What is Plausible?
Plausible is a lightweight, open-source web analytics tool that shows your traffic, sources and conversions on a single dashboard without using cookies or persistent identifiers. It is built and hosted in the EU, and visitor data is processed only on servers owned by European companies. Its tracking script is far smaller than Google Analytics, which keeps pages fast.
Plausible is self-funded and profitable, run by a small team and paid for entirely by subscribers. Besides the hosted service, the code is public, so technical users can audit it or run it on their own servers. Paid plans start at $9 per month, and a 30-day free trial needs no credit card. Features range from simple pageview stats to funnels, revenue attribution and a Stats API on higher tiers.
Plausible at a glance
How does Plausible work?
- Start a trial
Sign up for the 30-day free trial without a card and add your website.
- Install the script
Add the small tracking snippet, or use the WordPress plugin, Google Tag Manager template or NPM package.
- Import history if needed
Bring in your Google Analytics data and connect Search Console to see search queries alongside traffic.
- Set goals and events
Create codeless goals, custom events and revenue tracking for sign-ups, purchases and other actions.
- Report and share
Use the real-time dashboard, send email or Slack reports, and share or embed dashboards with clients.
Plausible key features
Simple real-time dashboard
All key metrics sit on one page that refreshes every 30 seconds, so you can read results without training.
Automatic scroll depth
Plausible measures how far people scroll on every page with no extra setup.
AI traffic reporting
See visits referred by AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude in your sources.
Search Console integration
Pull Google search queries into your dashboard to connect organic keywords with site traffic.
Goals, funnels and revenue
Track conversions without code, follow funnels and user journeys, and attribute ecommerce revenue on the Business plan.
UTM and channel grouping
Campaign tags are tracked automatically and grouped into channels for cleaner reporting.
Bot and spam filtering
Built-in filters remove bots, referrer spam and data center traffic from your stats.
Stats API and Looker Studio connector
Business users can pull data through the API or into Looker Studio for custom reports.
Why use Plausible?
- No cookies means many sites can skip analytics consent banners.
- The tiny script helps page speed and Core Web Vitals.
- EU hosting suits European privacy expectations.
- Open-source code adds transparency about what is collected.
- Pricing is low and predictable for small and mid-size sites.
Who is Plausible best for?
A good fit for
- Bloggers, publishers and small business websites
- European companies that want EU-only data processing
- Agencies sharing simple dashboards with clients
- Developers who may want to self-host
Less suited to
- Product teams needing user-level analytics and cohorts
- Advertisers who depend on remarketing audiences
- Multi-site owners on a tight budget, since Starter covers one site
Plausible pricing
| Pricing model | Subscription |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Free trial | 30 days (no card required) |
| Starting price | $9/month (Starter) |
Growth is $14/month for up to 3 sites and team features, and Business is $19/month for up to 10 sites, funnels, revenue and the Stats API, at the entry traffic level. Prices rise with monthly pageviews, and yearly billing gives two months free.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Plausible pricing page before you buy.
Plausible pros and cons
Pros
- Clean, fast and easy dashboard
- Open source and EU hosted
- Long free trial with no card
- Useful extras like scroll depth and AI referrals
Cons
- No free hosted plan after the trial
- Funnels, revenue and API require the Business plan
- Less depth than full product analytics tools
Plausible integrations and platforms
Works with
Available on
Plausible alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Google Analytics Alternatives.
Plausible FAQ
Is Plausible free?
The hosted Plausible service is paid, starting at $9 per month for one site, after a 30-day free trial that needs no credit card. Because the code is open source, technical users can also run Plausible on their own servers instead of paying for hosting, though they then handle setup and maintenance themselves.
Is Plausible GDPR compliant?
Plausible is designed for privacy laws such as GDPR. It uses no cookies or persistent identifiers, and visitor data is processed only on servers owned by European companies and never leaves the EU. This lets many sites run Plausible without a consent banner for analytics, though you should confirm with your own legal advice.
Plausible vs Google Analytics: what's the difference?
Google Analytics 4 is free and powerful but complex, uses cookies and is tied to Google Ads. Plausible is a paid, simple, cookie-free tool hosted in the EU, with a far smaller script. Plausible suits teams that want clear traffic and conversion numbers quickly, while GA4 suits ad-heavy teams needing deep customization.
Can I import Google Analytics data into Plausible?
Yes. Every Plausible plan includes Google Analytics import, so you can bring your historical traffic into the dashboard and keep trends when you switch. You can also connect Google Search Console to see the search queries that bring visitors to your site.
Does Plausible work with WordPress?
Yes. Plausible offers an official WordPress plugin that adds tracking and shows stats inside your WordPress dashboard. You can also install it through Google Tag Manager, an NPM package for JavaScript apps, or by pasting the script directly into your site header.
Sources
This overview is based on Plausible's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.