Simple analytics for indie hackers: the options
The main analytics options for indie hackers and small SaaS: keep GA4 and simplify it, or switch to Plausible, Fathom, Umami or DataFast. Honest pros and cons.
Indie hackers usually want three things from analytics: how many people came, where from, and did anyone sign up or pay. You can get that by keeping Google Analytics 4 and reading it through a simpler dashboard, or by switching to a lightweight tracker with its own script. Here are the honest options.
First decision: keep GA4 or replace it?
| Keep GA4 if | Replace it if |
|---|---|
| You already have it, with history | You're starting fresh and want no Google |
| You want it free | You'd pay for privacy and simplicity |
| You may need its depth later | You'd rather avoid a cookie banner (check your local rules) |
Keep GA4
- SimpleDash: GA4 on one page in plain words, AI traffic, live visitors, a public stats page, and a Monday email, Search Console and Stripe revenue on Pro. Nothing added to your site. Compare with GA4.
- Looker Studio: build your own GA4 dashboard. Compare.
Replace GA4
- Plausible: open source, cookie-free, EU-hosted. Compare.
- Fathom: privacy-first, polished, cookie-free. Compare.
- Umami: open source, self-host or cloud. Compare.
- DataFast: founder-focused, with revenue attribution. Compare.
- Vercel Web Analytics: built into Vercel. Compare.
What matters most for indie hackers
- Signups, not just visits. Make sure whichever tool you pick counts signups. In GA4: track signups.
- Source of launches. Tag your launch links with UTM links.
- Low maintenance. You have a product to build; pick something you'll actually open every week.
- Sharing. If you build in public, a public stats page is worth having.
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