Simple Analytics is a privacy-first web analytics solution designed as a direct alternative to Google Analytics. It provides essential website insights without compromising user privacy, making it 100% GDPR compliant and EU-based. This SaaS is ideal for businesses, organizations, and individuals who prioritize ethical data collection and seek a straightforward, cookie-less analytics experience.

Key Features

• Privacy-by-Design: Complies with GDPR, PECR, CCPA, and other privacy policies by design, ensuring no personal data is ever stored.
• Simple UI & AI Insights: Offers an easy-to-use dashboard and allows users to chat with AI to get insights without digging through reports.
• No Cookies, No PII: Never stores personal data or uses cookies, eliminating the need for annoying cookie banners.
• Goals-tracker & Events Explorer: Track important events, conversions, and funnels to understand user behavior effectively.
• Lightweight Script: Boosts website speed with a minimal tracking script, contributing to better SEO.
• EU-based & Hosted: All data is stored and processed on EU servers in the Netherlands, adhering to strict European privacy standards.

Use Cases

Simple Analytics is particularly beneficial for organizations operating under stringent privacy regulations, such as those in the EU, or any entity committed to respecting user privacy. Government bodies, NGOs, and businesses like the Bank of England, Michelin, and Hyundai trust Simple Analytics to provide accurate web traffic data without the ethical concerns associated with traditional analytics tools.

It serves as an excellent solution for website owners who wish to avoid complex setups and cookie consent banners, offering a clean, transparent way to understand visitor behavior. Developers and marketers can leverage its simple interface and AI capabilities to quickly identify trends, track campaign performance, and optimize their websites while maintaining a strong ethical stance on data privacy.

Pricing Information

Simple Analytics operates on a freemium model, offering a "Free forever" plan for hobby projects with limitations, alongside paid tiers: Simple, Team, and Enterprise. All plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, allowing users to explore full features before committing. Pricing is based on monthly pageviews, with options for monthly or annual billing, and users can cancel anytime.

User Experience and Support

The platform boasts a simple, intuitive user interface designed for instant insights into website performance. Users can easily view key stats, segment data, and track events from a single dashboard. Features like dark mode, mobile widgets for iPhone, and automated email reports enhance usability. Comprehensive documentation and a support email are available to assist users.

Technical Details

Simple Analytics is built with a strong emphasis on data security and privacy. It ensures all user data is encrypted both in transit and at rest on EU-based servers in the Netherlands. The system avoids storing any personally identifiable information (PII), including IP addresses, by using unique visitors based on browser referrers, thus requiring zero consent. This design choice makes it inherently privacy-friendly and compliant with the strictest data protection laws.

Pros and Cons

• Pros:
  • 100% GDPR, PECR, CCPA compliant by design.
  • No cookies, no PII, no cookie banners needed.
  • Simple, intuitive UI with AI-driven insights.
  • Lightweight script improves website speed and SEO.
  • EU-based servers ensure high data protection standards.
  • Users own their data and can export/delete it anytime.
  • Accurate tracking, less affected by ad blockers.
• Cons:
  • Paid service, unlike "free" Google Analytics.
  • May not offer the same depth of highly granular, complex reporting as GA4 for some advanced users (though it aims to provide necessary metrics).
  • No explicit mention of integrations with all third-party tools (though GTM, WordPress, Power BI, Looker Studio are mentioned).

Conclusion

Simple Analytics stands out as the premier privacy-first alternative to Google Analytics, offering ethical, simple, and powerful insights into website performance. By prioritizing user privacy and compliance, it allows businesses to grow confidently while respecting their visitors' rights. Explore Simple Analytics today to experience ethical web analytics firsthand.