Google Analytics vs Plausible
Is it time to switch? We break down the differences so you can stop bleeding money.
Choose Plausible.
If you want to own your data, save money, and avoid vendor lock-in, Plausible is open source and community-driven.
What Actually Matters
No fluff — just the differences that affect your decision
Plausible is open source (AGPL-3.0). Google Analytics is closed. If vendor lock-in keeps you up at night, this is the deciding factor.
Plausible supports self-hosting via Docker. Google Analytics is SaaS-only — convenient, but you're renting, not owning.
Plausible has the bigger crowd: 29.4k stars vs 0. More contributors, more integrations, more momentum.
Plausible is built in Elixir — you can read the source, contribute, or fork it. Google Analytics is closed-source, so you're trusting their engineering.
Need GDPR compliance? Self-host. Need plug-and-play funnels? Go managed. Both work — it's a tradeoff, not a contest.
Google Analytics
Web analytics service.
Why Choose Google Analytics
- ✓Industry-standard reporting with Google Ads and Search Console integration
- ✓Advanced audience segmentation and cohort analysis
- ✓Free tier handles up to 10M hits per month
Drawbacks
- ×Privacy concerns — data goes to Google
- ×GA4 migration frustrated many users
Plausible
Simple, open source, lightweight and privacy-friendly web analytics alternative to Google Analytics.
Why Choose Plausible
- ✓Fully GDPR compliant with no cookies required
- ✓Lightweight script under 1KB — zero impact on page speed
- ✓Clean dashboard that shows what matters, nothing more
Drawbacks
- ×Limited advanced features
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