Quick Overview
- 1#1: Amplitude - Advanced product analytics platform specializing in cohort analysis for user retention, engagement, and behavioral insights.
- 2#2: Mixpanel - Event-based analytics tool with powerful cohort tables to track retention and user behavior over time.
- 3#3: Heap - Autocapture analytics platform enabling retroactive cohort segmentation without predefined events.
- 4#4: PostHog - Open-source product analytics suite offering unlimited cohorts, funnels, and SQL-based analysis.
- 5#5: Google Analytics - Comprehensive web and app analytics with cohort exploration reports for retention analysis.
- 6#6: CleverTap - AI-powered mobile marketing platform with granular cohort analysis for user lifecycle optimization.
- 7#7: Braze - Customer engagement platform using cohort segmentation for personalized cross-channel campaigns.
- 8#8: Adobe Analytics - Enterprise analytics solution with advanced cohort analysis integrated into the Experience Cloud.
- 9#9: Countly - Mobile and web analytics SDK with customizable cohort retention visualizations and plugins.
- 10#10: Matomo - Privacy-focused open-source analytics platform featuring cohort tracking and visitor segmentation.
These tools were selected based on robust cohort capabilities, user-friendliness, integration potential, and overall value, ensuring they suit both seasoned analysts and those new to cohort tracking, while balancing depth and accessibility.
Comparison Table
This comparison table breaks down key cohort analysis software options, featuring Amplitude, Mixpanel, Heap, PostHog, Google Analytics, and more, to simplify tool selection. Readers will discover critical features, usability, and core capabilities, enabling them to identify the best fit for their analytical goals and workflow.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amplitude Advanced product analytics platform specializing in cohort analysis for user retention, engagement, and behavioral insights. | specialized | 9.4/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 2 | Mixpanel Event-based analytics tool with powerful cohort tables to track retention and user behavior over time. | specialized | 9.1/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 3 | Heap Autocapture analytics platform enabling retroactive cohort segmentation without predefined events. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 4 | PostHog Open-source product analytics suite offering unlimited cohorts, funnels, and SQL-based analysis. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.9/10 | 9.4/10 |
| 5 | Google Analytics Comprehensive web and app analytics with cohort exploration reports for retention analysis. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.4/10 | 9.8/10 |
| 6 | CleverTap AI-powered mobile marketing platform with granular cohort analysis for user lifecycle optimization. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 7 | Braze Customer engagement platform using cohort segmentation for personalized cross-channel campaigns. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.2/10 | 6.8/10 |
| 8 | Adobe Analytics Enterprise analytics solution with advanced cohort analysis integrated into the Experience Cloud. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 9.2/10 | 6.4/10 | 7.3/10 |
| 9 | Countly Mobile and web analytics SDK with customizable cohort retention visualizations and plugins. | specialized | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 10 | Matomo Privacy-focused open-source analytics platform featuring cohort tracking and visitor segmentation. | other | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.0/10 | 9.2/10 |
Advanced product analytics platform specializing in cohort analysis for user retention, engagement, and behavioral insights.
Event-based analytics tool with powerful cohort tables to track retention and user behavior over time.
Autocapture analytics platform enabling retroactive cohort segmentation without predefined events.
Open-source product analytics suite offering unlimited cohorts, funnels, and SQL-based analysis.
Comprehensive web and app analytics with cohort exploration reports for retention analysis.
AI-powered mobile marketing platform with granular cohort analysis for user lifecycle optimization.
Customer engagement platform using cohort segmentation for personalized cross-channel campaigns.
Enterprise analytics solution with advanced cohort analysis integrated into the Experience Cloud.
Mobile and web analytics SDK with customizable cohort retention visualizations and plugins.
Privacy-focused open-source analytics platform featuring cohort tracking and visitor segmentation.
Amplitude
specializedAdvanced product analytics platform specializing in cohort analysis for user retention, engagement, and behavioral insights.
Behavioral Cohort Table for side-by-side analysis of custom cohorts with retention heatmaps and advanced metrics
Amplitude is a premier product analytics platform renowned for its powerful cohort analysis capabilities, allowing users to segment audiences based on behaviors, events, and attributes to track retention, engagement, and revenue over time. It offers customizable cohort tables, retention curves, and next-action analysis to uncover user lifecycle insights. The platform integrates seamlessly with data warehouses and supports real-time behavioral analytics for data-driven product decisions.
Pros
- Exceptional cohort segmentation with behavioral and multi-dimensional analysis
- Real-time data processing and scalable for millions of events
- Deep integrations with tools like Segment, Snowflake, and BI platforms
Cons
- Higher pricing tiers can be expensive for small teams
- Advanced features require a learning curve for non-experts
- Limited customization in some visualization options compared to BI tools
Best For
Mid-to-large product teams at SaaS companies seeking scalable, behavioral cohort analysis for optimizing retention and growth.
Pricing
Starter plan free (10M events/mo); Growth from $995/mo (1M MTUs); Enterprise custom.
Mixpanel
specializedEvent-based analytics tool with powerful cohort tables to track retention and user behavior over time.
Behavioral cohort builder that segments users by complex event sequences and properties for unprecedented precision in retention analysis
Mixpanel is a powerful product analytics platform specializing in event-based tracking to uncover user behavior insights. It excels in cohort analysis by enabling users to create dynamic cohorts based on acquisition dates, events, properties, or behaviors, then visualize retention curves, engagement tables, and revenue progression over time. The tool's cohort features support identifying churn patterns, optimizing retention strategies, and forecasting growth with customizable metrics and real-time data updates.
Pros
- Highly granular cohort segmentation using event properties and behaviors
- Real-time cohort updates and interactive visualizations for quick insights
- Seamless integration with revenue data for LTV and cohort profitability analysis
Cons
- Pricing can escalate quickly with high event volumes
- Steep learning curve for advanced cohort setups and JQL queries
- Limited native export options for cohort data compared to BI tools
Best For
Growth and product teams at scaling SaaS companies needing deep behavioral cohort insights to drive retention and monetization.
Pricing
Free up to 100k monthly tracked users; Growth plan starts at $25/mo + $0.0003 per extra event; Enterprise custom pricing.
Heap
specializedAutocapture analytics platform enabling retroactive cohort segmentation without predefined events.
Retroactive autocapture of all events, allowing instant cohort creation from historical data without manual instrumentation
Heap (heap.io) is a comprehensive product analytics platform that automatically captures every user interaction without requiring manual event tagging, enabling powerful cohort analysis for retention, engagement, and behavioral insights. It allows users to retroactively build cohorts based on any event, property, or session data and visualize metrics like retention curves over time. Ideal for product teams, Heap combines cohort tools with session replays, funnels, and surveys for a holistic view of user journeys.
Pros
- Automatic event capture enables retroactive cohort building without upfront setup
- Robust cohort retention analysis with customizable metrics and visualizations
- Seamless integrations with tools like Slack, Segment, and BI platforms
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced cohort features and dashboard customization
- Pricing scales quickly for high-volume usage, less ideal for small teams
- Occasional performance lags with very large datasets
Best For
Mid-sized to enterprise product teams analyzing complex user behaviors and retention through effortless data capture.
Pricing
Free tier up to 300k sessions/month; Growth ($3,600/mo annually), Pro ($12,000/mo annually), Enterprise custom.
PostHog
specializedOpen-source product analytics suite offering unlimited cohorts, funnels, and SQL-based analysis.
SQL-powered cohort definitions for unlimited customization and precision
PostHog is an open-source product analytics platform that provides robust cohort analysis tools to track user retention, engagement, and behavioral patterns over time. Users can create dynamic cohorts based on events, properties, person attributes, or even custom SQL queries, enabling granular segmentation and analysis without data sampling limits. Integrated with session replays, funnels, and A/B testing, it offers a comprehensive suite for product teams focused on privacy and data ownership.
Pros
- Unlimited data processing with no sampling for accurate cohorts
- Flexible cohort creation via UI, plugins, or SQL for advanced users
- Open-source and self-hostable for full data control and privacy
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
- UI less polished for quick cohort setup compared to specialized tools
- Overkill for teams needing only basic cohort analysis
Best For
Privacy-conscious product and growth teams at tech startups or scale-ups needing integrated analytics with powerful cohort capabilities.
Pricing
Free open-source self-hosting; Cloud: Free up to 1M events/month, Scale plan from $450/month for higher volumes.
Google Analytics
specializedComprehensive web and app analytics with cohort exploration reports for retention analysis.
Free, scalable cohort explorations with BigQuery export for unlimited custom analysis
Google Analytics, particularly in its GA4 version, offers cohort analysis through Explorations, enabling users to group visitors by acquisition date or custom dimensions and track retention, revenue, and engagement over time. It visualizes cohort performance via heatmaps, tables, and line charts, helping analyze user lifecycle and behavior patterns. While not a dedicated cohort tool, it integrates seamlessly with broader web and app analytics for contextual insights.
Pros
- Completely free for standard use with high data limits
- Deep integration with Google ecosystem like Ads and BigQuery
- Flexible cohort definitions based on user acquisition and events
Cons
- Cohort analysis buried in Explorations with a learning curve
- Limited advanced segmentation compared to specialized tools
- Data sampling and privacy limits can affect accuracy for large sites
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses and websites already using Google Analytics for cost-free cohort retention analysis.
Pricing
Free for standard GA4; Google Analytics 360 enterprise plans start at around $150,000/year.
CleverTap
enterpriseAI-powered mobile marketing platform with granular cohort analysis for user lifecycle optimization.
Cohort-activated messaging, allowing automated campaigns triggered directly from cohort behaviors
CleverTap is a comprehensive customer engagement platform with robust cohort analysis capabilities, enabling users to track retention, revenue, and behavioral trends across user groups over time. It supports custom cohort creation based on events, segments, and attributes, offering visualizations such as retention curves, heatmaps, and LTV cohorts. Beyond pure analytics, it allows seamless activation of cohort insights through personalized campaigns and messaging.
Pros
- Intuitive cohort builder with real-time data and customizable metrics
- Strong visualizations including retention heatmaps and revenue cohorts
- Direct integration of cohorts with engagement tools for quick actions
Cons
- Advanced cohort features locked behind higher pricing tiers
- Interface can feel overwhelming for users focused solely on analytics
- Less depth in statistical modeling compared to dedicated analytics platforms
Best For
Mobile and web app growth teams seeking to combine cohort analysis with retention-focused campaigns.
Pricing
Free tier for up to 10,000 monthly active users; paid plans start at ~$1,000/month for Growth (100k MAU), scaling with usage and features to custom Enterprise pricing.
Braze
enterpriseCustomer engagement platform using cohort segmentation for personalized cross-channel campaigns.
Real-time cohort retention analysis tied directly to cross-channel campaign orchestration
Braze is a customer engagement platform with built-in cohort analysis tools that enable users to segment audiences by acquisition date, events, or attributes and visualize retention, churn, and engagement metrics over time. It integrates cohort insights directly into multi-channel campaigns, personalization, and segmentation workflows. While powerful for marketing-driven analytics, it's part of a broader suite rather than a standalone cohort tool.
Pros
- Deep integration of cohorts with segmentation and real-time messaging
- Advanced retention curves and behavioral cohort tracking
- Scalable for enterprise-level data volumes
Cons
- High enterprise pricing limits accessibility
- Steep learning curve due to complex platform
- Less specialized depth compared to dedicated analytics tools like Amplitude
Best For
Enterprise marketing teams needing cohort analysis embedded in customer engagement and personalization workflows.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing based on monthly active users and message volume; typically starts at $10,000+/month.
Adobe Analytics
enterpriseEnterprise analytics solution with advanced cohort analysis integrated into the Experience Cloud.
Advanced Cohort Table in Analysis Workspace with heatmaps, breakdowns, and sequential analysis across unlimited dimensions
Adobe Analytics is an enterprise-grade web and mobile analytics platform that provides sophisticated cohort analysis capabilities through its Analysis Workspace. Users can define cohorts based on user attributes, behaviors, events, or segments and track metrics like retention, revenue, and engagement over time periods. It supports advanced visualizations such as heatmaps and breakdowns, making it suitable for analyzing customer lifecycles at scale.
Pros
- Highly customizable cohort definitions using any dimension or segment
- Scales effortlessly for massive datasets and enterprise needs
- Seamless integration with Adobe Experience Cloud for cross-tool analysis
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring significant training
- Expensive pricing model not ideal for small teams
- Overly complex interface for basic cohort tasks
Best For
Large enterprises with complex analytics needs requiring deep cohort insights integrated into a broader marketing ecosystem.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing via quote; typically starts at $10,000+ annually based on data volume and plan tier (Select, Prime, Ultimate).
Countly
specializedMobile and web analytics SDK with customizable cohort retention visualizations and plugins.
Self-hosted deployment ensuring complete data privacy and control for cohort analysis
Countly is a versatile mobile and web analytics platform with robust cohort analysis tools for tracking user retention, segmentation, and behavior over time. It enables users to create cohorts based on events, properties, and user attributes, generating retention heatmaps, churn analysis, and longitudinal comparisons. As an open-source solution, it supports self-hosting for data privacy while offering scalable enterprise features.
Pros
- Open-source with self-hosting for data sovereignty
- Extensive plugin system enhances cohort capabilities
- Integrates cohort analysis with full analytics suite
Cons
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- UI and cohort builder less intuitive than specialized tools
- Limited advanced cohort visualizations out-of-the-box
Best For
Privacy-focused teams or enterprises needing customizable, self-hosted cohort analysis within a broader analytics platform.
Pricing
Free Community edition (self-hosted); Cloud plans start at $490/month; Enterprise on-premise licensing from $9,000/year.
Matomo
otherPrivacy-focused open-source analytics platform featuring cohort tracking and visitor segmentation.
Unlimited historical data retention for cohorts with no sampling, allowing deep retrospective analysis
Matomo is an open-source web analytics platform that provides cohort analysis capabilities to track user retention, engagement, and revenue across user groups defined by acquisition periods like first visit date. It allows customization of cohort tables with metrics such as retention rates, page views, conversions, and e-commerce data over daily, weekly, or monthly intervals. As a privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics, it enables self-hosting with full data control, making it suitable for detailed behavioral cohort insights without data sampling.
Pros
- Open-source and self-hosted for complete data privacy and ownership
- No data sampling, enabling accurate cohort analysis on full datasets
- Customizable cohort metrics including retention, revenue, and goal completions
Cons
- Initial self-hosting setup requires technical expertise
- User interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS tools
- Advanced cohort segmentation and behavioral cohorts require plugins or custom development
Best For
Privacy-focused businesses and developers seeking cost-effective, self-hosted cohort retention tracking for websites.
Pricing
Free self-hosted version; Matomo Cloud starts at €19/month for 100k pageviews, with premium plugins from €199/year.
Conclusion
The world of cohort analysis software offers a range of tools, each with distinct strengths, but Amplitude rises to the top as the leading choice, renowned for advanced product analytics in retention and engagement. Close behind, Mixpanel impresses with powerful event-based tracking, and Heap stands out for its ability to enable retroactive cohort segmentation—each proving a formidable option for different analytical needs.
To harness the full potential of cohort analysis, start with Amplitude; its robust capabilities make it an ideal foundation for unlocking actionable user insights and driving growth.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
