GoatCounter vs Plausible Analytics
Self-host pick — both replace Fathom Analytics (Privacy-first web analytics).
Both GoatCounter and Plausible Analytics self-host as a replacement for Fathom Analytics (Privacy-first web analytics). Pick GoatCounter if you want a other-licensed codebase (EUPL-1.2); pick Plausible Analytics for AGPL (AGPL-3.0). Both run in roughly the same cost bracket — $3/mo vps — go binary + sqlite, runs anywhere vs $10/mo vps; clickhouse is the heaviest piece, fine on a single 2gb instance for a few sites.
| GoatCounteropen-source | Plausible Analyticsopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | EUPL-1.2 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 5min single-binary | 15min docker-compose (Elixir app + ClickHouse + Postgres) |
| Monthly cost | $3/mo VPS — Go binary + SQLite, runs anywhere. | $10/mo VPS; ClickHouse is the heaviest piece, fine on a single 2GB instance for a few sites. |
| GitHub | arp242/goatcounter | plausible/analytics |
| Replaces | Fathom Analytics | Fathom Analytics + 3 other |
Good fit for
GoatCounter
Personal sites and small projects that want analytics with the least operational footprint.
Weak at:Multi-site dashboards and team accounts are thinner than Plausible/Umami; default UI is functional rather than pretty.
Plausible Analytics
Teams that want the closest Fathom-shaped UX and dashboard without leaving open source.
Weak at:ClickHouse is overkill for tiny sites and adds to the ops surface vs SQLite-backed alternatives.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli fathom-analytics prints Fathom Analytics's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, GoatCounter or Plausible Analytics?
GoatCounter: 5min single-binary. Plausible Analytics: 15min docker-compose (Elixir app + ClickHouse + Postgres).
What does each cost to run?
GoatCounter: $3/mo VPS — Go binary + SQLite, runs anywhere.. Plausible Analytics: $10/mo VPS; ClickHouse is the heaviest piece, fine on a single 2GB instance for a few sites.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do GoatCounter and Plausible Analytics replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Fathom Analytics.