vs
The Privacy-First
Google Analytics Alternative
All the insights you need. None of the surveillance. Free, open-source and self-hosted, no cookies, no consent banner, no data sent to Mountain View.
Side-by-side comparison
Every feature that matters for a privacy-respecting analytics setup.
| Feature |
Argusmetrics
|
Google Analytics
|
|---|---|---|
| No cookies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Visitor IP never stored | ✓ | ✗ |
| No consent banner required | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lightweight script (<3KB gzip) | ✓ | ✗~45KB+ |
| Simple, intuitive dashboard | ✓ | ~Steep learning curve |
| Free & open source | ✓AGPL-3.0 | ✗Proprietary |
| Self-hosted, your data stays yours | ✓ | ✗Google's servers |
| Data not sold or used for advertising | ✓ | ✗ |
| No data sampling | ✓ | ✗GA4 samples large sites |
| Real-time data | ✓ | ✓ |
| Goals & conversions | ✓ | ✓ |
| E-commerce tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
5 reasons teams switch
From Google Analytics to Argusmetrics
GDPR enforcement is real
In 2022, multiple EU Data Protection Authorities (including Austria, France, and Italy) ruled that using Google Analytics without additional safeguards violated GDPR. Those rulings predate the EU-US Data Privacy Framework adopted in July 2023, so check current guidance for your jurisdiction. Argusmetrics avoids the question entirely, no data ever leaves your own server.
Cookie banners hurt conversions
Consent banners interrupt the user experience, and commonly cited industry estimates suggest a sizeable share of visitors reject or dismiss them, skewing your dataset. Argusmetrics requires no banner and counts every visit equally.
GA4 is slow and confusing
Google Analytics 4 added complexity without adding clarity. Argusmetrics gives you the answers you actually need, top pages, traffic sources, bounce rates, goals, on a single screen, in under 5 seconds.
Your data is not Google's product
Google Analytics is free because your visitors' data powers Google's ad targeting business. With Argusmetrics, your analytics data is yours. We have no ad network. We have no interest in your visitors beyond providing your dashboard.
A <3KB script improves page speed
The Google tag (gtag.js) is a noticeably heavier download than a minimal analytics script. The Argusmetrics tracking script is under 3KB gzipped, small enough that it's rarely the thing slowing down your page. That's measurable in your Core Web Vitals and PageSpeed score.
Ready to make the switch?
Spin up your own instance with Docker, replace one script tag, and get a privacy-compliant dashboard on your own server.
Free & open source · Self-hosted · No signup
View on GitHub