Helion

Helion suits product teams that want to trace user behavior across events, funnels and retention, especially those able to operate their own analytics infrastructure. Its standout advantage is the choice between a free, open-source self-hosted deployment and a hosted plan with all features. The cloud allowance is capped at 1M events per month, so teams should weigh that quota against their expected activity.

Overview

Helion brings product and web analytics into one platform, with ClickHouse storing events and running queries. Cookieless tracking is the default and does not require third-party tracking cookies, a sensible approach for teams that want behavioral analytics without relying on those cookies. The privacy policy also describes HTTPS/TLS and production-system access controls.

The self-hosted software is open source under AGPL-3.0. It can be deployed with Docker Compose on a VPS, Kubernetes cluster or cloud provider, but that flexibility comes with the work of running and maintaining the deployment. Helion Labs is maintained by founder Lalit Shrotriya and describes itself as independent and bootstrapped.

Key features

Product analysis and replay

Event tracking and user profiles sit alongside funnels, cohorts, retention analysis, real-time dashboards, A/B testing and revenue tracking. That breadth lets teams examine user journeys and return behavior alongside individual events, rather than treating traffic measurement as the whole job. Session replay can add behavioral context, but it is opt-in and off by default; its stated retention is 30 days, which may be limiting for teams reviewing older sessions.

AI access and integrations

Helion’s MCP server allows Claude, Cursor and other compatible AI clients to query analytics data. That is a useful access path for teams already using those clients, though it does not replace the platform’s reporting features. Event-triggered notifications can be sent to Slack, Discord or a custom webhook, with JavaScript payload transforms for shaping what gets sent.

SDKs and support

SDK support includes JavaScript, React, Next.js, Astro and Python, plus additional platforms. Usage questions can go to Discord, while GitHub issues handle bug reports and feature requests; enterprise and partnership inquiries go to email. This gives developers clear channels for product questions and issues, though support is split across them.

Pricing

Helion’s event-based pricing makes expected volume the key decision. The Self-hosted plan costs nothing and includes unlimited events and all features. It is the strongest fit for teams comfortable managing deployment; the trade-off is the operational responsibility that comes with self-hosting.

Helion Cloud costs $90 a month, billed $90/month for 1M events. It includes all features, making it the hosted option for teams that want to avoid running the software themselves, but the 1M-event allowance may be a poor fit for higher-volume products. The pricing model is freemium, with a free plan and a 30-day trial. No seat limit is stated for either plan.

Platforms

Helion supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web and API use, as well as self-hosting. That range suits teams measuring products across mobile and desktop environments, with a deployment option for organizations that prefer to manage their own infrastructure.

Who it's for

Helion is best for product teams that need more than page traffic metrics: funnels, retention, cohorts, replay and revenue tracking cover a wider set of product questions. It is particularly compelling for teams that can self-host and want unlimited events without a subscription. Teams seeking hosted analytics should consider whether the 1M-event cloud quota fits their activity, while those unwilling to manage infrastructure may find the self-hosted option less attractive.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Self-hosting is free, open source and includes unlimited events and all features, avoiding a usage quota for teams prepared to operate it.
• Pros: Funnels, cohorts, retention, session replay, A/B testing and revenue tracking extend analysis beyond basic event counts.
• Pros: Cookieless-by-default tracking avoids third-party tracking cookies, and the MCP server supports querying data from compatible AI clients.
• Cons: Cloud costs $90 a month for 1M events, which makes volume an important constraint for hosted users.
• Cons: Self-hosting requires teams to run the deployment, while session replay is disabled by default and retains sessions for 30 days.

Alternatives

Product Analytics Tools is the category directory for comparing options. Consider Aptabase if you want another freemium, open-source analytics option, with support across mobile, desktop, web and self-hosted platforms. Its free plan allows up to 20,000 events per month, so it is more constrained than Helion’s unlimited-event self-hosted plan.

PostHog is another freemium, open-source choice with broad platform support; its free plan is available without a free trial. GameAnalytics may suit game teams looking for a free plan with no MAU limits and dashboards, events, funnels, cohorts, retention and real-time reporting.

Zoho Apptics offers a free-forever plan with limits including one project, five applications per project, 5K errors per month and 25K engagements per month. devtodev is worth considering for teams whose needs fit its free plan: up to 25k MAU, 30 custom events, five team members and raw data stored for up to three months.

Amplio is a free, MIT-licensed self-hosted alternative with no stated usage limits. Keentics offers a free plan with 2M events per month, one project, one team seat and 90-day data retention, but excludes features including A/B testing. Klaritics has a free self-hosted, single-instance Starter plan with up to 1M events analyzed per month, a 30-day retention window and up to three seats.

Verdict

Choose Helion if your team wants broad product analytics and can either operate an open-source deployment or keep hosted usage within 1M events per month. Its free self-hosted plan with unlimited events and all features is the clearest reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need hosted analytics at a higher event volume or do not want the responsibilities of self-hosting.