Why Plausible may be a better alternative to Google Analytics

1. Privacy

Privacy is an ever-growing concern for both businesses and users, and here Plausible stands out as a preferred tool. Plausible is designed to respect user privacy, does not use cookies, and thus does not track personal information of the user. This allows for creating a website where one can avoid the annoying pop-up to accept cookies.

Additionally, Plausible's servers are located in Europe, and all data collected by Plausible remains within Europe, which is in line with GDPR. This is not the case if you use the standard installation of Google Analytics, where all data, including personal data (since they use cookies for tracking), is sent to the USA. Read more about this here.

2. Simple and user friendly

Plausible is very easy to use, and we have never had to explain to our clients how to use the tool. They get access, and then do everything themselves. Plausible has a clean and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to find and interpret key data.

You can do more in Google Analytics, but it is also more complex to use. Our experience is also that the functions and figures the customer wants to see are very easily found in Plausible.

3. Faster loading time on the website

Plausible is much "lighter" than Google Analytics, which means it loads faster and has minimal impact on the site's performance. This can be important, especially for websites that receive a lot of traffic.

4. Data transparency

Plausible offers users complete transparency and control over their data. It allows users to own and control all their data, which is a big step forward in terms of data transparency. In addition, Plausible is open-source, meaning users can see how their data is processed. Its European data centers and data sovereignty also mean that users have greater security about where and how their data is treated. On the other hand, Google Analytics is a black box when it comes to data handling and does not give users full control over their data.

5. No third-party integrations

Plausible requires no third-party integrations to function, meaning your data is kept private and not shared with other services. This is a significant advantage for those concerned about their data falling into the wrong hands.

6. Accurate data

Another advantage of Plausible is that it provides more accurate data than Google Analytics, which relies on cookies to track user behavior and can therefore be subject to blocking. Many browsers and ad blockers now actively block tracking cookies, meaning a significant amount of traffic may go unnoticed. This can lead to Google Analytics reporting lower traffic numbers than what is actually the case.

On the other hand, since Plausible does not use cookies to collect data, it is less likely to be blocked by ad blockers and browsers. This means it provides a more accurate overview of your website's traffic, and thus more accurate data to inform your business decisions.

Therefore, when you combine Plausible's focus on privacy, user-friendliness, data transparency, lightweight nature, and accurate data collection, it presents itself as a very attractive alternative to Google Analytics for many businesses and organizations.

Below you see screenshots from the same website over the same period. Plausible reports about almost 60,000 visits, while Google Analytics has only registered 21,000.

Plausible explains why this happens.

The choice of a web analytics tool can have a significant impact on a business's data transparency, user experience, and privacy practices.

While Google Analytics has long been dominant in the market, Plausible, with its focus on privacy, user-friendliness, data integrity, and European data sovereignty, could be an attractive alternative for many businesses and organizations.

Especially for those who want to ensure compliance with strict privacy regulations like GDPR, and seek more accurate data that isn't blocked by modern browsers and ad blockers. So when considering your next step in web analytics, Plausible might be an option worth exploring.

If you wish to learn more, contact digital advisor, Eirik Fjellaksel.