Privacy-first analytics landscape: post-GDPR reality
Since GDPR, CCPA, and ePrivacy laws took effect, analytics has shifted from “collect everything” to data minimization and consent-first approaches. Businesses now need analytics that:
- Work without invasive cookies.
- Minimize data collection while still offering insights.
- Provide clear GDPR-compliance guarantees.
- Balance ease of use with control over data.
This has opened space for tools like Plausible, Fathom, Matomo, and Simple Analytics, which compete directly with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) by emphasizing privacy and compliance.
Google Analytics 4: privacy improvements but persistent concerns
GA4 introduced privacy upgrades:
- Event-driven model (no sessions).
- Better anonymization of IPs.
- Flexible data retention controls.
However, issues remain:
- Data transfers to U.S. servers raise GDPR compliance doubts.
- Consent banners still required in most EU jurisdictions.
- Complex interface creates steep learning curve for non-analysts.
GA4 remains powerful, but for startups and EU businesses, compliance risk and complexity push teams toward alternatives.
Plausible: simplicity-first European alternative
- GDPR-compliant, cookie-less by default.
- Clean, minimal dashboards focused on essential metrics (visits, sources, bounce, conversions).
- EU-hosted, no personal data collection.
- Integrations: API, WordPress plugin, script size <1 KB.
Best fit: Startups, indie SaaS, content sites wanting set-and-forget analytics.
Fathom: privacy-focused with competitive pricing
- Built-in global routing: EU traffic never leaves EU.
- Cookieless, fast script, ad-blocker resistant.
- Pricing scales by page views, often cheaper than GA4 enterprise features.
- Focused on simplicity with ethical branding.
Best fit: Teams valuing privacy + affordability with clear ethical positioning.
Matomo: self-hosted power with complexity overhead
- Full GA alternative with events, funnels, heatmaps, A/B testing.
- Can be self-hosted → complete data ownership.
- Cloud option available, but with costs.
- Cons: heavier setup and ongoing maintenance if self-hosted.
Best fit: Enterprises needing feature-rich analytics + data sovereignty.
Simple Analytics: Dutch minimalism approach
- Extreme simplicity: page views, referrers, events only.
- No cookies, no personal data, full GDPR/CCPA compliance.
- Transparent pricing, flat structure.
- Appeals to teams that want ethical analytics without clutter.
Best fit: Solo founders, blogs, non-profits, and orgs that want to “show respect through analytics.”
Feature comparison matrix: events, funnels, real-time
| Feature | GA4 | Plausible | Fathom | Matomo | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Events | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Basic | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Basic |
| Funnels | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Real-time | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Limited |
| Heatmaps/AB Tests | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| APIs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
GDPR compliance comparison: cookie requirements and data processing
- GA4 → requires cookie consent in most EU countries.
- Plausible, Fathom, Simple Analytics → cookieless, consent-free in many jurisdictions.
- Matomo → configurable; with cookies = consent required, without cookies = limited data.
Alternatives reduce legal overhead and improve user trust.
Implementation complexity and developer experience
- GA4: Heavy, requires Google Tag Manager for advanced use.
- Plausible & Fathom: Lightweight script (<1 KB), copy-paste install.
- Matomo: Complex infra, DB, cron jobs if self-hosted.
- Simple Analytics: Single line of JS, minimal overhead.
For developers, Plausible and Fathom provide the best DX balance.
Cost analysis across traffic tiers
| Monthly Page Views | GA4 (free tier) | Plausible | Fathom | Matomo Cloud | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10k | Free | ~$9 | ~$14 | ~$19 | ~$9 |
| 100k | Free | ~$29 | ~$25 | ~$35 | ~$19 |
| 1M | Free | ~$69 | ~$59 | ~$159 | ~$59 |
Hidden cost with GA4: compliance risk + need for consent banner maintenance.
Migration strategies from GA4
- Export GA4 data → BigQuery → transform into CSV/JSON.
- Import historical data into Matomo (migration tool available).
- For Plausible, Fathom, Simple Analytics → typically start fresh (limited historical import).
- Strategy: run GA4 + alt tool in parallel for 3–6 months before full switch.
Conclusion
- GA4 → powerful but compliance-heavy.
- Plausible → clean, EU-hosted, lightweight.
- Fathom → privacy-first, scalable pricing.
- Matomo → enterprise-grade, but complex.
- Simple Analytics → minimal, ethical, straightforward.
Privacy-friendly analytics tools aren’t just about legal compliance—they’re about respecting users while still delivering actionable insights.
FAQs
Is GA4 GDPR-compliant?
It depends—recent EU rulings question U.S. data transfers, so risk remains.
Which alternative is closest to GA4 in features?
Matomo.
Which alternative is easiest to set up?
Plausible or Simple Analytics—just add one script tag.
