Plausible vs Umami

Both are privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternatives that skip the cookie banners. Plausible is a paid hosted service. Umami is free and self-hostable.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Plausible

Simple, privacy-friendly web analytics

$9/moup to 10K pageviews

Strengths

+Dead simple dashboard, everything on one page
+Fully GDPR, CCPA, and PECR compliant out of the box
+Lightweight script under 1KB, does not slow your site down

Weaknesses

-Costs money, and prices scale with pageviews
-No user-level analytics or session replays
-Custom event tracking is more limited than GA4

Best for

Site owners who want clean, compliant analytics without managing infrastructure or configuring cookie consent.

Umami

Free, open source, self-hosted web analytics

Freeself-hosted

Strengths

+Completely free to self-host with no pageview limits
+Privacy-focused with no cookies and no personal data tracking
+Supports tracking multiple websites from one dashboard

Weaknesses

-Requires a server and basic DevOps skills to self-host
-Cloud-hosted option exists but is newer and less proven
-Fewer built-in integrations than Plausible

Best for

Developers and technical founders who want free, privacy-respecting analytics and are comfortable managing their own server.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Plausible	Umami
Pricing	$9/mo (10K pageviews)	Free (self-hosted)
Self-hosting	Possible but not primary	Primary use case
Cookie-free	Yes	Yes
GDPR compliant	Yes, EU-hosted	Yes, no personal data
Setup time	5 minutes	30-60 minutes (self-host)
Script size	Under 1KB	Under 2KB
Multi-site tracking	Yes (costs more)	Yes (unlimited, free)
Custom events	Yes	Yes

The Verdict

Plausible is the easiest path to privacy-friendly analytics. Pay $9 a month and forget about it. Umami is the right choice if you have a VPS already, enjoy self-hosting, and want to track multiple sites without paying per pageview. Both are excellent Google Analytics replacements. The real question is whether you want to pay for convenience or spend time on setup.

How to switch from Plausible to Umami

1Export your historical data from Plausible: go to Site Settings > General > Download Data, which generates a .zip file of CSV reports (visitors, sources, pages, goals) for your records.
2Spin up a server (VPS, Docker host, or platform like Railway/Fly.io) and deploy Umami using its official Docker image or Node.js setup, pointing it at a PostgreSQL or MySQL database.
3Create your site in the Umami dashboard and copy the new tracking script snippet it generates.
4Add the Umami script to your site's <head> alongside (not instead of) the Plausible script, and run both for 1-2 weeks to compare numbers and catch discrepancies.
5Recreate any custom events, goals, or Search Console-style integrations manually in Umami, since there's no automated import for these from Plausible.
6Once Umami's numbers look right and your team has bookmarked the new dashboard, remove the Plausible script and cancel your Plausible subscription.

Plausible vs Umami: common questions

How do I export my data from Plausible before switching to Umami?+

Go to Site Settings > General > Download Data and export your stats. Plausible generates a .zip file with CSV files for each report (visitors, sources, pages, goals). There is no direct one-click import into Umami, so you'll mainly use this export for historical record-keeping rather than a live migration.

Will I lose historical data when I move from Plausible to Umami?+

Yes. Umami has no import tool for Plausible's CSV exports, so your historical pageview and event history stays in the CSV files you downloaded but won't appear in Umami's dashboard. Umami starts tracking fresh from the day you install the script, so plan for a gap or run both in parallel for a few weeks.

Is Umami's free self-hosted plan enough for a small team's traffic?+

Yes, for most small teams. Self-hosted Umami has no pageview limits or per-event pricing, so a low-traffic marketing site or a handful of internal dashboards runs fine on a $5-10/mo VPS. The main constraint is your own server resources, not Umami's software.

Does Umami support the same integrations as Plausible, like Zapier or Google Search Console?+

No, Umami has fewer built-in integrations. Plausible has direct Search Console integration and a documented Stats API used by third-party tools; Umami relies mainly on its own API and community plugins. If you depend on a specific Plausible integration, check Umami's GitHub docs before switching.

Is self-hosting Umami actually cheaper than paying for Plausible long-term?+

Usually yes, if you already run a server for other things. A basic VPS costs $5-10/mo regardless of pageview volume, versus Plausible's tiered pricing that climbs with traffic (e.g., $19/mo at 100K pageviews, $39/mo at 200K). Factor in your own time for updates and backups, since that's the real cost of self-hosting.