Self-Host Plausible: Privacy-First Open Source Web Analytics

What is Plausible Analytics?

Plausible Analytics is a lightweight, open-source web analytics platform that provides essential website insights without compromising visitor privacy. This privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics uses no cookies, collects no personal data, and is fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and PECR regulations. With a tracking script under 1KB, Plausible delivers fast performance while giving website owners complete control over their analytics data.

Key Features of Plausible Analytics

🔒 Privacy & Compliance

• No Cookies: Completely cookie-free analytics with no consent banners required
• No Personal Data: Anonymous visitor tracking without collecting identifying information
• GDPR/CCPA Compliant: Built-in compliance with global privacy regulations
• Data Ownership: Self-hosted option ensures complete control over analytics data
• Transparent Tracking: Open-source code with clear data collection practices

⚡ Performance & Simplicity

• Ultra-Lightweight: <1KB tracking script that doesn't slow down websites
• Fast Dashboard: Simple, clean interface focused on essential metrics
• Real-Time Data: Live visitor tracking and instant metric updates
• Mobile Optimized: Fully responsive dashboard for mobile analytics management
• No Sampling: Accurate data collection without statistical sampling limitations

📊 Essential Analytics Features

• Visitor Metrics: Unique visitors, page views, bounce rate, and visit duration
• Traffic Sources: Referral tracking, search engine analysis, and campaign attribution
• Page Analytics: Top pages, entry/exit pages, and content performance metrics
• Geographic Data: Country-level visitor location without IP address storage
• Device Insights: Browser, OS, and device type analytics for technical optimization

🔧 Integration & Automation

• Simple Installation: One-line script integration for any website platform
• API Access: Complete REST API for custom integrations and data export
• Goal Tracking: Custom event tracking for conversions and user actions
• Email Reports: Automated weekly and monthly analytics summaries
• Shared Dashboards: Public or private dashboard sharing with stakeholders

Why Choose Plausible Over Google Analytics?

Plausible vs Google Analytics 4

Plausible vs Adobe Analytics ($48,000+/year)

• Cost: Free open-source vs enterprise licensing fees
• Complexity: Simple setup vs months of implementation
• Privacy: Anonymous tracking vs extensive user profiling
• Performance: Lightweight script vs heavy tracking infrastructure

Plausible vs Matomo

• Resource Usage: Minimal server requirements vs resource-intensive installation
• User Interface: Clean, focused design vs feature-heavy dashboard
• Privacy Default: Privacy-first by design vs privacy features as add-ons
• Maintenance: Low maintenance vs regular updates and optimization required

Quick Deployment Options

Option 1: One-Click Zeabur Deploy (Recommended)

Perfect for businesses wanting managed hosting with automatic scaling and backup.

Why Zeabur for Plausible?:

• Managed PostgreSQL: Optimized database setup with automatic backups
• SSL & CDN: Global content delivery with automatic HTTPS certificates
• Auto-Scaling: Handle traffic spikes without manual intervention
• Team Access: Multi-user dashboard management with role permissions

Option 2: Docker Self-Hosting

Ideal for organizations with specific privacy requirements and existing infrastructure.

# Clone Plausible repository
git clone https://github.com/plausible/analytics.git
cd analytics

# Configure environment
cp plausible-conf.env.example plausible-conf.env
# Edit configuration with your domain and database settings

# Deploy with Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d

Production Docker Configuration:

version: '3.8'
services:
  plausible:
    image: plausible/analytics:latest
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    environment:
      - BASE_URL=https://your-domain.com
      - SECRET_KEY_BASE=your_secret_key
      - DATABASE_URL=postgres://plausible:password@postgres:5432/plausible
      - CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE_URL=http://clickhouse:8123/plausible
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - clickhouse
    volumes:
      - plausible_data:/app/data

  postgres:
    image: postgres:15
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=plausible
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=secure_password
      - POSTGRES_DB=plausible
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  clickhouse:
    image: clickhouse/clickhouse-server:latest
    environment:
      - CLICKHOUSE_USER=plausible
      - CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=secure_password
      - CLICKHOUSE_DB=plausible
    volumes:
      - clickhouse_data:/var/lib/clickhouse

volumes:
  plausible_data:
  postgres_data:
  clickhouse_data:

Option 3: Railway Deployment

Best for teams needing managed infrastructure with automated backups and monitoring.

Enterprise Features:

• Managed Databases: PostgreSQL and ClickHouse with automatic optimization
• Global CDN: Fast dashboard access from anywhere in the world
• Automated Backups: Daily backups with point-in-time recovery
• Team Collaboration: Multi-user access with audit logging

Getting Started with Plausible

Initial Setup Process

1. Deploy Instance: Choose your preferred deployment method above
2. Domain Configuration: Set up your analytics domain with SSL certificate
3. Create Admin Account: Register the first administrator account
4. Add Website: Configure your first website for analytics tracking
5. Install Tracking: Add the lightweight script to your website

Website Integration

<!-- Add to your website's <head> section -->
<script defer data-domain="yourdomain.com" src="https://your-plausible.com/js/script.js"></script>

<!-- For tracking custom events -->
<script defer data-domain="yourdomain.com" src="https://your-plausible.com/js/script.tagged-events.js"></script>

<!-- Track file downloads and external links -->
<script defer data-domain="yourdomain.com" src="https://your-plausible.com/js/script.file-downloads.outbound-links.js"></script>

Goal and Event Tracking

// Track custom events
plausible('Download', {props: {method: 'PDF'}});
plausible('Signup', {props: {plan: 'Premium'}});

// Track revenue goals
plausible('Purchase', {props: {amount: 99.99}});

// Track page views manually (for SPAs)
plausible('pageview');

Advanced Configuration

1. Custom Domains: Set up branded analytics URLs for professional appearance
2. Goal Setup: Configure conversion tracking for business objectives
3. Shared Access: Invite team members with appropriate permission levels
4. Email Reports: Schedule automated weekly and monthly analytics summaries
5. API Integration: Connect Plausible data to business intelligence tools

Popular Use Cases

Content Marketing & Blogging

• Content Performance: Track which articles drive the most engagement and traffic
• Audience Growth: Monitor visitor trends and content discovery patterns
• SEO Optimization: Analyze search engine traffic and keyword performance
• Social Media: Measure social media campaign effectiveness and referral traffic

E-commerce Analytics

• Conversion Tracking: Monitor checkout flows and purchase completion rates
• Product Performance: Track which products pages generate the most interest
• Marketing ROI: Measure campaign effectiveness across different channels
• Customer Journey: Understand visitor paths from discovery to purchase

SaaS & Product Analytics

• Feature Adoption: Track usage of different product features and pages
• Onboarding Flow: Monitor user progression through signup and activation
• Marketing Funnel: Analyze conversion rates from visitor to trial to customer
• Content Marketing: Measure blog and resource content impact on signups

Agency & Client Reporting

• Client Dashboards: Provide clean, professional analytics reports to clients
• Campaign Reporting: Track marketing campaign performance across client websites
• White-Label Analytics: Branded analytics solution for agency service offerings
• Multi-Site Management: Centralized analytics for multiple client properties

Advanced Features & Integrations

API Integration

# Get site statistics via API
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key" \
  "https://your-plausible.com/api/v1/stats/aggregate?site_id=yourdomain.com&period=30d&metrics=visitors,pageviews"

# Export visitor data
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key" \
  "https://your-plausible.com/api/v1/stats/timeseries?site_id=yourdomain.com&period=7d&metrics=visitors"

# Get top pages
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key" \
  "https://your-plausible.com/api/v1/stats/breakdown?site_id=yourdomain.com&period=30d&property=event:page"

Custom Event Tracking

// E-commerce events
function trackPurchase(amount, currency) {
  plausible('Purchase', {
    props: {
      amount: amount,
      currency: currency,
      method: 'credit_card'
    }
  });
}

// Newsletter signups
function trackNewsletterSignup(source) {
  plausible('Newsletter Signup', {
    props: {
      source: source,
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
    }
  });
}

// File downloads
function trackDownload(filename) {
  plausible('File Download', {
    props: {
      filename: filename,
      type: filename.split('.').pop()
    }
  });
}

WordPress Integration

// Add to WordPress theme functions.php
function add_plausible_analytics() {
    if (!is_admin()) {
        wp_enqueue_script(
            'plausible-analytics',
            'https://your-plausible.com/js/script.js',
            array(),
            null,
            false
        );
        wp_script_add_data('plausible-analytics', 'defer', true);
        wp_script_add_data('plausible-analytics', 'data-domain', get_site_url());
    }
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'add_plausible_analytics');

Plausible Community & Support

• GitHub Repository: 19,000+ stars with active open-source development
• Community Forum: Dedicated community discussions and user support
• Documentation: Comprehensive guides for setup, integration, and advanced features
• Regular Updates: Monthly releases with new features and privacy enhancements
• Privacy Advocacy: Leading voice in the privacy-focused analytics movement

Migration Guide

From Google Analytics

1. Export Historical Data: Download existing analytics data for reference
2. Install Plausible: Add tracking script alongside Google Analytics initially
3. Goal Recreation: Set up equivalent goals and conversion tracking in Plausible
4. Team Training: Familiarize team with Plausible's simplified interface
5. Full Migration: Remove Google Analytics after confirming Plausible data accuracy

From Matomo

1. Data Export: Extract visitor statistics and goal configurations from Matomo
2. Tracking Migration: Replace Matomo tracking code with Plausible script
3. Goal Setup: Recreate conversion goals and custom event tracking
4. Dashboard Setup: Configure Plausible dashboards for existing reporting needs
5. Performance Comparison: Monitor improved site performance with lighter tracking

Experience privacy-first web analytics with Plausible - the lightweight alternative that respects visitor privacy while providing the insights you need to grow your business.