Replacement Guide

How to Build Your Own Heap

Replace Heap with a custom build. Product analytics that captures every user interaction automatically.

Weekend Project
42 features27 integrationsOne weekend

Estimated Timeline

Based on 42 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.

1
Setup & scaffolding
2 hours
2
Core features
4-6 hours
3
Polish & deploy
2 hours

Recommended Tech Stack

Next.js 14

Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components

Supabase

PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions

Tailwind CSS

Utility-first styling for rapid UI development

Key Features to Replicate

Top features across 8 categories. See all 42 features

Analysis(9 features)

BenchmarkingPremium

Compare your metrics against industry benchmarks.

Cohort Analysis

Compare behavior across different user cohorts.

Funnel Analysis

Detailed analysis of multi-step conversion paths.

Funnels

Analyze conversion paths and identify where users drop off.

Goal Tracking

Define and track custom business goals and milestones.

+4 more in this category

Data Collection(5 features)

Autocapture

Automatically records all user interactions without manual event setup.

Cross-domain Tracking

Track users across multiple domains and subdomains.

Custom Events via Server-side SDK

Send server-side events to supplement autocapture data.

Custom Properties

Add custom user and event properties for advanced analysis.

Event Definitions

Define custom events retroactively from your autocaptured data.

Compliance(4 features)

Audit LogsPremium

Track all user actions and changes within your workspace.

Data GovernancePremium

Manage data classifications and sensitive information handling.

Data Privacy Controls

Mask or exclude sensitive data from collection.

GDPR Compliance Tools

Tools to manage data privacy and user deletion requests.

Reporting(4 features)

Custom Dashboards

Build tailored dashboards for different teams and stakeholders.

Dashboards

Create custom dashboards to track key metrics and KPIs.

Real-time Dashboards

View live updates of key metrics as they happen.

Scheduled Reports

Automatically generate and email reports on a schedule.

AI Features(3 features)

Heap AnswersAIPremium

AI-powered assistant that answers questions about your product data.

Predictive AnalyticsAIPremium

AI-powered predictions for churn, conversion, and user lifetime value.

Recommended EventsAIPremium

AI suggests important events to track based on your data.

Integration(3 features)

APIPremium

Programmatic access to data and analytics functionality.

Data Export

Export analysis results and raw data in multiple formats.

Data Warehouse SyncPremium

Export raw events to your data warehouse for custom analysis.

Administration(2 features)

Role-based Access Control

Manage team permissions with granular access controls.

SSO/SAMLPremium

Enterprise single sign-on with SAML 2.0 support.

Experimentation(2 features)

A/B TestingPremium

Run experiments to test feature changes and measure impact.

Feature FlaggingPremium

Control feature rollout with feature flags and experiments.

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Heap

Monthly$89/mo
Yearly$1.1k/yr
5-Year Total$5.3k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~3 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 YearSave $828
SaaS
$1.1k
DIY
$240
3 YearsSave $2.5k
SaaS
$3.2k
DIY
$720
5 YearsSave $4.1k
SaaS
$5.3k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 42 features at very easy complexity.

Ready to Build?