Choose Your Analytics Tool
| Feature | Plausible Starter | PostHog Free |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9/mo | $0/mo |
| Type | Web analytics (pageviews) | Product analytics (events) |
| Free Limit | No free tier (30-day trial) | 1M events/mo, 5K session replays |
| Script Size | <1KB | ~70KB |
| Cookies | No cookies (GDPR compliant) | Uses cookies (consent needed) |
| Session Replay | No | Yes (5,000/mo free) |
| Feature Flags | No | Yes (1M requests/mo free) |
| Best For | Content sites, blogs, marketing pages | SaaS products, web apps |
Pick Plausible if you want simple pageview analytics without cookies. Pick PostHog if you want product analytics, session replay, and feature flags for free.
Step-by-Step: Plausible Setup (15 Minutes)
Minutes 1–3: Create Account
Sign up at plausible.io. Start 30-day free trial (no credit card required). Add your website domain. Plausible generates a unique script tag for your site.
Minutes 3–8: Install Script
Copy the script tag (under 1KB). Paste it in your website's <head> tag. For WordPress: use the official Plausible plugin. For Next.js: add to your layout.tsx. For Webflow/Squarespace: use the custom code injection settings.
Minutes 8–15: Set Up Goals and First Dashboard
Go to your Plausible dashboard. Set up goal tracking for key pages (pricing, signup, contact). Add UTM tracking for campaigns. Set up email or Slack reports (included in Starter $9/mo plan). Your dashboard is live — data appears in real time.
Step-by-Step: PostHog Setup (20 Minutes)
Minutes 1–5: Create Account and Project
Sign up at app.posthog.com. Create a project. PostHog generates your unique JavaScript snippet with your API key.
Minutes 5–12: Install and Autocapture
Add the PostHog snippet to your site's <head> tag. PostHog automatically captures pageviews, clicks, and form submissions (autocapture). No extra code needed for basic analytics. Session replay starts recording automatically (5,000/mo free).
Minutes 12–20: Build Your First Dashboard
Create a dashboard with key insights: Pageview trends, Top pages, Referral sources, User retention. Add a funnel: Landing page → Pricing page → Signup. PostHog's free tier includes unlimited team members and 1M events/month.
FAQ
Should I still use Google Analytics?
Google Analytics 4 is free and powerful, but requires cookie consent banners in the EU and has a steep learning curve. If you just need pageview analytics, Plausible at $9/mo is simpler, faster, and privacy-friendly. PostHog free covers product analytics.
Can I use both Plausible and PostHog?
Yes. Plausible for clean web analytics ($9/mo) and PostHog for product analytics and session replay (free). Total: $9/month for comprehensive coverage.