Google Analytics comparisons
Umami vs Google Analytics: which should you use in 2026?
Updated
Key takeaways: Umami vs Google Analytics
Pick Umami if…
- You want to own your data — self-host Umami (MIT license) on your own server.
- You want no cookies and no banner, with a ≈ 2KB script.
- You want funnels, journeys, retention and revenue reports without configuration.
- You're a developer who likes a clean API and a modern dashboard.
Pick Google Analytics if…
- You need deep Google Ads, Merchant Center and BigQuery integration.
- You need user-level explorations, audiences or predictive metrics.
- You don't want to run or pay for any hosting at all at high volume.
- Your stakeholders expect GA-style reports.
Umami vs Google Analytics at a glance
Facts from each vendor's public pages, checked October 2026.
| Feature | Umami | Google Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Price | UmamiSelf-host free; Cloud Hobby free (100K events), Pro $20/mo (1M), Business $200/mo (10M) | Google AnalyticsFree; Analytics 360 by quote |
| Open source | UmamiYes — MIT | Google AnalyticsNo |
| Hosting | UmamiSelf-hosted anywhere, or Umami Cloud (US and EU regions) | Google AnalyticsGoogle |
| Cookies / consent | UmamiNo cookies, no personal data (vendor claim) | Google Analytics_ga cookies; consent required in EEA/UK/CH |
| Data retention | UmamiSelf-host: yours; Cloud: 6 months (Hobby), 2 years (Pro), 5 years (Business) | Google AnalyticsExplorations: 2 or 14 months on standard |
| Funnels, journeys, retention | UmamiYes, all plans | Google AnalyticsFunnel and path explorations |
| Revenue | UmamiYes, all plans | Google AnalyticsEcommerce events |
| Session replay / heatmaps | UmamiBusiness plan | Google AnalyticsNo (pair with Clarity) |
| Search Console | UmamiNot found in docs | Google AnalyticsNative link |
| Learning curve | UmamiLow | Google AnalyticsSteep |
Umami vs GA4 for privacy and GDPR
Umami sets no cookies and doesn't collect personal data, so it's typically run without a consent banner — and when self-hosted, visitor data never leaves your infrastructure, which removes third-party processors from the picture entirely. On Umami Cloud you choose a US or EU region.
GA4 sets two-year _ga cookies and Google requires legally valid consent in the EEA, UK and Switzerland. GA4 doesn't store EU users' IPs and collects their data on EU servers first, and the 2023 EU–US Data Privacy Framework covers transfers to Google — though an appeal against the Framework is pending at the EU Court of Justice.
Umami vs Google Analytics pricing at three traffic levels
Both can cost nothing. Umami Cloud prices by events (pageviews, custom events and stored event properties). Monthly, as of October 2026:
| Monthly traffic | 100K events/mo | 1M events/mo | 10M events/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umami | 100K events/mo: $0 (Hobby, 1 site) or self-host | 1M events/mo: $20 (Pro) or self-host | 10M events/mo: $200 (Business) or self-host |
| Google Analytics | 100K events/mo: $0 | 1M events/mo: $0 | 10M events/mo: $0 |
Self-hosting Umami costs only your server (a small VPS plus PostgreSQL handles modest traffic). Umami Cloud bills monthly with no yearly discount.
Setting up Umami vs Google Analytics
Self-hosting Umami means deploying a Node.js app with a PostgreSQL database — straightforward with Docker, Railway or a VPS — and adding a ≈ 2KB script. Umami Cloud skips the server. GA4 is a tag (or Tag Manager) plus consent setup, key events and the learning curve of its reporting model.
What you give up moving from GA4 to Umami
Umami covers what most sites look at every day — visitors, pages, sources, UTM campaigns, countries, devices, custom events, goals, funnels, journeys, retention and revenue — in a faster dashboard. What it doesn't try to replicate is Google's advertising layer and its analyst tooling.
- No native Google Ads conversion import, audiences or remarketing lists.
- No predictive metrics (purchase or churn probability) and no demographic or interest reports, which in GA4 come from Google signals.
- No free BigQuery export; instead you get Umami's API, full data export and — if you self-host — direct database access.
- No Search Console link documented, so search queries stay in Search Console.
Who each one is for
Umami suits developers, startups and open-source projects who want ownership, privacy and a fast dashboard. GA4 suits marketing teams that live in Google's ad ecosystem and analysts who need its depth.
Moving from GA4 to Umami
Umami doesn't document a Google Analytics importer, so most teams start fresh and keep GA4 history accessible (exported or still in GA4) for reference. Run both for a few weeks, re-create key events as Umami custom events and goals, then remove GA4.
Umami vs Google Analytics: frequently asked questions
Is Umami free?
Yes. Umami is free to self-host under the MIT license, and Umami Cloud's Hobby plan is free for 100K events a month on one site.
Is Umami better than Google Analytics?
For privacy, simplicity and data ownership, yes for many teams. For advertising integration, audiences and user-level analysis, GA4 is more capable.
Does Umami need a cookie banner?
Umami says no — it uses no cookies and collects no personal data. GA4 generally does need consent in the EU.
Can I import Google Analytics data into Umami?
Umami doesn't document a GA importer as of October 2026; its Cloud import accepts self-hosted Umami exports or CSV, handled by its team on Pro and up.
Does Umami track revenue?
Yes, Umami includes revenue reporting on all cloud plans, alongside funnels, journeys, retention and attribution.
What do I need to self-host Umami?
A server that can run Node.js and a PostgreSQL database; Docker images are provided. Some features, like email reports and the streaming API, are cloud-only.
Sources and methodology
Prices and features were checked on each vendor's public pages in October 2026. Vendors change plans often — confirm on the official pricing page before you buy. VisitTrack publishes this comparison and competes with some of these tools; we have no affiliate relationship with either vendor.
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