{
  "slug": "google-analytics-alternative",
  "page_type": "alternative",
  "seo": {
    "title": "Google Analytics alternative",
    "description": "Compare OpenPanel with Google Analytics: privacy, simplicity, self-hosting, and features. OpenPanel offers cookie-free analytics with EU-only hosting and no data sent to Google.",
    "noindex": false
  },
  "hero": {
    "heading": "Google Analytics alternative",
    "subheading": "OpenPanel is an open-source, privacy-first alternative to Google Analytics. Get both web analytics and product analytics in one tool, without cookies, consent banners, or sending your data to Google.",
    "badges": [
      "Open-source",
      "Cookie-free",
      "EU-only hosting",
      "Self-hostable"
    ]
  },
  "competitor": {
    "name": "Google Analytics",
    "logo": "/logos/google-analytics.svg",
    "url": "https://analytics.google.com",
    "short_description": "Free web analytics platform from Google that tracks website traffic, user behavior, and conversions with deep integration into the Google ecosystem.",
    "founded": 2005,
    "headquarters": "Mountain View, CA"
  },
  "summary_comparison": {
    "title": "OpenPanel vs Google Analytics: Which is right for you?",
    "intro": "Both platforms help you understand website traffic and user behavior. The key differences are privacy approach, data ownership, and simplicity vs ecosystem integration.",
    "one_liner": "OpenPanel is privacy-focused and independent; Google Analytics is free but sends your data to Google.",
    "best_for_openpanel": [
      "Privacy-conscious teams who want analytics without cookies or consent banners",
      "Businesses that need EU-only data storage for GDPR compliance",
      "Developers who want to self-host and own their data completely",
      "Teams looking for both web analytics and product analytics in one tool"
    ],
    "best_for_competitor": [
      "Teams heavily invested in the Google Ads ecosystem",
      "Organizations needing advanced attribution modeling for marketing",
      "Large enterprises with dedicated analytics teams and complex reporting needs",
      "Users who need the free tier and can accept the privacy tradeoffs"
    ]
  },
  "highlights": {
    "title": "Key differences at a glance",
    "intro": "Here's how OpenPanel and Google Analytics compare on the factors that matter most.",
    "items": [
      {
        "label": "Price",
        "openpanel": "From $2.50/month (or free self-hosted)",
        "competitor": "Free (360 starts at $50k/year)"
      },
      {
        "label": "Cookies required",
        "openpanel": "No (cookie-free by default)",
        "competitor": "Yes (first-party cookies)"
      },
      {
        "label": "Consent banner needed",
        "openpanel": "No",
        "competitor": "Yes (for GDPR/ePrivacy)"
      },
      {
        "label": "Data location",
        "openpanel": "EU-only (or your own servers)",
        "competitor": "US (Google servers)"
      },
      {
        "label": "Open source",
        "openpanel": "Yes (AGPL-3.0)",
        "competitor": "No"
      }
    ]
  },
  "feature_comparison": {
    "title": "Feature comparison",
    "intro": "OpenPanel combines web analytics with product analytics. Google Analytics focuses on marketing and traffic analysis with deep Google integration.",
    "groups": [
      {
        "group": "Web analytics",
        "features": [
          {
            "name": "Page views & visitors",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Traffic sources",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Geographic data",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Device & browser stats",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "UTM tracking",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Real-time dashboard",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "Product analytics",
        "features": [
          {
            "name": "Custom event tracking",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Funnels",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 funnels available via Explorations"
          },
          {
            "name": "Retention analysis",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "User profiles",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 uses User Properties"
          },
          {
            "name": "Cohorts",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Revenue tracking",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "Advanced features",
        "features": [
          {
            "name": "A/B testing",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": false,
            "notes": "Google Optimize was shut down in 2023"
          },
          {
            "name": "Custom dashboards",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 uses Explorations for custom reports"
          },
          {
            "name": "AI insights",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 has machine learning predictions"
          },
          {
            "name": "Attribution modeling",
            "openpanel": false,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 has data-driven attribution"
          },
          {
            "name": "Enhanced autocapture",
            "openpanel": false,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 auto-tracks scrolls, clicks, downloads"
          },
          {
            "name": "Notifications/Alerts",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "OpenPanel supports webhooks, Slack, Discord"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "Privacy & compliance",
        "features": [
          {
            "name": "Cookie-free tracking",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": false,
            "notes": "GA4 requires first-party cookies"
          },
          {
            "name": "No consent banner needed",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": false,
            "notes": "GA4 requires consent under GDPR/ePrivacy"
          },
          {
            "name": "EU data residency",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": false,
            "notes": "GA4 processes data on US servers"
          },
          {
            "name": "IP anonymization",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 does this by default"
          },
          {
            "name": "Self-hosting option",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": false,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "DPA available",
            "openpanel": "on request",
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "Integrations",
        "features": [
          {
            "name": "REST API",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": null
          },
          {
            "name": "Data export",
            "openpanel": true,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "GA4 360 needed for full BigQuery export"
          },
          {
            "name": "Google Ads integration",
            "openpanel": false,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "Native GA4 integration"
          },
          {
            "name": "Google Search Console",
            "openpanel": false,
            "competitor": true,
            "notes": "Native GA4 integration"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "technical_comparison": {
    "title": "Technical comparison",
    "intro": "For developers evaluating analytics tools, here's how the SDKs and technical implementations compare.",
    "items": [
      {
        "label": "SDK size (JS)",
        "openpanel": "~2.3 KB gzipped",
        "competitor": "~30+ KB gzipped",
        "notes": "OpenPanel's SDK is significantly lighter for better page performance"
      },
      {
        "label": "Supported platforms",
        "openpanel": [
          "JavaScript",
          "React",
          "Next.js",
          "Vue",
          "Node.js",
          "Python",
          "Swift",
          "Kotlin",
          "React Native",
          "Astro",
          "Remix",
          "Express"
        ],
        "competitor": [
          "JavaScript",
          "iOS (via Firebase)",
          "Android (via Firebase)",
          "Flutter",
          "Unity",
          "AMP"
        ],
        "notes": "GA4 mobile tracking requires Firebase SDK"
      },
      {
        "label": "Open source",
        "openpanel": "Yes (AGPL-3.0)",
        "competitor": "No",
        "notes": null
      },
      {
        "label": "Self-hosted deployment",
        "openpanel": "Docker, simple setup script",
        "competitor": "Not available",
        "notes": null
      },
      {
        "label": "Database",
        "openpanel": "ClickHouse + PostgreSQL",
        "competitor": "Proprietary Google infrastructure",
        "notes": "OpenPanel gives you direct SQL access to your data"
      },
      {
        "label": "Data retention",
        "openpanel": "Unlimited (self-hosted) or plan-based",
        "competitor": "2-14 months (free), up to 50 months (360)",
        "notes": "GA4 has strict retention limits on the free tier"
      }
    ]
  },
  "pricing": {
    "title": "Pricing comparison",
    "intro": "Google Analytics is free for most users, but comes with privacy tradeoffs and data limits. OpenPanel offers more control.",
    "openpanel": {
      "model": "Event-based, transparent",
      "description": "Simple pricing starting at $2.50/month for 5,000 events. 100,000 events costs $20/month. Self-host for free with unlimited events. No limits on users, dashboards, or data retention."
    },
    "competitor": {
      "model": "Freemium with enterprise tier",
      "description": "GA4 is free with limits: data sampling at high volumes, 14-month max data retention, limited explorations. GA4 360 (enterprise) starts at $50,000/year for higher limits and support.",
      "free_tier": "Yes (with significant limits)",
      "pricing_url": "https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/"
    }
  },
  "migration": {
    "title": "Migrating from Google Analytics to OpenPanel",
    "intro": "Switching from Google Analytics to OpenPanel is straightforward. You can run both in parallel during transition.",
    "difficulty": "easy",
    "estimated_time": "1-2 hours",
    "steps": [
      {
        "title": "Install the OpenPanel script",
        "description": "Add the lightweight OpenPanel script to your website. It's a single line of code, similar to the GA4 gtag but much smaller."
      },
      {
        "title": "Set up event tracking",
        "description": "Map your GA4 custom events to OpenPanel. The track() API is similar and most events translate directly."
      },
      {
        "title": "Configure dashboards",
        "description": "Set up your reports and dashboards in OpenPanel. The interface is simpler than GA4's Explorations."
      },
      {
        "title": "Run in parallel",
        "description": "Keep both tools running for a week or two to compare data and ensure everything is tracking correctly."
      },
      {
        "title": "Remove Google Analytics",
        "description": "Once verified, remove the GA4 script. You can also remove your cookie consent banner if it was only needed for analytics."
      }
    ],
    "sdk_compatibility": {
      "similar_api": true,
      "notes": "OpenPanel uses a simple track() API. GA4 events like gtag('event', 'purchase', {...}) translate to op.track('purchase', {...})."
    },
    "historical_data": {
      "can_import": false,
      "notes": "Google Analytics does not provide easy data export. Historical data stays in GA4. Start fresh with OpenPanel for cleaner, privacy-compliant data."
    }
  },
  "use_cases": {
    "title": "Where OpenPanel is a better fit than Google Analytics",
    "intro": "OpenPanel shines for teams that prioritize privacy, simplicity, and data ownership over the Google ecosystem.",
    "items": [
      {
        "title": "GDPR-compliant websites",
        "description": "No cookies, no consent banners, EU-only data storage. Meet privacy regulations without compromising on analytics.",
        "icon": "shield"
      },
      {
        "title": "Marketing without Google",
        "description": "If you don't rely on Google Ads, you don't need Google Analytics. Get cleaner, faster analytics without sending data to Google.",
        "icon": "chart"
      },
      {
        "title": "Self-hosted requirements",
        "description": "Deploy OpenPanel on your own infrastructure for complete data ownership. Perfect for regulated industries or security-conscious teams.",
        "icon": "server"
      },
      {
        "title": "Web + product analytics combined",
        "description": "Get Plausible-style web analytics and product analytics (funnels, retention, cohorts) in one tool instead of multiple subscriptions.",
        "icon": "layers"
      },
      {
        "title": "Faster websites",
        "description": "OpenPanel's 2.3 KB SDK vs GA4's 30+ KB means better Core Web Vitals, faster page loads, and improved SEO.",
        "icon": "zap"
      }
    ]
  },
  "faqs": {
    "title": "Frequently asked questions",
    "intro": "Common questions about switching from Google Analytics to OpenPanel.",
    "items": [
      {
        "question": "Is Google Analytics free?",
        "answer": "Yes, GA4 is free but comes with significant tradeoffs: your data goes to Google, cookies require consent banners, data retention is limited to 14 months, and high-traffic sites experience data sampling. GA4 360 (enterprise) costs $50,000+/year."
      },
      {
        "question": "Why switch from Google Analytics?",
        "answer": "Common reasons include: privacy concerns (data sent to Google), GDPR compliance (cookies require consent), complexity (GA4 has a steep learning curve), and data ownership (you can't self-host or fully export your data)."
      },
      {
        "question": "Do I need a cookie consent banner with OpenPanel?",
        "answer": "No. OpenPanel is cookie-free by default and doesn't collect personal data, so no consent banner is required for analytics. This improves user experience and conversion rates."
      },
      {
        "question": "Is OpenPanel GDPR compliant?",
        "answer": "Yes. OpenPanel is EU-based (Sweden), uses cookie-free tracking, hashes IP addresses with daily rotating salts, and stores data on EU servers. We also offer DPA agreements on request."
      },
      {
        "question": "Can I import my Google Analytics data?",
        "answer": "Google Analytics doesn't provide easy data export for migration. We recommend running OpenPanel in parallel with GA4 briefly, then starting fresh with OpenPanel for cleaner, privacy-compliant data."
      },
      {
        "question": "How does OpenPanel track users without cookies?",
        "answer": "OpenPanel uses a privacy-friendly approach: IP addresses and user agents are hashed together with a daily rotating salt. This allows accurate visitor counting (within a 24-hour window) without storing any personal data."
      },
      {
        "question": "Does OpenPanel integrate with Google Ads?",
        "answer": "No, OpenPanel doesn't have native Google Ads integration. If you rely heavily on Google Ads conversion tracking and attribution, GA4 remains the better choice for that specific use case."
      },
      {
        "question": "How does the SDK size affect my website?",
        "answer": "OpenPanel's JavaScript SDK is ~2.3 KB gzipped compared to GA4's 30+ KB. This means faster page loads, better Core Web Vitals scores, and potentially improved SEO rankings."
      }
    ]
  },
  "related_links": {
    "articles": [
      {
        "title": "9 best open source web analytics tools",
        "url": "/articles/open-source-web-analytics"
      },
      {
        "title": "Cookieless analytics",
        "url": "/articles/cookieless-analytics"
      }
    ],
    "alternatives": [
      {
        "name": "Plausible",
        "url": "/compare/plausible-alternative"
      },
      {
        "name": "Matomo",
        "url": "/compare/matomo-alternative"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ctas": {
    "primary": {
      "label": "Start with OpenPanel",
      "href": "https://dashboard.openpanel.dev/onboarding"
    },
    "secondary": {
      "label": "View on GitHub",
      "href": "https://github.com/Openpanel-dev/openpanel"
    }
  }
}