Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GoAccess VS Google Analytics

Compare GoAccess VS Google Analytics and see what are their differences

GoAccess logo GoAccess

Open source real-time web log analyzer and interactive viewer that runs in a terminal in *nix...

Google Analytics logo Google Analytics

Improve your website to increase conversions, improve the user experience, and make more money using Google Analytics. Measure, understand and quantify engagement on your site with customized and in-depth reports.
  • GoAccess Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-02
  • Google Analytics Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-26

GoAccess features and specs

  • Real-time Log Processing
    GoAccess offers real-time log processing and analysis, providing instant insights into web traffic without needing to refresh the data manually.
  • Interactive Web Interface
    It provides an interactive and responsive web-based interface for visualizing data, which makes it user-friendly and easy to navigate.
  • Low Resource Consumption
    GoAccess is designed to be lightweight, making it efficient in terms of resource consumption (CPU and memory usage), which is beneficial for high-traffic websites.
  • Customizable Reports
    Users can customize reports according to their needs, including filtering logs based on time ranges, visitors, and more, enhancing the usability of the tool.
  • Multiple Log Format Support
    The tool supports various web log formats (e.g., Common Log Format, Combined Log Format), making it versatile for different web server setups.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source software, GoAccess is free to use and can be modified as per users' requirements, fostering community contributions and adaptations.

Possible disadvantages of GoAccess

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Although GoAccess is powerful, it requires a learning curve, especially for users who are not familiar with command-line interfaces or web log analysis.
  • Limited Historical Data Analysis
    GoAccess is primarily designed for real-time analysis, and managing or retaining extensive historical data can be challenging without implementing additional storage solutions.
  • Lacks Advanced Features
    While GoAccess covers basic web log analytics well, it lacks some advanced features and integrations that more comprehensive analytics platforms provide.
  • Manual Report Generation
    Automating report generation and distribution can be complex, as the process typically requires manual set-up and scripting, which might not be ideal for all users.
  • Scalability Issues
    For very large-scale deployments with immense amounts of log data, performance and scalability might become an issue, necessitating advanced configurations or alternative solutions.

Google Analytics features and specs

  • Comprehensive Data Collection
    Google Analytics offers extensive data collection capabilities, allowing you to track various metrics and derive insights on user behavior, traffic sources, and more.
  • Integration with Other Google Services
    It easily integrates with other Google services like Google Ads, Google Search Console, and Google Tag Manager, providing a cohesive ecosystem.
  • Free Tier Available
    A robust free tier is available that meets the needs of many small- to medium-sized businesses, making it accessible without financial investment.
  • Customizable Reports and Dashboards
    Users can create customized reports and dashboards to focus on the specific metrics and KPIs important to their business.
  • Advanced Segmentation
    The platform allows for advanced segmentation of user data, enabling detailed analysis of different user groups and behaviors.
  • Real-Time Data
    Google Analytics provides real-time reports, facilitating immediate analysis and quicker decision-making.
  • E-commerce Tracking
    Special features for e-commerce websites allow you to track transactions, revenue, and other e-commerce-related metrics effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Google Analytics

  • Complex Interface
    The interface can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve.
  • Data Sampling
    For large datasets, Google Analytics may use data sampling, which can compromise the accuracy and precision of your reports.
  • Privacy Concerns
    There are ongoing privacy concerns about data sharing and user tracking, which have led to legal scrutiny in some regions.
  • Limited Free Tier
    While the free tier is powerful, it has limitations on data collection and features, which may require upgrading to the paid tier for larger businesses.
  • Dependence on Third-Party Cookies
    Google Analytics heavily relies on third-party cookies, which are increasingly being restricted by browsers and privacy regulations.
  • Lag in Data Processing
    There can be a delay in data processing and updates, which may hinder timely decision-making.
  • Limited Customer Support
    Customer support for the free tier is limited, often requiring users to rely on community forums and online resources for assistance.

Analysis of GoAccess

Overall verdict

  • GoAccess is generally considered a good tool for those seeking a lightweight and efficient way to monitor and analyze web log data in real-time. Its ease of use, coupled with powerful output capabilities, makes it a solid choice for individuals and organizations needing quick insights into web server activity.

Why this product is good

  • GoAccess is valued for its real-time web log analysis capabilities. It provides an intuitive, command-line interface that generates comprehensive reports of web traffic. Users appreciate its ability to produce quick insights into web server metrics, visitor statistics, and performance data, all accessible via the terminal or as a visual dashboard.

Recommended for

    GoAccess is highly recommended for system administrators, IT professionals, and developers who manage websites or servers and require efficient, real-time access to detailed analytics without deploying complex solutions. It's particularly suitable for those comfortable with command-line tools and looking to integrate log analysis into their workflow seamlessly.

Analysis of Google Analytics

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Google Analytics is considered a good tool for web analytics. It offers comprehensive features and is widely used due to its reliability, scalability, and extensive documentation. However, it can have a steep learning curve for beginners and poses privacy concerns depending on data handling and regulatory compliance needs.

Why this product is good

  • Google Analytics is a powerful web analytics tool that offers in-depth insights into website traffic and user behavior. It provides a wide range of features such as real-time data, conversion tracking, audience segmentation, and customizable reports. Additionally, its integration with other Google services and platforms makes it a versatile choice for digital marketers and businesses looking to optimize their online presence.

Recommended for

  • Digital marketers looking to optimize ad campaigns and website performance.
  • Website owners who need insights into user behavior and traffic sources.
  • Data analysts and business intelligence teams requiring detailed reporting and analysis.
  • Small to large enterprises seeking a scalable analytics solution with a robust feature set.

GoAccess videos

Goaccess Tool Review

More videos:

  • Review - GoAccess: Open Source Real-time Web Log Analyzer and Interactive Viewer
  • Review - GoAccess - Web Log Analyzer

Google Analytics videos

Google Analytics Review

More videos:

  • Review - Google Analytics, Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
  • Review - Google Analytics Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GoAccess and Google Analytics)
Analytics
11 11%
89% 89
Web Analytics
11 11%
89% 89
Heatmaps
100 100%
0% 0
Mobile Analytics
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using GoAccess and Google Analytics. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GoAccess and Google Analytics

GoAccess Reviews

Top 5 NGINX Log Analyzer Tools – Driving Business Growth with Data
GoAccess is a free log analysis tool suitable for IT professionals who need quick access to real-time server data and reports. The program runs as a command line in Unix/Linux operating systems and can evaluate log formats including Nginx, CloudFront, Apache, Amazon S3, and Elastic Load Balancing.
Lightweight alternatives to Google Analytics
I record people for 7 days on my site, and shove the data into https://goaccess.io/ which sends me the result in a crappy email summary, without IP addresses. So I'm effectively keeping zero in the long term, although I *am* retaining *some* data in the short term.
Source: lwn.net
Best Log Management Tools: Useful Tools for Log Management, Monitoring, Analytics, and More
GoAccess is a real-time log analyzer software intended to be run through the terminal of Unix systems, or through the browser. It provides a rapid logging environment where data can be displayed within milliseconds of it being stored on the server.
Source: stackify.com

Google Analytics Reviews

10 Best Mixpanel Alternatives for Product Analytics in 2024
Google Analytics is a popular digital insights platform that allows website owners to monitor multiple aspects of their user analytics, online performance, and more. Use the paid or free plan to optimize your website with user behavior insights to get higher conversion rates.
Source: clickup.com
Best Mixpanel Alternatives for SaaS
GA 360 (now GA4) provides higher data limits, BigQuery integration, service level agreements, custom variables, and a dedicated support team. The cost of Google Analytics 360 starts from $12,500 per month and $150,000 per year. Google suggests that the cost of Google Analytics 4 360 starts at a retail price of USD $50,000/year, which entitles customers to 25 million events...
Source: userpilot.com
Top 5 Plausible Analytics Alternatives in 2024
It allows you to bring in data from 17+ sources including multiple shopping carts, payment gateways, Google Analytics, and email marketing platforms.
Source: www.putler.com
Top 9 Plausible Analytics alternatives in 2024
Google Analytics, a prominent player, offers extensive functionalities, making it suitable for businesses needing comprehensive data analysis. Its versatility spans from tracking website traffic, user demographics, and behavior to providing insights on conversion rates and traffic sources.
Source: usermaven.com
Top 5 Self-Hosted, Open Source Alternatives to Google Analytics
Choosing the right open source, self-hosted alternative to Google Analytics depends on your specific needs, whether it's for enhanced privacy, detailed data insights, or ease of use. Each of these tools offers unique strengths, empowering website owners with the flexibility and control needed in today's digital landscape.
Source: zeabur.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GoAccess should be more popular than Google Analytics. It has been mentiond 59 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GoAccess mentions (59)

  • Open source Google Analytics replacement
    I use https://goaccess.io/ to parse the logs and generate a html report. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, there is a lot of bot activity there, that using JS might cleanup a bit. If you are interested, I have a write up of my setup here, with the report generation down at the bottom:. - Source: Hacker News / 23 days ago
  • Killing Bots at the Gate: Detecting Malicious Crawlers with Nginx
    Want real-time views? Try GoAccess for a terminal dashboard. - Source: dev.to / 28 days ago
  • Self-Hosting like it's 2025
    11. I use goaccess (https://goaccess.io) to look at my server logs and see what is hitting me. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: What do you use for analytics for a statically generated website?
    GoAccess looks interesting; to be sincere, I haven't used it myself, but the demo website looks extremely fascinating to me! https://goaccess.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Ask HN: Light self-hosted logs/metrics/traces dashboard?
    Or you can use GoAccess [0] [0] https://goaccess.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
View more

Google Analytics mentions (36)

  • Navigating the Digital Landscape: The Role of Website Analytics in Measuring Performance
    Let’s discuss Google Analytics in particular and other tools in general, which are available online to measure the website performance. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • 10 BEST FREE SEO REPORTING TOOLS
    Google Analytics: A free tool from Google that provides in-depth website analytics and performance metrics, including traffic sources, user behavior, and conversions. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Affiliate Marketing Automation: How to Save Time and Improve Your Results?
    Automating your affiliate marketing has a clear advantage: scalability. As your affiliate network grows, manual management becomes difficult. Automation makes it easier to handle a larger volume of affiliates, communicate with them, and monitor their performance. This means that your affiliate program can grow without sacrificing efficiency. You can also use automation tools to track and report affiliate... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Which tool do you use the most for SEO?
    Google Analytics: It provides in-depth insights into website traffic, user behavior, conversions, and other important metrics. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • The dos and don'ts of website redesigns and migrations
    Implement a robust website analytics tool, such as Google Analytics, to track key metrics and gather insights about user behavior. Set up goals and conversion tracking to measure the impact of your website redesign or migration on your business objectives. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GoAccess and Google Analytics, you can also consider the following products

Matomo - Matomo is an open-source web analytics platform

Plausible.io - Plausible Analytics is a simple, open-source, lightweight (< 1 KB) and privacy-friendly web analytics alternative to Google Analytics. Made and hosted in the EU, powered by European-owned cloud infrastructure 🇪🇺

Mixpanel - Mixpanel is the most advanced analytics platform in the world for mobile & web.

Fathom Analytics - Simple, trustworthy website analytics (finally)

Adobe Analytics - Adobe Analytics is an industry-leading solution that empowers you to understand your customers as people and steer your business with customer intelligence.

Glass Analytics - Google Analytics alternative that shows you exactly how visitors become customers.