In-depth two-product comparison
Heap vs PostHog
In-depth comparison of Heap and PostHog for B2B SaaS companies. We analyze autocapture, feature flags, session replay, pricing, and real-world use cases.
Last updated: 2026-03-15. Verify current features, pricing, limits, and integrations on official vendor pages.
Short answer
Heap wins for teams that want instant analytics via autocapture without writing tracking code. PostHog wins for developer-led teams that want an open-source all-in-one suite with feature flags, A/B testing, and session replay alongside analytics. Both offer session replay. Sequenzy integrates with both and adds SaaS lifecycle email automation.
Heap
Autocapture analytics for instant insights without code
PostHog
Open-source all-in-one product suite for developers
Quick comparison
| Decision area | Heap | PostHog | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autocapture | Core feature, captures everything | Available but also supports explicit events | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Feature Flags | Not available | Full feature flag system | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| A/B Testing | Limited | Built-in with feature flag integration | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Session Replay | Via Contentsquare | Built-in with event timeline | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Open Source | No | Yes (MIT) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Self-Hosting | No | Yes | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Retroactive Analysis | Full retroactive event definition | Limited (only explicit events) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Billing Integration | Not native | Not native | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Heap | PostHog |
|---|---|---|
| Autocapture depth | 10/10
Captures every click, page view, form submission automatically | 7/10
Autocapture available but also emphasizes explicit events |
| Retroactive event definition | 10/10
Define events from historical data anytime | 5/10
Autocaptured events can be filtered retroactively, less flexible |
| Custom event tracking | 7/10
Supports custom events alongside autocapture | 9/10
Excellent custom event support with rich properties |
| Feature flags | 2/10
Not available | 9/10
Full system with targeting, rollouts, multivariate |
| A/B testing | 5/10
Limited experimentation | 8/10
Built-in tied to feature flags |
| Surveys | 3/10
Not a core feature | 8/10
Built-in in-app surveys with targeting |
| Session replay | 8/10
Available via Contentsquare | 9/10
Built-in with event timeline, network, console |
| Email automation | 2/10
Not an email platform | 2/10
Not an email platform |
| Billing integration | 3/10
Track as events | 3/10
Track as events |
| Dunning | 1/10
N/A | 1/10
N/A |
Pricing and operating cost
Heap
Free plan: up to 10K sessions/month
Custom pricing opaque Contentsquare premium features extra Sessions scale with traffic
PostHog
Free plan: generous allocations per product
Self-hosting requires infrastructure Multiple products can add up Enterprise features require paid plans
| Tier or usage case | Heap | PostHog |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo (10K sessions) Core autocapture analytics | $0/mo (1M events, 5K sessions, etc.) All products with free allocations |
| Growth | Custom pricing Full features | Pay-as-you-go Volume discounts |
| Enterprise | Custom Contentsquare features | Custom SSO, support |
Pros and cons
Heap
Pros
- Best autocapture without code
- Full retroactive analysis
- Session replay via Contentsquare
- Fast setup
- Visual event builder
- No engineering required
Cons
- No feature flags
- No A/B testing platform
- Not open source
- Custom pricing opaque
- Contentsquare acquisition uncertainty
- Not email platform
PostHog
Pros
- All-in-one open-source suite
- Built-in feature flags
- Built-in A/B testing
- Self-hosting option
- Transparent pricing
- Developer-friendly HogQL
Cons
- Autocapture less comprehensive than Heap
- No retroactive event definition as strong as Heap
- Younger platform
- Smaller company
- Not email platform
Who should choose what?
Want analytics without any code.
Recommendation: Heap
Want analytics, flags, and testing in one tool.
Recommendation: PostHog
Need automated SaaS lifecycle email.
Recommendation: PostHog
Must self-host analytics.
Recommendation: PostHog
Final verdict
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FAQ
Both have session replay. Which is better?
PostHog session replay is built natively with event timeline, network tab, and console logging. Heap session replay comes via Contentsquare integration with digital experience analytics. Both are capable; PostHog is more developer-oriented while Heap/Contentsquare is more UX-oriented.
Can either handle lifecycle email?
No. Use Sequenzy for SaaS lifecycle email with billing integration.
Related reading: B2B email marketing guide , alternatives hub , and B2B SaaS tool stack .