Comparison · 7 November 2026 · 5 minute read
Web analytics without Google Analytics: options and criteria
Matomo, Plausible, Fathom, Piwik PRO, etracker and log analysis at a glance. With criteria such as server location, cookies, consent and features.
Many operators are looking for an alternative to Google Analytics because they want to keep data in the EU, avoid cookies or simplify the consent question. There are several routes. This article presents the common options, names check criteria and refers to the vendors' pages. It does not rate any tool as the best. Which one fits depends on your requirements. The information comes from the vendors' pages and may change. Check it again before making a decision.
Criteria for comparing
- Server location and operator. Where is the data? Who is the processor? Self-hosted or cloud?
- Cookies and browser storage. Does the tool set cookies or use other storage on the device?
- Consent. In your legal assessment, does its use need consent? Vendors comment on this but do not replace your own check. The framework is described in Consent or legitimate interest.
- Features. Goals, funnels, events, campaigns, export, interfaces, several websites.
- Effort. Maintenance when self-hosting, installation, training.
- Exit. Can you export your raw data?
The options at a glance
| Option | Operation | What the vendor says about cookies and consent |
|---|---|---|
| Matomo | self-hosted or cloud | According to the vendor, supports „consent-exempt configurations“ or connection to consent management tools |
| Plausible | cloud (hosted in Germany) or self-hosted | No cookies, no persistent visitor identifiers |
| Fathom | cloud | Cookie-free, according to the vendor no banner for analytics |
| Piwik PRO | cloud (several locations) or own environment | Own consent manager, tags are triggered only after consent according to the vendor |
| etracker | cloud | According to the vendor no consent needed, relies on legitimate interest |
| Log analysis, for example GoAccess | on your server | No script in the browser |
Matomo
Matomo is available as software for self-hosting and as a cloud service. On its hosting page, the vendor stresses that you own the data collected and can request a raw data export at any time. The page names no region for the cloud location, so clarify it directly. When self-hosting, you bear maintenance, updates and security yourself. Without cookies, visitor and campaign attribution becomes less precise: according to the Matomo FAQ, the system then estimates visitors from the IP address and other characteristics. Reports such as multi-attribution or cohorts show no data.
Plausible
The privacy policy names processing and storage in the EU, no cookies and no persistent visitor identifiers. The IP address feeds into a daily identifier whose salt is deleted every 24 hours. According to the vendor, the self-hosted Community Edition lacks some of the cloud's features, including funnels and ecommerce goals.
Fathom
Under EU Isolation, Fathom describes that page views from EU visitors are processed on servers in the EU and the IP address is removed there. According to the vendor, only anonymised data for display in the dashboard sits on the US servers. By its own statement, Fathom sets no cookies. Whether you consider that sufficient for your case is a legal assessment.
Piwik PRO
Piwik PRO bundles analytics, tag manager and consent manager. The page on privacy and security names cloud locations in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden (EU) as well as in the USA and Hong Kong, plus private cloud options. You choose the data centre. According to the vendor, the consent manager triggers tags only after consent.
etracker
On its privacy page, etracker names a data centre in Hamburg. Non-essential cookies are not set by default. The vendor bases the measurement on legitimate interest under Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR and does not regard prior consent as necessary. That is the vendor's position. Operators still inform about its use in their privacy policy.
Server-side log analysis
Every web server writes accesses to log files. Tools such as GoAccess read them and produce reports in the terminal or as an HTML file, also with CSV and JSON output. Matomo can also import logs, without a script in the browser. The drawback: without a script, screen size, time on page and events such as clicks are missing. Bots and requests served from caches distort the figures. And log files also contain IP addresses, so you have to set deletion periods.
What none of these options does
Classic web analytics shows pages, channels and goals, but not which company is behind them. How the two complement each other is covered in Identifying companies with Google Analytics. Anyone who also wants to see where visitors click will find that in Heatmap on the website. On the legal side of visitor identification: Visitor identification and GDPR.
How to decide
- Note which three questions the analysis is meant to answer.
- Decide whether you can and want to self-host.
- Clarify with your data protection adviser whether your use needs consent. Do not rely on the vendor's statement alone.
- Test two candidates in parallel for a few weeks and compare the figures. Differences between tools are normal.
- Check the data export before you switch.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need no consent banner with these tools? That depends on the tool, the configuration and the legal assessment. Several vendors see no need. That is their position, not a guarantee. Clarify it for your case.
Can I run Google Analytics and an alternative in parallel? Yes. For a test period that makes sense, to compare figures. Note that each tool brings its own duties regarding information and, where applicable, consent.
Is self-hosted automatically better for data protection? No. You keep control of the location, but bear operation and security yourself. A cloud provider with an EU location can fit just as well, depending on your requirements.
