.
- PostHog — open-source all-in-one: analytics, replay, flags, experiments.
- Pricing — all have free tiers; check current limits.
- Verdict — depends on team size and engineering culture.
Key takeaways
- All three answer core funnel, retention and cohort questions well.
- A clean event plan matters more than which tool you pick.
- PostHog reduces tool sprawl for engineering-led teams.
- Amplitude shines when many analysts and PMs explore data.
- Mixpanel is quickest to get non-technical teammates answering questions.
Product analytics tells you what users actually do — where they drop off, which features keep them, and which experiments work. Mixpanel, Amplitude and PostHog are the three names most teams shortlist. All three are good. The right one depends on who will use it, how much you want in one tool, and whether you need to host data yourself.
Side by side
| Mixpanel | Amplitude | PostHog | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast self-serve analytics | Advanced analytics at scale | Engineering-led all-in-one |
| Free tier | Up to 1M events/month, unlimited seats1 | Starter plan, limited by tracked users3 | Free monthly allowances across products2 |
| Funnels, retention, cohorts | Excellent | Excellent | Very good |
| Session replay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Feature flags and experiments | Experiments | Experiments, feature flags | Built in |
| Surveys | Limited | Limited | Built in |
| Open source / self-host | No | No | Yes |
| Learning curve | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
Choose Mixpanel if…
- PMs, marketers and founders need answers without SQL
- You want to start free with a generous event allowance
- You're an early-stage startup eligible for its startup programme
Choose Amplitude if…
- Many analysts and PMs explore behavioural data daily
- You need advanced segmentation, journeys and governance
- You're a larger company standardising analytics across teams
Choose PostHog if…
- Engineers own analytics and want one tool for analytics, replay, flags and experiments
- You want open source or self-hosting for data control
- You'd rather pay for usage across products than several subscriptions
Whichever you pick
- Write a tracking plan — events, properties and naming rules.
- Define activation and retention — the moments that matter.
- Instrument carefully — test events before launch.
- Build three dashboards — acquisition, activation, retention.
- Review weekly — and act on what you learn.
Key terms, defined
Event — a tracked user action. Funnel — a sequence of steps users complete. Cohort — a group of users sharing a trait or start date. Session replay — a recording of a user's session. Feature flag — a switch to turn features on for some users.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mixpanel free?
Mixpanel's free plan includes up to 1 million events a month with unlimited seats. Its Growth plan bills events beyond that, and eligible startups can get a year free on its startup programme.
Is PostHog free?
PostHog has free monthly allowances across product analytics, session replay, feature flags and surveys, and can be self-hosted. Check its pricing page for current limits.
Does Amplitude have a free plan?
Yes. Amplitude's Starter plan is free with limits based on monthly tracked users; paid plans add advanced features and scale.
Which is best for mobile apps?
All three have mobile SDKs and handle app analytics well. PostHog adds mobile session replay and feature flags in the same tool.
Can I self-host product analytics?
PostHog offers an open-source self-hosted option. Mixpanel and Amplitude are cloud services.
How do I choose events to track?
Start with your activation event, core value action, conversion events and retention-defining actions. Keep a written tracking plan with consistent names and properties.
Sources
- Mixpanel — Pricing
- PostHog — Pricing
- Amplitude — Pricing
- Checked October 23, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
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