Simple Analytics costs $20/mo.
These cost $0.
3 free alternatives to Simple Analytics, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Simple Analytics vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $20/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umami | open source | MIT | Local or hosted | ★ 38k | Simple Analytics vs Umami → |
| Plausible Community Edition | open source | AGPL-3.0+ | Self-host | ★ 28k | Simple Analytics vs Plausible Community Edition → |
| GoatCounter | open source | — | Local or hosted | ★ 5.8k | Simple Analytics vs GoatCounter → |
The picks
3 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Umami
open sourceMITLocal or hosted38kaug 2026Privacy analytics without cookies, personal profiles or a monthly invoice.
The catch vs Simple AnalyticsIt exposes more configuration and dashboard complexity while offering fewer of Simple Analytics' reporting conveniences.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Create an Umami Cloud account or deploy the Node application with Docker Compose and PostgreSQL
- setup
- None for hosted signup; self-hosting requires Docker or Node hosting and a PostgreSQL database
- your data
- A self-hosted deployment stores analytics and account data in PostgreSQL; Umami Cloud stores it in Umami's managed service
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
Plausible Community Edition
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Self-host28kaug 2026A nearly identical promise, delivered from a Compose file you own.
The catch vs Simple AnalyticsThe core promise is similar, but the user operates the stack and Community Edition does not include every hosted-cloud extra.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Deploy the Community Edition with the official Docker Compose installer
- setup
- Docker Compose, roughly 2 GB of RAM, a domain with DNS and TLS, and backups for PostgreSQL and ClickHouse
- your data
- Account and configuration records live in PostgreSQL and analytics events live in ClickHouse on the user's server
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
GoatCounter
open sourceLocal or hosted5.8kaug 2026The spartan version: useful traffic numbers and very little else to argue about.
The catch vs Simple AnalyticsIt is much more spartan and lacks Simple Analytics' polished reports, automations and privacy-focused workflow conveniences.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Create a hosted account or run the single static binary or Docker image
- setup
- None for hosted use; self-hosting needs a reachable binary or container plus a public URL and TLS
- your data
- A self-hosted instance uses SQLite by default or PostgreSQL; the hosted service stores analytics on GoatCounter's infrastructure and supports JSON and CSV exports
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Simple Analytics open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Simple Analytics?+
The top free alternative to Simple Analytics is Umami (open source, MIT). Privacy analytics without cookies, personal profiles or a monthly invoice. Other popular Simple Analytics replacements include Plausible Community Edition, GoatCounter.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Simple Analytics?+
Yes. Of the 3 free alternatives to Simple Analytics, 3 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Umami (MIT), Plausible Community Edition (AGPL-3.0+), GoatCounter (free).
How much does switching from Simple Analytics to a free alternative save?+
Simple Analytics starts at $20/month per seat ($240/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Umami saves $1,200 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Simple Analytics clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Simple Analytics is YES (the core loop fits in a weekend). Pageview analytics, events, dashboards, and exports are very buildable; paid value is hosted privacy posture, reports, reliability, and support.
What is the catch when switching from Simple Analytics to Umami?+
It exposes more configuration and dashboard complexity while offering fewer of Simple Analytics' reporting conveniences.
