Plausible costs $9/mo.
These cost $0.
4 free alternatives to Plausible, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Plausible vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $9/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umami | open source | MIT | Local or hosted | ★ 38k | Plausible vs Umami → |
| Plausible Community Edition | open source | AGPL-3.0+ | Self-host | ★ 28k | Plausible vs Plausible Community Edition → |
| Rybbit | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 13k | Plausible vs Rybbit → |
| GoatCounter | open source | — | Local or hosted | ★ 5.8k | Plausible vs GoatCounter → |
The picks
4 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Umami
open sourceMITLocal or hosted38kaug 2026The closest broad substitute: simple traffic analytics, events and goals with your data attached.
The catch vs PlausibleIt is the closest broad substitute, but its conversion, revenue and reporting workflow is less mature and opinionated than Plausible's.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Create an Umami Cloud account or deploy the Node application with Docker Compose and PostgreSQL
- setup
- None for hosted signup; self-hosting requires Docker or Node hosting and a PostgreSQL database
- your data
- A self-hosted deployment stores analytics and account data in PostgreSQL; Umami Cloud stores it in Umami's managed service
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
Plausible Community Edition
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Self-host28kaug 2026Plausible without the hosted bill; you keep the core dashboard and inherit the Compose stack.
The catch vs PlausibleIt preserves the core dashboard but loses managed hosting, commercial support and cloud-only business features.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Deploy the Community Edition with the official Docker Compose installer
- setup
- Docker Compose, roughly 2 GB of RAM, a domain with DNS and TLS, and backups for PostgreSQL and ClickHouse
- your data
- Account and configuration records live in PostgreSQL and analytics events live in ClickHouse on the user's server
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Rybbit
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted13kaug 2026Plausible's core plus replay and funnels, in exchange for a busier dashboard.
The catch vs PlausibleIt is newer and busier, and replay and funnels add more privacy and operational surface than Plausible's deliberately narrow product.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Use the hosted service or deploy the free self-hosted edition with Docker Compose
- setup
- The indefinitely free path is self-hosting, which requires Docker Compose, a domain, secrets and enough resources for three data services
- your data
- The self-hosted stack uses PostgreSQL for application data, ClickHouse for analytics and Redis for queues and cache; hosted data lives in Rybbit's cloud
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
GoatCounter
open sourceLocal or hosted5.8kaug 2026Even simpler than Plausible, which is either refreshing or a warning.
The catch vs PlausibleIt is even simpler, but gives up Plausible's more polished goals, revenue, funnels, team controls and reporting.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Create a hosted account or run the single static binary or Docker image
- setup
- None for hosted use; self-hosting needs a reachable binary or container plus a public URL and TLS
- your data
- A self-hosted instance uses SQLite by default or PostgreSQL; the hosted service stores analytics on GoatCounter's infrastructure and supports JSON and CSV exports
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Plausible open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Plausible?+
The top free alternative to Plausible is Umami (open source, MIT). The closest broad substitute: simple traffic analytics, events and goals with your data attached. Other popular Plausible replacements include Plausible Community Edition, Rybbit, GoatCounter.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Plausible?+
Yes. Of the 4 free alternatives to Plausible, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Umami (MIT), Plausible Community Edition (AGPL-3.0+), Rybbit (AGPL-3.0), GoatCounter (free).
How much does switching from Plausible to a free alternative save?+
Plausible starts at $9/month per seat ($108/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Umami saves $540 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Plausible clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Plausible is YES (the core loop fits in a weekend). Basic pageview/event analytics are easy, and Plausible's own code is open source; the paid value is hosted reliability, maintenance, and support.
What is the catch when switching from Plausible to Umami?+
It is the closest broad substitute, but its conversion, revenue and reporting workflow is less mature and opinionated than Plausible's.
