Feeling the weight of massive analytics bills? Want more control over your data? You’re not alone. Bootstrapped teams are increasingly ditching big analytics vendors and taking matters into their own hands. With the right self-hosted analytics stack, you can slash costs, keep your data private, and still make smart, data-driven decisions.
TL;DR
Big analytics platforms like Google Analytics 4, Mixpanel, or Amplitude can be expensive and invasive. Bootstrapped teams often use self-hosted analytics stacks to save money and control their own data. In this article, we break down 4 of the best self-hosted analytics stacks (backend + dashboard) that are easy to set up, affordable, and privacy-friendly. Pretty visuals included.
Why Go Self-Hosted?
Using big-name analytics vendors often means high costs and giving up control of your data. Those services usually track a ton of things you may not even need. Plus, they store your user data on their servers, raising privacy and compliance concerns.
With a self-hosted stack, you:
- Control the data pipeline from start to finish
- Avoid third-party scripts and flaky ad blockers
- Comply with GDPR and other privacy laws easier
- Save money over time
Now, let’s dive into the top 4 self-hosted analytics stacks that small teams are loving right now.
1. Plausible + ClickHouse
This is a favorite among privacy-first startups. Plausible is a lightweight, open source web analytics tool. It doesn’t use cookies and is fully GDPR compliant. It’s written in Elixir and very fast even on small servers.
You can self-host Plausible entirely, but for higher data volumes or more custom querying, you can pair it with ClickHouse. ClickHouse is a lightning-fast OLAP database that excels at processing time-series data like web events.
Why teams love it:
- Simple setup
- Fast and beautiful dashboard
- No cookies, no creepy tracking
- Lots of community support
Great for: Product websites, marketing teams, solo founders who want a nice dashboard without fuss.
2. PostHog
PostHog is like the Swiss Army knife of product analytics. It does way more than just page views. You get session replays, feature flags, A/B testing, and big query support — all in one tool. And yes, you can self-host the whole thing.
Underneath, PostHog uses ClickHouse as its storage engine, which is perfect for event-based data. It has a powerful dashboard builder and supports custom events, user tracking, and funnels.
Why teams love it:
- All-in-one analytics + product toolkit
- Self-hosted version is free up to a point
- Good UI, great docs
- Easy integrations with popular tools
Great for: SaaS products, mobile apps, teams who want detailed analytics and product operations under one roof.
3. Matomo + MariaDB
Previously known as Piwik, Matomo is one of the most popular self-hosted alternatives to Google Analytics. It’s been around since 2007, and its mature feature set shows that. Matomo supports goal tracking, funnels, detailed visitor logs, and even A/B testing through premium add-ons. On the backend, a common setup uses MariaDB or MySQL.
Why teams love it:
- Very similar to Google Analytics (easy transition)
- Free and open source
- Huge plugin ecosystem
- Great for teams who love PHP-based solutions
Great for: Agencies, government sites, eCommerce teams that want old-school depth and privacy.
4. Countly + MongoDB
Countly is a sleek analytics tool designed for modern apps — especially mobile. You can self-host Countly with MongoDB as its underlying database. It’s great for tracking events, user journeys, and crash reports.
The Community Edition is free and has most core features. You only pay if you want deep integrations and enterprise-level support. Countly’s dashboard is beautiful and very customizable.
Why teams love it:
- Awesome user interface
- Strong mobile analytics support
- Flexible event tracking
- Self-hosted and scalable
Great for: Mobile-first startups, app developers, teams that need more than just web analytics.
Quick Comparison Table
| Stack | Best For | Backend | Dashboard | Cookie-Free? | Pricing (Self-Hosted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plausible + ClickHouse | Lightweight web analytics | ClickHouse (optional) | Plausible UI | ✅ | Free |
| PostHog | Product analytics | ClickHouse | PostHog UI | ✅ | Free for core |
| Matomo + MariaDB | Legacy-style analytics | MariaDB/MySQL | Matomo UI | Optional | Free |
| Countly + MongoDB | Mobile + web apps | MongoDB | Countly UI | Optional | Free core |
Setting Things Up
Don’t let the idea of self-hosting scare you. Most of these tools offer Docker setups, scripts, or easy cloud deployment (for your own server). Common requirements include a cloud VPS, domain name, and SSL setup.
Almost all platforms here publish step-by-step guides. Some even provide 1-click deployment on platforms like DigitalOcean or Render.
Final Thoughts
Big tech doesn’t have to own your analytics. With these self-hosted stacks, small teams get flexibility, savings, and peace of mind. Whether you care about privacy, costs, or just like to tinker — there’s a stack here for you.
Own your data. Understand your users. And do it your way.