Analytics
Privacy-focused, self-hosted web analytics tools. Track visitors, page views, and events without cookies or consent banners.
Published: March 1, 2026
Why Self-Host Analytics?
Google Analytics dominates web analytics, but it comes with trade-offs: complex setup, cookie consent requirements, and handing your visitor data to Google. Self-hosted alternatives offer simplicity and privacy.
- No cookies needed — GDPR compliant by design, no consent banners
- Fast page loads — Lightweight scripts (2KB vs 45KB for GA)
- Data sovereignty — Visitor data stays on your infrastructure
- Simple dashboards — Focus on metrics that matter
Open-Source Analytics Tools
Umami
Privacy-focused analytics with a beautiful dashboard. Lightweight ~2KB script, no cookies, GDPR compliant. Supports multiple sites from one instance.
Self-Hosted vs Google Analytics
| Feature | Google Analytics | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (you pay with data) | $5/mo VPS |
| Cookies | Required | None |
| Consent Banner | Required in EU | Not needed |
| Script Size | ~45KB | ~2KB |
| Data Location | Google servers | Your servers |
| Setup Time | 30 minutes | 5 minutes |
When to Choose Self-Hosted Analytics
Self-hosted analytics is ideal if you:
- Care about visitor privacy and GDPR compliance
- Want simple, actionable metrics without the GA learning curve
- Need to track multiple websites from one dashboard
- Want to avoid cookie consent popups