Side by side
Beam vs Plain Web Analytics
Both stand on web analytics tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
Beam focuses on lightweight, privacy-oriented website analytics with a free single-site plan and a larger Pro tier.
Visit Beam
Free plan APIWeb
Plain Web Analytics provides cookie-free reporting, conversion tools, integrations, and a free entry tier. Consider the Free plan’s monthly pageview limit and the limited retention when selecting a tier.
Visit Plain Web AnalyticsThe facts
| Beam | Plain Web Analytics | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Web | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro: $5 a month | Pro: £10 a month |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | beam-privacy.com | plainwebanalytics.com |
| On web analytics tools | #50 of 142 | #54 of 142 |
Beam: what it does well
- No cookies or persistent visitor identifiers
- Real-time and public dashboards
- Free plan needs no credit card
- API access available
- Data retention is unlimited
What to know first
- Free plan covers one website
- Free plan allows 50,000 pageviews monthly
Plain Web Analytics: what it does well
- Free plan with unlimited websites
- Cookie-free tracking and no stored IP addresses
- Real-time dashboard and traffic reporting
- Goal, event, and ecommerce tracking
- REST API and scheduled reports
What to know first
- Free tier stops recording after 10,000 monthly pageviews
- Data retention is limited
- No consent required is a stated claim
Alternatives to Beam Alternatives to Plain Web Analytics The whole list