Why Analytics Feels Scary (and Why I Love It Anyway)
There is nothing I love more than diving headfirst into the cool Google Analytics waters, it’s warm in there and I have fun swimming around in the data.
OK, that’s a weird analogy, but you get the point. And I know not everyone feels like that.
I guess that’s why I do what I do.
I love Google Analytics so much you’d need a tangle of spiders to chase me away. And yes, despite my business name, spiders terrify me. But I know GA isn’t the only analytics tool in town.
Maybe you feel a similar way about GA4 that I do about spiders. If that’s the case there are alternatives.
I thought it would be fun to look at the pros and cons of each.
For the record, I haven’t used any of these. If you have I’d love to know what you think the pros and cons are. I’d also love to know what I’m missing from the list.
Meet the Main Analytics Tools in 2025
Before we get to the table, here’s a little intro to each tool so you know what you’re looking at:
Quick Comparison: Pricing, Features, Privacy, Ease
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) – The industry standard. It’s free for most of us and connects nicely with Google Ads, Search Console and other Google tools. The downside? It can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark.
- Matomo – A serious contender if you want full control of your data. You can even host it yourself so nothing leaves your server. More setup, but more ownership.
- Plausible – Minimal, clean, and focused on the basics. Perfect if you don’t want to drown in data.
- Fathom Analytics – Similar to Plausible but with a couple of extra touches, like reports sent straight to your inbox.
- Simple Analytics – Strips analytics back to just the essentials. If you hate clutter, this could be your tool.
- Heap – Goes the other way. Instead of stripping back, it records almost everything automatically. Brilliant if you run a SaaS or app, but it can feel like information overload.
Here’s a simple comparison chart you can scan and compare:
| Tool | Pricing | Features | Privacy | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Free; GA360 $50k–$150k+/year | Tracks where visitors come from, what pages they visit, and which actions lead to sales or enquiries. | Standard – strong privacy controls but data is processed by Google | Moderate–complex |
| Matomo (Cloud/Self-hosted) | From €22/month (50k hits); enterprise custom | Similar to GA but you keep the data. Can add extras like heatmaps and A/B testing. | Enhanced – you control all the data if you self-host | Moderate (setup heavier if self-hosted) |
| Plausible | From $9/month (10k views) → $129/month (5M views) | Simple reports showing visitor numbers, popular pages, and traffic sources. | Privacy-first – no personal data, no cookies, EU hosting | Very easy |
| Fathom Analytics | From $14/month (100k views) → $274/month (25M views) | Clear, easy dashboard with visitor numbers, popular pages, and email reports. | Privacy-first – anonymised data, GDPR/CCPA compliant | Easy |
| Simple Analytics | From $10–15/month → €750/month Enterprise | Focuses on essentials: who visits, from where, and which pages matter most. | Privacy-first – no cookies, no personal data collected | Very easy |
| Heap | Free (10k sessions); Growth $300/month; Pro/Premier $24k+/year | Records everything visitors do automatically, then lets you analyse patterns. | Standard – collects all interactions, consent needed | Moderate–steep |
Pros and Cons at a Glance
Google Analytics
✔ Free and powerful, integrates with ads
✘ Steep learning curve, can feel overwhelming
Matomo
✔ You own all your data, flexible setup
✘ More technical to manage, extras can cost more
Plausible
✔ Clean, simple, easy to understand
✘ Limited depth if you need advanced reports
Fathom Analytics
✔ Privacy-first, reports by email, easy dashboard
✘ Pricing jumps as traffic grows
Simple Analytics
✔ Stripped back, very minimal
✘ May feel too basic for bigger businesses
Heap
✔ Automatically records everything, great for apps
✘ Can be pricey, lots of data to sift through
How to Choose the Right Analytics Tool for Your Business
Although GA4 is my tool, the tool is less important than what you do with it. As long as you use it and get the insights you need, all of these tools are useful.
Here’s a bunch of questions to ask yourself to choose the right tool for you:
1. What Do You Want to Measure?
It’s a fundamental question and often the hardest one to answer. Of course, you want to know how many people visit your website, but what do you need to know beyond that?
Do you want to know how to get better results from your website? That’s something that Google Analytics excels at, but it’s not the simplest to use to find that information.
And if in-depth analysis is something you want to do without the learning curve, it could be worth paying for one of the alternatives.
P.S. If you want to know how you measure that stuff, get on the waiting list for the next cohort of Analytics Ace, that’s exactly what the course is designed to get you to do.
2. What’s Your Budget?
Lots of these tools have free tiers, but for some, to get good data, you’ll need to upgrade. Decide on a budget before you start. You don’t want to fall in love with a tool that becomes too expensive to maintain once your business and website traffic grow.
3. Privacy and Compliance Matters
If you attract website visitors in the EU, UK, California… and that list grows every day, you need a tool that keeps you compliant with the privacy laws of the land.
Tools like GA4 and Heap require you to add a functioning consent tool to comply with these laws. Other Tools like Plausible, Fathom, or Simple Analytics are built around privacy.
4. Integration With Your Existing Tools
If you live in the Google ecosystem, all the connections are there in GA4. You can integrate your ads, your Search Console, your Big Query.
Many CRMs also connect to Google Analytics. Check to see if yours does, and if it connects to any of the alternatives.
Reddit ads now also integrates with GA4 and we anticipate more native integrations in the future.
5. Ease of Use vs Learning Curve
Some people love tinkering, others want a quick answer and to move on. GA4 gives you a lot, but takes time to master. Plausible or Fathom gives you the answer in a few clicks.
6. Will It Grow With You?
What happens when your traffic doubles or triples? Some tools charge more as you grow (Fathom, Plausible, Simple Analytics). GA4 is free until you need 360. Heap also gets pricey as usage scales.
7. Support and Community
Do you want an active community, tutorials, and support when you’re stuck? GA4 has a massive community, but not always the simplest help. Privacy-first tools tend to have smaller but very engaged support teams.
FREE Tutorial: Create Customised Reports In Google Analytics 4
So, Which Analytics Tool Should You Pick?
It’s extremely hard for me to be unbiased here because:
- As mentioned, I love GA4 a whole bunch.
- I haven’t used the other tools, and just like everyone else I’m resistant to change.
But here’s the truth: there isn’t a single “best” tool. It depends what you need, how much time you want to spend learning, and how important privacy and data control are for your business.
I’d love to update this article with your thoughts so do drop me a DM on LinkedIn or send me a message through the contact form.
