PostHog vs Umami
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | PostHog | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 39,909 | ★ 38,981 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude | Google Analytics |
What are PostHog and Umami?
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
Umami
Umami is a simple, fast, privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics that collects no personal data and uses no cookies. It targets developers and site owners wanting easy, ethical analytics. It is deployed via Docker.
- Cookie-free privacy analytics
- Clean modern dashboard
- Multi-site and multi-user
- Tiny tracking script
PostHog vs Umami: key differences
PostHog is written in Python, while Umami is built with TypeScript. Umami is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for PostHog.
Why pick each one
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
Choose Umami if…
- Very easy to self-host
- Privacy-friendly
- Clean interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Matomo
- Requires a database
Frequently asked questions
Is PostHog or Umami better?
Neither is universally better. PostHog has the larger community, while Umami is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are PostHog and Umami free and open-source?
Yes. PostHog is licensed under MIT and Umami under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PostHog and Umami with Docker?
PostHog: yes. Umami: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PostHog or Umami?
Umami 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.