Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#1

Post by garyhbutton » Wed, Jul 29, 2026, 9:09 PM UTC

Hi,

What do you use for website analytics? I am working on a small side project and I have used Google Analytics in the past but am looking for something a little more privacy focused, what do you use?

I would like to know how many people are coming to my site and a bit of a breakdown of geo, referrals, and such.

-Gary

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#2

Post by garyhbutton » Wed, Jul 29, 2026, 9:21 PM UTC

Has anyone tried Plausible or Rybbit? Is cookieless important to you or is it a nice to have?

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#3

Post by JohnFen » Wed, Jul 29, 2026, 9:57 PM UTC

For your purposes, I think all you need is a web server log analyzer. Back in the day, I used Webalyzer to do this. I haven't done any sort of analytics since then, so I don't know what's the best one now. A web search turns up a ton of modern options, though.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#4

Post by garyhbutton » Wed, Jul 29, 2026, 10:06 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #3

For your purposes, I think all you need is a web server log analyzer. Back in the day, I used Webalyzer to do this. I haven't done any sort of analytics since then, so I don't know what's the best one now. A web search turns up a ton of modern options, though.

Let me look, I do use elixir / phoenix but I am sure there is some tool that will work with that. Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#5

Post by tsfc » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 12:39 AM UTC

garyhbutton wrote: post #2

Has anyone tried Plausible or Rybbit? Is cookieless important to you or is it a nice to have?

I've been building Swetrix for the last 6 years. It's OSS and cookieless, happy to answer any questions

https://swetrix.com https://github.com/swetrix/swetrix

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#6

Post by linesofcode » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 1:55 AM UTC

I self host Umami. It was a one click deploy from their GitHub Readme. Been using for over a year, more than pleased. It has all the features you’re looking for without GA.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#7

Post by garyhbutton » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 5:40 AM UTC

linesofcode wrote: post #6

I self host Umami. It was a one click deploy from their GitHub Readme. Been using for over a year, more than pleased. It has all the features you’re looking for without GA.

Thank you will check it out.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#8

Post by garyhbutton » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 5:48 AM UTC

tsfc wrote: post #5

garyhbutton wrote: post #2

Has anyone tried Plausible or Rybbit? Is cookieless important to you or is it a nice to have?

I've been building Swetrix for the last 6 years. It's OSS and cookieless, happy to answer any questions https://swetrix.com https://github.com/swetrix/swetrix

Will check it out as well, thanks

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#9

Post by gojkoa » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 3:09 PM UTC

Matomo, self-hosted, loading data from webserver logs. No cookies or privacy notices needed.

Re: Ask HN: What do you use for privacy focused analytics?

#10

Post by garyhbutton » Thu, Jul 30, 2026, 5:09 PM UTC

gojkoa wrote: post #9

Matomo, self-hosted, loading data from webserver logs. No cookies or privacy notices needed.

Thanks, will check it out