Mixpanel vs Localytics
Localytics was one of the first mobile analytics companies, known for pairing analytics with push and in-app messages. Upland Software bought it in 2020, and it's now sold as Upland Localytics to brands that message their app users. It's still updated: its release notes run to June 2025. Mixpanel went the other way, into self-serve product analytics anyone can start for free. They're rarely the same choice today.
The short version
Pick Mixpanel if
- You want analytics you can start today, on a free plan, without talking to sales
- Your team builds funnels, flows and cohorts every week
- You want session replay and experiments in the same tool
Pick Localytics if
- You're a larger brand already on Localytics or Upland's other products
- Push and in-app messages matter as much to you as the reports
- You want one vendor for app messaging and its analytics
Mixpanel and Localytics, side by side
| Topic | Mixpanel | Localytics |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Mixpanel | Upland Software, since 2020 |
| Focus | Product analytics for web and mobile | App engagement: push, in-app messages and the analytics behind them |
| Price | Free up to 1M events a month, then priced by events | We couldn't find a public price list |
| Start on your own | Yes, free sign-up | We couldn't find a self-serve sign-up |
| Messages to app users | Not built in; through other tools | Yes, the main point |
| Session replay | Yes, 10K replays a month on the free plan | Not listed |
| Latest updates | Ongoing | Release notes list updates through June 2025 |
Checked on 26 October 2026 against Upland buys Localytics (2020), Localytics release notes, Mixpanel pricing. Something out of date? Tell us at hello@apparent.fyi and we'll fix it.
Where they overlap
Both record events from iOS and Android apps and show who uses the app, what they do and who comes back.
Where Mixpanel goes further
- Deeper, more flexible reports, built by anyone on the team.
- A free plan and self-serve paid plans, so a small app can start in minutes.
- Session replay, experiments and feature flags.
Where Localytics goes further
- Push and in-app messages aimed at the people your analytics finds.
- Part of Upland's suite, for companies that buy several of its products.
Where Apparent fits
Most people searching for Localytics today are small app makers who remember it from its early days. If you make iOS or Android apps on your own or in a small team and would rather read a sentence than build a report, Apparent may fit better than either: who is in your app right now and what they do, from its own SDK, plus reviews and sales from App Store Connect, Google Play and RevenueCat if you connect them, with all your apps on one page. It doesn't send messages to your users.
Questions
Does Localytics still exist?
Yes. Upland Software bought it in 2020 and sells it as Upland Localytics. Its release notes list updates through June 2025, and its support moved to its own help desk in April 2025.
Who owns Localytics?
Upland Software, which announced the purchase in February 2020.
Is Mixpanel a Localytics alternative?
For the analytics, yes, and you can start on a free plan. Mixpanel doesn't send push or in-app messages itself.
What does Apparent cost?
Plans start at $10 a month, with 14 days free and no card.