Quick answer
Simple Analytics - Simple Analytics wins for most builders because its free tier is permanent, supports unlimited pageviews, and gives you more room to grow before you have to pay.
How the free tiers compare
These two products take very different routes to a free tier. Plausible Analytics gives you a 30-day trial, not an ongoing free plan, but the trial is close to the paid Starter experience and includes no credit card requirement. That makes it useful if you want to evaluate the product on a real site, then decide quickly. Simple Analytics is the more forgiving choice for ongoing use: its free tier is free forever, covers 5 websites, and allows unlimited pageviews, so small sites can stay there for a long time. The tradeoff is feature depth. Plausible’s trial and paid plans are more structured around retention, team features, and API access. Simple’s free plan is narrower on history and collaboration, but better for builders who need a live analytics setup without a deadline.
Plausible Analytics vs Simple Analytics free tier, side by side
| Plausible AnalyticsFTV 36 | Simple AnalyticsFTV 55 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free access typePlausible is trial-based; Simple is a permanent free tier. | 30-day free trial | Free forever |
| Credit card requiredBoth inputs explicitly say no credit card is required. | No | No |
| Sites included on free planPlausible’s trial includes the Starter plan; Simple’s free tier includes 5 websites. | 1 site | 5 websites |
| Traffic limit on free planSimple is much looser on traffic at the free tier. | Up to 10,000 monthly pageviews | Unlimited pageviews |
| Data retention on free planPlausible’s trial inherits Starter retention; Simple free is much shorter. | 3 years | 30 days |
After you outgrow the free tier
Plausible uses flat monthly pricing after the trial, starting at $9/month for Starter and stepping to $14 and $19 as you add sites, team members, retention, and API features. Simple Analytics starts at $15/month on a flat plan, then moves to a per-seat Team plan at $40/month with $20 per additional user. For solo builders, Plausible is cheaper after the free period. For teams, Simple can get expensive faster because the next tier explicitly charges per extra user, while Plausible’s Growth and Business tiers bundle more seats at fixed prices.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Plausible Analytics | Simple Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 site, solo builder, paid planBoth plans cover one user; Plausible is cheaper. | $9/mo | $15/mo |
| 3 websites, solo builderPlausible Growth includes up to 3 sites; Simple Simple includes 10 websites but starts higher. | $14/mo | $15/mo |
| 5 websites, solo builderPlausible needs Business for 10 sites; Simple Simple already covers 10 websites. | $19/mo | $15/mo |
| 2 users, 20 websitesPlausible Business supports up to 10 team members; Simple Team is $40/month with 2 users included. | $19/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 Plausible Analytics when…
- You want to test a privacy-focused analytics setup on a real site for 30 days before paying.
- You only need one site and can use the trial to validate goals, custom events, and reports quickly.
- You expect to decide fast and do not mind that free access ends after the trial.
- You care more about Plausible’s paid-path features like Google Analytics import and embedded dashboards once you upgrade.
Pick Simple Analytics when…
- You want a plan that stays free after launch instead of expiring after 30 days.
- You track multiple small websites and want up to 5 sites on the free tier.
- You have meaningful traffic and need unlimited pageviews without paying right away.
- You are okay with shorter history on the free plan and can live with 30 days of retention.
- You want a low-friction starting point and can upgrade later for more users, sites, and retention.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Simple Analytics is the better free-tier pick because it lets you keep running indefinitely and handle real traffic without a deadline. If you want to evaluate the product first and are fine with a 30-day window, Plausible gives you a more complete trial and cheaper entry pricing after that. In practice, Plausible is the better short-list item for a paid upgrade path, while Simple is better when staying free as long as possible matters more.
Read the full listings: Plausible Analytics 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.