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GoatCounter

goatcounter.com SEO & Web Analytics Online toolFreeOpen source

Lightweight, privacy-friendly web analytics available as a free hosted service or a self-hosted open-source app.

Visit GoatCounter 6 alternatives
goatcounter.com
GoatCounter homepage screenshot

About GoatCounter

GoatCounter is a web analytics platform that can be used as a free hosted service or self-hosted as an open-source app. It is presented as a simpler, privacy-friendly alternative to Google Analytics and Matomo. The site says it identifies unique visits without cookies or persistently storing personal data, and that it does not need a GDPR notice. Those are the site's own claims and have not been independently verified.

The hosted service is offered free for reasonable public usage, including personal websites and small-to-medium businesses. It is not intended for sending millions of pageviews per day, and the site recommends self-hosting for heavier use. The hosted service is supported by donations.

Key features

  • Adds about 3.5KB of extra data to a site, according to the homepage
  • Single script tag integration, with a JavaScript-free image tracker option
  • Integration through backend middleware or import from server log files
  • Counts unique visits without cookies or persistently storing personal data
  • Records browser information, location, screen size, referrers, and campaigns
  • Lets users control which data is collected and export all data at any time
Best for: Owners of personal websites and small-to-medium businesses who want simple, privacy-focused web analytics without the complexity of larger tools.
Good for
  • Source code is open source, so users can inspect it, modify it, or self-host it
  • The interface is stated to work with assistive technology such as screen readers
  • Data can be exported at any time, and the account can be cancelled
Watch out for
  • The free hosted service is intended for reasonable public usage, not very high traffic
  • Sending millions of pageviews per day on the hosted service is not supported
  • The hosted service relies on donations to cover server costs

GoatCounter at a glance

Type
Online tool
Pricing
Free
Platforms
Web
Open source
Yes · Source code
Last checked
Oct 7, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 7, 2026

GoatCounter alternatives

Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.

All 6 alternatives

Umami

umami.is

Privacy-focused web analytics with a simple dashboard, events and self-hosting. Open source, with a free cloud tier and paid cloud plans.

FreemiumOpen source
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GoatCounter FAQ

Can I use the hosted GoatCounter service for a high-traffic site?
The site says the hosted service is fine for personal websites and small-to-medium businesses, but not for sending millions of pageviews per day. For more serious purposes, it recommends self-hosting.
Does GoatCounter use cookies?
The site states that it identifies unique visits without cookies or persistently storing any personal data.
Can I export my data and leave the service?
Yes. The site says you can always export all of your data and cancel at any time.
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Listing maintained by Chris McClure and the WebIndexly editors · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · How we rank