Google Analytics vs Umami
A side-by-side look at Google Analytics (the paid SaaS) and Umami (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Google Analytics | Umami | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Google's free website and app analytics. | Self-hosted privacy-focused analytics. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | MIT |
| Pricing | Free (GA4); Analytics 360 enterprise-priced. | Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | Yes |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Web only |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Best for
Self-hosted privacy-friendly analytics with multi-site support.
Umami strengths
- Easy docker deploy with Postgres/MySQL.
- Clean UI and fast dashboard.
- Multi-website support out of the box.
Umami weaknesses
- Less detailed than Matomo for heavy analysis.
- Smaller integration ecosystem.
- No built-in alerting.
What's the catch with Google Analytics?
- Cookie consent and GDPR complexity.
- GA4 migration was rough.
- Data shared with Google.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Google Analytics: see Google Analytics alternatives, or learn more about Umami on its project page.
Recommended reading
When self-hosting goes wrong: seven failure modes and how to avoid them
An honest retrospective on the ways self-hosted setups break — not in theory, but in practice — and the small habits that prevent most of them.
Will the open source project you depend on still exist in three years?
Bus factor, maintainer burnout, funding models, and the signals that separate OSS projects that survive from those that quietly decay.
From SaaS to self-hosted: a 30-day migration playbook
A week-by-week plan to move one service off SaaS and onto your own server without breaking your team's workflow.