OpenPanel vs Plausible
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OpenPanel
Open-source web and product analytics in one tool
VS
Plausible
Lightweight, privacy-friendly website analytics
| Feature | OpenPanel | Plausible |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Elixir |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,042 | ★ 29,197 |
| First released | 2024 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Mixpanel, Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are OpenPanel and Plausible?
OpenPanel
OpenPanel is an open-source analytics platform that combines web analytics with product analytics, positioned as a mix of Mixpanel and Plausible. It tracks events, funnels, and user retention.
- Web and product analytics
- Funnels and retention
- Real-time event tracking
- Privacy-friendly design
Plausible
Plausible is a lightweight, open-source, privacy-friendly web analytics tool that needs no cookies and is GDPR compliant. It targets site owners who want simple, ethical analytics. It is deployed via Docker.
- Cookie-free and GDPR compliant
- Tiny tracking script
- Clean single-page dashboard
- Goal and funnel tracking
OpenPanel vs Plausible: key differences
OpenPanel is written in TypeScript, while Plausible is built with Elixir. OpenPanel is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Plausible. Plausible is the more established project (first released 2019), while OpenPanel arrived in 2024. Plausible has the considerably larger community, at 29,197 GitHub stars versus 7,042.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenPanel if…
- Mixpanel-style features open-source
- Modern dashboard
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Multi-service deployment
Choose Plausible if…
- Privacy-friendly by design
- Simple and fast
- Lightweight script
Watch out for
- Self-host needs Postgres and ClickHouse
- Fewer deep reports than Matomo
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenPanel or Plausible better?
Neither is universally better. Plausible has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenPanel and Plausible free and open-source?
Yes. OpenPanel is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Plausible under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenPanel and Plausible with Docker?
OpenPanel: yes. Plausible: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenPanel or Plausible?
OpenPanel has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Plausible. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.