7 Best Google Analytics Alternatives 2026

If you are hunting for a Google Analytics alternative, you probably want two things: clear numbers and real control over data. You want tools that respect privacy rules, load fast, and are simple to use. This guide gives you seven options, each pulled from a vetted set of tools that focus on privacy, speed, or user-level insight. I’ll keep it straight. No big promises. Just what each tool does, where it helps, where it falls short, and what it costs. If you are choosing a Google Analytics alternative, this is the signal without the noise. If you manage reporting for a team and must justify a Google Analytics alternative, you will find the parts that matter here.

1) Plausible Analytics

If you want a Google Analytics alternative that is light and privacy-minded, Plausible is worth a serious look. It is open source, built and hosted in the EU, and uses a script that is under 1 KB, which helps pages load faster. It does not use cookies and it is compliant with GDPR, PECR, and CCPA. Data is private by default, and you can make stats public by sharing a link if you need to.

What you get

• Cookie-free tracking that meets major privacy laws.
  
• Small script for speed.
  
• Open source with a self-hosting option.
  

Trade-offs

• Support is community-driven.
  
• Better for small to mid-sized teams than for large enterprise use.
  
• Pricing is based on pageviews, which some teams find awkward.
  

Price

• Starts at $9 per month for 10,000 monthly pageviews.
  

This Google Analytics alternative is best when you want simple dashboards, privacy by design, and minimal overhead.

2) Piwik PRO

If you need an enterprise-grade Google Analytics alternative, Piwik PRO is built for strict privacy needs. You add a JavaScript tag, collect site data, and keep ownership of it. The platform includes privacy controls and raw data export. It also lines up with consent tools so you respect visitor choices.

What you get

• Privacy features and compliance front and center.
  
• Data ownership, including raw export.
  
• A free Core plan in the cloud.
  

Trade-offs

• Interface can be improved.
  
• Fewer native ties to Google ad products.
  

Price

• Core plan is free. Paid tiers are quote-based.
  

This Google Analytics alternative fits teams that must meet tough compliance policies and still want flexible reporting without data sharing.

3) Smartlook

Smartlook is a Google Analytics alternative for behavior analysis across web and mobile. It records sessions, builds funnels, creates heatmaps, and lets you filter by many attributes. It covers both qualitative and quantitative views, which helps you see what users did and why.

What you get

• Session recordings, events, funnels, and heatmaps in one place.
  
• Advanced filtering with 30 plus filters.
  
• Email reports and integrations with tools like Shopify, Intercom, Mixpanel, and WordPress.
  
• PCI DSS controls and AES-256 encryption at rest.
  

Trade-offs

• No acquisition reporting.
  
• Steeper learning curve for some teams.
  
• Not ideal when you only need traffic basics.
  

Price

• Free tier for up to 1,500 sessions per month.
  
• Paid plans start at $39 per month.
  
• G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5.
  

Use this Google Analytics alternative when product teams and marketers need to replay journeys, find drop-offs, and debug UX without bolting on extra tools.

4) Matomo

Matomo is a long-standing Google Analytics alternative with a strong privacy stance. It is open source, used by large organizations like the United Nations and the European Commission, and focuses on data ownership. You can self-host or use their cloud.

What you get

• 100 percent data ownership.
  
• Open source with transparent code.
  
• Commercial support is available.
  
• Broad analytics feature set and compliance alignment.
  

Trade-offs

• It will not tie into Google properties as smoothly as Google Analytics.
  
• Self-hosting can add server overhead.
  

Price

• Self-hosted is free.
  
• Cloud starts at €19 per month for 50,000 monthly hits.
  

Pick this Google Analytics alternative if you want a full stack analytics platform with ownership, and you are fine managing hosting or paying for their cloud.

5) Simple Analytics

Simple Analytics is a clean Google Analytics alternative focused on essential metrics and privacy. It does not set cookies, does not collect IPs, and respects Do Not Track. Servers are in the Netherlands. There is an iOS app. It can bypass ad blockers.

What you get

• Straightforward stats like pageviews, referrers, screen sizes, and top pages.
  
• Privacy compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and PECR.
  
• Mobile access through an iOS app.
  

Trade-offs

• Not built for deep, enterprise-level analysis.
  
• Feature set is deliberately minimal.
  

Price

• Starts at €19 per month.
  

Choose this Google Analytics alternative if your team values speed, clarity, and privacy over granular multi-touch analysis.

6) Fathom Analytics

Fathom is another privacy-first Google Analytics alternative that is open source friendly and designed to avoid common blockers. It can route data through EU isolation and lets you block IPs, countries, and whitelist domains without code. It also uses a custom domain method that helps collect data even when ad blockers are strict.

What you get

• Cookie-free, anonymous tracking.
  
• GDPR, CCPA, PECR, and e-privacy compliance.
  
• Ad blocker bypass with custom domain.
  
• Controls for traffic sources you want to ignore.
  

Trade-offs

• Fewer advanced features than Google Analytics.
  
• Support relies more on community.
  

Price

• Seven-day free trial.
  
• Starts at $14 per month for 100,000 pageviews and allows up to 50 sites.
  

Use this Google Analytics alternative when you need privacy compliance and reliable tracking on sites with heavy ad blocking.

7) Usermaven

Usermaven is a Google Analytics alternative that covers both website and product analytics. Setup is quick, events can be auto-captured, and you can track with a white pixel across domains. It supports cookieless tracking and complies with GDPR and CCPA. Hosting is in the EU.

What you get

• Website analytics and product analytics together.
  
• Auto-capture for front-end events to save setup time.
  
• Bypasses ad blockers and supports cookieless tracking.
  
• Free tier with generous event limits.
  

Trade-offs

• No self-hosting.
  
• Fewer integrations, though more are being added.
  

Price

• Free plan covers web and product analysis and tracks up to 1 million events per month.
  
• Pro plan starts at $14 per month for up to 100,000 events.
  

This Google Analytics alternative works well for startups and SaaS teams that want one place for traffic, events, and user-level insight without complex tagging.

How to choose the right fit

When you compare each Google Analytics alternative, match the tool to your real needs:

• Need strict privacy and ownership: Matomo or Piwik PRO.
  
• Need simple dashboards and speed: Plausible or Simple Analytics.
  
• Need behavior depth and replays: Smartlook.
  
• Need privacy with strong blocker resistance: Fathom.
  
• Need product analytics with web basics: Usermaven.
  

Each Google Analytics alternative above lists clear trade-offs and price markers so you can filter fast. If consent flows and storage location matter, note who is cookie-free, who respects Do Not Track, and who hosts in the EU. If your team spends hours diagnosing drop-offs, lean toward behavior tools with recordings and funnels. If you just need clean pageview and referrer data without headaches, the lightweight tools will do the job.

Remember that any Google Analytics alternative still needs correct tagging and honest expectations. If you care about speed, pick a tool with a small script. If you care about privacy posture, confirm GDPR, CCPA, and PECR notes and how the tool handles consent. If you care about growth tracking, check that the plan you choose includes events, funnels, or exports before you commit.

Also consider pricing units. A Google Analytics alternative might bill on pageviews, sessions, or events. If you are running a high-traffic content site, pageview billing can climb. If you are an app team that tracks many events per session, event billing matters more. Match the model to how your product works.

Finally, think about where your data lives. Some teams require EU hosting. Some teams must keep raw data on hand. If you need export or self-hosting, that narrows the list fast.

Also read oru blog on Integrate popup with Google Analytics for Better Insights

Quick reference snapshot

• Plausible: cookie-free, open source, under 1 KB script, $9 per month at 10K pageviews.
  
• Piwik PRO: privacy suite with data ownership and raw export, free Core plan, paid is quote-based.
  
• Smartlook: sessions, funnels, heatmaps, PCI DSS and AES-256 at rest, free up to 1,500 sessions, then from $39.
  
• Matomo: open source, used by major orgs, self-hosted free or cloud from €19 for 50K monthly hits.
  
• Simple Analytics: no cookies, respects Do Not Track, EU servers, from €19.
  
• Fathom: ad blocker bypass with custom domain, compliant, from $14 for 100K pageviews after a seven-day trial.
  
• Usermaven: web plus product analytics, cookieless and EU hosted, free up to 1M events, Pro from $14 for 100K events.
  

Every Google Analytics alternative here can stand on its own merits. The short list above helps you match your needs to capabilities without guesswork.

Conclusion

Pick one Google Analytics alternative based on your must-haves, test it for a week, and decide with real data. The right Google Analytics alternative is the one you understand, can trust, and will actually use.