Fathom vs Plausible — Which One Wins?
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of Fathom and Plausible to help you pick the right tool for your workflow.
Quick Verdict
Plausible takes the lead with a 4.5 rating and is best for privacy-conscious websites that want essential analytics without cookies or consent banners.. Fathom (4.4) is the better pick if you need businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support..
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Fathom | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★★★★ 4.4(89) | ★★★★★ 4.5(145) |
| Pricing Model | paid | paid |
| Starter Price | $15/mo (100K pageviews) | $9/mo (up to 10K monthly visitors) |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Learning Curve | easy | easy |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | Businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support. | Privacy-conscious websites that want essential analytics without cookies or consent banners. |
| Verdict | situational | recommended |
Feature Checklist
| Feature | Fathom | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Cookie-free analytics | ||
| Beautiful single-page dashboard | — | |
| EU data isolation | — | |
| Custom events and goals | — | |
| UTM campaign tracking | — | |
| Multi-domain support | — | |
| GDPR/CCPA compliant by default | — | |
| Under 1KB script size | — | |
| Single-page dashboard | — | |
| Open source and self-hostable | — | |
| Goal and event tracking | — |
Fathom
Pros
- ✓Most polished privacy-friendly analytics dashboard
- ✓EU data isolation for GDPR compliance
- ✓Accurate visitor counting without cookies
Cons
- ✕More expensive than Plausible for similar features
- ✕No free tier or self-hosting option
- ✕Less capable than GA4 for marketing analytics
Plausible
Pros
- ✓No cookies, no consent banners — privacy by default
- ✓Lightest analytics script at under 1KB
- ✓Single-page dashboard shows essential metrics clearly
Cons
- ✕Much less capable than GA4 for marketing analytics
- ✕No audience building or remarketing integrations
- ✕Paid cloud hosting required (self-hosting is free)
The Bottom Line
Both Fathom and Plausible are solid tools in the Analytics & Data space. Plausible edges ahead with a stronger overall rating (4.5 vs 4.4) and is the better choice for privacy-conscious websites that want essential analytics without cookies or consent banners.. However, if you prioritize businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support., Fathom is worth serious consideration. We recommend trying the free tier or trial of each before committing.