Heap and Amplitude are two of the most compared product analytics platforms — and they represent fundamentally different approaches. Heap uses autocapture: it automatically tracks every user interaction with zero code, getting you data fastest but with more noise. Amplitude uses manual instrumentation: you define events deliberately, requiring engineering work but producing cleaner, more precise data for deep analysis. For most PMs, Amplitude's analytics depth wins long-term; for early-stage PMs who need data immediately, Heap's autocapture wins. Here's a category-by-category breakdown.
The autocapture platform. Best for PMs who want data immediately without engineering work. Zero-code event tracking, retroactive funnels. Free up to 10K sessions/mo. Winner for speed to insight.
The analytics benchmark. Best for PMs who need deep funnels, cohorts, retention, and experimentation. Manual instrumentation, clean data, AI Agents. Free up to 50K MTUs/mo. Winner for analytics depth.
13 dimensions with a winner per category — scan the table, then dive into the pricing comparison and use-case deep dives below.
| Category | Heap | Amplitude | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall for PMs | Best for PMs who want autocapture — track everything without manual instrumentation | Best for PMs who need deep analytics — funnels, cohorts, retention, and experimentation at scale | amplitude |
| Event tracking approach | Autocapture — automatically tracks every user interaction (clicks, form submits, page views) with zero code | Manual instrumentation — SDK-based event tracking with precise event definitions and server-side events | heap |
| Time to first insight | Fastest — autocapture means data is available immediately with no instrumentation setup | Slower — requires SDK setup, event definitions, and implementation before data flows | heap |
| Funnel analysis | Good funnel analysis with autocaptured events — can build funnels retroactively from any autocaptured interaction | Best-in-class funnel analysis — time-to-convert, multi-step funnels, cohort breakdowns, cross-device journey mapping | amplitude |
| Cohort & retention analysis | Solid cohort analysis — can create cohorts from any autocaptured event, good retention charts | Industry-leading cohort analysis — the benchmark. Advanced behavioral cohorts, predictive cohorts, retention curves | amplitude |
| Data quality & precision | Autocapture creates noisy data — lots of events, some irrelevant. Requires cleanup and filtering. | Manual instrumentation produces cleaner, more precise data — events are intentionally defined and meaningful | amplitude |
| Experimentation / A/B testing | No native experimentation — requires integration with external tools | Amplitude Experiment — statistical significance, feature rollouts, integrated with analytics (paid add-on) | amplitude |
| Session replay | No native session replay | No native session replay (partnership with FullStory/LogRocket) | tie |
| AI features | Heap AI — natural language queries, data science models for anomaly detection and behavioral cohorts | Amplitude AI Agents — autonomous analytics agents that build cohorts, analyze experiments, create dashboards, file tickets | amplitude |
| Starting price (paid) | Free up to 10K sessions/mo; Growth from ~$3,600/yr (custom pricing, opaque at scale) | Free up to 50K MTUs; Growth from ~$49+/mo (usage-based, scales fast to $50K+/yr) | heap |
| Free tier | 10K sessions/mo, autocapture, basic charts, 3-month data retention | 50K MTUs/mo, limited historical data (30 days), basic charts, no experimentation | amplitude |
| Pricing transparency | Opaque — custom pricing, requires sales contact, hard to estimate costs at scale | Partially transparent — starts at ~$49+/mo but scales quickly with MTUs; enterprise requires sales | amplitude |
| Best for PMs | PMs who want immediate data without engineering instrumentation work — great for early-stage products | PMs at growth-stage+ SaaS who need deep funnel/retention analytics and can justify enterprise pricing | tie |
Heap wins on autocapture, time to first insight, and ease of setup. Amplitude wins on analytics depth, data quality, experimentation, and AI features. For PMs, the choice comes down to analytics maturity: Heap for speed, Amplitude for depth.
A side-by-side breakdown — both use opaque enterprise pricing at scale, but differ in free tier generosity and entry-level accessibility.
| Plan | Heap | Amplitude |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10K sessions/mo, autocapture, basic charts, 3-month data retention | 50K MTUs/mo, 30-day historical data, basic charts, no experimentation |
| Entry paid | Growth — custom pricing from ~$3,600/yr, advanced charts, longer retention | Growth — usage-based, starts ~$49+/mo but scales quickly with MTUs |
| Mid-tier | Pro — custom pricing, advanced data science, integrations, priority support | Growth — advanced charts, cohorts, CDP, integrations; priced per MTU overage |
| Enterprise | Enterprise — custom, SSO, dedicated support, custom data retention | Enterprise — SSO, custom ML, dedicated support, sandbox; typically $50K+/yr |
| Pricing model | Session-based with custom tiers — opaque, requires sales contact | MTU-based (monthly tracked users) with usage overage — partially transparent |
Key insight: Both become expensive at scale ($50K+/yr for enterprise). Amplitude's Growth plan is more accessible (~$49+/mo) but scales fast with MTUs. Heap's pricing is opaque from the start. For PMs who want transparent, cost-effective analytics, PostHog's pay-per-event model is worth evaluating. See our Amplitude vs PostHog and free AI tools guide.
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For most PMs, Amplitude is the better long-term choice — its funnel analysis, cohort analysis, retention analysis, experimentation, and AI Agents are best-in-class. Heap is better for PMs who want immediate data without engineering work, thanks to autocapture. The trade-off: Heap gets you data fastest but it's noisier; Amplitude requires instrumentation work but produces cleaner, more precise data. Many teams start with Heap for speed, then migrate to Amplitude as their analytics needs mature. See our Amplitude alternatives guide.
The main difference is event tracking approach. Heap uses autocapture — it automatically records every user interaction (clicks, form submits, page views) with zero code, so you have data immediately. Amplitude uses manual instrumentation — you define events via SDK, which requires engineering work but produces cleaner, more intentionally-defined data. This fundamental difference shapes everything else: Heap is faster to start but noisier; Amplitude is slower to set up but more precise and powerful for deep analysis. See our AI product analytics tools guide.
Both have free tiers and custom enterprise pricing. Heap's free tier includes 10K sessions/mo with autocapture; Amplitude's free tier includes 50K MTUs/mo. Heap's paid plans start around $3,600/yr but pricing is opaque and requires sales contact. Amplitude's Growth plan starts at ~$49+/mo but scales quickly with MTUs, reaching $50K+/yr at enterprise scale. For PMs on a budget, both free tiers are usable, and PostHog offers a more cost-effective alternative with a generous free tier. See our Amplitude vs PostHog comparison.
Neither Heap nor Amplitude has native session replay. Both partner with third-party tools — Amplitude integrates with FullStory and LogRocket; Heap integrates with Hotjar and others. If session replay is important to you, PostHog includes it natively at no extra cost, making it a strong alternative. See our Hotjar vs PostHog comparison and PostHog review.
Amplitude doesn't offer true autocapture like Heap. However, Amplitude does offer a browser SDK with auto-tracking capabilities and integrates with Segment and CDPs that can provide some autocapture-like functionality. The core difference remains: Heap's autocapture is built-in and automatic from day one; Amplitude requires deliberate event planning and instrumentation. If autocapture is a must-have, Heap is the clear choice. See our Heap alternatives guide.
Consider switching if your analytics needs have matured beyond what Heap provides — if you need deeper funnel analysis, more precise event definitions, experimentation, or AI-powered cohort building. The migration involves defining events in Amplitude (replacing autocapture), instrumenting the SDK, and building new dashboards. For early-stage products where event definitions aren't stable, Heap's autocapture is still valuable. For growth-stage+ SaaS with dedicated analytics needs, Amplitude is worth the migration. See our AI product analytics tools guide.
They solve different problems. Heap and Amplitude are product analytics platforms that help you measure user behavior. Signal Brief is a daily newsletter that helps you discover the AI tools worth using — including new analytics platforms, AI-powered analytics tools, and product intelligence solutions. Many subscribers use Signal Brief to stay current on the analytics tool landscape, then use Heap or Amplitude for their measurement needs. See our sample issue.
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