Plausible vs Fathom vs Fairlytics — Which Privacy Analytics Should You Pick?

If you've decided to ditch Google Analytics for something privacy-friendly, you've probably narrowed it down to a few options. Here's an honest, side-by-side comparison of three popular choices — including our own tool, Fairlytics — so you can pick the one that fits your needs.

Quick Comparison

Plausible Analytics

Plausible is an open-source, EU-made analytics tool that has become one of the most popular Google Analytics alternatives.

What it does well:

Plausible has a polished, real-time dashboard with features like conversion funnels, scroll depth tracking, and revenue tracking — all without writing code. It's fully open source under the AGPL license, so you can self-host it if you want full control over your data. All infrastructure is EU-based (Hetzner in Germany), and the team is transparent about how they handle data.

Where it falls short:

There's no free tier — the cheapest plan is $9/month for just one site and 10,000 pageviews. If you run multiple sites, you need the Growth plan at $14/month (3 sites) or Business at $19/month (10 sites). Plausible does not respect Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control signals, which some privacy advocates consider a gap. The script is lightweight at ~1 KB, but not the smallest available.

Best for: Teams that want open-source analytics with advanced features like funnels and revenue tracking, and who don't mind paying from day one.

Fathom Analytics

Fathom is a Canadian-made, privacy-first analytics tool that emphasizes simplicity and long-term data retention.

What it does well:

Fathom keeps your data forever — they promise "perpetual data retention," which means you can look back years from now. You can add up to 50 sites on a single account at no extra cost, which makes it a good deal for agencies or developers with many projects. EU visitor data is automatically processed through EU infrastructure. The dashboard is clean and the email reports are well-designed.

Where it falls short:

It's the most expensive option at $15/month to start, with no free tier. The script is ~2 KB — functional but larger than alternatives. DNT support exists but requires manual configuration (it's not on by default). GPC is not supported. Fathom is not open source, so you can't self-host or audit the code. Data hosting for non-EU visitors goes through their global CDN, which may matter for strict EU compliance requirements.

Best for: Agencies or developers managing many sites who want simple, set-and-forget analytics with permanent data retention.

Fairlytics

Fairlytics is the newest of the three — a privacy-first analytics tool built in Barcelona, designed to be the simplest and most privacy-strict option available.

What it does well:

Fairlytics has the smallest tracking script at 510 bytes — roughly half the size of Plausible and a quarter of Fathom. It's the only tool in this comparison that respects both Do Not Track (DNT) and Global Privacy Control (GPC) by default, with no configuration needed. IP addresses are discarded immediately after geolocation — they're never written to disk. There's a genuine free tier with 10,000 pageviews per month and no time limit. Data is stored in the EU (AWS Ireland via Supabase).

Where it falls short:

Fairlytics is newer and has fewer advanced features than Plausible — no conversion funnels, no scroll depth tracking, no revenue tracking yet. It's not open source, so self-hosting isn't an option. The team is a solo developer, which means development moves at a different pace than a venture-backed company.

Best for: Solo developers, indie makers, and small businesses who want the simplest, most privacy-strict analytics with a free tier to start.

So, Which Should You Pick?

Choose Plausible if you want open-source analytics with advanced features like funnels and revenue tracking, and you're comfortable paying from day one.

Choose Fathom if you manage many websites and want perpetual data retention with a polished, hands-off experience.

Choose Fairlytics if you want the smallest footprint, the strictest privacy defaults (DNT + GPC), and a free tier to get started without a credit card.

All three are solid choices. None of them use cookies, none of them store personal data, and none of them require consent banners. You're making a good decision whichever one you pick.

Ready to try Fairlytics? Start free with 10,000 page views/month — no credit card required.