March 12, 2026
PostHog vs TelemetryDeck for Indie Developers
A factual comparison of PostHog and TelemetryDeck for solo developers and small teams building iOS and web apps. Covers free tiers, feature sets, mobile access, and practical trade-offs.
Feature Comparison
| PostHog | TelemetryDeck | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 1M events/month | 100K signals/month |
| iOS SDK | Yes | Yes |
| Autocapture | Yes | No |
| Session replay | Yes (5K sessions/mo free) | No |
| Feature flags | Yes (1M requests/mo free) | No |
| A/B testing | Yes (free) | No |
| Surveys | Yes (250 responses/mo free) | No |
| Mobile dashboard | Via PocketHog (3rd party) | None |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | No |
| Pricing model | Per event (usage-based) | Per signals, paid plans from €9/month |
Where PostHog Wins
- 10x larger free tier (1M vs 100K events)
- Session replay, feature flags, A/B tests, surveys all included
- Funnel and retention analysis
- HogQL for custom queries
- Mobile monitoring via PocketHog
- Can self-host for full privacy control
Where TelemetryDeck Wins
- Simpler privacy model — no individual user tracking by design
- Swift-native SDK (PostHog's is also Swift but less Apple-focused)
- Lighter weight SDK
- No consent management needed
TelemetryDeck: Strengths
Best for: Swift developers who prioritize privacy and simplicity
- Privacy-first: no individual user tracking, aggregate-only
- Swift-native SDK built specifically for Apple developers
- Lightweight — minimal impact on app size and performance
- Clean, simple dashboard
- No cookie banners or consent management needed
TelemetryDeck: Weaknesses
- No funnels, session replay, or user-level analysis
- No feature flags, A/B testing, or surveys
- Smaller free tier (100K vs 1M)
- No mobile dashboard app
- Limited query capabilities
Mobile Monitoring
PostHog does not have an official mobile app. Third-party iOS clients fill this gap:
- PocketHog — native iOS app with home screen widgets showing live metrics per project, conversion tracking, sparkline charts, and delta percentages. Supports multi-project feed, chart annotations, and deep links to PostHog Max AI. Available on the App Store.
- MiniHog — Flutter-based, basic event tracking and graphs.
- HogLite — open source, event and insights viewing.
Verdict
TelemetryDeck is excellent if you only need aggregate metrics and prioritize privacy simplicity. PostHog offers far more functionality — funnels, session replay, feature flags — and can be self-hosted for privacy. For mobile access, PocketHog adds home screen widgets that TelemetryDeck doesn't have.
Related
- Best analytics for indie iOS apps in 2026
- Free analytics tools for side projects
- How to put PostHog on your iPhone home screen
PocketHog is an independent third-party client and is not affiliated with PostHog, Inc. or TelemetryDeck.