EU Alternatives to Google Analytics And SemRush: Privacy-Compliant Analytics for the Modern Web

Google Analytics has long been the go-to tool for website traffic analysis, offering deep insights and powerful integrations. But with increasing scrutiny over data privacy—especially in Europe, many businesses are searching for GDPR-compliant, EU-based alternatives.

If you’re a website owner, marketer, or developer in the EU, or if you serve EU visitors, this article will introduce you to some of the best privacy-focused analytics platforms that respect user data and keep your site on the right side of the law.

Why Look for Google Analytics Alternatives?

Before we dive into the alternatives, let’s talk about the why.

Google Analytics collects a significant amount of user data and stores it on servers in the United States. That became a legal gray area (or outright red flag) after the Schrems II ruling invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield. Since then, data protection authorities in several EU countries—including France, Austria, and Italy—have deemed Google Analytics non-compliant with the GDPR in its default setup.

That’s where EU-based, privacy-focused analytics tools come in. These platforms offer:

• Data hosting within the EU
• No use of third-party cookies
• Full GDPR compliance out of the box
• Simplified privacy policies
• Lightweight performance

Let’s take a look at the top contenders.

1. Matomo (formerly Piwik)

• Based in: New Zealand (open-source, can be self-hosted in the EU)
• Hosting: Cloud or On-Premise (EU hosting available)
• GDPR-Compliant: Yes
• Open Source: Yes

Matomo is the most popular open-source alternative to Google Analytics. It offers full control over your data especially when self-hosted and includes features like heatmaps, session recordings, goals, funnels, and more.

• No data sampling
• Optional cookie-less tracking
• Customizable dashboards
• Consent management tools

Ideal for organizations that need full-featured analytics while keeping all data within their own infrastructure.

2. Plausible Analytics

• Based in: Estonia
• Hosting: EU (Germany)
• GDPR-Compliant: Yes
• Open Source: Yes

Plausible is a lightweight, privacy-first analytics tool. It’s cookie-free by default and easy to set up—just one script tag. Plausible is especially popular among bloggers, small businesses, and developers who want simple and clean dashboards.

• ✅ No cookies
• ✅ 100% GDPR, CCPA, and PECR compliant
• ✅ Less than 1KB script size
• ✅ Transparent data policy

If you want quick insights without compromising on privacy or performance, Plausible is a great pick.

3. Simple Analytics

• Based in: The Netherlands
• Hosting: EU
• GDPR-Compliant: Yes
• Open Source: No (but transparent about data practices)

As the name suggests, Simple Analytics focuses on clarity and simplicity. It doesn’t use cookies or collect personal data and provides easy-to-understand metrics like page views, referrers, and top pages.

• No cookies or tracking consent needed
• Beautiful, clean UI
• Email reports and API access
• Great for non-technical users

Simple Analytics is perfect for businesses that need basic insights without legal headaches.

4. Fathom Analytics

• Based in: Canada (with EU data center option)
• Hosting: Germany (for EU customers)
• GDPR-Compliant: Yes
• Open Source: No

Fathom is a fast-growing privacy-focused analytics platform with a growing user base in Europe. Its EU Isolation mode ensures that data from EU visitors never leaves the EU.

• Fast and lightweight
• Cookie-free tracking
• Bypass ad blockers
• Works with GDPR, PECR, and CCPA

If you want U.S.-level support with EU-level privacy, Fathom is worth considering.

5. Umami

• Based in: Open-source project
• Hosting: Self-hosted or via Umami Cloud (EU-based hosting available)
• GDPR-Compliant: Yes
• Open Source: Yes

Umami is another open-source analytics solution that emphasizes simplicity and user privacy. You can self-host or use their managed hosting (which now supports EU servers).

• Open-source, customizable
• Modern UI with real-time data
• No cookies
• Minimal setup required

Developers love Umami for its flexibility and clean codebase.

Conclusion: Privacy-First Analytics Is Here to Stay

As privacy regulations tighten across the EU and globally, website owners must adapt. The good news is that there are excellent alternatives to Google Analytics that don’t force you to choose between usability and compliance.

Whether you want full control with Matomo, minimalism with Plausible, or beautiful simplicity with Simple Analytics, these EU-based options put you back in control of your data—and your users’ trust.

Quick Comparison Table:

Tool	Open Source	Cookie-Free	EU Hosted	Great For
Matomo	✅	Optional	✅	Enterprises, self-hosting
Plausible	✅	✅	✅	Bloggers, devs, small businesses
Simple Analytics	❌	✅	✅	Non-tech users, SaaS startups
Fathom	❌	✅	✅	Global businesses with EU traffic
Umami	✅	✅	✅	Devs who want open-source tools

Final Tip

If you switch to one of these tools, don’t forget to update your privacy policy and cookie banner accordingly. Many of these tools let you skip the cookie banner altogether, saving you one more headache while staying compliant.

Let privacy be your competitive edge.

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