Software Alternatives & Startups

Plausible.io VS StackStats.app

Compare Plausible.io VS StackStats.app and see what are their differences

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 🇪🇺

Rating
5.0 · 3 reviews
Pricing
Open source Paid Free trial $9 / Monthly (10,000 pageviews)
StackStats.app

Advanced analytics for Substack writers. Runs 100% locally, no cloud, no subscription. Discover your superfans, churn risk, and cohort retention.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Paid $39 / Annually (1 Year License)

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Plausible.io seems to be a lot more popular than StackStats.app. While we know about 219 links to Plausible.io, we've tracked only 1 mention of StackStats.app.

social mentions
219 vs 1
Analytics popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 2

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Plausible.io
StackStats.app
Website plausible.io stackstats.app
Pricing
Open source Paid Free trial $9 / Monthly (10,000 pageviews) Official pricing
Paid $39 / Annually (1 Year License) Official pricing
Platforms
Web Browser Google Chrome Firefox Safari Wordpress +3
—
Company Startup from Estonia · 2019 Startup from the United Arab Emirates · 1 - 9 employees · 2026
Listed in

About Plausible.io and StackStats.app

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Plausible.io
StackStats.app

Plausible Analytics is not designed to be a clone of Google Analytics. It is meant as a simple-to-use replacement and a privacy-friendly alternative that can help many site owners. It&#39;s quick, simple to use and understand with all the metrics displayed on one page. Doesn&#39;t track hundreds...

Read more about Plausible.io

StackStats is a local desktop app for serious Substack writers. Import your CSV exports and get analytics Substack doesn&#39;t show you: bot-filtered open rates, cohort retention, dead subscriber detection, superfan ID, content-to-growth correlation, and an optional AI layer (supports Ollama,...

Read more about StackStats.app

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Plausible.io 6 features
StackStats.app 6 features
  • Privacy-focused
    Plausible does not collect personal data about your visitors and is fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and PECR.
  • Simple to Use
    The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for users without technical expertise.
  • Lightweight
    Plausible's script is under 1 KB in size, making it fast to load and reducing the impact on site speed.
  • Open-Source
    The platform is open-source, which allows for community contributions and transparency in how data is handled.
  • Real-Time Data
    Plausible provides real-time analytics, which can be useful for monitoring live events and activities on your site.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Offers competitive pricing models that can be more budget-friendly for small to medium-sized businesses compared to other analytics platforms.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Features
    Lacks some advanced features found in more comprehensive analytics tools like Google Analytics, such as multi-channel funnels and detailed demographic information.
  • No Free Tier
    Plausible does not offer a free tier, which could be an obstacle for very small websites or individual users on a tight budget.
  • Basic Reporting
    The reporting may be too basic for larger enterprises that require more granular and customizable analytics.
  • No App Integration
    Currently, Plausible does not offer integrations with mobile app analytics, limiting its use to web applications.
  • Smaller User Base
    As a relatively new and smaller player in the market, it may not have the extensive user community or third-party support seen with more established platforms.
  • Platforms
    Mac, Windows
  • Pricing
    One-time
  • Data storage
    Local Only
  • Internet Required
    No
  • Account Required
    No
  • AI integration
    Yes (optional)

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Plausible.io
StackStats.app

Overall verdict

  • Plausible.io is generally considered to be a good web analytics tool, especially for those who prioritize privacy and simplicity.

Why this product is good

  • Plausible.io is designed with simplicity and privacy at its core, offering a clean and user-friendly interface without tracking personal data or using cookies. It provides essential analytics without overwhelming users with too much information. This focus on privacy can be particularly appealing in a landscape where data concerns are significant. It is also easy to integrate, offers real-time data, and is open source, allowing for more transparency compared to some competitors.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized website owners
  • Bloggers and content creators
  • Businesses and startups focused on privacy
  • Developers who value open source solutions
  • Users looking for an alternative to Google Analytics with a straightforward setup

Overall verdict

  • StackStats.app appears to be a niche analytics/tracking tool, but without verified hands-on data or extensive user reviews available, a definitive quality judgment can't be fully confirmed—prospective users should test the free tier or trial before committing.

Why this product is good

  • Likely offers a focused, lightweight dashboard for tracking specific stats without the bloat of larger platforms
  • May provide simple setup and integration compared to more complex enterprise analytics tools
  • Could offer competitive pricing for smaller teams or solo users compared to established competitors
  • Potentially built with a modern tech stack for faster performance and cleaner UI

Recommended for

  • Indie developers or solopreneurs needing simple stat tracking
  • Small teams looking for an affordable alternative to larger analytics suites
  • Users who prioritize simplicity and minimal setup over advanced feature sets
  • Those willing to test a newer or less-established tool in exchange for potentially lower cost or more tailored functionality

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Plausible.io 3 videos + Add
StackStats.app 0 videos + Add

Cardano Blackboard Series #5: What is plausible deniability?

More videos

  • - How Plausible is the Balkanized America from Crimson Skies? (A Map Analysis)
  • - Movie Review - How Plausible is The Martian?

No StackStats.app videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Plausible.io
StackStats.app
100% 100%
0% 0%
99% 99%
1% 1%
0% 0%
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Plausible.io and StackStats.app.

What's the story behind your product?

StackStats.app's answer:

I built StackStats because Substack's native analytics weren't cutting it. I wanted cohort data, real open rates (not bot-inflated), and a way to identify which posts were actually driving subscriber growth — but every tool I found was either cloud-based or required migrating off Substack entirely. So I built a local app that works with Substack's own CSV exports. No migration, no cloud, no subscription.

What makes your product unique?

StackStats.app's answer:

StackStats runs 100% locally on your machine — your subscriber data never touches a server. It also goes far beyond what Substack shows natively: bot-filtered open rates, cohort retention, superfan identification, dead subscriber detection, and content-to-growth correlation. No subscription, no account, no cloud. Pay once, own it forever.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

StackStats.app's answer:

Most newsletter analytics tools are cloud-based SaaS with monthly subscriptions. StackStats is a one-time purchase that runs entirely on your device. For Substack writers who care about privacy — especially those with paid subscribers — that's a meaningful difference. You also get analytics features that don't exist anywhere else, like bot-filtered open rates and cohort retention, without having to migrate away from Substack.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

StackStats.app's answer:

Serious Substack writers who are frustrated by Substack's shallow native analytics and want real data to drive growth — without moving their subscriber data to the cloud.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

StackStats.app's answer:

Electron (macOS + Windows), HTML/CSS/JavaScript, Chart.js, PapaParse. Optional AI layer supports Ollama, Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, Groq, and OpenRouter. Licensing via Cloudflare Workers + D1. Payments via Gumroad.

User comments

Share your experience with using Plausible.io and StackStats.app. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Plausible.io 5.0 · 3 reviews
StackStats.app no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of StackStats.app yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Plausible.io 219 mentions
StackStats.app 1 mention
  • Self-Host Plausible Community Edition with Docker
    Plausible Community Edition is a self-hosted, cookie-free analytics stack. The same product family powers Plausible Cloud, and CE is the free, AGPL-licensed release you run yourself. On October 18, 2026, the analytics repository had... - Source: dev.to / 22 days ago
  • Free monitoring and analytics for vibe coding (2026)
    Self-host Plausible or Umami if you do not want Google. Plausible Cloud is a paid product. If you already have GA4, do not add these “for comparison” on production. - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • Google Maps results to emails: add contacts to a Maps Scraper dataset, one row per place
    { "place": { "title": "TEST FIXTURE place A: plausible.io (first place on this domain)", "placeId": "hiver-fixture-place-a", "address": "1 Fixture Street, Testville, TS 00001", "phone": "+1 555-0101" }, "website":... - Source: dev.to / 30 days ago

View more

  • Ask HN: What are you working on? (November 2026)
    I'm working on 3 products now: 1. FormBeep(https://formbeep.com) at $38 MRR now - A form to Whatsapp tool. Stack is mainly CF workers with Clerk Auth. 2. SlashLink(https://slashlink.app) $0 - A simple pay as you go amazon link localizer.... - Source: Hacker News / 1 day ago

Alternatives to Plausible.io and StackStats.app

When comparing Plausible.io and StackStats.app, you can also consider the following products.