Alternatives guide
Google Analytics alternatives: cookieless analytics
GA4 is free, but you pay in other ways: cookies, a consent banner, estimated data and a hard dashboard. If you just want to know where visitors come from and what converts, there are lighter options.
People looking for a Google Analytics alternative usually hit one of three walls: the cookie banner (and the GDPR questions around GA), the GA4 interface, which hides the basics behind explorations, and incomplete numbers — GA only measures visitors who accepted cookies and estimates the rest.
The tools below solve this in different ways. All of them measure pageviews, referrers and UTM campaigns; none has GA4’s native Google Ads integration. The choice depends on where you want your data, what you want to pay, and what you need to measure beyond traffic.
The main alternatives
Each one with its own strength. Links go to a detailed comparison with Analisa.
Analisa
Cookieless, with goals and funnels broken down by source, UTM and country, plus Web Vitals and JavaScript errors in the same dashboard. Free plan to start.
Plausible
One-page dashboard, open source, self-hosting option (Community Edition). Funnels on the Business plan. Analisa vs Plausible.
Umami
MIT-licensed open source, easy to self-host, with many reports (funnels, journeys, revenue). Analisa vs Umami.
Matomo
The most complete open source suite: imports GA history and has premium heatmap and session recording plugins. Uses cookies by default. Analisa vs Matomo.
Fathom
Paid, mature and simple, with 50 sites per plan and EU-isolated processing. Analisa vs Fathom.
Simple Analytics
Dutch company, data stored in the EU, minimal dashboard. Analisa vs Simple Analytics.
When Analisa is the best alternative
- You want to know which channel brings visitors who convert, not just traffic.
- You want to start free and pay only when you grow.
- You want Web Vitals and JavaScript errors without another tool.
- You need per-visitor export and deletion by API for GDPR requests.
When to stay on Google Analytics
- You rely on the Google Ads integration (conversions, audiences, automated bidding).
- Your team analyzes raw events in BigQuery.
- You use advanced explorations and cross-channel attribution every day.
The alternatives side by side
| Feature | Analisa | GA4 | Plausible | Umami | Fathom | Matomo | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookieless by default | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Free plan | 10K events/mo | Yes | 30-day trial | Hobby plan | 7-day trial | Free if self-hosted | Yes |
| Open source / self-host | On the roadmap | No | Yes | Yes | Only the older Lite | Yes | No |
Features and prices checked on the official websites in October 2026. They may have changed since — double-check before deciding.
How to replace Google Analytics without losing anything
It doesn’t have to happen at once. The safe path is running both tools together and switching GA off only when the numbers make sense.
- 1
Export your GA4 history
No cookieless alternative reads your old GA4 data live. Export the reports you want to keep (or use Plausible’s or Matomo’s importer if you pick one of them).
- 2
Install the alternative next to GA
For Analisa: sign up free, list your domain under Allowed origins and paste the script — there are guides for Next.js, WordPress, Shopify, Google Tag Manager and other platforms.
- 3
Turn key events into goals
Each GA4 key event becomes
analytics.track("name")and a goal. Page-based conversions (/thank-you) become path goals. - 4
Compare, switch GA off and revisit your banner
After a few weeks, remove GA and review your cookie banner and privacy policy with your DPO.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free Google Analytics alternative?
It depends on what you need. If you can self-host, Umami and Matomo are free and open source. If you’d rather use a managed service, Analisa has a free plan of 10K events a month, no card, with goals by source and Web Vitals.
Is Google Analytics GDPR compliant?
It can be, depending on configuration: legal basis, consent for cookies, international data transfers and your agreement with Google. Cookieless tools with IP anonymization reduce that work, but the final call belongs to your DPO.
Does cookieless analytics remove the need for a consent banner?
Often it simplifies things, but it isn’t automatic. Analisa sets no cookies and anonymizes IPs; it keeps one random anonymous ID in localStorage, and some readings treat any browser storage as needing consent.
Can I run an alternative alongside Google Analytics?
Yes, and it’s the recommended way to migrate. The scripts don’t interfere with each other; run both for a few weeks and compare.
Will I lose data when leaving GA4?
Your history stays in GA4 until you delete the property. Analisa doesn’t import GA data, so export the important reports before switching off.
Try a Google Analytics alternative today
10K events a month free forever, no credit card. Install it next to GA and compare.
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