Technical Spec Breakdown
PostHog vs Mixpanel
Compare PostHog vs Mixpanel. Detailed breakdown of pricing, open-source licensing, database engines, performance, and key trade-offs.
PostHog
Open SourceThe single platform for product analytics, session replay, and feature flags.
Visit PostHog →Mixpanel
ProprietarySelf-serve product analytics to help you convert, engage, and retain users.
Visit Mixpanel →| Feature / Spec | PostHog | Mixpanel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium / Usage-based | Freemium / Event-based |
| Free Tier | 1M events/mo, 5k session recordings/mo free | 20M events/month free on core features |
| Self-Hostable | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Primary Engine | ClickHouse | Proprietary (Arb) |
PostHog Trade-offs
Pros
- Combines analytics, heatmaps, recordings, and flags in one SDK
- Powered by ClickHouse for fast aggregation over millions of rows
- 1M free events per month indefinitely
Cons
- Self-hosting is complex and requires Kubernetes for scale
- Cloud add-ons can scale in price once exceeding free tiers
Mixpanel Trade-offs
Pros
- Industry-leading funnel and retention cohort analysis
- Very generous 20M monthly event free tier
Cons
- Closed source; data stored on vendor infrastructure
- Does not include session replay or heatmaps natively