Open source vs Proprietary
Plausible vs Amplitude: Which One Should You Choose in 1970?
Plausible Analytics is a open source Product & Web Analytics tool priced as pageview-based Cloud / Free Self-Hosted, starting at $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted. Amplitude is proprietary, priced as per monthly tracked user (MTU) + event volume, starting at $61/mo (Plus).
Quick verdict
- Choose Plausible for
- Plausibleultra-lightweight tracking script (< 1 KB, 45x lighter than GA4)
- Choose Amplitude for
- Amplitudestrong behavioural cohort and retention analysis at scale
Plausible vs Amplitude: feature comparison
| Feature | Plausible AnalyticsOpen SourceSelf-Hostable | AmplitudeProprietary |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source Available | Yes | No |
| Self-Hostable | Yes | No |
| Self-Hosting Difficulty | Low (Docker Compose) | N/A |
| Pricing Model | Pageview-based Cloud / Free Self-Hosted | Per monthly tracked user (MTU) + event volume |
| Starting Price | $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted | $61/mo (Plus) |
| Free Tier | Free 30-day cloud trial; 100% Free Self-Hosted forever | Free 50,000 MTUs/mo with limited features |
| GitHub Stars | 19.5k | N/A |
Pricing takeaway
Plausible Analytics starts at $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted (free 30-day cloud trial; 100% Free Self-Hosted forever). Amplitude starts at $61/mo (Plus) (free 50,000 MTUs/mo with limited features).
- Plausible Analytics
- Pageview-based Cloud / Free Self-Hosted. Starts at $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted. Free 30-day cloud trial; 100% Free Self-Hosted forever.Full Plausible pricing breakdown
- Amplitude
- Per monthly tracked user (MTU) + event volume. Starts at $61/mo (Plus). Free 50,000 MTUs/mo with limited features.Full Amplitude pricing breakdown
Pros and cons
Plausible Analytics
Visit PlausiblePros
- Ultra-lightweight tracking script (< 1 KB, 45x lighter than GA4)
- No cookies, 100% GDPR, CCPA, and PECR compliant without cookie consent banners
- Clean, single-page intuitive dashboard that non-technical team members love
Cons
- No advanced complex multi-touch attribution or deep custom funnels
- Cloud version has no perpetual free tier (paid after 30-day trial)
- User-level funnels and cohort views are limited compared with product analytics tools
Amplitude
Visit AmplitudePros
- Strong behavioural cohort and retention analysis at scale
- Experimentation and audience sync built into the platform
- Guided taxonomy and templates help new teams structure events
Cons
- The useful analysis features sit in the expensive tiers
- Event volume is billed on top of MTU pricing
- No open-source or self-hosted option
Plausible vs Amplitude: FAQ
Is Amplitude a good alternative to Plausible?
Plausible Analytics is a open source Product & Web Analytics tool priced as pageview-based Cloud / Free Self-Hosted, starting at $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted. Amplitude is proprietary, priced as per monthly tracked user (MTU) + event volume, starting at $61/mo (Plus).
Which is cheaper, Plausible or Amplitude?
Plausible Analytics starts at $9/mo or Free Self-Hosted (free 30-day cloud trial; 100% Free Self-Hosted forever). Amplitude starts at $61/mo (Plus) (free 50,000 MTUs/mo with limited features).
Is Plausible or Amplitude open source?
Plausible Analytics is open source (github.com/plausible/analytics). Amplitude is proprietary.
Can I self-host Plausible or Amplitude?
Plausible Analytics can be self-hosted. Difficulty: Low (Docker Compose). Amplitude cannot be self-hosted.
Do Plausible and Amplitude have a free tier?
Plausible Analytics: Free 30-day cloud trial; 100% Free Self-Hosted forever. Amplitude: Free 50,000 MTUs/mo with limited features.