Plausible

Overview

Plausible Analytics is a privacy-focused web analytics platform designed as an alternative to Google Analytics. The tool provides website traffic insights without using cookies or collecting personal data, making it compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and PECR regulations without requiring consent banners. Created as an open-source project, Plausible is built and hosted entirely in the EU using European-owned infrastructure.

The platform distinguishes itself through its lightweight approach to analytics. Its tracking script is 75 times smaller than Google Analytics, which means faster page load times and reduced carbon emissions. For sites with 100,000 monthly visitors, switching to Plausible can save 8.2 kg of CO2 emissions annually. The tool has grown to serve over 15,000 paying subscribers and tracks more than 173 billion pageviews across more than 500,000 websites.

Plausible delivers all essential metrics on a single dashboard view, eliminating the need to build custom reports or navigate through layers of menus. The platform operates on a subscription model funded by user fees rather than data monetization, and the company remains bootstrapped and independent with a team of 10 people.

Best For

Plausible is ideal for newsletter creators, content publishers, and website owners who need straightforward traffic insights without the complexity of enterprise analytics tools. The platform works particularly well for privacy-conscious creators who want to avoid cookie consent requirements while still understanding their audience. It suits teams and individuals who value simplicity over extensive customization, and those who need to share analytics dashboards with clients or stakeholders without overwhelming them with data.

Key Features

• Single-Page Dashboard: All key metrics appear on one page with no need to build custom reports or navigate through multiple menus. The interface updates every 30 seconds in real-time mode and presents data in a format that anyone can understand within minutes, making it accessible for team members without analytics training.

• Automatic Scroll Depth Tracking: The platform automatically tracks how far visitors scroll on each page (measured from 1-100%) without requiring tag managers or complex configuration. You can set up scroll depth goals without writing code, which helps newsletter creators understand which content sections retain reader attention.

• AI Traffic Tracking: Plausible identifies and tracks traffic from AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and DeepSeek. This feature shows which pages generate AI referrals and which conversions these visitors complete, giving creators visibility into how AI systems are discovering and sharing their content.

• Google Search Console Integration: Connect your Search Console account to view organic search terms directly within the Plausible dashboard. This integration lets you analyze SEO performance and track organic conversions in one place without switching between platforms.

• Campaign and UTM Tracking: The tool automatically categorizes traffic sources into channels like Affiliates, Display, Email, Paid Search, and Paid Social. You can track UTM parameters, analyze landing page performance, and measure conversions from different campaigns without manual configuration.

• Codeless Goals and Revenue Tracking: Mark any pageview as a goal without writing code, track file downloads and outbound clicks using ready-made snippets, or create custom events for advanced tracking needs. The platform also supports revenue tracking for ecommerce and subscription-based businesses.

• Funnel Analysis: Track user journeys across pages, domains, and subdomains to see where visitors drop off in conversion paths. The funnel feature shows completion percentages and allows audience segmentation based on behavior, helping creators optimize their content pathways.

• Public and Private Sharing: Make your analytics dashboard public for transparency, embed it directly into your website, or generate secure private links for specific stakeholders. You can invite team members with assigned roles and control access levels for different users.

Pricing

Plausible offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, followed by subscription plans based on monthly pageviews. The Starter plan begins at $9 per month for up to 10,000 pageviews and includes one site, three years of data retention, and core features like goals, custom events, and Google Analytics import. The Growth plan adds support for up to three sites and three team members, while the Business plan extends to 10 sites and 10 team members with five years of data retention, API access, funnel analysis, and ecommerce revenue attribution. Enterprise plans are available for organizations requiring more than 10 sites, additional team members, single sign-on, and priority support. All plans scale pricing based on traffic volume, and the company offers a self-hosted open-source version for teams who prefer to manage their own infrastructure.