Simple Analytics vs Arp242 Goatcounter
Self-hosted for $4/mo on hetzner CAX11, versus $12-$159/user/mo on Simple Analytics.
Side-by-side
| Simple Analytics | Arp242 Goatcounter (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $12-$159/user/mo | $4.13/mo flat (any team size) |
| Hosting | Simple Analytics's servers | Your VPS (hetzner CAX11) |
| Data ownership | Simple Analytics controls the data | Your disk, your encryption |
| Source code | Closed | Open (NOASSERTION) |
| Customization | API + integrations only | Full source access; modify freely |
| Maintenance burden | Zero | Backups + updates (Docker available) |
| Health score (ossreplace) | — | 76 / 100 |
Why teams leave Simple Analytics
- Per-pageview pricing
- Limited custom event support on entry tier
Arp242 Goatcounter answers this by: Self-host the same lightweight no-cookie analytics for ~$5/mo flat.
The cost math
Assumes 5-person team using Simple Analytics at the midpoint price ($85.5/user/mo).
| Period | Simple Analytics | Arp242 Goatcounter on hetzner | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $427.5 | $4.13 | $423.37 |
| Yearly | $5130 | $49.56 | $5080.44 |
| 3 years | $15,390 | $149 | $15,241 |
Deploy Arp242 Goatcounter now
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Common questions
Is Arp242 Goatcounter a good alternative to Simple Analytics?
Arp242 Goatcounter is an open-source, self-hostable alternative to Simple Analytics with an ossreplace health score of 76/100 — a composite of project activity, maturity, community, security, and adoption. It runs on your own hetzner VPS from $4.13/mo with full source access under the NOASSERTION license, versus Simple Analytics's $12–159/user/mo hosted plans.
How much cheaper is Arp242 Goatcounter than Simple Analytics?
A 5-person team pays about $427.5/mo on Simple Analytics. Self-hosting Arp242 Goatcounter on hetzner CAX11 costs a flat $4.13/mo regardless of team size — roughly $15,241 less over three years (99% lower).
Is Arp242 Goatcounter hard to self-host?
Arp242 Goatcounter ships a Docker setup, so deployment is usually a single docker-compose command on a $4.13/mo VPS. You own the backups and updates, and there are no per-seat fees.
Do you keep control of your data with Arp242 Goatcounter vs Simple Analytics?
Yes. Because Arp242 Goatcounter runs on your own server, the data lives on your disk under your encryption. With Simple Analytics, Simple Analytics controls the hosting, storage, and access.