Alternatives to Google Analytics

Analytics are the eyes that allow us to see what what happens on our site: what our visitors do, where they come from, where they go and how long they stay. Obtaining this data was something popularized by Google thanks to its free code analytics. But…What alternatives to Google Analytics do we have? today? Aren't there other lighter, free optionsless intrusive? Why does Google always have to be "behind everything"?

The good news is that yes, indeed, there are alternative analytics for our site. In this note we comment on the options that seem better to us, differentiating the free ones from the paid ones.

1: Independent Analytics

Independent Analytics is a WordPress plugin with three great strengths: it is gratuitous, respect the laws GDPR, Y we don't need to create any account to use it.

Main Features

It's free.

No fine print, try Independent Analytics to evaluate if it meets our expectations we do not get a penny.

Minimalist control panel, easy to understand, and customizable

We can visualize the number of visits to our site and their origin in a modern and responsive analytics dashboard. Are we activating the "dark mode" in cell phones, browsers, operating systems? It is also possible to do it with this component.

If we choose a date range, Independent Analytics shows us the information instantly. We can filter visits by page title, URL, page type, author and more. The plugin instantly sorts the views by any column we touch. In addition, it is also possible to customize the columns of the data table.

The Dashboard includes “Quick Stats” above the chart; This allows us to account for views and visits, as well as know how much they have grown compared to the previous time period. A responsive analytics graph is also presented to examine the traffic, along with a very comprehensive data table, listing all the pages that have been viewed.

Made for WordPress

That a component has been programmed exclusively for WordPress implies that the data it returns is placed correctly for the type of structure that our favorite CMS has. For example, we can discern visits between Entries and Pages, by Author of a note, Category, etc. This means that provided analytics will respond appropriately to content rather than a mere URL.

No need to add code

Independent Analytics tracks our visits as soon as we activate it on our site. We do not have to enter any JavaScript anywhere, configure a configuration, create an account or a unique tracking number. Any. No configuration required.

Reports on referrals

By "referred" we mean the starting point of the visit, and thanks to Independent Analytics and your “referral report” we can compare traffic between Google/Bing/Yahoo/etc., social networks and other websites.

Additional benefits

Among many other benefits of the plugin Independent Analytics, we can list:

• To be able to visualize analytics of the searches of our own site.
• See 404 errors
• Evaluate the information with Excel-type graphs.
• Export all data in .CSV files
• 100% compliant with GDPR regulations.
• Does not generate cookies
• Ready to be translated into your preferred language.

2: Plausible analytics

Plausible WordPress Analytics is another great alternative component to Google analytics. In this case we have a product open source (i.e. open source) that complies with the GDPR regulations but also with the CCPA Y PECR. Nothing less, its weight it's not even 1KB.

No manual coding needed, and it's made 100% for WordPress, but we'll list its highlights as well.

Main Features

Free

Another powerful analytics plugin that we can test for free.

seriously light

Compared to Google Analytics, Plausible it is 45 times smaller. Ergo, we will have a lighter and faster site.

Save us cookies warning signs

If the only code on our site that generated cookies was Google Analytics, can forget about having to notify the user about the use of cookies and information gathering.

measurements of Plausible are carried out anonymously. No cookies are used and no personal data is collected. There are no persistent identifiers or tracking between sites and/or devices. The data on our site will not be used for purposes of any kind..

Event tracking, conversions and campaigns

Just like Google Analytics does, this plugin also allows us to track events, count converted clicks, and track the destination of our campaigns. We can segment the audience with a single click on the metric of our interest. The component helps us to reveal questions regarding our visits and their behavior with the content we publish.

We are also allowed analyze paid campaigns and their traffic using UTM parameters. Among other things, we can track outgoing link clicks, file downloads, and uncover all 404 errors. real time report.

100% transparent with its open source

open source, or open source, means that said application publishes its source code for anyone to see. The code of Plausible this available online, accessible on GitHub so that we can all inspect it and verify that the transparency put forward by its developers is not mere words.

additional benefits

• No crossover of devices.
• Zero cookies.
• Easy to understand with all your reports on a single page.
• GDOR, CCPA and PECR compliant.
• The script is less than 1kb.

3: Koko Analytics

Another alternative plugin to Google is Koko Analytics, also free, open source and independent of external services. It stands out, among other things, for omitting data collection if our users have configured their Internet browser with the option "Do not track" (more on this here).

Main Features

100% transparent with its open source

Like Plausible, koko certifies its transparency by showing us its source code to all.

Does not depend on third party servers

Unlike other analytics (such as Plausible, whose operation requires an external server located in Europe), Koko collect data locally, on our own hosting server. It's another way to wave the privacy flag.

You can track even without cookies

Although this plugin creates cookies by default, there is the possibility of change this customization so it doesn't. However, this does not prevent you from continuing to track return visits and unique page views.

It is AMP-compliant

MPA It is a parallel and optional version of a website, optimized for cell phones. If our site uses this resource, koko will also do it.

Excluded List

Another particular advantage of koko is that it allows us create a list of referral sources to exclude. For example, if we do not want to count entries from a certain blog or social network, we will add its URL to said "black" list.

translated from factory

Unlike the other plugins, this one comes with translations for our Spanish language, including Italian, German, Korean, Dutch, Greek, Russian, Croatian, Portuguese, and Swiss.

Validates GDPR standards

It's not a competitive advantage over the other analytics components cited, but we couldn't stop mentioning it.

4: Matomo Analytics

Another component of analytics that strives for give us back control of our data, and its ownership, it is Matomo Analytics. With special attention to the immediacy of its interface, matomo requires little to no customization time compared to Google Analytics.
Though free, matomo also offers us a paid version with premium features which we will list later. Its code is also free and can be seen here.

Main Features

WooCommerce Support

matomo is the alternative analytics plugin to Google Analytics which has the best support for eCommerce. Supported online stores include: WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads Y MemberPress.

In Spanish

Like koko, this component comes from the factory with the possibility to select our language, also including another fifty additional languages.

Allows you to import Google Analytics

One feature that we found very convenient, and that helps us “move” from one analytic to another, is its function to import our historical GA data. If we cannot afford to lose this information, without a doubt this possibility makes matomo the ideal candidate to definitively replace Google Analytics.

Installation made easy

The installation of this plugin is easy when we have a hosting with cPanel (as in Duplika). You can enter by here. Another installation shortcut is East.

The desk is very professional

While the rest of the analytics plugins mentioned aim for minimalism—and that's fine—with matomo we found something that looks more like dashboard of a spaceship. In other words, a lot of information but well organized and segmentedprofessional looking and designed. The screenshot below shows it clearly.

Does not use data sampling

data samples, either data sampling, is a technique used to average information. That is, an algorithm predicts information quickly instead of analyzing it piece by piece. Although in certain scenarios it is a saving of resources in favor of speed, when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff to make marketing decisions it backfires.

Google Analytics practice data sampling and here They declare it to us. matomo brags about NOT using this practice. The result is a accurate ticket counting, one by one.

Features of the paid version

matomo It has features that are only unlocked with the paid version. The premium plan is elastic: depending on the number of visits is the price we will pay. For the minimum of 50,000 hits, the monthly cost is €19. Additional benefits are:

• Heat maps and session recording
• Form analysis
• media analysis
• funnels
• SEO features, keyword rankings
• Custom reports
• Cohorts
• User Flow

5: Fathom

In this case a plugin payment, Fathom It is another alternative to Google Analytics that does not compromise the privacy of visitors and their data. Easy and clear to use, we can see it in action here.

Main Features

Tracker Blocker Proof

Currently, millions of people have plugins installed in their browsers to block scripts. That means, for our site with Google Analytics or other script-dependent analytics, many visits are invisible. Fathom was the first analytics system that manages to bypass ad blockers achieving complete statistics.

Light Code

Fathom He greatly refined his code, seeking to differentiate himself from the size of the one manufactured by Google. Beyond this competition, we know that lighter scripts make for faster sites and better SEO.

Does not require cookies

Without cookies, as we saw before, there is no need to present any GDPR consent notice to our visitors.

Does not collect (or sell) data

In your guarantee to be radically transparent about how the data of our visits is processed and stored, Fathom complies with all applicable privacy laws in that scenario. This is a good way to verify that the analytics are not stored or processed on our own hosting. Fathom assures us that its servers only process and store essential data, always with a focus on privacy. Their motto is “we sell software, not data”.

Conclusions

At the very least, we can affirm that there is a world outside Google Analytics. Less intrusive, lighter and even open source in the case of Plausible, Matomo and Koko. Which one is better for us only depends on our expectations or real needs. Incidentally, for comprehensive and professional digital marketing campaigns, Google Analytics it is indicated for its level of development and versatility. However, the bulk of web pages will never use such sophisticated tools. Therefore, it is neither functional nor recommended to overload a site with a script that represents the weight of a mammoth.

Perhaps the "prize" for these alternatives is won by Matomo thanks to its tools prepared for WooCommerce, the possibility of import history Google Analytics, rejection by sampling data and ease of installation. On the other hand, its paid option, optional, is enough elastic enough to be tempting, and includes professional functionalities that are necessary in strict online marketing.

Yes privacy is what really matters to us, the alternatives cited here are more than convenient. They represent the balance between wanting to know about our visitors and their behavior, but respecting their anonymity. All of them can be tried for free (Fathom only for 7 days); then, each one of us will choose the one that they think is suitable for their website.

We encourage you to tell us about your experiences with analytics. You can write to us in the comment section below. Good luck and thanks for reading.