GoatCounter
Privacy-friendly, open-source web analytics without tracking personal data
About GoatCounter
GoatCounter is a lightweight, open-source web analytics platform that provides meaningful website statistics without tracking personal data or using cookies. It offers both a hosted service and self-hosted option, making it an ideal privacy-respecting alternative to Google Analytics for individuals and small businesses.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Truly privacy-friendly — no cookies, no personal data tracking, GDPR-compliant by default
- Extremely lightweight tracking script at just 2.3KB minimizes impact on page load speed
- Generous free tier for personal and non-commercial websites with no pageview limits
- Fully open-source with self-hosted option for complete data sovereignty
- Simple setup — single script tag with analytics appearing in seconds
Cons
- Limited advanced features — no conversion funnels, goal tracking, or detailed user behavior analysis
- No real-time analytics dashboard for immediate traffic insights
- Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Google Analytics or Matomo
- Self-hosting requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain
- Basic reporting may not satisfy enterprise-level analytics needs
Key Features
Privacy-First Analytics
Tracks page views, referrers, browsers, and locations without collecting personal data or using cookies
Lightweight Script
Tracking script is only 2.3KB (6.3KB uncompressed), significantly smaller than Google Analytics at 18KB
No-JavaScript Tracking
Supports image-based tracking pixel and backend middleware options for sites that don't use JavaScript
Campaign Tracking
Track referring sites, search terms, and UTM campaign parameters to understand traffic sources
Screen Size & Browser Stats
View visitor browser, OS, and screen resolution breakdowns without fingerprinting
Self-Hosted Option
Fully open-source codebase can be self-hosted for complete data ownership and no usage limits
Accessibility-First Design
High-priority accessibility features ensure the dashboard works well with screen readers and assistive technology
Simple Integration
Add a single script tag to start tracking — setup takes about five minutes with data appearing within seconds
Pricing
- Non-commercial use
- Unlimited pageviews
- All core analytics features
- Community support
- Up to 100K pageviews/month
- Commercial use
- All core features
- Email support
- Up to 500K pageviews/month
- Commercial use
- Priority support
- Custom domain
- Unlimited pageviews
- Full source code access
- Complete data ownership
- Community support
Best For
Privacy-Conscious Blogging
Track blog traffic and popular content without compromising reader privacy or requiring cookie consent banners
Small Business Website Analytics
Get essential traffic insights for business websites at minimal cost without complex setup or configuration
Open-Source Project Websites
Monitor documentation and project site usage with a tool that aligns with open-source values
GDPR-Compliant Tracking
Meet European privacy regulations by default without needing cookie consent pop-ups or complex compliance measures
Similar Tools
Proton Mail
Secure, privacy-first email built in Switzerland
Tuta
Secure email with quantum-resistant encryption
Mailfence
Secure and private email with integrated productivity
StartMail
Private email from the makers of Startpage
Fastmail
Fast, private email that puts you in control
Runbox
Privacy-focused email hosting powered by Norwegian renewable energy
Featured In
5 Best Privacy-First Analytics Alternatives to Google Analytics (2026)
Best free and minimal analytics — the lightest, cheapest, most privacy-respecting option for personal sites and open-source projects that just need honest traffic numbers without any overhead
5 Google Analytics Alternatives That Don't Need a Cookie Consent Banner (2026)
Best for budget-conscious sites that need basic metrics — GoatCounter's free non-commercial tier and \u00245/month commercial pricing make it the most affordable way to replace GA with cookieless analytics.
Google Analytics Alternatives With Zero Cookie Requirement (2026)
Best for personal sites, blogs, and 'I just want a hit counter' projects where GA4 was always overkill.