Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Simple Analytics · 📊 analytics
Simple Analytics vs Plausible Community Edition
A nearly identical promise, delivered from a Compose file you own. Here is how Plausible Community Edition ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Simple Analytics ($20/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Plausible Community Edition
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0+
Simple Analytics vs Plausible Community Edition Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Simple Analytics (Paid) | Plausible Community Edition (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $20 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $240 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $240) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $1,200 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,200) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $2,400 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $2,400) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source AGPL-3.0+ |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Self-host (your server) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hosteddocker to self-host |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 28k (active aug 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Simple Analytics to Plausible Community Edition
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
The core promise is similar, but the user operates the stack and Community Edition does not include every hosted-cloud extra.
How to deploy Plausible Community Edition
Deploy the Community Edition with the official Docker Compose installer
What it takes to run
Docker Compose, roughly 2 GB of RAM, a domain with DNS and TLS, and backups for PostgreSQL and ClickHouse
Where your data lives
Account and configuration records live in PostgreSQL and analytics events live in ClickHouse on the user's server
Why fork Plausible Community Edition instead of vibe-coding a Simple Analytics clone?
Pageview analytics, events, dashboards, and exports are very buildable; paid value is hosted privacy posture, reports, reliability, and support.
Simple Analytics vs Plausible Community Edition FAQ
Is Plausible Community Edition a good free alternative to Simple Analytics?+
Yes. Plausible Community Edition is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0+) replacement for Simple Analytics. A nearly identical promise, delivered from a Compose file you own.
What is the catch when switching from Simple Analytics to Plausible Community Edition?+
The core promise is similar, but the user operates the stack and Community Edition does not include every hosted-cloud extra.
How much do you save switching from Simple Analytics to Plausible Community Edition?+
Simple Analytics costs $20/mo ($240/yr) per seat, whereas Plausible Community Edition is $0/mo. Switching saves $240/yr for a solo user, $1,200/yr for a 5-person team, and $2,400/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Plausible Community Edition instead of Simple Analytics?+
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
