7 Cookie-Free Analytics Tools for Privacy-Conscious Websites

Published on

November 30, 2024

Want to track website performance without compromising user privacy?

Here are 7 cookie-free analytics tools to consider:

Humblytics - Real-time insights and [A/B testing](https://docs.humblytics.com/split-testing-overview)
Plausible - Open-source with European data processing
Fathom - Fast setup with one line of code
Simple Analytics - EU-based with GDPR compliance
Matomo - Self-hosted or cloud options
Pirsch - Lightweight with powerful filtering
Usermaven - Combines web and product analytics

These tools offer:

GDPR/CCPA compliance
No personal data collection
Faster site speeds
More accurate data (not blocked by ad blockers)

Quick Comparison:

Cookie-free analytics protect user privacy while still providing valuable site insights. Choose the tool that best fits your needs and budget.

1. Humblytics

Humblytics is a cookie-free analytics tool that's perfect for websites that care about privacy. It gives you deep insights without compromising user data.

Here's why Humblytics is awesome:

It doesn't use cookies or local storage. That means no more annoying consent banners. Plus, you're staying on the right side of GDPR and CCPA.

Want to know exactly what users do on your site? Humblytics lets you track specific actions like clicks and form submissions. This helps you understand how people use your site and make it better.

The dashboard shows you what's happening right now. You can see who's on your site and what they're doing in real-time. Super useful for checking how your latest marketing campaign is doing.

One of the coolest features? Built-in A/B testing. You can easily test different versions of your content to see what works best. It's a great way to boost your conversion rates.

Here's a quick look at some key features:

Humblytics works great with [Webflow](https://webflow.com/) and [Framer](https://www.framer.com/). If you use these tools, you'll find it easy to set up and start getting insights.

As for pricing, Humblytics has a few options:

$9/month for freelancers (10,000 monthly views and events)
$19/month for growing teams (100,000 monthly views and events)
$49/month for bigger operations (500,000 monthly views and events)

All plans let you share your dashboard and do A/B testing. The more expensive plans give you more tests each month.

2. Plausible

Plausible is shaking up the website analytics game. It's a lightweight, open-source tool that's all about privacy. Think of it as Google Analytics more ethical cousin.

Here's the scoop on Plausible:

It doesn't use cookies or collect personal data. That means no more annoying cookie banners on your site. It's GDPR-friendly right out of the box, so you don't have to worry about privacy regulations.

Plausible is FAST. Its script is tiny - just 1 KB compared to Google Analytics' 75 KB. Your site will thank you for the speed boost.

And if you're in Europe, you'll love this: all data is processed on European-owned servers. Privacy? Check.

Let's see how it stacks up against Google Analytics:

Plausible keeps things simple. Instead of drowning you in data, it shows you what matters. One dashboard, key metrics, done.

Here's something cool: Plausible counts users differently. It resets the count every 24 hours, while Google Analytics can track for up to two years. The result? Plausible often shows about 3% more users than Google Analytics.

"With Plausible, you fully own and control all of the data and it is not being shared with or sold to any third-parties." - Plausible Analytics Team

In a world where data is often treated like a commodity, Plausible puts you back in the driver's seat.

Pricing? It's simple. Plans start at $6 per month ($4 if you pay annually), with a 30-day free trial. It's budget-friendly for businesses of all sizes.

Here's a fun fact for the eco-conscious: A site with 10,000 monthly visitors can save 4.5 kg of CO2 emissions per year by using Plausible instead of more resource-hungry analytics tools.

3. Fathom

Fathom Analytics is shaking up website tracking with its privacy-first approach. Founded by Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis, Fathom offers a fresh take on analytics.

What makes Fathom stand out?

It's cookie-free. No more annoying consent banners.
It's fast. One line of JavaScript keeps your site zippy.
It's private. IP addresses and visitor data? Anonymized.

Let's stack Fathom against Google Analytics:

Fathom's data philosophy? Keep it simple and anonymous. They store pseudo-anonymized data for about 48 hours, then remove hash salts. Good luck reverse-engineering that.

"We believe analytics should be insightful, not invasive." - Fathom Team

This idea clicks with many site owners. Take Charli Marie, Creative Director at ConvertKit: "I switched to Fathom for ethical analytics I can trust. It tells me everything I need about my site's performance."

Fathom's pricing is simple: $15/month after a 30-day free trial. You get:

Unlimited websites
Unlimited email reports
Uptime monitoring
Forever data retention

Using Google Ads? No problem. Fathom plays nice with it, so you can keep your ad strategy while boosting privacy.

Switching from Google Analytics? Fathom's got you covered. Their importer tool pulls data from both Universal Analytics and GA4.

In a world where ad blockers can zap up to 50% of Google Analytics traffic, Fathom's approach gives you more accurate stats.

Fathom walks the privacy talk. They have an EEA-based privacy officer and regularly check for privacy risks. They're staying ahead of the privacy game.

For site owners who want solid analytics without sacrificing user privacy, Fathom's a strong contender. It's simple, fast, and privacy-focused - a combo that's worth its weight in gold in today's digital world.

4. Simple Analytics

Simple Analytics does exactly what it says on the tin: it's a no-frills, privacy-first website analytics tool. Based in the EU, it's perfect for businesses who want to track their site's performance without getting into hot water over user privacy.

What makes Simple Analytics different? Here's the scoop:

It's 100% GDPR compliant. No cookies, no personal data, no headaches.
All data stays in the EU. European servers only.
It's super light. The script is just 3kb, compared to Google Analytics' hefty 45kb. That means your site loads faster and scores better with search engines.

Let's pit Simple Analytics against Google Analytics:

Simple Analytics has plans for everyone:

"We ditched our 'free', privacy-invading, complicated analytics for a paid, privacy-first & simple one. Best decision ever."

This quote sums up the growing trend: people want privacy-friendly web analytics. With Simple Analytics, you can swap those annoying cookie banners for a feel-good message: "We're proud to protect your privacy."

Worried about accuracy? Simple Analytics has a clever trick. It spots unique visitors based on the browser's referrer, without storing any personal info. It's not as precise as cookie tracking, but it's a smart compromise between accuracy and privacy.

Simple Analytics is a hit with organizations that need to follow strict privacy rules. Over 600 paying customers, including governments and NGOs, trust it. They encrypt all data in transit and at rest, with encryption keys locked away in a separate virtual vault protected by two-factor authentication. It's like Fort Knox for your data.

sbb-itb-2702e5a

5. Matomo

Matomo is a privacy-focused web analytics tool that's shaking up the industry. It's open-source, gives you full data control, and is a top pick for privacy-conscious websites.

Why is Matomo turning heads? Simple:

You own ALL your data. No sharing with third parties.
It's GDPR and CCPA compliant. Perfect for strict privacy laws.
You can self-host (free) or use their cloud service.

Let's stack Matomo against Google Analytics:

Matomo's not just a niche tool. Over 1 million websites in 190 countries use it. Why? It's powerful AND private.

If you want total control, Matomo's self-hosted option is for you. You can:

Host it on your own servers
Customize it however you want
Keep your data in your own ecosystem

Here's what Adam Chandler, Director at Cornell University Library, says: "After Snowden's revelations, we picked Matomo to replace Google Analytics. It's free, open-source, and supports local data collection. This aligns with our tradition of protecting reader privacy."

Matomo's privacy features are top-notch:

No cookies needed (uses browser fingerprinting)
Automatic IP anonymization
Visit IDs deleted after 24 hours max

These features often mean you can skip those annoying cookie consent banners.

Pricing? You've got options:

Matomo On-Premise: Free (but you need tech skills to set it up)
Matomo Cloud: $23/month for 50,000 hits, up to $16,900/month for 100 million hits

Here's a fun fact: Matomo's browser fingerprinting can boost recorded page views by about 50% compared to cookie tracking. More accurate data, no privacy trade-off.

Choosing Matomo isn't just about analytics. It's a statement. You're telling your users, "We care about your privacy." In today's world, that matters.

6. Pirsch

Pirsch is shaking up the analytics world with its privacy-first approach. It's a lightweight, cookie-free tool that gives you powerful insights without invading user privacy.

What makes Pirsch different?

It's open-source
It's GDPR and CCPA compliant out of the box
It doesn't collect personal data

Here's how Pirsch stacks up against traditional analytics:

Developers and privacy-conscious site owners are loving Pirsch. Rishi Mohan, creator of Kizie, says: "Pirsch displays the data I need with all the filters. You can set up custom events and goals too."

Setting up Pirsch is quick. Add it to your site with a simple script or use plugins. Want more control? Use server-side integration or RESTful APIs.

But Pirsch isn't just easy to use. It's packed with features:

Custom event tracking
Conversion goal tracking
Session analysis
Powerful filtering options

All this, without slowing down your site or compromising privacy.

Lorenso D'Agostino from dagostino.digital puts it this way: "Pirsch is a game changer. It combines speed, beautiful design and usability like no other analytics tool."

You can use Pirsch's cloud hosting in Germany or self-host for total control. Either way, your data stays yours.

Pirsch makes team collaboration simple. Invite team members or clients via email and assign roles for dashboard access. Set up automatic email reports to keep everyone updated.

Pricing is clear-cut, with plans for different needs. There's no free tier, but you can try Pirsch for free.

In a world where privacy matters more than ever, Pirsch offers a solid alternative to traditional analytics. It proves you can get deep insights without compromising user privacy.

7. Usermaven

Usermaven is changing the game in analytics with its privacy-first approach. It gives you deep user behavior insights without compromising privacy.

What makes Usermaven different?

Full GDPR, CCPA, and PECR compliance
Cookieless tracking options
EU-exclusive hosting for strong data protection

Here's how Usermaven stacks up against traditional analytics:

Usermaven's secret sauce? It combines web and product analytics in one platform. You can track the entire customer journey from website visit to product usage.

Stefan G., Director of Operations, says: "We needed a Google Analytics alternative due to privacy concerns. Usermaven ticked all the boxes with style, accuracy, and convenience."

Setting up Usermaven is easy. No-code setup means you can start tracking without tech skills. It automatically captures all events, so you don't need developers.

Key features include:

Real-time event tracking
Custom goal setting
Funnel and journey analytics
Cohort and retention analysis
AI-driven insights

Usermaven's pricing is simple:

Premium $699 Lifetime Plan: Up to 5,000,000 monthly events
Premium $999 Lifetime Plan: Up to 10,000,000 monthly events

Both plans offer unlimited workspaces and data history.

For privacy-focused websites, Usermaven's cookie-less mode is a big deal. Just add `data-privacy-policy="strict"` to your tracking script. This ensures no personal info is collected or stored.

Usermaven takes privacy seriously. They have a Data Protection Officer and extra security for data transfers. All servers are in the EU, meeting European data residency rules.

In today's privacy-conscious world, Usermaven offers a solid alternative to traditional analytics. It shows you can get deep insights without compromising user privacy, making it great for privacy-focused websites.

How These Tools Compare

Let's break down how these privacy-focused analytics solutions stack up against each other.

Feature Comparison

Humblytics and Matomo stand out with built-in A/B testing - a rare feature among cookie-free tools. This makes them solid choices for businesses focused on conversion optimization.

Pricing Structures

Here's what you'd pay for about 100,000 monthly pageviews:

Pirsch is the budget-friendly option here, while Matomo sits at the higher end. But remember, price isn't everything - consider what features you actually need.

Privacy Focus

These tools all put user privacy first, but they go about it differently:

Humblytics and Plausible use a light script that won't slow your site down. Fathom and Simple Analytics take it up a notch by not collecting any personal data at all. Matomo gives you full control with both cloud and self-hosted options. Pirsch and Usermaven use smart techniques to track without cookies, keeping accuracy high without compromising privacy.

Data Accuracy

Compared to Google Analytics, these tools show some differences in visitor counts:

Fathom Analytics: 16.99% fewer visitors
Plausible Analytics: 18.91% fewer visitors
Simple Analytics: 15.29% fewer visitors

This gap comes from their privacy-first approach, which doesn't track as aggressively as Google Analytics.

Ease of Use

These tools are all about keeping things simple. Fathom and Simple Analytics are known for their user-friendly interfaces. Here's what Stefan G., Director of Operations, said about Usermaven:

"We needed a Google Analytics alternative due to privacy concerns. Usermaven ticked all the boxes with style, accuracy, and convenience."

The Bottom Line

Picking the right cookie-free analytics tool boils down to what you need most. If A/B testing is a must-have, look at Humblytics or Matomo. Want top-notch privacy and simplicity? Fathom or Simple Analytics might be your best bet. On a tight budget but still want solid features? Check out Pirsch.

Final Thoughts

Cookie-free analytics isn't just a trend. It's becoming a must-have for privacy-conscious websites. Let's recap what we've learned about these seven tools:

1. They put privacy first

These tools respect user privacy and help you comply with GDPR and CCPA. That's a win for you and your visitors.

2. They're packed with features

No cookies? No problem. These tools still offer robust features. Humblytics even does A/B testing, while Matomo gives you cloud and self-hosted options.

3. They won't break the bank

Many of these tools are budget-friendly. Take Pirsch - plans start at just $12/month for 100,000 pageviews.

4. They can speed up your site

Cookie-free analytics can boost your site's performance. Plausible's script is a tiny 1 KB, compared to Google Analytics' hefty 75 KB.

5. They provide accurate data

These tools might show slightly lower visitor counts than Google Analytics. But they're often more accurate because they dodge ad blocker issues.

Here's a quick comparison of key features:

So, which tool should you pick? It depends on what you need:

Want A/B testing? Look at Humblytics or Matomo.
Need simplicity and strong privacy? Check out Fathom or Simple Analytics.

Choosing a cookie-free analytics tool isn't just about following rules. It's about respecting your users and preparing for the future. You'll get valuable insights AND show your commitment to privacy. In today's data-conscious world, that's a smart move.

‍