Privacy-first web analytics
Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible: which should you use in 2026?
Updated
Key takeaways: Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible
Pick Vercel Web Analytics if…
- Your project is on Vercel and you want analytics with one toggle and
@vercel/analytics. - Your traffic is small (under 50K events on Hobby) or you're already paying for Vercel Pro.
- You want analytics next to deployments, Speed Insights and feature-flag annotations.
- You want server-side
track()for custom events (Pro).
Pick Plausible if…
- You might leave Vercel, or host on several platforms — Plausible works anywhere.
- You need UTM campaigns, goals and funnels without extra add-ons.
- Data must be stored in the EU; Vercel's primary processing is in the US.
- You want history longer than 12 months without the Plus add-on (Plausible keeps 3–5 years).
Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible at a glance
Facts from each vendor's public pages, checked October 2026.
| Feature | Vercel Web Analytics | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Vercel Web AnalyticsHobby: 50K events/mo free; Pro: $0.03 per 1K events (on top of $20/mo Pro platform fee) | PlausibleFrom $9/mo (10K pageviews) |
| What counts | Vercel Web AnalyticsPage views and custom events | PlausiblePageviews and custom events |
| Custom events | Vercel Web AnalyticsPro only (2 properties; 8 with Plus) | PlausibleAll plans |
| UTM parameters | Vercel Web AnalyticsRequires Web Analytics Plus ($10/mo per team) or Enterprise | PlausibleAll plans |
| Reporting window | Vercel Web Analytics1 month (Hobby), 12 months (Pro), 24 months (Plus) | Plausible3 years (Starter/Growth), 5 years (Business) |
| Goals / funnels | Vercel Web AnalyticsNo built-in UI | PlausibleGoals all plans; funnels on Business |
| Cookies / consent | Vercel Web AnalyticsNo cookies; daily-valid request hash | PlausibleNo cookies |
| Data location | Vercel Web AnalyticsPrimary processing in the US | PlausibleGermany |
| Portability | Vercel Web AnalyticsEnabled per Vercel project | PlausibleAny host |
| Export | Vercel Web AnalyticsCSV (250 rows/panel), API, Drains (Pro) | PlausibleCSV, Stats API (Business) |
| Search Console | Vercel Web AnalyticsNo | PlausibleYes |
Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible for privacy
Both are cookie-free. Vercel identifies visitors with a hash of the request that's valid for a single day, discards sessions after 24 hours, and lets you redact URLs with beforeSend. Plausible uses a similar daily-rotating approach.
Location differs: Vercel says its primary processing facilities are in the US and relies on the EU–US Data Privacy Framework; Plausible stores data in Germany only. For EU organizations with an "EU at rest" rule, that's decisive.
Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible pricing at three traffic levels
Vercel charges per event on Pro; Plausible charges by pageview tier. Monthly, October 2026:
| Monthly traffic | 10K/mo | 100K/mo | 1M/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vercel Web Analytics | 10K/mo: $0 on Hobby (or $0.30 on Pro) | 100K/mo: $3 on Pro (over Hobby's 50K cap) | 1M/mo: $30 on Pro |
| Plausible | 10K/mo: $9 Starter | 100K/mo: $19 Starter | 1M/mo: $69 Starter |
Vercel Pro amounts sit on top of the $20/mo Pro platform fee (which includes $20 of usage credit shared with other usage); UTM reporting needs the $10/mo Web Analytics Plus add-on. Vercel's current docs say Pro includes no free events, while an earlier changelog mentioned 100K — we followed the docs. Hobby pauses collection after the 50K cap and a 3-day grace period.
Setting up Vercel Analytics vs Plausible
Vercel: enable Web Analytics in the project, install @vercel/analytics and add the <Analytics /> component (Next.js, SvelteKit, Remix, Nuxt, Vue, Astro and plain HTML are supported). Plausible: add its script tag (or a community package such as next-plausible). Both take minutes; Plausible needs no host-specific setup.
Who each one is for
Vercel Web Analytics suits developers on Vercel who want a quick, free or cheap pulse on traffic next to their deployments. Plausible suits teams who need marketing-grade analytics — campaigns, goals, funnels, Search Console — that survives a change of host.
Moving from Vercel Analytics to Plausible
There's no import path from Vercel Web Analytics. Export what you need (CSV, up to 250 rows per panel, or via the API) before switching, add Plausible, and run both for a few weeks.
A third option: VisitTrack
Disclosure: VisitTrack publishes this page.
If you're on Vercel and need revenue attribution as well as traffic, VisitTrack has a Next.js integration, custom events, UTM and channel reports, funnels and Stripe/Paddle/Lemon Squeezy/Polar/Razorpay attribution on every plan from $5/mo, independent of your host. See VisitTrack vs Vercel Analytics.
Vercel Web Analytics vs Plausible: frequently asked questions
Is Vercel Web Analytics free?
On the Hobby plan, yes, up to 50,000 events a month with a one-month reporting window; collection pauses beyond that. On Pro it costs $0.03 per 1,000 events.
Does Vercel Analytics track UTM parameters?
Only with the Web Analytics Plus add-on ($10/mo per team) or on Enterprise. Plausible reports UTM campaigns on every plan.
Can I use Vercel Analytics if my site isn't on Vercel?
Vercel Web Analytics is enabled per Vercel project, so it's designed for sites deployed on Vercel. Plausible works on any host.
Does Vercel Analytics use cookies?
No. Vercel uses a request hash valid for a single day and discards sessions after 24 hours.
Does Vercel Analytics support custom events?
Yes, on Pro and Enterprise, via client-side or server-side track() calls; Hobby doesn't support custom events.
Where is Vercel Analytics data stored?
Vercel says its primary processing facilities are in the United States. Plausible stores data in Germany.
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.
Keep comparing
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- VisitTrack vs PlausibleHow Plausible compares with VisitTrack.
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- Umami vs PlausibleThe two most popular open-source privacy analytics tools — Umami's free tier and MIT license against Plausible's EU-only cloud.
- Plausible vs Google AnalyticsPaid, cookie-free, EU-hosted Plausible against free, cookie-based GA4 — privacy, accuracy, cost and how to switch.
- All analytics comparisonsEvery head-to-head comparison, grouped by category.
See which channels actually bring paying customers
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