GoatCounter vs Open Web Analytics
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
GoatCounter
Easy and privacy-friendly web analytics
VS
Open Web Analytics
Self-hosted web analytics with click and heatmap tracking
| Feature | GoatCounter | Open Web Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | EUPL-1.2 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,864 | ★ 2,682 |
| First released | 2019 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
Why pick each one
Choose Open Web Analytics if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is GoatCounter or Open Web Analytics better?
GoatCounter is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Open Web Analytics if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GoatCounter and Open Web Analytics free and open-source?
Yes. GoatCounter is licensed under EUPL-1.2 and Open Web Analytics under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GoatCounter and Open Web Analytics with Docker?
GoatCounter: yes. Open Web Analytics: yes.