GoatCounter - Privacy-Friendly Web Analytics
GoatCounter is an open source web analytics platform designed as a privacy-friendly alternative to tools like Google Analytics and Matomo. Available as a free, donation-supported hosted service or a self-hosted application, it prioritizes user privacy by avoiding tracking of personal data and not requiring GDPR consent notices.
Key Features
- Privacy-Aware: No unique identifiers or personal data tracking, with fine-grained control over collected data.
- Lightweight & Fast: Adds only ~3.5KB to your site, with options for JavaScript-free tracking pixels.
- Unique Visit Tracking: Identifies unique visits without cookies or persistent data storage.
- Useful Statistics: Tracks browser info, location, screen size, referring sites, and campaigns.
- Ease of Use: Simplified interface compared to complex tools, with high accessibility for assistive technologies.
- Open Source Commitment: Fully transparent code on GitHub, allowing self-hosting and customization.
- Integration Options: Easy setup with a single script tag, no-JS image trackers, backend middleware, or logfile parsing.
- Data Ownership: Export data anytime and cancel without restrictions.
Target Users & Use Cases
GoatCounter is ideal for personal website owners, small-to-medium businesses, and developers seeking ethical analytics without compromising user privacy. It suits those who need straightforward insights into site performance while maintaining compliance with privacy standards. Self-hosting options cater to users with higher traffic or specific customization needs.
Unique Selling Points
Unlike mainstream analytics tools, GoatCounter combines privacy-first design with simplicity and open source transparency, making it a compelling choice for privacy-conscious users and organizations.
