OpenPanel vs PostHog
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OpenPanel
Open-source web and product analytics in one tool
VS
PostHog
Open-source product analytics platform
| Feature | OpenPanel | PostHog |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,042 | ★ 39,909 |
| First released | 2024 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Mixpanel, Google Analytics | Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude |
What are OpenPanel and PostHog?
OpenPanel
OpenPanel is an open-source analytics platform that combines web analytics with product analytics, positioned as a mix of Mixpanel and Plausible. It tracks events, funnels, and user retention.
- Web and product analytics
- Funnels and retention
- Real-time event tracking
- Privacy-friendly design
PostHog
PostHog is an open-source product analytics platform with event tracking, session replay, feature flags, and A/B testing. It targets product teams wanting an all-in-one analytics suite. It is deployed via Docker or Kubernetes.
- Product analytics and funnels
- Session replay
- Feature flags and experiments
- Self-hostable all-in-one
OpenPanel vs PostHog: key differences
OpenPanel is written in TypeScript, while PostHog is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for OpenPanel versus MIT for PostHog. OpenPanel is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for PostHog. PostHog is the more established project (first released 2020), while OpenPanel arrived in 2024. PostHog has the considerably larger community, at 39,909 GitHub stars versus 7,042.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenPanel if…
- Mixpanel-style features open-source
- Modern dashboard
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Multi-service deployment
Choose PostHog if…
- Comprehensive product suite
- Session replay included
- Open-core model
Watch out for
- Heavy to self-host
- Self-host edition is scaled down
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenPanel or PostHog better?
Neither is universally better. PostHog has the larger community, while OpenPanel is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenPanel and PostHog free and open-source?
Yes. OpenPanel is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and PostHog under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenPanel and PostHog with Docker?
OpenPanel: yes. PostHog: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenPanel or PostHog?
OpenPanel has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for PostHog. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.