Google Analytics vs Plausible: Complete Comparison Guide
Compare Google Analytics 4 and Plausible on privacy, GDPR compliance, data processing, and ease of use. Discover which analytics platform best fits your privacy policy.
Google Analytics (GA4)
The most widely used web analytics tool in the world, now in its fourth generation as GA4. Google Analytics offers an event-based data model, advanced reporting, machine learning insights, integration with the full Google ecosystem (Ads, Search Console, BigQuery), and free usage for most websites. GA4 does require a cookie banner and raises privacy concerns due to data processing in the US.
Plausible
A privacy-friendly, open-source analytics platform that is fully GDPR-compliant without a cookie banner. Plausible uses no cookies, collects no personal data, and weighs less than 1 KB — 45x smaller than GA4. The platform is hosted in the EU and offers a simple, intuitive dashboard showing essential metrics without GA4's complexity.
Comparison table
| Feature | Google Analytics (GA4) | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy/GDPR | Requires cookie consent, data processed by Google (US), privacy concerns | No cookies, no personal data, EU-hosted — no cookie banner needed |
| Script size | ~45 KB — impact on page load time and Core Web Vitals | <1 KB — negligible impact on performance |
| Reporting | Extensive custom reports, funnels, cohorts, explorations | Simple dashboard with pageviews, sources, countries, devices |
| Cost | Free (but you pay with data) — GA360 for enterprise | From €9/month — or self-host for free (open-source) |
| Ecosystem | Integration with Google Ads, Search Console, BigQuery, Data Studio | API integration, limited ecosystem, focus on simplicity |
| Learning curve | Steep — GA4 is complex with event model, dimensions, segments | Minimal — dashboard is understandable in minutes |
Verdict
The choice between Google Analytics and Plausible is a trade-off between functionality and privacy. GA4 offers unmatched analytical depth and integration with the Google ecosystem, but at the cost of privacy and page performance. Plausible provides an elegant solution for those wanting to track essential metrics without compromising on privacy or GDPR compliance. More and more European businesses are switching to privacy-friendly alternatives like Plausible, partly due to stricter GDPR enforcement by European data protection authorities.
Our recommendation
At MG Software, we use Plausible as our standard analytics platform. The privacy-first approach aligns with our values and those of our clients, the sub-1 KB script contributes to excellent Core Web Vitals, and the absence of a cookie banner improves user experience. For clients needing advanced marketing analytics, we implement GA4 with a configured consent management solution. We always advise taking data minimization as a starting point and only collecting what is actually needed.
Frequently asked questions
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