Heap
Plausible Analytics
| Feature | Heap | Plausible Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free only | From $9/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | product-teams, growth-teams, ux-researchers, data-analysts | privacy-conscious-businesses, bloggers, developers, eu-businesses |
| Founded | 2013 | 2019 |
| Auto Capture | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retroactive Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Session Replay | ✓ | ✗ |
| Journey Mapping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Funnels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retention | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pageviews | ✗ | ✓ |
| Referrers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Goals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Events | ✗ | ✓ |
| Utm Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Heap Pros
- Auto-capture all events
- No code required for tracking
- Retroactive analysis possible
- Session replay included
✗ Heap Cons
- Expensive at scale
- Can be data-overwhelming
- Slower than event-based tools
✓ Plausible Analytics Pros
- No cookies — GDPR compliant without consent banner
- Script is under 1KB (vs GA's 45KB)
- Open-source and transparent
- Simple dashboard — no overwhelming data
✗ Plausible Analytics Cons
- Less detailed than Google Analytics
- No free tier (but affordable)
- Limited segmentation and custom reports
The Verdict
Heap is built for product teams and growth teams, with a focus on auto-capture and retroactive-analytics. Plausible Analytics targets privacy conscious businesses and bloggers and leads with pageviews and referrers.
Heap uses custom enterprise pricing, while Plausible Analytics starts at $9/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Heap has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Plausible Analytics requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Plausible Analytics offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Heap takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Plausible Analytics has a slight overall edge — but if auto-capture all events matters most to you, Heap may still be the right call.