Google Analytics alternatives you need to know in 2023
Every developer knows Google Analytics; it is the most used tool to check real-time analytics and measure all your website's metrics. But Google Analytics has some weak points for your users.
by Florian Argaud · March 1st, 2023
Every developer knows Google Analytics; it is the most used tool to check real-time analytics and measure all your website's metrics. But Google Analytics has some weak points for your users :
- It's not privacy-friendly
- You need to use a GDPR banner and manage the cookies preferences of your users. And let's be honest, it's a real pain in the a**s
- The dashboard is a mess. It's a super powerful tool if you are an SEO expert, but 80% of the functionalities are useless if you want some basic metrics for an MVP or a side project.
As an indie maker, I want a more significant user experience for my visitors; I want to make sure a tier app cannot track them, and I want to avoid bothering them with some suspicious cookies. I also want a tool that is easy to use and to maintain with some valuable metrics that don't requires hours of setting everything up.
Are there other alternatives that are GDPR-compliant and as effective as Google Analytics in 2023?
Spoiler alert: Yes.
Plausible: the forerunner
Plausible was my favorite analytic app from 2021 to 2022 - period. Plausible provides a great alternative to Google Analytics that is easy to set up. It does not require managing Cookies... because they don't use them!
All you need is to add a script to your pages, and you have access to real-time data. Yup, that's it.
The downside is the price. It's not cheap: Plausible pricing starts at 9€ / month (108 / year) for 10k visitors. Ouch. This can sound too much when you just got started on a new project as an indie maker.
Plausible is also Open Source, so you can self-host your own app through Docker if you are brave enough. But it will cost you money and time.
Pros: GRPD compliant, easy to set up, a stable product.
Cons: The downside is the price. It's not cheap: Plausible pricing starts at 9€ / month (108 / year) for 10k visitors. Ouch. This can sound too much when you just got started on a new project as an indie maker.
GoatCounter: the essential
GoatCounter is also an open Source alternative that provides basic metrics for your website. It's as easy to use as Plausible but with an older UI. But I won't complain because GoatCounter is entirely free for non-commercial websites.
And as a non-commercial, GoatCounter is pretty generous: if you are starting your side project but still need to make money, they consider you a non-commercial website.
Pros : It's completely free, open source, and easy to set up.
Cons : The metrics are basics, and I wouldn't say I like the dashboard UI.
Beam Analytics: the outsider
Beam analytics provides all the tools you need as an indie maker, such as web analytics, user funnels, and cohort retention; they also offer a gracious free tier plan for up to 100k pageviews! It's by far my favorite analytic app for 2023. It allows me to monitor my visitors with a beautiful UI dashboard without worrying about managing my user's cookies.
Pros: It's simple to use, and Beam provides powerful tools if you need them. I like the UI, and the free tier plan is way enough when you begin.
Cons: It's still in the early stage. It's the new kid in town, so the prices and features could change.