Quick answer
Simple Analytics - Simple Analytics wins for most builders because its free tier is less restrictive in the ways that matter for a real website, with unlimited pageviews, 5 websites, and the same no-credit-card start.
How the free tiers compare
These free tiers solve slightly different problems. Clicky is the tighter, more old-school starter plan: it gives you core analytics plus heatmaps and uptime monitoring, but only for 1 website and 3,000 daily page views, and history stops at 30 days. That makes it fine for a small single-site project with modest traffic, but it can pinch quickly if you run multiple sites or get spikes. Simple Analytics is broader on free usage: 5 websites, unlimited pageviews, and 30 days of history, but the free plan is thinner on team and paid-feature depth. Its paid path is also more obviously structured around teams and retention, with a low-cost entry tier at $15/month and then per-seat expansion. For most builders, the deciding factor is whether they want a usage cap or a workspace cap.
Clicky vs Simple Analytics free tier, side by side
| ClickyFTV 52 | Simple AnalyticsFTV 55 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free websitesSimple Analytics allows more sites on the free plan. | 1 | 5 |
| Free page viewsClicky’s free plan is traffic-capped; Simple Analytics is not. | 3,000 daily total | Unlimited |
| Free history retentionBoth free tiers keep 30 days of history. | 30 days | 30 days |
| Free usersSimple Analytics explicitly includes 1 user on the free plan. | Not specified | 1 |
| Free credit card requiredBoth input records explicitly say no credit card is required. | No | No |
| Next paid website limitClicky’s Pro and Simple Analytics’ Simple tier both move to 10 websites. | 10 websites on Pro | 10 websites on Simple |
| Next paid page views / retentionThe paid emphasis differs: Clicky raises traffic caps, Simple Analytics raises retention. | 30,000 daily page views on Pro | 3 years retention on Simple |
After you outgrow the free tier
Clicky uses flat pricing for its paid tiers, starting at $9.99/month, then $14.99 and $19.99, with a custom sales tier above that. Simple Analytics starts at $15/month on a flat plan, then moves to Team at $40/month with per-seat extras at $20/user, and Enterprise by sales. For a solo builder, Clicky is cheaper once you need paid access. For a small team, Simple Analytics becomes more expensive as seats grow, but it adds more websites and longer retention in the next tier.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Clicky | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 site, low traffic under free capsBoth plans fit this use case. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 1 site, paid upgrade neededClicky’s first paid tier is cheaper. | $9.99/mo | $15/mo |
| 5 websites, one small teamSimple Analytics already covers 5 websites on free. | $9.99/mo and may still be constrained by the 1-site free cap before upgrade | Free (within tier) |
| 10 websites, 2 usersSimple Analytics Team includes 2 users but costs more; Clicky’s relevant paid tier is still flat-priced. | $9.99/mo | $40/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Clicky when…
- You only need analytics on one site and want heatmaps or uptime monitoring in the free plan.
- Your traffic is low enough that 3,000 daily page views is not a constraint.
- You prefer a small, simple starter plan and do not need multiple websites.
- You want to test Clicky’s premium-style features before paying.
Pick Simple Analytics when…
- You need analytics for more than one website on day one.
- Your site traffic may exceed 3,000 daily page views but you still want a free tier.
- You care more about longer-term scaling into team seats and retention than about heatmaps.
- You want a free plan that is easier to keep using as your audience grows.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Simple Analytics is the better free tier because it is easier to grow into: you can use it on more sites and avoid page-view anxiety while staying free. Clicky is the better pick only if you have one site, modest traffic, and you specifically want heatmaps or uptime monitoring without paying. Once you outgrow free, Clicky is cheaper at the entry paid tier, but Simple Analytics is the more forgiving starting point.
Read the full listings: Clicky and Simple Analytics. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.