GoatCounter

GoatCounter provides web traffic statistics while deliberately avoiding the collection of personal identifiers. It records basic information such as browser type, location, screen size, referring sites, and campaign data, and it can identify unique visits using a non‑identifiable hash instead of cookies. The platform is designed to be lightweight, adding roughly 3.5 KB of script to a page, and offers alternative integration methods including a JavaScript‑free tracking pixel, backend middleware, or log‑file imports.

The service is available as a free, donation‑supported hosted option or as a self‑hosted application that runs on SQLite or PostgreSQL. Installation is straightforward, with statically compiled binaries for multiple platforms and a Docker image, and the web interface is built for accessibility and screen‑reader compatibility. Users can export all data at any time and are not required to maintain a subscription.

Because the code is released under the EUPL‑1.2 license, anyone can inspect, modify, or redistribute the software. This open‑source, privacy‑focused approach makes GoatCounter a practical alternative for individuals or organizations that need simple analytics without the tracking footprint of larger commercial solutions.