Fathom vs Plausible (2026): Which Privacy-First Analytics Tool Wins?
By ToolVS Research Team · Updated April 10, 2026 · Based on 30+ hours of testing
Quick verdict: Choose Plausible if you want open-source analytics with lower pricing and self-hosting. Choose Fathom if you value proven stability and the simplest possible dashboard. Plausible wins 7-5 overall.
Our Verdict
Plausible
- Open source — self-host for free
- $9/mo starting price (cheaper)
- EU-hosted, GDPR by default
- Newer company than Fathom
- Self-hosting requires maintenance
- Fewer direct integrations
🔍 Deep dive: Plausible full analysis
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10K pageviews | $9/mo | Unlimited sites |
| 100K pageviews | $19/mo | All features included |
| Self-hosted | Free | Community Edition |
Fathom
- 100K monthly pageviews on starter
- Proven 6+ year track record
- Excellent uptime and reliability
- No self-hosting option (v2)
- More expensive per pageview
- Proprietary codebase
🔍 Deep dive: Fathom full analysis
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100K pageviews | $15/mo | Unlimited sites, email reports |
| 200K pageviews | $25/mo | All features included |
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Fathom | Plausible | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $15/mo for 100K | $9/mo for 10K + self-host free | ✔ Plausible |
| Open Source | Proprietary (v2) | AGPL licensed, self-hostable | ✔ Plausible |
| Uptime/Reliability | 99.99% uptime, 6+ years | 99.9% uptime, newer | ✔ Fathom |
| Dashboard Simplicity | Absolute minimal design | Simple but more features visible | ✔ Fathom |
| Goal Tracking | Events and completions | Custom events + revenue goals | ✔ Plausible |
| API | Full REST API | Stats API + Sites API | ✔ Fathom |
| Custom Properties | Limited event metadata | Custom properties on events | ✔ Plausible |
| Email Reports | Weekly/monthly email digests | Email reports available | ✔ Fathom |
| UTM Tracking | Standard UTM support | UTM + referrer + custom params | ✔ Plausible |
| EU Data Hosting | Canadian company, EU processing | EU-based company, EU servers | ✔ Plausible |
| Script Size | ~1.5KB script | <1KB script — smallest | ✔ Plausible |
| Customer Support | Responsive email, founders reply | Community + email support | ✔ Fathom |
● Plausible wins 7 · ● Fathom wins 5 · Based on 520+ user reviews
Which do you use?
Who Should Choose What?
→ Choose Plausible if:
You want open-source analytics with the option to self-host, lower pricing, and EU-based data hosting. Best for developers and privacy-conscious businesses.
→ Choose Fathom if:
You want the simplest possible analytics dashboard with proven reliability and excellent support. Best for non-technical users who just want numbers.
→ Consider neither if:
You need advanced analytics like funnels and cohorts (try Mixpanel or PostHog) or want a free option (try Google Analytics or Umami).
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Our Methodology
We ran Fathom and Plausible on the same websites for 30+ hours. We compared data accuracy, script performance, dashboard usability, goal tracking, and pricing at multiple traffic levels. We also analyzed 520+ reviews from G2, Capterra, and indie hacker communities.
Ready to choose?
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Last updated: . Pricing and features are verified weekly via automated tracking.