Fathom vs Google Analytics (2025): The Best Analytics Choice for Solo Businesses That Just Need the Basics

Quick verdict for solos who just need the basics:

• If GA4 feels overwhelming and all you need are pageviews, top content, referrers, and simple goals, Fathom is faster, easier, and much more privacy-friendly.
• If you rely on Google Ads or need deep event analysis, GA4 is still the stronger choice.

Why solos are rethinking GA4

GA4 is unquestionably powerful, but for solopreneurs it’s often too much. The interface can feel like a maze, simple reports take too many steps, and even basic setup eats time. If you’ve ever thought, “GA4 is way too complicated for what I need,” you’re not imagining it.

Most solo sites just want real-time traffic, top pages, referrers, and conversions without wrestling with consent banners or intensive configurations. That gap is exactly what Fathom fills.

Fathom vs GA4: What actually matters for solo sites

Here’s how the two stack up when you only need essentials:

Ease of use

• GA4: Feature-packed but requires learning curve.
• Fathom: One clean dashboard, no training, no “explorations.”

Privacy and compliance

• GA4: Needs consent banners in many regions. Adds GDPR complexity.
• Fathom: Privacy-first, cookieless, usually no banner required.

Performance and accuracy

• GA4: Larger script, often blocked by privacy tools.
• Fathom: Tiny script, harder for ad-blockers to catch, more complete data.

Mini case study: HumanWindow’s “just the basics” switch

Content site HumanWindow used GA for years. Once GA4 launched, they found it confusing and heavy for their needs. They started running Fathom alongside GA and realized Fathom delivered everything they actually cared about in a single dashboard.

They even imported old GA data in minutes to keep continuity. Eventually, they dropped GA4 altogether because Fathom saved them time and removed the stress of navigating GA’s complexity.

“Our websites are content-focused… we simply wanted a straightforward analytics dashboard to measure our traffic.” - HumanWindow

Privacy and compliance: skip the GDPR drama

If you have EU traffic, GA4 can be a headache. Authorities in Austria, France, and Italy have all ruled that Google Analytics data transfers don’t meet GDPR requirements. See rulings here: EU regulators' decisions against Google Analytics.

Fathom avoids cookies altogether and is privacy-first by design. That usually means no analytics banner needed, less compliance overhead, and fewer legal worries.

Performance and accuracy: lightweight tracking

Script weight and speed

• GA4’s script is ~65 KB.
• Fathom is under 2 KB. That’s over 30 times lighter, which makes pages load faster and helps with Core Web Vitals. Reference: GA vs. Fathom script size.

Ad-blockers and missing data

• GA4 gets blocked a lot. For tech-heavy audiences, over half of visits can disappear. Example: 58% of visits from Hacker News/Reddit audiences went missing in GA. See analysis: GA undercounting from ad-blockers.
• Fathom slips past blockers more often and even allows custom domains for tracking, which helps you capture a more accurate picture.

Features you’ll actually use

What you get with Fathom

• Real-time dashboard: visitors, pageviews, referrers, geography, goals.
• Clear UTM campaign filtering.
• Unlimited data retention (as long as you’re a customer).
• Easy setup and support for multiple sites.

What GA4 still does better

• Tight integration with Google Ads/AdSense.
• Advanced modeling and segmenting if you genuinely need granular analysis.

For most solos, those advanced features aren’t worth the hassle. A clear, single-page dashboard you check often beats an overbuilt tool you avoid.

Cost and value

GA4 is free on paper, but it costs in hidden ways: time to set up, ongoing maintenance, slower site speeds, missing data, and compliance stress.

Fathom is paid with a 7-day free trial. Pricing scales by pageviews, which solos can usually keep affordable. Many find the time and mental energy saved is worth far more than the subscription fee.

How to switch from GA4 to Fathom (one afternoon project)

1. Sign up for the 7-day trial at Fathom.
2. Add your site and paste the snippet (or install via your CMS).
3. Run it alongside GA4 briefly to compare.
4. Import your GA history to keep continuity.
5. Remove GA scripts, ditch analytics cookie banners, update your privacy policy, and you’re done.

Where Plausible vs Fathom vs GA4 fits

If you’re comparing “Plausible vs Fathom vs GA4”:

• Fathom and Plausible have very similar missions: simple, privacy-first analytics.
• Choosing between them comes down to which interface feels more natural.
• GA4 only makes sense if you need ads integration or advanced custom modeling.

FAQs

What can I use instead of Google Analytics?

Options include Fathom, Plausible, and Matomo.

Is Fathom free?

No, but it offers a 7-day trial, then paid plans that scale with traffic.

Do I need a cookie banner with Fathom?

Usually not, since it doesn’t use cookies for analytics.

Does GA4 slow down sites?

Yes, heavier script size can impact performance. GA is ~65 KB vs. Fathom’s ~2 KB. See details: script comparison.

Is GA4 GDPR-compliant?

It’s risky. Regulators in Austria, France, and Italy have ruled GA non-compliant due to data transfers. Summaries: EU rulings.

Bottom line

For solo entrepreneurs and indie creators, Fathom delivers the essentials quickly. It runs lighter, protects privacy, skips cookie banners, and avoids compliance headaches.

GA4 still makes sense if you need its deep integrations. But for most one-person sites in 2025, simpler analytics you’ll actually use beats advanced analytics you’ll never touch.

Try Fathom for a week next to GA4. You’ll know quickly which one gives you clearer insights without draining your time.

Citations

• Script size comparison: Glass Analytics
• EU GDPR rulings: Simple Analytics
• GA undercounting: Plausible