Plausible vs Fathom Analytics 2026
Plausible is a lightweight, privacy-first analytics tool with simpler reporting and lower starting price ($9/month), while Fathom is a more feature-rich platform with advanced segmentation, custom events, and higher pricing ($19/month). Both are GDPR-compliant alternatives to Google Analytics, but differ in feature depth and ease of use.
Plausible Analytics
Lightweight, privacy-first web analytics platform with no cookies and GDPR compliance.
Small to medium-sized websites, bloggers, indie developers, and GDPR-conscious businesses that prioritize simplicity over advanced features
Fathom Analytics
Privacy-focused analytics with advanced conversion tracking, custom events, and real-time reporting.
E-commerce stores, SaaS products, and growth-focused companies needing detailed conversion analysis and real-time reporting
Quick Answer
AI SummaryPlausible is a lightweight, privacy-first analytics tool with simpler reporting and lower starting price ($9/month), while Fathom is a more feature-rich platform with advanced segmentation, custom events, and higher pricing ($19/month). Both are GDPR-compliant alternatives to Google Analytics, but differ in feature depth and ease of use.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Plausible if you need a lightweight, affordable analytics solution for small to mid-sized websites with straightforward traffic tracking and want the fastest setup time. Choose Fathom Analytics if you require advanced segmentation, custom event tracking, real-time data, and are willing to pay more for deeper conversion analysis capabilities.
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Choose Plausible Analytics if
Best pickSmall to medium-sized websites, bloggers, indie developers, and GDPR-conscious businesses that prioritize simplicity over advanced features
Choose Fathom Analytics if
E-commerce stores, SaaS products, and growth-focused companies needing detailed conversion analysis and real-time reporting
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Starting Price (Monthly):✓ Plausible Analytics wins($9/month vs $19/month)
- Pageview Limit (Entry Plan):✓ Plausible Analytics wins(Up to 1M pageviews/month vs Up to 100K pageviews/month)
- Custom Event Tracking:✓ Fathom Analytics wins(Advanced (full custom events) vs Limited (basic events))
Key Facts & Figures
38 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Plausible Analytics | Fathom Analytics | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $9/month (for 10k pageviews) | — | — |
| Real-time Data Refresh Rate(seconds) | 60 seconds | — | — |
| Installation Time(minutes) | 2 minutes (script tag) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (10K monthly visitors)(USD) | $20 | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (100K monthly visitors)(USD) | $74 | — | — |
| Script Size(KB) | 1.9 KB | ~1 KB | |
| Setup Time (basic config)(minutes) | 5 minutes | — | — |
| Data Retention Period(months) | Unlimited | 6 months | — |
| Custom Event Tracking Limit(events) | 50+ custom events | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $9/month | — | — |
| Core Analytics Metrics Available(count) | 20 core metrics | — | — |
| Session Recording Limit (Free Tier)(sessions/month) | Not available | — | — |
| Website Performance Impact(script size in KB) | ~1 KB minimal script | — | — |
| Base Cost(USD/month (for typical usage)) | $20-550 | — | — |
| Tracking Script Size(KB) | 1 KB | — | — |
| Number of Built-in Reports(reports) | 7 core reports | — | — |
| Time to Setup Dashboard(minutes) | 5 minutes | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) | $20/month | — | — |
| Minimum Script Size(KB) | 9.8 KB | — | — |
| Available Integrations(count) | 18+ | — | — |
| Dashboard Load Time(seconds) | 1.2 seconds (cloud) | — | — |
| Monthly Script Size(KB) | 3.5KB | 1.5KB | |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $9/month | $14 | |
| Funnel Analysis Entry Price(USD/month) | $20/month | $45/month | |
| Custom Events per Plan(events) | 10 (entry level) | Unlimited | — |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $9 | $19 | |
| Monthly Pageviews (Entry Plan)(pageviews) | 1,000,000 | 100,000 | |
| Data Retention (Free Tier)(months) | 12 months | 1 month (30 days) | |
| Real-time Reporting Latency(minutes) | 5 minutes | < 1 minute | |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 30 days | 7 days | |
| Base Price(USD/month) | $14–$19 | $14–$19 | |
| Script Load Time Impact(milliseconds) | 20-30ms | 20-30ms | |
| Third-Party Integrations(count) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Max Monthly Pageviews (Free Tier)(pageviews) | 100,000 | 100,000 | |
| Monthly Cost (Single Site)(USD) | $14 | $14 | |
| Cost for 10 Sites(USD/month) | $140 | $140 | |
| Available Features(count) | 80+ | 80+ | |
| Global User Base(organizations) | 30,000+ | 30,000+ |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
- $9/month(winner)Starting Price (Monthly)$19/month
- Up to 1M pageviews/month(winner)Pageview Limit (Entry Plan)Up to 100K pageviews/month
- Limited (basic events)Custom Event TrackingAdvanced (full custom events)(winner)
- 12 months(winner)Data Retention (Free Version)30 days
- 5-minute delayReal-time Dashboard UpdatesReal-time (< 1 minute)(winner)
- AvailableConversion Funnel AnalysisAdvanced funnels with custom steps(winner)
- Very easy (< 5 minutes)(winner)Setup Difficulty (Learning Curve)Easy (< 10 minutes)
- Starting Price (Monthly)
Plausible Analytics
$9/month(winner)
Fathom Analytics
$19/month
- Pageview Limit (Entry Plan)
Plausible Analytics
Up to 1M pageviews/month(winner)
Fathom Analytics
Up to 100K pageviews/month
- Custom Event Tracking
Plausible Analytics
Limited (basic events)
Fathom Analytics
Advanced (full custom events)(winner)
- Data Retention (Free Version)
Plausible Analytics
12 months(winner)
Fathom Analytics
30 days
- Real-time Dashboard Updates
Plausible Analytics
5-minute delay
Fathom Analytics
Real-time (< 1 minute)(winner)
- Conversion Funnel Analysis
Plausible Analytics
Available
Fathom Analytics
Advanced funnels with custom steps(winner)
- Setup Difficulty (Learning Curve)
Plausible Analytics
Very easy (< 5 minutes)(winner)
Fathom Analytics
Easy (< 10 minutes)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Plausible Analytics | Fathom Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $9/month (for 10k pageviews) | — |
| Monthly Cost (10K monthly visitors)(USD) | $20 | — |
| Monthly Cost (100K monthly visitors)(USD) | $74 | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $9/month | — |
| Base Cost(USD/month (for typical usage)) | $20-550 | — |
Show 10 more attributesFree Trial Available 30 days — Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) $20/month — Starting Monthly Price(USD) $9/month $14 Funnel Analysis Entry Price(USD/month) $20/month $45/month Starting Price(USD/month) $9 $19 Free Trial Length(days) 30 days 7 days Base Price(USD/month) $14–$19 — Max Monthly Pageviews (Free Tier)(pageviews) 100,000 — Monthly Cost (Single Site)(USD) $14 — Cost for 10 Sites(USD/month) $140 — | ||
| Real-time Data Refresh Rate(seconds) | 60 seconds | — |
| Script Size(KB) | 1.9 KB | ~1 KB(winner) |
| Website Performance Impact(script size in KB) | ~1 KB minimal script | — |
| Tracking Script Size(KB) | 1 KB | — |
| Minimum Script Size(KB) | 9.8 KB | — |
Show 4 more attributesDashboard Load Time(seconds) 1.2 seconds (cloud) — Monthly Script Size(KB) 3.5KB 1.5KB Real-time Reporting Latency(minutes) 5 minutes < 1 minute Script Load Time Impact(milliseconds) 20-30ms — | ||
| Installation Time(minutes) | 2 minutes (script tag) | — |
| Adblocker Immunity | Partial (uses 1st-party script) | — |
| Requires Third-party Service | Standalone | — |
| Setup Time (basic config)(minutes) | 5 minutes | — |
| GDPR Compliant Without Consent(yes/no) | Yes | — |
| GDPR Compliant by Default | Yes | Yes (cookieless by design) |
| Cookie Consent Banner Required | No | — |
| GDPR Compliance (Default) | 100% compliant out-of-box | — |
| GDPR Compliance Default(null) | Built-in by default | — |
| Data Retention Period(months) | Unlimited | 6 months |
| Data Retention (Free Plan)(days) | N/A (no free plan) | — |
| Data Retention (Free Tier)(months) | 12 months(winner) | 1 month (30 days) |
| E-commerce Conversion Tracking | Limited (basic goals only) | — |
| Core Analytics Metrics Available(count) | 20 core metrics | — |
| Session Recording Limit (Free Tier)(sessions/month) | Not available | — |
| Heatmap Feature Availability | Not available | — |
| Number of Built-in Reports(reports) | 7 core reports | — |
Show 7 more attributesCustom Event Tracking Yes (limited) — Mobile App Availability(null) iOS and Android apps — API Access Availability All plans Pro plan only ($65+) Custom Events per Plan(events) 10 (entry level) Unlimited Custom Event Tracking Depth Basic (standard goals) Advanced (unlimited custom events) Funnel Analysis Capability Basic funnels Advanced with custom steps Custom Events (Limit) Unlimited — | ||
| Custom Event Tracking Limit(events) | 50+ custom events | — |
| Cookie Consent Required | No - cookieless tracking | — |
| GDPR Compliance | Full compliance, no consent needed | Full compliance, no consent needed |
| Time to Setup Dashboard(minutes) | 5 minutes | — |
| Setup Time(minutes) | 5 | — |
| Available Integrations(count) | 18+ | — |
| Self-hosting Support | Not supported | — |
| Self-Hosting Option(yes/no) | No (SaaS only) | — |
| Code Availability | Proprietary closed-source | — |
| Geographic Segmentation Depth(levels) | Country, Region, City (3 levels)(winner) | Country, Region (2 levels) |
| Monthly Pageviews (Entry Plan)(pageviews) | 1,000,000(winner) | 100,000 |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes (no cookies) | Yes (no cookies) |
| Custom Segments(count) | Basic only (5-8) | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(count) | 50+ | — |
| API Access Level(text) | Limited REST API | — |
| Available Features(count) | 80+ | — |
| Data Storage Location(null) | Fathom-controlled servers | — |
| Global User Base(organizations) | 30,000+ | — |
| Enterprise Support Tier(null) | Email support only | — |
Show 10 more attributes
Show 4 more attributes
Show 7 more attributes
Pros & Cons
10 pros·4 cons across both
Plausible Analytics
Pros
- Extremely simple dashboard with essential metrics visible at a glance
- 1M+ pageviews per month at entry price ($9/month) vs competitors
- No cookie consent required—fully GDPR/CCPA compliant
- 12-month data retention with 30-day free trial
- Zero JavaScript blocker impact—98% accurate tracking detection
Cons
- Limited custom event tracking compared to enterprise tools
- 5-minute reporting delay (not real-time)
Fathom Analytics
Pros
- Real-time data updates with < 1-minute latency for immediate decision-making
- Advanced funnel analysis with custom conversion steps and drop-off tracking
- Full custom event tracking system for e-commerce and SaaS applications
- Cohort analysis and user segmentation by multiple dimensions
- GDPR/CCPA compliant with no cookie consent needed
Cons
- Entry plan limited to only 100K pageviews/month (vs Plausible's 1M)
- Starting price of $19/month is 2.1x more expensive than Plausible
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
No. Both Plausible and Fathom are cookieless analytics solutions that use fingerprinting and server-side tracking instead of cookies. This means you do not need cookie consent banners under GDPR/CCPA, making implementation faster and compliance automatic.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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