GoatCounter vs Tianji
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
GoatCounter
Easy and privacy-friendly web analytics
VS
Tianji
Insight hub combining analytics, uptime, and server status
| Feature | GoatCounter | Tianji |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | EUPL-1.2 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,997 | ★ 3,100 |
| First released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are GoatCounter and Tianji?
GoatCounter
GoatCounter is an open-source web analytics platform that is easy to use and privacy-friendly, collecting no personal data. It targets small site owners and hobbyists. It is deployed as a single binary or via Docker.
- No personal data collected
- Single-binary deployment
- Works without JavaScript
- Lightweight and fast
Tianji
Tianji is an all-in-one insight hub that combines website analytics, uptime monitoring, and server status into a single application. It offers a unified dashboard for observing your sites and infrastructure.
- Website analytics
- Uptime monitoring
- Server status reporting
- Unified insight dashboard
GoatCounter vs Tianji: key differences
GoatCounter is written in Go, while Tianji is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — EUPL-1.2 for GoatCounter versus Apache-2.0 for Tianji. GoatCounter is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Tianji. GoatCounter is the more established project (first released 2019), while Tianji arrived in 2023.
Why pick each one
Choose GoatCounter if…
- Extremely easy to run
- Very lightweight
- Privacy-friendly
Watch out for
- Basic reporting depth
- Small project
Choose Tianji if…
- Multiple tools in one
- Clean interface
Watch out for
- Jack-of-all-trades scope
- Younger project
Frequently asked questions
Is GoatCounter or Tianji better?
GoatCounter is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Tianji if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GoatCounter and Tianji free and open-source?
Yes. GoatCounter is licensed under EUPL-1.2 and Tianji under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GoatCounter and Tianji with Docker?
GoatCounter: yes. Tianji: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, GoatCounter or Tianji?
GoatCounter has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Tianji. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.