Google Analytics vs Plausible
The surveillance apparatus vs the privacy-first alternative. One is free because you're the product. The other costs $9/month and respects your visitors.
Plausible
For most websites, Plausible gives you the metrics that matter (traffic, sources, top pages) without the privacy baggage, cookie banners, or complexity of GA4. Google Analytics is overkill for 90% of sites and a privacy liability for 100% of them.
GA4 Is A Regression
Google Analytics 4 replaced Universal Analytics in 2023 and broke everything. The interface is confusing, reports that used to take one click now take five, and event-based tracking requires a PhD in tag configuration.
GA4's learning curve isn't justified by its power for most sites. If you're running a basic business website, blog, or SaaS, you don't need funnel analysis with 30 custom dimensions. You need to know where your traffic comes from and which pages are popular.
Privacy Is A Feature
Plausible doesn't use cookies. No cookie consent banners needed. No GDPR compliance headaches. No data flowing to Google's advertising machine.
This isn't just ethical — it's practical. Cookie banners reduce page speed. Ad blockers block Google Analytics (30-40% of tech-savvy visitors). Plausible's lightweight script is blocked less often and loads faster.
You get more accurate data with Plausible because fewer visitors are blocking it.
The Script Size Difference
Plausible's script: < 1KB. Google Analytics + GTM: 30-90KB. For Core Web Vitals and page speed, this matters. Google penalizes slow sites in search rankings — and then asks you to load their heavy analytics script. The irony.
Where GA4 Wins
E-commerce tracking, conversion funnels, audience segmentation, Google Ads integration, and BigQuery export. If you're running a large e-commerce operation with paid advertising, GA4's depth is necessary.
GA4 also integrates with the entire Google ecosystem: Search Console, Google Ads, Looker Studio. If you're spending $10K+/month on Google Ads, you need GA4 for attribution.
And it's free. For sites with millions of pageviews, Plausible's pricing ($59+/month at scale) adds up.
The Honest Answer For Most Sites
If you're a developer, blogger, small SaaS, or any site that doesn't run Google Ads: Plausible. You'll spend zero hours configuring it, zero hours building reports, and zero hours dealing with cookie compliance.
If you're running serious e-commerce or paid advertising: GA4, because the ecosystem integration is irreplaceable. But install Plausible alongside it for the simple dashboard you'll actually check daily.
Quick Comparison
| Factor | Google Analytics | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (you're the product) | $9/month (10K pageviews) |
| Privacy | Sends data to Google | No cookies, no tracking |
| Cookie Banner Required | Yes (GDPR) | No |
| Script Size | 30-90KB | < 1KB |
| Setup Time | Hours (GA4 + GTM) | 5 minutes |
| E-commerce Tracking | Excellent | Basic (revenue goals) |
| Google Ads Integration | Native | None |
| Data Accuracy | ~60-70% (ad blockers) | ~85-95% (less blocked) |
The Verdict
Use Google Analytics if: You run Google Ads, need e-commerce tracking, or require BigQuery export for advanced analysis.
Use Plausible if: You want simple, accurate, privacy-respecting analytics. Blogs, SaaS, docs sites, portfolios — anything that doesn't run paid ads.
Consider: Use both. Plausible for daily metrics, GA4 for ad attribution. It's $9/month for sanity.
For most websites, Plausible gives you the metrics that matter (traffic, sources, top pages) without the privacy baggage, cookie banners, or complexity of GA4. Google Analytics is overkill for 90% of sites and a privacy liability for 100% of them.
Related Comparisons
Disagree? nice@nicepick.dev