Open-source alternatives to Google Analytics

Plausible is the open-source Google Analytics alternative we recommend: clear visitor stats with no cookie banner on most websites. Google Analytics shares your visitors’ data with Google; self-hosted apps keep it on your server.

3 alternatives Free apps Our pick: Plausible Analytics

At a glance

App	Good for	Code	Import from Google Analytics	Ease of use
Plausible Analytics	Small businesses that want clear visitor numbers on one page, without cookies	Code Open source	Import from Google Analytics Yes	Easy
Matomo	Detailed marketing and e-commerce reports, close to Google Analytics	Code Open source	Import from Google Analytics Yes	Some setup
Umami	Freelancers and agencies tracking several websites, with no cookies	Code Open source	Import from Google Analytics No	Easy

Why look for an alternative to Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is Google's free tool for measuring website visitors: how many people come, where from, what they read and whether they buy or sign up. Since 2023 the only version is Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which is built around events.

Website owners look for an alternative for three reasons. GA4 is complex, and many people only need a handful of numbers that are hard to find in it. It sets cookies and sends visitor data to Google, so in the EU and UK it usually needs a consent banner, and visitors who decline are not counted. In 2022 several European data protection authorities ruled that using it broke EU privacy law; the legal position has changed since, but many organisations now prefer to keep visitor data on their own server. Self-hosted tools such as Plausible, Umami and Matomo do that, and the first two need no cookies at all.

The alternatives, compared

Plausible Analytics

Our pick

Simple website visitor stats, with no cookie banner needed.

Our pick for most websites. Every number you need is on one page, it uses no cookies, and its script is small. It has fewer reports than Google Analytics by design.

What you gain

No cookie banner needed for most websites
Your visitors' data stays on your server and is not shared with an ad company
A dashboard anyone on the team can read in a minute

What is different

Fewer reports than Google Analytics, by design
No link to Google Ads or Google's ad audiences
Importing past Google Analytics data first needs a Google Cloud connection set up

Easy Open source · AGPL-3.0-only

Deploy Plausible Analytics About Plausible Analytics

Matomo

Full website analytics, with your visitors' data kept private.

The closest match to Google Analytics, with goals, funnels, campaigns, e-commerce and a visits log. It has the most to learn of the three, and some extras such as heatmaps are paid add-ons.

What you gain

Your visitors' data stays on your server and is not shared with an ad company
No sampling, so every visit is counted
Reports that feel familiar to Google Analytics users

What is different

More settings to learn than simpler tools like Plausible or Umami
Heatmaps, session recordings and some other features are paid add-ons
No link to Google Ads

Some setup Open source · GPL-3.0-or-later

Deploy Matomo About Matomo

Umami

Lightweight, cookie-free website stats for one site or fifty.

Light and simple, like Plausible, with no cookies and one dashboard for many websites. It adds events, goals, funnels and journeys, and suits people who want a free, MIT-licensed tool.

What you gain

No cookies, so most websites need no cookie banner for it
Your visitors' data stays on your server
One account and one dashboard for all your websites

What is different

Fewer reports than Google Analytics
No link to Google Ads
Your old Google Analytics data does not move across

Easy Open source · MIT

Deploy Umami About Umami

Moving from Google Analytics

Add the new tool's tracking line to your website and run it next to Google Analytics for a few weeks, so you can compare the numbers before you remove the Google tag. Plausible can import past Google Analytics 4 data, and Matomo's free Google Analytics Importer plugin copies Universal Analytics and GA4 history; both need a Google Cloud connection set up first. Umami does not import history, so keep your old Google reports for comparison.

Questions

What is the best open-source alternative to Google Analytics?

Start with Plausible Analytics. If you want something simpler, try Umami. All 3 are free and open source.

Do I still need a cookie banner?

Plausible and Umami use no cookies and collect no personal data, so most websites do not need a banner for them. Matomo can be set up to run without cookies too. Check the rules that apply to your site.

Why do the visitor numbers differ from Google Analytics?

Each tool counts visits in its own way, and Google Analytics often misses visitors who decline cookies or block its script. Expect some difference, and compare trends rather than exact figures.

Which Google Analytics alternative should I choose?

Plausible for a clear, simple dashboard; Umami if you want something similar under the MIT licence with more event reports; Matomo if you rely on detailed marketing and e-commerce reports.

Is it really free?

Yes, the apps are free. To run them you need Cloudgate and a server. Use hosted Cloudgate, which can also provide the server, or install Cloudgate on a server of your own for free. Cloudgate's plans and prices are at cloudgate.octabyte.io/pricing. One server can run several apps.

Do I need a developer?

No. Cloudgate installs the app on your server and gives it a secure web address. You use it in your browser.