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