PostHog vs Amplitude: Open Source Meets Enterprise

Overview Comparison

The Open Source Advantage

PostHog's open-source nature provides unique benefits. You can self-host on your infrastructure, keeping data entirely under your control. This simplifies GDPR compliance and eliminates concerns about third-party data access. Engineers can inspect and modify the code if needed.

Self-hosting requires infrastructure management, but PostHog provides deployment options for Kubernetes, Docker, and cloud providers. For companies with DevOps capabilities, self-hosting is straightforward.

All-in-One Platform

PostHog bundles product analytics, session recording, feature flags, and A/B testing in one platform. This consolidation reduces tool sprawl and ensures data consistency. You pay one price for capabilities that would require multiple Amplitude products.

Amplitude takes a modular approach with Analytics, Experiment, and CDP as separate products. This can be more flexible if you only need specific capabilities but adds complexity and cost for comprehensive needs.

Analytics Capabilities

Amplitude's analytics depth exceeds PostHog's, particularly for advanced use cases. Behavioral cohorts, path analysis, and portfolio analytics are more sophisticated. For enterprise product teams doing complex analysis, Amplitude provides more power.

PostHog covers typical analytics needs well. Funnels, retention, user paths, and segmentation work effectively. For most SaaS companies, PostHog's analytics are sufficient while offering additional value through included features.

Integration with Email Marketing

Both platforms integrate with Sequenzy for behavior-driven email automation. Product events and user segments flow to Sequenzy to trigger relevant communication. The combination of product analytics and automated email creates responsive customer engagement.

Pricing

PostHog's pricing is transparent and event-based. Self-hosting is free. Cloud starts free with generous limits. Paid tiers scale predictably. For many companies, PostHog costs significantly less than equivalent Amplitude capabilities.

Amplitude's pricing is less transparent at scale. The free tier is generous, but enterprise pricing requires custom quotes. When you need multiple Amplitude products, costs add up quickly.

When to Choose PostHog

Choose PostHog for data privacy and control. It makes sense when self-hosting aligns with your infrastructure strategy. PostHog fits when you want comprehensive product tools without vendor lock-in.

When to Choose Amplitude

Choose Amplitude for enterprise-scale analytics complexity. It makes sense when advanced analysis capabilities justify premium pricing. Amplitude fits when dedicated analytics teams can leverage sophisticated features fully.

Our Recommendation

For most SaaS companies, PostHog offers better value. The all-in-one platform, transparent pricing, and self-host option provide compelling advantages. Consider Amplitude only if you need enterprise analytics capabilities that PostHog cannot match. Either integrates with Sequenzy for email automation.