Summary of Business and Significant Accounting Policies | (1) Summary of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Amplitude, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in 2011 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The Company provides a Digital Optimization System that helps companies analyze their customer behavior within digital products. The Company delivers its application over the Internet as a subscription service using a software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) model. The Company’s arrangements with customers do not provide the customer with the right to take possession of the software supporting the cloud-based application service at any time. The Company also offers customer support related to initial implementation setup, ongoing support services, and application training. Segment Information The Company has a single operating and reportable segment. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer, who reviews financial information presented on a consolidated basis for purposes of making operating decisions, assessing financial performance, and allocating resources. Long-lived assets outside of the United States are immaterial. For information regarding the Company’s revenue by geographic area, see the Disaggregation of Revenue section below. Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP" or "GAAP") and include the accounts of Amplitude, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Foreign Currency The reporting currency of the Company is the United States dollar. The functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is also the United States dollar. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations, and have not been material for any of the periods presented. Reclassification Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the presentation of the current period consolidated financial statements. Direct Listing On September 21, 2021, the Company’s registration statement related to the Direct Listing (the "Registration Statement") was declared effective by the SEC, and on September 28, 2021, the Company’s Class A common stock commenced trading. The Company incurred fees related to financial advisory service, audit, and legal expenses in connection with the Direct Listing and recorded general and administrative expenses of $ 18.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Prior to the Direct Listing, on August 30, 2021, an amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Company was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which resulted in the creation of Class A common stock and Class B common stock. All existing shares of common stock issued and outstanding were reclassified into shares of Class B common stock. Upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, all 68.0 million outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock were converted into an equivalent number of shares of Class B common stock. On September 21, 2021, an amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Company was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, authorizing an aggregate of 1,220,000,000 shares of capital stock of the Company, including 600,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, 600,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the financial statements and may involve subjective or significant judgment by the Company; therefore, actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates. Items subject to such estimates and assumptions include, but are not limited to the: • expected period of benefit for deferred commissions; • useful lives of long-lived assets; • valuation of the Company’s common stock and stock-based awards; • valuation of goodwill and intangible assets; and • the recognition, measurement, and valuation of deferred tax assets and income tax uncertainties. Risks and Uncertainties While the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the extent and effectiveness of containment actions, it has already had an adverse effect on the global economy and the lasting effects of the pandemic continue to be unknown. The Company may experience customer losses, including due to bankruptcy or customers ceasing operations, which may result in delays in collections or an inability to collect accounts receivable from these customers. The extent to which COVID-19 may continue to impact the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity continues to remain uncertain, and as of the date of issuance of these financial statements, the Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to its estimates or judgments or an adjustment to the carrying value of the Company’s assets or liabilities. These estimates may change, as new events occur and additional information is obtained, which will be recognized in the consolidated financial statements as soon as they become known. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and any such differences may be material to the Company’s financial statements. Revenue Recognition The Company derives revenue primarily from sales of subscription services. Revenue is recognized when, or as, the related performance obligation is satisfied by transferring the control of the promised service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration that the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for these services. To achieve the core principle of the revenue standard, the Company applies the following steps: (i) Identification of the contract, or contracts, with the customer The Company considers the terms and conditions of the contract in identifying the contracts. The Company determines a contract with a customer to exist when the contract is approved, each party’s rights regarding the services to be transferred can be identified, the payment terms for the services can be identified, it has been determined the customer has the ability and intent to pay, and the contract has commercial substance. At contract inception, the Company will evaluate whether two or more contracts should be combined and accounted for as a single contract and whether the combined or single contract includes more than one performance obligation. The Company applies judgment in determining the customer’s ability and intent to pay, which is based on a variety of factors, including the customer’s historical payment experience or, in the case of a new customer, credit, and financial information pertaining to the customer. (ii) Identification of the performance obligations in the contract Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, whereby the customer can benefit from the service either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available from third parties or from the Company and are distinct in the context of the contract, whereby the transfer of the services and the products is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract. The Company’s performance obligations consist of (1) core subscription services and (2) professional and other services. (iii) Determination of the transaction price The transaction price is determined based on the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring services to the customer. The transaction price includes SaaS subscription fees based on the contracted usage as well as variable consideration associated with overage fees on exceeded volume limits. Variable consideration is included in the transaction price if, in the Company’s judgment, it is probable that a significant future reversal of cumulative revenue under the contract will not occur. None of the Company’s contracts contain a significant financing component. (iv) Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract Contracts that contain multiple performance obligations require an allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation based on each performance obligation’s relative standalone selling price (“SSP”). Contracts typically have one performance obligation of providing access to the core subscription service. On occasion, contracts include professional services to customers, which are separate performance obligations. Professional services revenue has historically not been significant. (v) Recognition of the revenue when, or as, a performance obligation is satisfied Revenue is recognized at the time the related performance obligation is satisfied by transferring the control of the promised service to a customer. For subscription services, revenue is recognized as the customer is given access to the core subscription service, in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for access to the services. With respect to professional services, the Company recognizes revenue as services are delivered. The Company generates all its revenue from contracts with customers. Subscription revenue The Company generates revenue from SaaS subscriptions to customers that enable them to access and send event volume data to the Company’s cloud-based platform. Subscription arrangements with customers do not provide the customer with the right to take possession of the Company’s software at any time. Instead, customers are granted continuous access to the platform over the contractual period. A time-elapsed method is used to measure progress because the Company’s obligation is to provide continuous service over the contractual period and control is transferred evenly over the contractual period. Accordingly, the fixed consideration related to subscription revenue is recognized ratably over the contract term beginning on the date access to the subscription product is provisioned. The typical subscription term is 12 months with various payment terms ranging from monthly to annual up-front payments. Most contracts are non-cancellable over the contractual term. Some customers have the option to purchase additional subscription services at a stated price. These options are evaluated on a case-by-case basis but generally do not provide a material right as they do not provide a discount to the customer that is incremental to the range of discounts typically given for the same services that are sold to a similar class of customers, even when the stand-alone selling price of the services subject to the option is highly variable. Remaining performance obligations The Company’s contracts with customers generally include one combined performance obligation, its core subscription offering, which is a series of distinct services transferred to the customer ratably over the respective obligation’s term. Other performance obligations that may be identified in contracts include professional services. As of December 31, 2021, the unrecognized transaction price related to remaining performance obligations was $ 170.1 million . The Company’s remaining performance obligations as of December 31, 2021 are expected to be recognized as follows (in thousands): As of December 31, Less than or equal to 12 months $ 137,266 Greater than 12 months 32,868 Total remaining performance obligations $ 170,134 Disaggregation of Revenue The following table shows the Company’s disaggregation of revenue by geographic areas, as determined based on the billing address of its customers (in thousands): Years Ended 2021 2020 2019 United States $ 107,244 $ 65,189 $ 43,823 International 60,017 37,275 24,619 Total revenue $ 167,261 $ 102,464 $ 68,442 Accounts Receivable, Net Accounts receivable are primarily comprised of cash due from customers and are recorded at the invoiced amount, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the Company’s assessment of the collectability of accounts. The Company regularly reviews the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts based on a combination of factors. The Company records an allowance for doubtful accounts to reserve for potentially uncollectible receivables related to specific customers. This allowance is based on the review of the Company’s accounts receivable by aging category to identify specific customers with known disputes or collectability issues. Accounts receivable deemed uncollectible are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts when identified. The Company maintained an allowance of $ 0.1 million and $ 0.2 million for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Concentration of Risk and Significant Customers Financial instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and accounts receivable. Although the Company deposits its cash with high-quality, credit-rated financial institutions, the deposits, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents. No customer accounted for 10 % or more of total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. As of the year ended December 31, 2021, one customer represented 10 % of accounts receivable. As of the year ended December 31, 2020, two customers represented 14 % and 13 % of accounts receivable, respectively. Deferred Revenue Deferred revenue consists of billings of payments received in advance of revenue recognition and is recognized when, or as, performance obligations are satisfied. The Company generally invoices its customers annually or in monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual installments. Accordingly, the deferred revenue balance does not represent the total contract value of annual non-cancellable subscription agreements. The amount of revenue recognized in the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 that was included in deferred revenue at the beginning of the period was $ 40.7 million and $ 28.2 million , respectively. Deferred Commissions The Company capitalizes sales commissions that are recoverable and incremental due to the acquisition of customer contracts. The Company determines whether costs should be deferred based on its sales compensation plans, if the commissions are in fact incremental and would not have occurred absent the customer contract. Commissions paid upon the initial acquisition of a contract are deferred and then amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of benefit, determined to be five years. The period of benefit is estimated by considering factors such as the expected life of our subscription contracts, historical customer attrition rates, technological life of our platform, as well as other factors. Sales commissions for renewal of a subscription contract are not considered commensurate with the commissions paid for the acquisition of the initial subscription contract given the substantive difference in commission rates between new and renewal contracts. The Company determines the period of benefit for renewal subscription contracts by considering the contractual term for renewal contracts. Amounts anticipated to be recognized within 12 months of the balance sheet date are recorded as deferred commissions, current, with the remaining portion recorded as deferred commissions, noncurrent, in the consolidated balance sheets. Amortization of deferred commissions is included in sales and marketing expense in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company periodically reviews these deferred commissions to determine whether events or changes in circumstances have occurred that could impact recoverability or the period of benefit. There were no impairment losses recorded during the periods presented. The following table represents a rollforward of the Company’s deferred commissions as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands): Years Ended 2021 2020 Beginning balance $ 19,440 $ 12,260 Additions to deferred commissions 16,077 11,221 Amortization of deferred commissions ( 6,832 ) ( 4,041 ) Ending balance 28,685 19,440 Deferred commissions, current portion 8,112 5,563 Deferred commissions, net of current portion 20,573 13,877 Total deferred commissions $ 28,685 $ 19,440 Cost of Revenue Cost of revenue primarily consists of costs related to third-party hosting costs; employee-related expenses, including salaries, stock-based compensation and benefits for operations and support personnel; software license fees; certain developed technology and acquired developed software amortization; and allocated overhead. Research and Development Expense The Company’s costs related to research, design, maintenance, and minor enhancements of the Company’s platform are expensed as incurred. These costs consist primarily of personnel and related expenses, including stock-based compensation and allocated overhead costs, contractor and consulting fees related to the design, development, testing, and enhancements of the Company’s platform, and software, hardware, and cloud infrastructure fees for staging and development related to research and development activities necessary to support growth in the Company’s employee base and in the adoption of its platform. Advertising Costs The Company expenses all advertising costs as incurred as a component of sales and marketing expenses. Advertising expenses of $ 4.5 million , $ 2.0 million , and $ 1.4 million were incurred during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Stock-Based Compensation The Company records stock-based compensation expense for all stock-based awards, including stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and purchase rights issued under the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), made to employees, non-employees, and directors based on estimated fair values recognized over the requisite service period. The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for all stock-based payment awards granted to employees, directors, and non-employees based on the estimated fair values on the date of the grant and vesting criteria. For options, vesting is typically over a four-year period and is contingent upon continued employment on each vesting date. In general, options granted to employees vest 25 % after the first year of service and ratably each month over the remaining 36-month period. For RSUs, vesting is typically over a four-year period and is contingent upon continued employment on each vesting date. In general, RSUs granted to employees vest 25 % after the first year of service and ratably each quarter over the remaining 36-month period. The Company recognizes compensation expense for service-based stock-based awards as an expense over the employee’s or director’s requisite service period on a straight-line basis. The Company also had certain options and awards that have performance-based vesting conditions upon certain liquidity events. As a result of the Direct Listing, the liquidity event was met for all outstanding awards with a performance condition and were expensed using the accelerated attribution method. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur. Stock-based compensation expense is allocated to cost of revenue and operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations based on where the associated employee’s functional department is located. The fair value of stock options granted under the 2021 Plan and purchase rights issued under the ESPP for purposes of calculating stock-based compensation expense is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes pricing model. The Black-Scholes pricing model requires the Company to make assumptions and judgments about the inputs used in the calculation, including the expected term (weighted-average period of time that the options granted are expected to be outstanding), the volatility of the Company’s common stock, risk-free interest rate, and expected dividend yield. The expected term represents the period that the Company’s stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. For stock options considered to be “plain vanilla” options, the Company estimates the expected term based on the simplified method, which is essentially the weighted average of the vesting period and contractual term, as the Company's historical option exercise experience does not provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate the expected term. The volatility is based on an average of the historical volatilities of the common stock of comparable public companies with characteristics similar to those of the Company. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected life of the option or purchase right. The Company’s expected dividend yield input is zero as it has not historically paid, nor does it expect in the future to pay, cash dividends on its common stock. Stock-based compensation expense for RSUs granted under the 2021 Plan is measured based on the fair value of the underlying shares on the date of grant. The fair value of options granted under the 2014 Plan are estimated on the grant date using the Monte Carlo simulation model. The determination of the grant date fair value is affected by the estimated fair value of the Company’s common stock as well as additional assumptions regarding a number of other subjective variables. These variables include expected stock price volatility over a contractual term, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, the risk-free interest rate for a contractual term, and expected dividends. Stock-based compensation expense for RSUs granted under the 2014 Plan is measured based on the fair value of the underlying shares on the date of grant. Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset-and-liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income or loss in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established for deferred tax assets to the extent it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets may not be realized. The Company evaluates uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing its tax return to determine whether the tax positions are more likely than not of being sustained upon challenge by the applicable tax authority. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equiva lents. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at fair value. Restricted cash represents cash held to collateralize lease obligations related to the Company's property leases. As of December 31, 2021, $ 0.9 million of restricted cash is recorded as noncurrent assets. As of December 31, 2020, $ 1.1 million of restricted cash is recorded as current assets related to a lease that ended in fiscal 2021. T he following table represents the Company's cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at each period end (in thousands): As of 2021 2020 Cash and cash equivalents $ 307,445 $ 117,783 Restricted cash, current — 1,080 Restricted cash, noncurrent 850 — Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 308,295 $ 118,863 Fair Value Measurement The Company determines fair value based upon the exit price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants, as determined by either the principal market or the most advantageous market. Inputs used in the valuation techniques to derive fair values are classified based on a three-level hierarchy. These levels are: Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities; the fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs. Level 2 – Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date; the fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. Observable inputs are based on market data obtained from independent sources. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximated their carrying values as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 due to their short-term nature. The fair values of all of these instruments are categorized as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. Business Combinations The Company applies a screen test to evaluate if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets to determine whether a transaction is accounted for as an asset acquisition or business combination. When the Company acquires a business, the purchase consideration is allocated to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated respective fair valued based on the acquisition method of accounting. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. When determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, management makes significant estimates and assumptions, particularly to acquired intangible assets. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, reproduction costs and appropriate discount rates. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. Acquisition costs, such as legal and consulting fees, are expensed as incurred. During the measurement period, the Company may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded in the consolidated statement of operations. Goodwill and Other Acquired Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in connection with business combinations accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. The Company has one reporting unit and performs testing of goodwill in the fourth quarter of each year, or as events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. These triggering events that may indicate impairment include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in customer demand or business climate that could affect the value of goodwill or a significant decrease in expected cash flows. The Company’s test for goodwill impairment starts with a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. If the Company determines, based on the qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, then a quantitative goodwill impairment test is required. There were no impairments of goodwill recorded for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. There were no other changes in goodwill other than additions from acquisitions during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 as detailed in Note 3. Intangible assets mainly consist of developed technology resulting from the Company’s acquisitions. Acquired intangible assets are recorded at cost, net of accumulated amortization. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which was determined to be three years for all acquired intangibles. Amortization costs were included within cost of revenue in the consolidated statements of operations upon the related product release date. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. There was no impairment of intangible assets recorded for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. Property and Equipment, Net Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of those assets, as follows: Property Useful Life Office equipment 3 years Furniture and fixtures 3 years Leasehold improvements Shorter of remaining lease term or 5 years Software including internal-use software 3 years Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred and improvements are capitalized. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the statements of operations for the period realized. Capitalized Internal-Use Software Costs The Company capitalizes development costs related to its platform and certain other projects for internal use. The Company considered the guidance set forth in Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Subtopic 350-40-15, Accounting for the Cost of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use , which requires companies to capitalize qualifying computer software costs that are incurred during the application development stage, and then amortize them over the software’s estimated useful life. Costs related to preliminary project activities and post-implementation activities are expensed as incurred. Capitalized internal-use software costs are included in "Property and equipment, net" on our consolidated balance sheets and are amortized on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life into cost of revenue within the consolidated statements of operation. All software development costs prior to capitalization have been recorded in research and development expense in the consolidated statements of operations. There was no impairment to capitalized internal-use software costs during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company evaluates long-lived assets or asset groups for impairment whenever events indicate that the carrying value of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable based on expected future cash flows attributable to that asset or asset group. Recoverability of assets held and used is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of an asset or an asset group to estimated undiscounted future net c |