If you’ve tracked marketing performance before, odds are pretty high that you’ve used Google Analytics at some point.
There’s a reason why it’s the go-to analytics tool for millions of organizations and marketers out there. But just because it’s extremely popular doesn’t mean that it’s always the right fit for every business.
If you’re wanting something else — maybe you’re concerned about data privacy, maybe you’re overwhelmed by how complex it is, or maybe you’re just looking for a tool that better fits your needs, there are other options out there.
And, luckily for you, many of them are completely free!
Ready to find out more? Today’s blog is diving into 10 free Google Analytics alternatives to help you monitor your website’s performance, better understand your audience, and help you make the data-driven decisions you need to drive your business forward!
Let’s get started!
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a web analytics tool provided by Google to help businesses, marketers, and website owners understand how people are interacting with their websites.
It does this by collecting data about website visitors and providing users valuable insight into user behavior, traffic sources, engagement, and conversions to highlight the information needed for businesses to make informed decisions about how to improve their online presence.
There is a free version commonly used by small and medium-sized businesses, bloggers, and individual marketers and a paid version, Google Analytics 360, for larger enterprises with high traffic volumes and more data needs.
The free version of Google Analytics lets you track a variety of different metrics, including:
- Traffic Sources – Discover where your visitors are coming from, whether it’s organic search, social media, referrals, or direct visits.
- User Behavior – Understand what pages users visit, how long they stay, what actions they take, and where they might drop off.
- Audience Insights – Learn about the demographics, interests, and geolocation of your visitors.
- Conversions and Goals – Track specific actions on your site, such as purchases, form submissions, or downloads, to measure marketing effectiveness.
- Real-Time Data – See live data on who’s currently on your site, including active pages and user locations.
The Best Free Alternatives to Google Analytics for Marketers
The following analytics tools are completely free and capable of tracking the same metrics that Google Analytics’ free version does.
Take a peek below and see which tool works best for your metrics, your brand, and your marketing goals!
1. Matomo
Matomo is an ethical, open-source web analytics platform that provides you with complete ownership of your data, along with plenty of privacy and security features.
If data privacy and compliance are important to you, this can be an ideal alternative to Google Analytics. Matomo allows you to track user behavior on your websites or apps, including the following metrics:
- Visits and Pageviews — Track the number of visitors, pageviews, and sessions over time.
- Bounce Rate — Measure the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
- Average Session Duration — Analyze how much time users spend on the site per visit.
- Geolocation — Identify the countries and cities from which users are accessing your site.
- Traffic Sources — Understand where visitors come from, including direct traffic, referrals, search engines, and social media.
- User Flow — Track the path users take through your site, identifying popular pages and potential drop-off points.
- Conversions and Goals — Set and track specific actions (like purchases or form submissions) to measure conversion rates.
- Customizable Events — Monitor custom events, like video plays or button clicks, based on your unique goals.
How to Get Matomo
You can get your hands on two different versions of Matomo:
- Open-Source (the free version) — Download and install Matomo on your own server, then add its tracking code to your website’s HTML. Ideal for those with the technical expertise to manage server maintenance and updates.
- Cloud-Hosted — A SaaS solution with various pricing tiers. This option handles all maintenance, updates, and security for you.
2. Clicky
Clicky is a real-time web analytics platform that is known for its ease of use and powerful tracking features.
Designed as a more accessible alternative to Google Analytics, Clicky provides marketers with in-depth insights into web traffic and user behavior, all while offering GDPR-compliant and cookie-free tracking options. Ideal for those looking for real-time updates and privacy-friendly tracking!
Clicky is capable of tracking:
- Visitors and Pageviews — Track the number of visitors, page views and sessions in real time.
- Bounce Rate — Measure the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
- Average Time on Site — Analyze how long visitors spend on your website per session.
- Geolocation — Identify the geographic locations, including countries and cities, from which users access your site.
- Traffic Sources — Understand where visitors are coming from, such as direct traffic, referrals, search engines, and social media.
- Visitor Log and User Flow — View individual visitor logs and track their path through your site, identifying popular pages and drop-off points.
- Goals and Conversions — Set and track specific actions, such as purchases or form submissions, to measure conversion rates.
- Heatmaps — Visualize where users click on your pages to improve layout and content placement.
- Uptime Monitoring — Receive alerts if your site goes offline, ensuring you can act quickly to maintain site availability.
How to Get Clicky
To get started, visit Clicky’s website to sign up and add your website to the platform. Installation is pretty straightforward; just insert the tracking code Clicky sends into your site’s HTML to start data collection. If you have a WordPress site, you can also use Clicky’s plugin.
If you’re looking for premium features, Clicky also offers 4 paid plans:
- Pro — $9.99/month
- Pro Plus — $14.99/month
- Pro Platinum — $19.99/month
- Custom — Contact sales for custom pricing.
3. Statcounter
Statcounter is a web analytics service that provides real-time insight into your web page’s traffic and visitor behavior.
It’s designed to be user-friendly and offers a wide range of features to help you understand and optimize your online presence.
Statcounter helps you track the following:
- Visitors and Pageviews — Monitor the number of visitors, pageviews, and sessions over time.
- Bounce Rate — Measure the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
- Average Session Duration — Analyze how much time users spend on the site per visit.
- Geolocation — Identify the countries and cities from which users are accessing your site.
- Traffic Sources — Understand where visitors come from, including direct traffic, referrals, search engines, and social media.
- User Flow: Track the path users take through your site, identifying popular pages and potential drop-off points.
- Conversions and Goals — Set and track specific actions (like purchases or form submissions) to measure conversion rates.
- Customizable Events — Monitor custom events, like video plays or button clicks, based on your unique goals.
How to Get Statcounter
To start using Statcounter, first visit their website to create your free account.
Once you log in, just add your website to their platform to generate a unique tracking code that you can install into your website’s HTML to start collecting data.
4. Open Web Analytics
Open Web Analytics (or OWA) is an open-source web analytics platform that provides website tracking and user behavior info to marketers.
Since it’s self-hosted, OWA offers full ownership of their analytics data, making it a great option for those who prioritize data privacy and security.
OWA can help you track:
- Visitors and Pageviews — Track the number of visitors, pageviews, and sessions, allowing you to measure traffic volume and site activity.
- Bounce Rate — Monitor the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
- Average Visit Duration — Analyze how long users spend on your site per session to assess engagement.
- Geolocation — Identify the geographic locations of your site’s visitors.
- Traffic Sources – Determine where visitors come from, such as search engines, direct traffic, or referring websites.
- Click and Event Tracking — Track custom actions like button clicks, downloads, and video plays.
- Heatmaps — Visualize where users click on your pages to understand engagement patterns and optimize content layout.
- User Flow and Path Analysis — See the sequence of pages visitors navigate to identify popular paths and drop-off points.
How to Get OWA
Since OWA is open-source, you’ll need to host it on your own server.
Here’s how you can do that:
- Download OWA — Visit Open Web Analytics’ website to get a free download.
- Install on Your Server — Follow the provided installation guide to set up OWA on your server. Note: Requires PHP and MySQL or PostgreSQL.
- Add Tracking Code — Once set up, add the OWA tracking code to your website’s HTML to start collecting data.
- Access Your Dashboard — Log into OWA’s dashboard to view reports, set up goals, and analyze user data.
5. Fathom Analytics
Fathom Analytics is a web analytics platform that is privacy-focused and designed to give users simple insight into web traffic without compromising user privacy.
So, if you’re looking for a solution that’s simple, fast, and compliant with global, then Fathom could be for you.
Use it to track:
- Page Views — Monitor the number of times pages are viewed.
Unique Visitors — Track the count of individual visitors to your site. - Top Referrers — Identify sources directing traffic to your website.
- Device and Browser Information — Understand the technology your visitors use.
- Geolocation — See the countries from which your visitors are accessing your site.
- Event Completions — Measure specific actions taken by users, such as clicks or form submissions.
How to Get Fathom Analytics
There are two versions available: Fathom and Fathom Lite.
Fathom Lite is the free version. It’s self-hosted, so to get it, just visit their website, install Fathom Lite, and then install it on your server. Fathom will then send you a tracking code that you can insert into your website’s HTML to start collecting data.
If you’re interested in the paid version that offers more features and doesn’t require you to host it, then you can always sign up. It’s only $15/month for 100,000 monthly page views.
6. Plausible Analytics
Plausible Analytics is an open-source web analytics platform with a focus on user privacy.
It’s designed to be a simpler and more lightweight alternative to tools like Google Analytics, making it a great choice for beginners and businesses looking for privacy and straightforward analytics.
Plausible Analytics can help you track the following metrics:
- Page Views — Monitor the number of times pages are viewed.
- Unique Visitors — Track the count of individual visitors to your site.
- Top Referrers — Identify sources directing traffic to your website.
- Device and Browser Information — Understand the technology your visitors use.
- Geolocation — See the countries from which your visitors are accessing your site.
- Event Tracking — Monitor specific user interactions, such as button clicks or form submissions, to assess engagement.
How to Get Plausible Analytics
Plausible Analytics offers both a hosted service and a self-hosted (and free) option.
To get it, visit Plausible Analytics’ website, download and install the program, and use the tracking code in your HTML to start collecting data.
If you’d rather have a hosted service, there are three subscription plans available:
- Growth — $9/month
- Business — $19/month
- Enterprise — Contact sales for custom pricing.
7. Woopra
Woopra is a customer journey and product analytics platform designed to help users understand, analyze, and optimize the entire customer experience.
By tracking your visitors across websites, mobile apps, emails, and more, Woopra provides real-time insight into their behavior to give you the data you need to make the right decisions for your brand.
Use Woopra to track:
- User Sessions and Pageviews — Monitor the number of user sessions and pageviews over time.
- Event Tracking — Track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, and purchases, to understand engagement levels.
- Funnel Analysis — Analyze conversion funnels to identify bottlenecks and optimize the user journey.
- Cohort Analysis — Group users based on shared characteristics or behaviors to study retention and engagement trends.
- Custom Metrics — Define and track metrics tailored to your business objectives for more personalized insights.
How to Get Woopra
To get started with Woopra, just follow the steps below:
- Sign Up — Visit Woopra's website, create a free account, and sign up for their Core (free) plan.
- Add Your Website or App — After logging in, add your website or application to generate a unique tracking code.
- Install Tracking Code — Insert the provided tracking code into your website's HTML or integrate it into your mobile app to begin data collection.
- Explore — UseWoopra's dashboard to access real-time analytics, set up custom reports, and analyze user behavior.
The Core plan will let you track up to 10,000 actions per month. If you need more than that, Woopra offers 3 additional paid plans:
- Starter — $49/month
- Pro — $999/month
- Enterprise — Contact sales for custom pricing.
8. GoSquared
GoSquared is an analytics platform that offers its users real-time insight into their web traffic and user behavior.
Designed to be fast and easy to use, it’s an ideal tool for businesses needing to understand and engage their audience effectively without all the extra hassle.
GoSquared can help you track metrics like:
- Visitors and Pageviews — Monitor the number of visitors, pageviews, and sessions over time.
- Bounce Rate — Measure the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
- Average Session Duration — Analyze how much time users spend on the site per visit.
- Geolocation — Identify the countries and cities from which users are accessing your site.
- Traffic Sources — Understand where visitors come from, including direct traffic, referrals, search engines, and social media.
- User Flow — Track the path users take through your site, identifying popular pages and potential drop-off points.
- Conversions and Goals — Set and track specific actions (like purchases or form submissions) to measure conversion rates.
- Customizable Events — Monitor custom events, like video plays or button clicks, based on your unique goals.
How to Get GoSquared
It’s not on their pricing page but GoSquared does offer a Free Tier plan that gives you access to the essential metrics above. To get it, visit the GoSquared Free Tier sign-up page to create an account.
From there you’ll be prompted to enter your website to generate a tracking code. Insert it into your HTML and start collecting data.
If you’re looking for more advanced features, GoSquared also offers 4 additional paid plans:
- Starter — $9 per month for up to 100,000 pageviews and 3 projects.
- Standard — $24 per month for up to 500,000 pageviews and 5 projects.
- Pro — $49 per month for up to 1 million pageviews and 10 projects.
- Scale — $99 per month for up to 2.5 million pageviews and 20 projects.
9. Simple Analytics
Simple Analytics is an easy-to-use, straightforward, and privacy-focused web analytics platform designed to provide users with the most essential website insights.
Unlike other analytics tools, it doesn’t use cookies or track personal data so, if your business values compliance with GDPR, PECR, and CCPA privacy regulations, this could be the analytics solution for you.
Simple Analytics can help you track the following metrics:
- Page Views — Monitor the number of times pages are viewed.
- Referrers — Identify sources directing traffic to your website.
- Top Pages — Determine which pages are most visited.
- Countries — See the countries from which your visitors are accessing your site.
- Devices and Browsers — Understand the technology your visitors use.
- Events and Goals — Track specific user interactions and measure conversion rates.
How to Get Simple Analytics
To start using Simple Analytics, visit their website to create an account and then choose their Free plan. Once you’re signed up, enter your website to generate a tracking code, which you can then insert into your HTML.
The Free plan is great for 1 user and up to 5 sites, but if you need more than that, Simple Analytics also offers 3 additional paid plans:
- Simple — $15/month
- Team (Mom’s Favorite) — $40/month
- Enterprise — Contact sales for pricing for a custom plan.
10. Heap Analytics
Heap Analytics is a digital insight platform that provides users with a comprehensive understanding of user activity across their websites and mobile apps.
Heap collects every user interaction from clicks to form submissions without requiring any manual event tagging, so you know no data is missed. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking to analyze customer behavior to help them make informed decisions.
Use Heap Analytics to track the following metrics:
- User Sessions and Pageviews — Monitor the number of user sessions and pageviews over time.
- Event Tracking — Track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, and purchases, to understand engagement levels.
- Funnel Analysis — Analyze conversion funnels to identify bottlenecks and optimize the user journey.
- Cohort Analysis — Group users based on shared characteristics or behaviors to study retention and engagement trends.
- Custom Metrics — Define and track metrics tailored to your business objectives for more personalized insights.
How to Get Heap Analytics
Start by visiting Heap Analytics’s website. From there, you can sign up for their Free plan, which gets you up to 10,000 monthly sessions.
Once you sign up for an account and enter your website, you’ll generate a tracking code, which you can insert into your site’s HTML.
If you need more features than the Free plan provides, there are 3 additional paid plans you can choose from: Growth, Pro, and Enterprise. Each comes with a free trial, but you’ll need to contact Heap for pricing.
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Looking for Some Additional Help with Your Marketing Performance?
Hopefully, our list has given you some great Google Analytics alternatives to sort through to find the features and compliance levels that best suit you.
But if you need some additional help with your marketing performance; if you need graphic designers to create eye-catching assets, video experts for dynamic videos, copywriters for insightful and informative blogs, and expert marketers to analyze your insights and help you build winning strategies, then we have one more suggestion to make before you go.
Why not partner with Designity?
Designity is an innovative Creative as a Service platform that is made up of the top 3% of all of the talented individuals who apply each year, meaning our team is the best of the best in fields like digital marketing, SEO, graphic design, video production, motion graphics, content writing, social media marketing, and more — all the moving parts you need to create assets that drive traffic to your website, keep your visitors exploring longer, and help you drive conversions.
And with each account led by a designated Creative Director to act as your point of contact, source and manage your creative team, and make sure you have all of your deliverables when you need them, you can get it all done without adding to your already overflowing plate.
Check out our community portfolio to see how Designity’s talented creatives have been able to elevate the marketing efforts of brands just like yours.
If you like what you see, why not book your demo call today? It only takes a few minutes and then we can set you up with a two-week, no-obligation trial so you can test-drive our services and see why Designity is just the boost your marketing efforts need!
Are you ready to elevate your marketing performance?
