Collection №09 — Updated 9 August 2026
The 6 best website analytics tools in 2026
Everything here is a reaction to Google Analytics. Five of the six set no cookies and load a small script out of the box. PostHog is the exception: it is a much bigger product, and running it without cookies takes some setup. Choose on two things. How much depth you want, from bare pageviews up to full product analytics. And whether the data sits on someone else's servers or your own.
| Tool | Type | Cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open-source analytics | Free trial | ★ Best overall | |
| Hosted analytics | Free trial | Simplest dashboard | |
| Developer analytics | Free trial | Best for developers | |
| Privacy analytics | Free | Strictest on privacy | |
| Product analytics | Free | Best for product analytics | |
| Self-hosted analytics | Free | Best self-hosted |
Plausible
★ Best overallThe usual first stop after leaving Google Analytics: one page, no cookies
The best-known of the cookieless one-page trackers. The whole dashboard fits on one screen, and the script is under a kilobyte. Data stays on EU servers. It is open source, so if the subscription ever grates you can move to the self-hosted Community Edition and take your data with you.
Visit PlausibleFathom Analytics
Simplest dashboardCookieless analytics with the friendliest dashboard in the category
Fathom was one of the first cookieless analytics tools and it has stayed deliberately small. One screen covers traffic, referrers and goals, and EU visitor data can be kept on EU servers. Pick it if you want analytics you check once a week and never have to configure.
Visit Fathom AnalyticsPirsch
Best for developersDeveloper-focused analytics you can wire in server-side
Built in Germany and aimed at developers. Alongside the usual snippet, Pirsch offers server-side integrations, so tracking runs in your backend where ad blockers cannot reach it. The dashboard covers the same ground as Plausible; the API is where it pulls ahead.
Visit PirschSimple Analytics
Strictest on privacyDutch, strict on privacy, with a free plan to start on
Made in the Netherlands and stricter about privacy than most: it collects no personal data at all, so there is nothing to ask consent for. The free plan is an easy way to try cookieless analytics on a live site. Paid plans lift its limits.
Visit Simple AnalyticsPostHog
Best for product analyticsProduct analytics suite with web analytics included
The heavyweight here. Web analytics is one dashboard inside a much bigger product that also does session replay, funnels, feature flags and A/B tests. The free tier is generous enough that plenty of startups never pay. Choose it when knowing your referrers stops being enough and you need to see what users do next.
Visit PostHogUmami
Best self-hostedOpen-source analytics you run on your own server
MIT-licensed and simple to self-host: a small Node app plus a database, and traffic data never leaves your servers. If you would rather not run it, the hosted cloud has a free tier. The dashboard is spare, but it covers pageviews, referrers and custom events.
Visit UmamiFrequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Google Analytics?
Umami is the strongest free option: it is open source, free to self-host, and Umami Cloud has a free hosted tier. PostHog's free tier is also large enough that many startups never pay for it. If you would rather pay for something simple and hosted, Plausible is the usual choice.
Is Plausible or Fathom Analytics better?
They are close. Both are cookieless one-page tools built with GDPR in mind. Plausible is open source and can be self-hosted, which Fathom does not offer, while Fathom's dashboard is a little friendlier for non-technical teams.
Do privacy-friendly analytics tools need a cookie banner?
No, not for the analytics themselves. Tools like Plausible, Fathom Analytics, Simple Analytics and Umami set no cookies and collect no personal data, so they are designed to work without a consent banner. You may still need one if other scripts on your site, such as ads or embeds, set cookies.