We Tested 10 GA4 Alternatives That Are Simpler - Here's #1
Tired of wrestling with Google Analytics 4? Many marketers find GA4's interface clunky and its reporting, well, lacking. The good news is, there's a whole world of website analytics tools out there that might be a better fit for your needs.
In this post, we'll explore the top 10 GA4 alternatives to help you find the perfect analytics solution for your business. We'll cover:
- What to look for in a GA4 alternative
- A rundown of the top 10 Google Analytics alternatives.
Let's get started.
Top GA4 Alternatives in the market (2025)
What to Look for in a GA4 Alternative
While Google Analytics 4 is a powerful tool (and, honestly, the price is right), it's not always the best fit for every website. If you've been scratching your head, wondering if there's something better out there, you're not alone. We hear a lot of folks complaining about GA4's:
- Clunky interface: GA4 can be tough to navigate, especially if you were used to Universal Analytics. It's like trying to find your way around a new city without a map...and the street signs are written in a foreign language.
- Limited reporting: Some users find that GA4 lacks key reports and metrics they need to make informed decisions. It's like having a car with a speedometer but no fuel gauge—you know how fast you're going, but not how far you can get.
- Steep learning curve: Even experienced analysts find GA4's learning curve to be a challenge. It's like trying to learn how to play the piano by watching a masterclass—you might pick up a few things, but you won't be playing a concerto anytime soon.
- Data sampling: For high-traffic websites, GA4 sometimes relies on data sampling, which can lead to inaccurate results. It's like trying to understand the ocean by studying a single drop of water.
If any of these pain points resonate with you, it might be time to consider a GA4 alternative. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the right one? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Ease of use:
- Look for a platform with a user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation. You want to spend your time analyzing data, not wrestling with the software.
- Consider the platform's learning curve. Is there good documentation and support available?
- Robust reporting:
- Make sure the platform offers the reports and metrics you need to track your key performance indicators (KPIs) and make informed decisions.
- Can you customize reports to fit your specific needs?
- Does the platform offer real-time data or historical data?
- Customization options:
- Can you create custom reports and dashboards?
- Can you segment your data to gain deeper insights?
- Can you set up custom alerts to be notified of important changes?
- Integrations:
- Does the platform integrate with other tools you use, such as your CRM, email marketing platform, and advertising platforms?
- Can you export data to other tools for further analysis?
- Support and documentation:
- Look for a platform with excellent support and documentation to help you get up and running quickly.
- Is there a community forum or knowledge base where you can get help from other users?
And of course, don't forget to consider your budget. Some GA4 alternatives are free, while others come with a hefty price tag. Choose a platform that fits your needs and your wallet.
1. heatmap.com - The Best GA4 Alternative for Onsite Analytics 🏆
Rating: 4.5/5
GA4 can be a bit of a puzzle. But what if you had an analytics tool that not only showed you what your users are doing, but also how their actions are impacting your revenue? Enter heatmap, the on-site analytics platform that cuts through the noise and helps you optimize for what truly matters—profit.
With heatmap, you can see exactly which elements on your website are driving the most revenue. Consider it like a treasure map for your website, guiding you toward the gold. Plus, heatmap's AI-powered insights and easy integrations make it a breeze to use, even if you're not a tech whiz.
Why teams choose heatmap.com over other analytics tools 🏆
Key Features
- Revenue-based heatmaps: See which elements are generating the most revenue, and identify any areas where visitors might be getting stuck or confused during the buying process. This laser focus on revenue-driving behavior helps you prioritize optimization efforts and ensure you're getting the most bang for your buck.
- AI-powered insights: Get actionable recommendations to optimize your site for increased revenue per session. heatmap's AI analyzes your user data and identifies areas for improvement, such as poorly converting CTAs or confusing product pages.
- Scrollmaps: Identify where users are losing interest (and where you're losing potential revenue). heatmap's scrollmaps show you exactly how far down the page users are typically scrolling, and where they tend to drop off. This can help you identify content that's not engaging visitors, or forms that are too long and cumbersome.
- Screen recordings: Watch anonymized visitor sessions to see how people interact with your site firsthand. heatmap's screen recordings allow you to observe real user behavior, giving you a deeper understanding of how visitors navigate your site and complete tasks. This can be invaluable for identifying usability issues and optimizing your site for a smoother user experience.
- Easy integrations: Works seamlessly with all major eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. This means you can set up heatmap in minutes and start collecting valuable data right away.
Considerations
- Primarily for revenue-driven use cases: heatmap is designed for businesses focused on increasing revenue. It might not be the best fit for smaller, non-commercial sites.
- Focus on revenue: heatmap is built to help you understand how user behavior impacts your bottom line. If you're not focused on revenue, you might not get the full value out of the tool.
- Limited audience targeting: heatmap doesn't offer advanced audience targeting capabilities. If you need to segment your audience based on demographics or behavior, you'll need to use another tool.
-
Pricing
heatmap offers a Pro plan starting at $89/month and an Enterprise plan with custom pricing. You can also save up to 30% with annual prepay.
What actual users are saying about heatmap.com
- "$71,286 per month in revenue with 97% significance." - Spencer Pawliw after he downloaded heatmap, waited for 5k sessions, and reorganized products based on the highest revenue per session from top left to bottom right.
- "We're up 23% YoY" - Ashvin Melwani. "With heatmap, I've been able to figure out what elements actually increase AOV and optimize our landing pages to drive more first purchase profitability..."
- "Heatmap is a non-negotiable for all Ecom stores!" - Oliver Kenyon.
2. Matomo - The Privacy-Focused GA4 Alternative
Rating: 4.2/5
Matomo (formerly Piwik) is a powerful open-source analytics platform that prioritizes data privacy and user control. It offers a comprehensive suite of features for tracking website and application usage, providing valuable insights into user behavior without compromising user privacy.
Key Features
- Complete Analytics: Track all essential website metrics, including page views, unique visitors, bounce rate, and more, to understand user behavior and website performance comprehensively.
- Intranet Analytics: Gain insights into how your employees interact with your intranet, identify popular content, and optimize internal communication strategies.
- Consent-Free Tracking: Comply with privacy regulations by offering a consent-free tracking option, allowing you to collect anonymized data without requiring user consent.
- Marketing Attribution: Understand the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns by tracking conversions and attributing them to specific channels and sources.
- No Limitations: Unlike GA4, Matomo doesn't impose data sampling or limitations, ensuring accurate and reliable data even for high-traffic websites.
- Log Analytics: Analyze server logs to gain deeper insights into website traffic, identify errors, and optimize website performance.
Pros
- Data privacy: You have complete control over your data.
- Open-source: Free to use and customize.
- On-premise or cloud hosting: Choose the deployment option that best suits your needs.
- Comprehensive features: Offers a wide range of features, including custom reports, heatmaps, and session recordings.
- No data sampling: Get accurate data, even for high-traffic websites.
Considerations
- Technical expertise required: Setting up and maintaining Matomo requires some technical expertise, especially for on-premise installations.
- Steeper learning curve: Matomo may have a steeper learning curve compared to GA4, especially for users unfamiliar with open-source software.
- Limited support for free version: While Matomo offers a free version, support may be limited compared to the paid cloud version.
Pricing
Matomo offers both cloud-based and on-premise options. Cloud pricing starts at €22 per month. You can also try Matomo Cloud for free.
3. Amplitude - The Product-Focused GA4 Alternative
Rating: 4.5/5
Amplitude is a product Google analytics alternative that helps businesses understand user behavior and optimize their digital products. It goes beyond basic website metrics to provide insights into how users interact with your product, what features they use, and where they drop off. This granular level of detail allows you to make data-driven decisions that improve user engagement and drive growth.
Key Features
- Product Analytics: Understand the full user journey, from acquisition to conversion and beyond. Track user actions, identify patterns, and uncover insights that help you improve your product and user experience.
- Web Analytics: Get the metrics you need with one line of code. Track website traffic, user engagement, and conversions with ease.
- Session Replay: Visualize sessions based on events in your product. See exactly how users interact with your product, identify pain points, and optimize for a better user experience.
- Experimentation: Run A/B tests and feature experiments to optimize your product and drive conversions.
- Customer Data Platform: Unify your customer analytics data from multiple sources to create a single view of your customer.
- AI-Powered Insights: Leverage AI to uncover hidden patterns and get actionable recommendations for improving your product.
Pros
- Deep user insights: Amplitude provides a granular level of detail about user behavior.
- Focus on product analytics: Helps you understand how users interact with your product and identify areas for improvement.
- Experimentation features: Run A/B tests and feature experiments to optimize your product.
- Customer Data Platform: Unify your customer data for a complete view of your users.
- AI-powered insights: Get actionable recommendations for improving your product.
Considerations
- Can be complex: Amplitude is a powerful tool, but that power comes with some complexity. If you're new to product analytics, you might find yourself a bit lost in the sea of charts and graphs.
- Pricing can be high: Amplitude's pricing can be a bit steep, especially for smaller businesses or those just starting out.
- Not ideal for basic website analytics: If you're just looking for basic website traffic data (like pageviews and bounce rate), Amplitude might be overkill.
- Limited historical data: Depending on your plan, Amplitude may have limitations on how much historical data you can access. This could be a problem if you need to analyze long-term trends or compare data from different periods.
Pricing
Amplitude offers a free Starter plan for individuals and small teams. Paid plans start at $61 per month.
4. Fathom Analytics - The Simple and Privacy-Focused GA4 Alternative
Rating: 4.6/5
If you're looking for a simple, privacy-focused alternative to GA4, Fathom Analytics might be just what you need. Think of it as the Marie Kondo of website analytics—it cuts out all the clutter and focuses on the essentials. With Fathom, you get all the key metrics you need without any of the complexity or privacy concerns that come with GA4.
Fathom Analytics is a website analytics platform that prioritizes simplicity and privacy. It offers a clean, easy-to-use interface and provides all the essential metrics you need to understand your website traffic without compromising user privacy.
Key Features
- Simple Analytics Dashboard: All the data you need on a single page, so you can quickly see what's happening on your website.
- Real-time metrics: See your data reflected in your stats immediately, unlike GA4, which can take 24-48 hours to process data.
- Event conversions: Track custom events like button clicks, form submissions, and even eCommerce transactions (with revenue).
- Privacy-focused: Fathom doesn't use cookies or track personal data, so you can be sure you're complying with privacy regulations.
- Forever data retention: Your data stays on your dashboard forever, so you can access historical data whenever you need it.
Pros
- Easy to use: Fathom's simple interface makes it a breeze to understand your website data.
- Privacy-focused: No cookies or tracking of personal data.
- Affordable: Fathom's pricing is very competitive, especially compared to GA4's premium features.
- Fast and reliable: Fathom's real-time data processing means you always have up-to-date information.
- Great customer support: Fathom is known for its excellent customer support.
Considerations
- Limited features: Fathom focuses on essential metrics, so it may not have all the bells and whistles of GA4.
- Less granular data: Fathom's focus on privacy means it doesn't collect as much granular data as GA4.
- Not ideal for complex analysis: If you need to perform complex analysis or segmentation, Fathom may not be the best tool.
- Limited integrations: Fathom doesn't integrate with as many third-party tools as GA4.
- No advanced features: Fathom doesn't offer advanced features like machine learning or predictive analytics.
Pricing
Fathom Analytics starts at $15 per month. They also offer a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before you commit.
5. Plausible - The Lightweight GA4 Alternative
Rating: 4.8/5
Plausible Analytics is a lightweight and open-source Google Analytics competitor that prioritizes user privacy and website performance. It offers a simple and intuitive interface, providing essential website traffic data without the complexity or privacy concerns associated with GA4.
Key Features
- Intuitive Dashboard: Get all the important stats on a single page, without any complicated setup or training.
- Lightweight Script: Plausible's script is incredibly lightweight, so it won't slow down your website like GA4's tracking code can.
- Privacy Focused: Built with the privacy of your visitors in mind. No need to annoy them with a cookie/GDPR consent banner.
- Open Source: Built openly on GitHub and can be self-hosted, giving you complete control over your data.
Pros
- Fast and lightweight: Won't slow down your website.
- Privacy-focused: No cookies or tracking of personal data.
- Easy to use: Simple and intuitive interface.
- Open source: Free to use and self-host.
- Affordable: Plausible's pricing is very competitive.
Considerations
- Limited features: Plausible focuses on essential metrics, so it may not have all the advanced features of GA4.
- Less granular data: Plausible's focus on privacy means it doesn't collect as much granular data as GA4.
- Not ideal for complex analysis: If you need to perform complex analysis or segmentation, Plausible may not be the best tool.
- Limited integrations: Plausible doesn't integrate with as many third-party tools as GA4.
Pricing
Plausible offers a 30-day free trial. Paid plans start at $9 per month.
6. Semrush - The All-in-One Marketing Toolkit (with Analytics)
Rating: 4.5/5
While not strictly an analytics platform, Semrush is a marketing powerhouse that includes a robust analytics suite. Think of it as the Swiss Army Knife of digital marketing—it's got a tool for everything, from SEO and content marketing to competitor analysis and, of course, website analytics.
If you're looking for a comprehensive solution that can do it all, Semrush is definitely worth considering.
Semrush is a comprehensive digital marketing toolkit that offers a wide range of features, including SEO, content marketing, competitor analysis, and website analytics. It's a popular choice for marketers who want a single platform to manage all their digital marketing efforts.
Key Features
- Website Traffic Checker: Get detailed insights into any website's traffic, including engagement metrics, traffic sources, and top pages.
- Competitor Analysis: See how your competitors are performing in organic search, paid search, and content marketing.
- Keyword Research: Find the right keywords to target for your website and content.
- Site Audit: Identify and fix technical SEO issues on your website.
- Content Marketing Toolkit: Create and optimize content that ranks well in search engines.
Pros
- Comprehensive toolkit: Semrush offers a wide range of features for all your digital marketing needs.
- Powerful analytics: Get deep insights into your website traffic and competitor activity.
- Easy to use: Semrush's interface is user-friendly, even for beginners.
- Great for competitor analysis: Uncover your competitors' strategies and identify opportunities to outrank them.
- Excellent customer support: Semrush offers top-notch customer support.
Considerations
- Can be expensive: Semrush's pricing can be a bit high, especially for smaller businesses.
- Overwhelming for beginners: The sheer number of features can be overwhelming for new users.
- Not solely focused on analytics: While Semrush offers robust analytics, it's not its primary focus. If you're looking for a dedicated analytics platform, you might want to consider other options.
- Limited free trial: Semrush offers a limited free trial, so you may not have enough time to fully explore all its features.
Pricing
Semrush offers three pricing plans: Pro ($119.95/month), Guru ($229.95/month), and Business ($449.95/month). You can save up to 17% by paying annually.
What Merchants Think
- "An essential piece of our agency arsenal. The site audit, keyword research tools, and keyword tracking are all essential to us. It's easy to set up and implement, and we're using the tool on a daily basis." - Shannon E., Vice President.
- "Favorite all-in-one solution for SEO-Analytics etc. It’s an all-in-one functionality for managing and optimizing digital marketing strategies. It’s a powerhouse tool that simplifies SEO, content marketing, and competitor analysis, all in one platform." - Anna O., Digital Performance Manager.
7. Clicky - The User-Friendly GA4 Alternative with Real-Time Insights
Rating: 4.5/5
If you're looking for a user-friendly analytics platform that gives you real-time insights into your website traffic, Clicky is a great option. It's like having a live feed of your website activity, so you can see exactly what's happening as it happens.
Clicky is a web analytics platform that provides real-time data, detailed visitor tracking, and heatmap visualizations. It's known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, making it a popular alternative to GA4.
Key Features
- Real-time data: See what's happening on your website right now, including active visitors, page views, and conversions.
- Individual visitor tracking: Track individual visitors and see their complete browsing history on your site.
- Heatmaps: Visualize where users are clicking on your pages to identify areas of interest and potential usability issues.
- On-site analytics: See detailed information about your visitors, including their location, referral source, and browsing behavior.
- Goals and conversions: Track conversions and measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.
Pros
- Real-time insights: Get instant feedback on your website traffic.
- User-friendly interface: Easy to navigate and understand, even for beginners.
- Comprehensive features: Offers a wide range of features, including heatmaps, on-site analytics, and conversion tracking.
- Affordable: Clicky's pricing is very competitive.
- Good customer support: Clicky offers responsive and helpful customer support.
Considerations
- Limited historical data: Clicky's free plan offers limited historical data, so you may need to upgrade to a paid plan if you need to access older data.
- Occasional UI glitches: Some users have reported occasional glitches or inconsistencies in the user interface, which can affect the overall user experience.
- Limited customization options: While Clicky offers a range of features, customization options for dashboards and reports may be limited compared to other analytics platforms.
- Inaccurate data reporting: Some users have reported instances of inaccurate data reporting, particularly with the "campaign" UTM parameter, which can affect the reliability of campaign tracking.
- Customer support response times can vary: While generally responsive, some users have experienced delays in customer support response times, which can be frustrating when seeking assistance.
Pricing
Clicky offers a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month.
8. PostHog - The Open-Source Product Analytics Platform
Rating: 4.4/5
PostHog is an open-source product analytics platform that helps you understand user behavior, track events, and run experiments. It's a popular choice for developers and product teams who want a flexible and customizable analytics solution.
Key Features
- Product Analytics: Track user actions, identify patterns, and understand how users interact with your product.
- Session Recording: See exactly how users interact with your product, identify pain points, and optimize for a better user experience.
- Feature Flags: Roll out new features to specific user segments and track their impact.
- A/B Testing: Run experiments to test different versions of your product and see which performs best.
- Open Source: Free to use and self-host, giving you complete control over your data.
Pros
- Open source: Free to use and customize.
- Comprehensive features: Offers a wide range of features, including product analytics, session recording, feature flags, and A/B testing.
- Easy to use: PostHog's interface is user-friendly, even for beginners.
- Great for developers: PostHog is a developer-friendly platform with a strong API and SDKs.
- Affordable: PostHog offers generous free plans and affordable paid plans.
Considerations
- Can be overwhelming for beginners: The sheer number of features can be overwhelming for new users.
- Limited customer support on the free plan: While PostHog offers a free plan, customer support is limited to community forums.
- Frequent updates: PostHog is constantly being updated, which can sometimes require adjustments to your implementation.
- Documentation could be more detailed: While PostHog has documentation, some users have found it lacking in detail and examples.
- UI could be more visually appealing: Some users have commented on the UI's color scheme and overall design.
Pricing
PostHog offers a generous free plan. Paid plans start at $0 per month (usage-based pricing after the free tier).
9. TelemetryDeck - The Privacy-First Analytics Platform for Apps and Websites
Rating: 5/5
TelemetryDeck is a privacy-focused analytics platform that offers a comprehensive suite of features for tracking user behavior in apps and websites. It's designed to be easy to use and compliant with privacy regulations, making it a great alternative to GA4.
Key Features
- Visual Query Editor: Easily explore your data and create custom reports with the intuitive visual query editor.
- Ultra-quick setup: Integrate TelemetryDeck into your product, app, or website in minutes.
- SDKs for all major platforms: TelemetryDeck supports all major mobile, desktop, and web platforms.
- Real-time data: See events less than a second after they happen on the user's device.
- Privacy-focused: TelemetryDeck uses double-hashing anonymization to protect user privacy.
- Custom dashboards: Create your own dashboards to track the metrics that matter most to you.
- Cookieless tracking: TelemetryDeck doesn't use cookies, so you don't have to worry about cookie banners or GDPR compliance.
Pros
- Easy to use: TelemetryDeck's visual query editor and pre-made dashboards make it easy to get started.
- Privacy-focused: TelemetryDeck prioritizes user privacy with double-hashing anonymization and cookieless tracking.
- Real-time data: Get instant insights into user behavior.
- Comprehensive features: TelemetryDeck offers a wide range of features, including custom dashboards, funnels, and A/B testing.
- Affordable: TelemetryDeck offers a generous free plan and affordable paid plans.
Considerations
- Some features are still in beta: While TelemetryDeck offers a comprehensive suite of features, some features, like funnels, are still in beta.
- Custom query language can be complex: While the visual query editor is easy to use, the custom query language can be complex for advanced queries.
- Limited third-party integrations: TelemetryDeck currently has limited integrations with third-party tools.
- It may not be suitable for all use cases: TelemetryDeck's focus on privacy may limit its functionality for certain use cases that require more granular data.
Pricing
TelemetryDeck offers a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at €19 per month.
10. Adobe Experience Cloud - The Enterprise-Grade Analytics Suite
Rating: 4.1/5
Adobe Experience Cloud is a suite of integrated applications for marketing, analytics, advertising, and commerce. It's a popular choice for large enterprises that need a powerful and scalable solution to manage their entire customer experience.
Key Features
- Adobe Analytics: A powerful analytics engine that provides deep insights into customer behavior.
- Adobe Target: A personalization and A/B testing tool that helps you optimize your website and marketing campaigns.
- Adobe Audience Manager: A data management platform that helps you create unified customer profiles.
- Adobe Campaign: A cross-channel campaign management tool that helps you orchestrate personalized experiences.
- Adobe Experience Manager: A content management system that helps you create and deliver engaging digital experiences.
Pros
- Comprehensive suite: Adobe Experience Cloud offers a wide range of tools to manage your entire customer experience.
- Powerful analytics: Get deep insights into customer behavior with Adobe Analytics.
- Personalization and A/B testing: Optimize your website and marketing campaigns with Adobe Target.
- Scalable: Adobe Experience Cloud is designed to handle the needs of large enterprises.
- Integration with other Adobe products: Seamlessly integrate with other Adobe products, such as Creative Cloud and Document Cloud.
Considerations
- Expensive: Adobe Experience Cloud is a premium solution with a high price tag.
- Complex: The platform can be complex to set up and manage, requiring specialized expertise.
- Steep learning curve: Mastering all the features of Adobe Experience Cloud can take time and effort.
- Not ideal for small businesses: The cost and complexity of Adobe Experience Cloud make it less suitable for small businesses.
- Limited flexibility: Customizing and extending Adobe Experience Cloud can be challenging compared to open-source alternatives.
Pricing
Adobe Experience Cloud pricing is custom and depends on your specific needs and requirements.
The best GA4 alternative - Here's the verdict
Choosing the best GA4 alternative depends on your priorities:
- Privacy-first? Consider Plausible, TelemetryDeck, or Fathom Analytics for lightweight, compliance-focused tracking.
- Product insights? Platforms like Amplitude and PostHog excel with detailed user journeys and experimentation tools.
- All-in-one marketing needs? Semrush combines analytics with a powerful marketing toolkit.
For businesses seeking a balance of simplicity, AI-driven insights, and revenue-focused metrics, heatmap.com stands out as the best choice. It’s easy to use, integrates seamlessly, and prioritizes actionable insights. Evaluate your goals and budget to choose the best solution for your analytics needs.
heatmap is the simplest GA4 alternative that speaks on REVENUE - try it free
Heatmap.com is the only on-site analytics platform that ties revenue to every pixel on every page of your website. Finally, you can optimize for buyer behavior instead of site traffic.
Spencer Pawliw
@spencepawliw+ $71,286 per month in revenue with 97% significance.
How You Can Do It:
1: Download heatmap.com
2: Wait for 5k sessions
3: Reorganize products based on the highest revenue per session from top left to bottom right.
How You Can Do It:
1: Download heatmap
2: Wait for 5k sessions
3: Reorganize products based on the highest revenue per session from top left to bottom right.
Read Related Articles
You made it all the way down here?
Might as well give us a shot, right? It'll change the way you approach CRO. We promise. In fact, our friend Nate over at Original Grain used element-level revenue data from heatmap to identify high-impact areas of his website to test, resulting in a 17% lift in Revenue per Session while scaling site traffic by 43%. Be like Nate. Try heatmap today.
