Google Analytics vs Simple Analytics
Google Analytics
marketingplatform.google.comSimple Analytics
simpleanalytics.comSide by side
| Figure | Google Analytics | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 5 |
| Spec score · Web analytics tools | 8.7 (#19) | 9.1 (#11) |
| Spec score · Website Analytics | 8.4 (#14) | 8.6 (#12) |
| Spec score · Web And Mobile Analytics Software | 8.3 (#14) | 8.6 (#12) |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Conversion funnels | Yes | Yes |
| Data retention | limited | limited |
| Event tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Google integrations | Analytics integrates with Google Ads, Search Ads 360, Display & Video 360, Google Cloud, and Google Search Console. | Listed integrations include WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, Wix, Ghost, Cloudflare, Netlify, Google Tag Manager, Looker Studio, and Power BI. |
Plans
Google Analytics
- Google AnalyticsFree
- Google AnalyticsPriced on request
- Analytics 360Priced on request
Simple Analytics
- FreeFree
- Simple, privacy-friendly analyticsPrice not published
- Simple, privacy-friendly analyticsPriced on request
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Self-serve£20 a month
In their own words
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a measurement service for tracking customer interactions across websites and apps through the customer lifecycle. It provides cross-device and cross-platform views, with reports covering acquisition, engagement, conversion, and monetization. Event tracking, funnel exploration, ecommerce tracking, conversion funnels, and cross-platform attribution are included. Built-in automation, flexible reporting, shareable reports, and machine-learning analysis support investigation and collaboration. Analytics connects with Google Ads, Search Ads 360, Display & Video 360, Google Cloud, and Google Search Console; Analytics 360 also lists Salesforce. The service is available free of charge for businesses of every size, with limited data retention. Analytics 360 has no listed price and is aimed at large enterprises needing advanced customization, scalable tools, higher limits, unsampled explorations, enhanced freshness, and enterprise support with service-level agreements. Supported environments include web, iOS, Android, AMP, and server.
Simple Analytics
Simple Analytics gives website owners and marketing teams pageviews, referrers, campaign data, and events without cookies or personal data. It shows where visitors come from and how they browse, including when they reject consent. Teams can track clicks, form submissions, downloads, custom interactions, goals, and multi-step funnels. Weekly or monthly email reports, embeddable live visitor stats, CSV downloads, and APIs provide ways to share or retrieve results. The service says it stores no IP addresses, uses no persistent identifiers, and does not follow users across sites. Analytics data is hosted in the Netherlands, encrypted in transit and at rest, and not transferred outside the EU. Integrations include WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, Wix, Ghost, Cloudflare, Netlify, Google Tag Manager, Looker Studio, and Power BI. The free plan is free and includes one user, five websites, and one month of history; data older than 30 days is deleted. Self-serve costs £20 a month. A 14-day trial requires no credit card; trial users can use advanced features without restrictions.