1
Kissmetrics
Behavioral analytics and engagement platform
Paid
Kissmetrics is a behavioral analytics platform that tracks individual user behavior across devices and sessions. Helps understand the customer journey and optimize conversions.
Best Analytics Tools & Software in 2026
By Toolradar Team · Updated February 2026
Data analytics and business intelligence
Key Takeaways
- Kissmetrics is our #1 pick for analytics in 2026.
- We analyzed 11 analytics tools to create this ranking.
- 8 tools offer free plans, perfect for getting started.
How the Top Analytics Tools Compare
The analytics category is highly competitive in 2026, with Kissmetrics and OpenSearch both scoring 0/100 on Toolradar's editorial assessment, followed closely by Infogram at N/A/100. The tight scores reflect how mature this market has become.
Pricing varies significantly among the top picks: OpenSearch (freemium (free tier available)), Infogram (freemium (free tier available)), Snowplow (freemium (free tier available)) offer free access, while Kissmetrics requires a paid subscription. Teams on a budget should start with OpenSearch, which scores null/100 despite its free tier.
2
OpenSearch
Open-source search and analytics suite
Freemium
OpenSearch is a community-driven, open-source search and analytics suite derived from Elasticsearch. Provides full-text search, analytics, dashboards, and security features.
3
Infogram
Data visualization and infographics
Freemium
Infogram is a data visualization tool for creating interactive infographics, charts, maps, and reports. Used by marketers, journalists, and businesses to make data engaging.
4
Snowplow
Behavioral data platform for data teams
Freemium
Snowplow is a behavioral data platform that collects, processes, and models event data. Gives data teams complete ownership of their behavioral data pipeline.
5
Piwik PRO
Privacy-first analytics suite
Paid
Piwik PRO is a privacy-focused analytics platform offering web analytics, tag management, customer data platform, and consent management. GDPR and HIPAA compliant.
6
Datawrapper
Create charts and maps for the web
Freemium
Datawrapper is a tool for creating responsive charts, maps, and tables for embedding on websites. Popular with newsrooms and content teams for data visualization.
7
Flourish
Data visualization and storytelling
Freemium
Flourish is a data visualization platform for creating animated and interactive charts, maps, and stories. Popular for creating engaging data journalism and presentations.
8
Looker Studio
Free Google data visualization and reporting
Freemium
Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a free data visualization tool for creating interactive dashboards and reports. Connects to various Google and third-party data sources.
9
Tinybird
Real-time analytics API
Freemium
Tinybird is a real-time analytics platform that turns data into APIs. Ingest streaming data and query it with SQL, publish as low-latency APIs.
10
TradeOS AI
Vibe-code your autonomous AI for stock & crypto strategies
Freemium
Stop staring at charts. TradeOS turns your technical analysis, data and trend recognition into 24/7 automated signals, build your personalized AI that learns your trading style to automate buy/sell decisions across markets.
Best Analytics For
Related Categories
What is Analytics Software?
Analytics software transforms raw data into actionable insights. This spans web/product analytics (understanding user behavior), business intelligence (analyzing business data), and specialized analytics for marketing, sales, and operations.
The analytics landscape ranges from simple, privacy-focused web analytics (Plausible, Fathom) to complex enterprise BI platforms (Looker, Tableau, Power BI). In between are product analytics tools (Mixpanel, Amplitude, PostHog) that help teams understand user behavior within applications.
Google Analytics has dominated web analytics, but privacy concerns and GA4's complexity are driving adoption of alternatives. Product analytics has matured significantly, with tools that combine event tracking, feature flags, session replay, and A/B testing in unified platforms.
Editor's Take
“After evaluating 10 analytics software? tools, Kissmetrics stands out. For budget-conscious teams, OpenSearch (null/100, free tier available) delivers strong value. The competition is fierce — the gap between top tools is narrower than ever, so the best choice comes down to your team's specific workflow and priorities.”
— Toolradar Editorial Team · February 2026
Key Data Points
10+
Tools analyzed on Toolradar
8
Offer free or freemium plans
N/A/100
Top editorial score
According to Toolradar's analysis across 10+ products, 80% offer free or freemium plans. The top-rated tools average a score of 0/100, with Kissmetrics leading at /100.
Key Analytics Capabilities
Event Tracking
Track user actions—clicks, pageviews, conversions, feature usage. The foundation of any analytics system.
Dashboards & Visualization
Transform data into charts, graphs, and reports. Good visualization makes data accessible to non-analysts.
Segmentation & Cohorts
Analyze specific user groups—by acquisition source, behavior, or attributes. Essential for understanding what works for whom.
Funnels & Retention
Understand where users drop off and how well you retain them. Core metrics for product and growth teams.
Session Replay
Watch real user sessions to understand behavior qualitatively. Increasingly bundled with analytics tools.
Data Warehouse Integration
Export or query data in your warehouse. Essential for combining analytics with other business data.
Who Uses Analytics Software?
Analytics serves different roles with different needs:
Product Teams: Feature adoption, user flows, conversion optimization. Need event tracking, funnels, and experimentation tools.
Marketing Teams: Campaign performance, attribution, website analytics. Need traffic sources, conversions, and channel comparison.
Business/Data Analysts: Deep analysis across business data. Need BI tools, SQL access, and visualization capabilities.
Growth Teams: Experimentation, conversion optimization, cohort analysis. Need A/B testing and quick iteration.
Executives: High-level dashboards and KPIs. Need accessible visualization and automatic reporting.
How to Choose Analytics Tools
Match your analytics stack to your needs and maturity:
- 1Define what you need to measure. Website traffic? Google Analytics or privacy-friendly alternatives. Product behavior? Mixpanel, Amplitude, or PostHog. Business metrics? BI tools like Metabase or Looker.
- 2Consider privacy requirements. GDPR/CCPA compliance, cookie consent, and user privacy. Tools like Plausible, Fathom, and PostHog offer privacy-friendly tracking. Some require user consent; others don't.
- 3Evaluate setup complexity. Simple analytics (Plausible) take 5 minutes. Full product analytics (Amplitude) takes weeks to instrument properly. Be realistic about implementation resources.
- 4Assess your data maturity. Starting out? Keep it simple. Sophisticated data team? You might need warehouse-native tools. Don't over-engineer early; upgrade when you need it.
- 5Calculate data costs. Product analytics can get expensive—pricing often by events tracked. 10M events/month costs $0 (PostHog) to $1000+ (Amplitude). Model your usage carefully.
Analytics Market in 2026
Privacy is reshaping analytics—cookieless tracking, server-side collection, and privacy-first tools are growing. GA4's rocky rollout pushed many to alternatives. Product analytics is consolidating—PostHog's all-in-one approach is gaining share. Warehouse-native analytics (Looker, Mode) serve sophisticated data teams. AI-powered insights are emerging but still early. The market is bifurcating between simple (Plausible) and comprehensive (Amplitude, PostHog).
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I still use Google Analytics?
GA4 remains the default for most websites—it's free and powerful. However, GA4's complexity frustrates many users, and privacy concerns are real. For simple website analytics, Plausible or Fathom offer cleaner alternatives. For product analytics, dedicated tools (Mixpanel, PostHog) are far better. GA4 is best for marketing-focused website analytics where the price (free) outweighs UX frustrations.
Mixpanel vs Amplitude: which is better?
Both are excellent product analytics platforms. Amplitude has slightly better visualization and is preferred by larger companies. Mixpanel has cleaner UX and is often easier to learn. Pricing is similar and expensive at scale. For most teams, the difference is minor—pick based on UX preference. Consider PostHog as a more affordable alternative that includes more features.
What's the best analytics tool for startups?
PostHog is increasingly the answer—generous free tier (1M events/month), combines product analytics + session replay + feature flags + A/B testing. Self-hosting option for privacy. Alternatives: Mixpanel has a good free tier, and Plausible/Fathom are great for simple website analytics at low cost.
Do I need a business intelligence tool?
If you're asking 'what's our revenue by segment by month' and your analytics tools can't answer it, yes. BI tools (Metabase, Looker, Tableau) query business databases—CRM, billing, operations. Most companies need BI once they're analyzing data beyond website/product behavior. Start with Metabase (free, easy) before investing in expensive tools.
How many analytics tools do I need?
Most teams end up with 2-3: website analytics (GA4 or alternative), product analytics (Mixpanel/Amplitude/PostHog), and BI (if analyzing business data). Resist adding more—tool proliferation creates data silos. Prefer platforms that combine features over best-of-breed for each capability.
Quick Facts About This Category
#1
Kissmetrics
Top rated
8
Free Tools
With free or freemium plans
10
Tools Reviewed
In this category
2026
Last Updated
February
Related Categories
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Our Ranking Methodology
At Toolradar, we combine editorial expertise with community insights:
40%
Editorial Analysis
Features, UX, innovation
30%
User Reviews
Real feedback from verified users
15%
Pricing Value
Cost vs. features offered
15%
Integrations
Ecosystem compatibility
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