Plausible vs Umami: Which is Better in 2026?
Umami and Plausible are the two most-deployed open-source, cookie-free analytics tools in 2026, but they solve the problem differently. Umami (MIT license, Node.js + PostgreSQL) leans toward product analytics with funnels, retention, and user journeys, while Plausible (AGPL, Elixir + ClickHouse) bets on radical simplicity and a sub-1 KB script aimed at marketers and content teams. The core tension is feature depth versus polish: Umami gives you more raw capability, Plausible gives you a dashboard that stakeholders can read in 10 seconds. Read this if you are choosing between a self-hosted or cloud privacy-analytics stack for a product, SaaS, or content site.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Plausible
Privacy-first website analytics, GDPR compliant by default
Best for you if:
- • You need analytics features specifically
- • Website analytics that respects privacy
- • No cookies means no consent banners needed
Umami
Privacy-first, self-hosted web analytics without cookie banners
Best for you if:
- • You want to try before committing
- • You need web analytics features specifically
- • Umami is a simple, privacy-focused web analytics alternative
- • It provides essential metrics without cookies or personal data
| At a Glance |  Plausible |  Umami |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $9/moStarter | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Analytics | Web Analytics |
Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 |
Choose Plausible or Umami?
Choose Plausible if
Privacy-first website analytics, GDPR compliant by default
- Privacy compliant
- Simple dashboard
- Lightweight script
- Your work is analytics-shaped, not web analytics-shaped
Choose Umami if
Privacy-first, self-hosted web analytics without cookie banners
- Open source
- Self-hostable
- Free cloud option
- Your work is web analytics-shaped, not analytics-shaped
| Feature | Plausible | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.7/5 11 reviews | ★4.5/5 204 reviews |
| Categories | AnalyticsWeb Analytics | Web AnalyticsAnalytics |
In-Depth Analysis
Plausible
Strengths
- +Sub-1 KB tracking script is the smallest in the category, with near-zero page performance impact
- +EU-hosted cloud (Germany) with no US data transfer, the strongest out-of-the-box GDPR story
- +Single-screen dashboard is immediately readable by non-technical stakeholders with zero training
- +Revenue tracking, conversion funnels, Google Search Console integration, and GA import wizard on Business tier
- +30-day free trial with no credit card, and annual billing saves two months of cost
Weaknesses
- -AGPL-3.0 license imposes copyleft requirements that block commercial embedding without a separate commercial license
- -Self-hosting requires both PostgreSQL and ClickHouse, a significantly heavier infrastructure footprint
- -Cloud pricing is steeper at scale: roughly $69/month at 1M pageviews versus Umami's $49/month for the same volume
- -Funnel and Looker Studio integration are locked to the Business tier ($39/month minimum)
Best For
Marketing sites, content brands, e-commerce teams, and EU-based organizations that prioritize a clean dashboard, data residency, and built-in GA migration.
Plausible earns its reputation as the analytics tool for marketers. The sub-1 KB script and single-screen dashboard lower every adoption barrier, and EU-hosted infrastructure means GDPR compliance requires no configuration. Revenue tracking and GSC integration on the Business tier make it a credible GA replacement for conversion-focused teams. The AGPL license and ClickHouse self-hosting dependency are real costs that Umami avoids, so Plausible is the right pick only if those constraints do not apply to your situation.
Umami
Strengths
- +MIT license lets commercial products embed or redistribute without AGPL copyleft obligations
- +Built-in funnels, retention cohorts, and user journey visualization cover product analytics use cases out of the box
- +Self-hosting is simpler than Plausible: a single PostgreSQL or MySQL database is sufficient, no ClickHouse required
- +Permanent free cloud tier (10k events/month, 3 sites) with no credit card, plus $9/month for 100k events at scale
- +Tracking script is lightweight (~2 KB) and supports custom events, goals, and property tracking natively
Weaknesses
- -Dashboard is denser and less polished than Plausible; non-technical stakeholders take longer to orient
- -Cloud infrastructure is US-hosted, which is a concern for EU teams with strict data residency requirements
- -Slightly larger tracking script (~2 KB vs Plausible's sub-1 KB) adds marginal page weight
- -Google Search Console integration and GA historical data import are absent from the current feature set
Best For
SaaS products and technical teams who need funnel and retention analytics, or who require an MIT-licensed solution they can embed in a commercial product.
Umami is the analytics tool for builders. Its MIT license removes legal friction for startups embedding it in their own products, and its funnels plus retention features mean you can retire a separate product-analytics tool. The self-hosting story is the easiest in the category: a Dockerized PostgreSQL setup is all you need, and the permanent free cloud tier is a genuine on-ramp. The trade-off is a denser UI and US-only cloud infrastructure.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Pricing
Umami winsUmami has a permanent free cloud tier at 10k events/month, while Plausible offers only a 30-day trial. At 1M events/month, Umami Cloud costs $49/month versus Plausible's approximately $69/month. Self-hosted, Umami wins again because it requires no ClickHouse, reducing infrastructure cost to a single $5-8/month VPS.
Ease of use
Plausible winsPlausible's single-screen dashboard is a benchmark in clarity: all key metrics surface without drilling into sub-menus. Umami's dashboard is functional but denser, and new users often need a few minutes to orient. For teams reporting to non-technical stakeholders, Plausible's clarity advantage is decisive.
Feature depth
Umami winsUmami includes funnels, retention cohorts, and user journey visualization across all plans. Plausible adds funnels and revenue tracking only on the Business tier ($39/month), and lacks retention cohort analysis entirely. Teams needing product analytics get more from Umami without a tier upgrade.
Self-hosting simplicity
Umami winsUmami runs on PostgreSQL or MySQL alone, making a Docker Compose file with a single database service sufficient. Plausible requires both PostgreSQL and ClickHouse, roughly doubling server memory requirements and operational complexity. For small teams self-hosting on a VPS, the difference is material.
Data privacy and compliance
Plausible winsPlausible Cloud is hosted in Germany (Hetzner) with no US data transfer, giving EU teams the cleanest GDPR posture with zero configuration. Umami Cloud is US-hosted, which requires additional data processing agreements for strict EU compliance. Both are cookie-free and require no consent banners.
Licensing
Umami winsUmami's MIT license allows commercial embedding, white-labeling, and redistribution without copyleft obligations. Plausible uses AGPL-3.0, which requires derivative works to be open-sourced or a commercial license to be purchased. For any startup building analytics into a product, MIT is the practical winner.
Migration Considerations
Both tools support CSV event export, so raw data portability is low-friction. Plausible includes a GA import wizard that transfers historical data directly, which is a meaningful switching-cost advantage when moving from Google Analytics.
Pricing: Plausible vs Umami
| Plan | Plausible | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $9 Starter | Free Self-hosted |
| Tier 2 | $19 Growth | $9 month Cloud |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Plausible pricing and Umami pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Umami has a free tier. Plausible is paid only.
Go with: Umami
Want the highest-rated option?
Plausible: 4.7/5 (11 reviews). Umami: 4.5/5 (204 reviews).
Go with: Plausible
Value user reviews?
Plausible: 11 reviews (4.7/5). Umami: 204 reviews (4.5/5).
Go with: Umami
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Plausible is paid. Umami is freemium. Umami lets you start free.
What's your use case?
Plausible is a analytics tool. Umami is in web analytics. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
Plausible is rated higher: 4.7/5 vs 4.5/5.
Key Takeaways
Plausible
- Higher user rating: 4.7/5 vs 4.5/5
- Our pick for this comparison
Umami
- Has a free tier
- Larger review base (204 reviews)
- Better fit for web analytics
The Bottom Line
Pick Umami if you are building a SaaS product, need MIT licensing, or want to self-host without running ClickHouse. Its funnels and retention features cover product analytics at a price point that Plausible's Business tier cannot match. Pick Plausible if your audience is marketers or non-technical stakeholders, if EU data residency is non-negotiable, or if you are migrating a marketing site off Google Analytics and need the GA import wizard. For pure content sites on a budget, Plausible's clarity and EU hosting tip the balance. For technical teams building products, Umami's MIT license and richer analytics make it the stronger foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Umami completely free to self-host?
Yes. Umami is MIT-licensed and free to self-host with no restrictions. You only need a PostgreSQL or MySQL database and a Node.js runtime. Umami Cloud adds a managed option with a permanent free tier (10k events/month, 3 sites) and paid plans starting at $9/month for 100k events.
Does Plausible require a cookie consent banner?
No. Plausible does not use cookies or collect personal data, so it does not trigger GDPR consent requirements under the ePrivacy Directive. The same is true for Umami. Both tools are designed to be fully compliant without a consent banner.
Which tool is better for GDPR compliance in the EU?
Plausible Cloud has the stronger default GDPR posture because it is hosted on servers in Germany (Hetzner) with no data transferred to the US. Umami Cloud is US-hosted, which requires a Data Processing Agreement and may require additional safeguards under GDPR Chapter V. Self-hosting either tool in an EU data center resolves the question for both.
Can I migrate my Google Analytics data to Plausible or Umami?
Plausible includes a built-in GA import wizard that transfers historical data from Universal Analytics and GA4. Umami does not offer a native GA import tool, though raw CSV data can be imported via scripts. For teams with years of GA history, Plausible has a clear advantage here.
Which tool has better performance for high-traffic sites?
Plausible is designed for high-volume workloads because its self-hosted stack uses ClickHouse, a columnar database optimized for analytical queries. At 5M or more pageviews per month, ClickHouse query performance is measurably faster than PostgreSQL. Umami on PostgreSQL handles most sites well but may require tuning or read replicas above a few million monthly events.
Does Umami support funnels and conversion tracking?
Yes. Umami includes funnel analysis, retention cohorts, and user journey visualization across all plans, including the free cloud tier. Plausible adds funnels only on its Business plan ($39/month), making Umami the more cost-effective option for teams that need conversion analytics without an enterprise budget.