Pirsch vs Shynet
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Pirsch | Shynet |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,030 | ★ 3,155 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are Pirsch and Shynet?
Pirsch
Pirsch is a Go library for server-side, cookie-free web analytics. The open-source repository provides the tracking and statistics code you embed in your own application; the hosted pirsch.io dashboard is a separate commercial product.
- Cookie-free tracking
- No personal data collected
- Lightweight tracking script
- Go analytics engine
Shynet
Shynet is a modern, privacy-friendly, and detailed web analytics platform that works without cookies and even without JavaScript. It targets users wanting solid analytics with strong privacy. It is deployed via Docker.
- Works without JavaScript or cookies
- Detailed session insights
- Multiple sites and users
- Privacy-respecting
Pirsch vs Shynet: key differences
Pirsch is written in Go, while Shynet is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Pirsch versus Apache-2.0 for Shynet. Pirsch is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Shynet. Shynet has the considerably larger community, at 3,155 GitHub stars versus 1,030.
Why pick each one
Choose Pirsch if…
- GDPR-friendly by design
- Fast and efficient
Watch out for
- Self-hosting needs assembly
- Smaller ecosystem
Choose Shynet if…
- Strong privacy
- Works without JS
- Detailed sessions
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer integrations
Frequently asked questions
Is Pirsch or Shynet better?
Shynet is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Pirsch if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Pirsch and Shynet free and open-source?
Yes. Pirsch is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Shynet under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Pirsch and Shynet with Docker?
Pirsch: yes. Shynet: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Pirsch or Shynet?
Pirsch has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Shynet. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.