Plausible

Plausible

Lightweight, privacy-focused web analytics platform designed for GDPR compliance without cookie consent banners. Plausible tracks page views and referral sources without setting cookies or collecting personal data. All data is aggregated and not shared with third parties.

Overview

Plausible is a lightweight, open-source, privacy-focused web analytics platform designed to provide essential traffic metrics without requiring cookie consent banners. It tracks page views and referral sources without setting cookies or collecting personal data. All data is aggregated, and no information is shared with third parties.

What This Script Does

  • Tracks page views using a sub-1KB script without setting any cookies
  • Records referral sources, UTM parameters, and entry pages
  • Estimates unique visitors using a privacy-preserving hash that rotates daily
  • Collects anonymized device type and browser metadata for aggregate reporting
  • Sends analytics data to Plausible's EU-hosted servers (or self-hosted instances)
  • Does not collect IP addresses, fingerprints, or personally identifiable information

Consent & Compliance

Category: Analytics

Plausible is purpose-built for consent-free operation. It sets no cookies, uses no local storage, collects no personal data, and does not track individuals across sessions or sites. The daily-rotating hash prevents long-term visitor identification.

  • GDPR: No consent required. Does not process personal data or use cookies.
  • CCPA: Minimal data collection. No personal information is collected or shared.
  • ePrivacy: Exempt. No cookies or local storage used.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

No. Plausible is specifically designed to operate without consent. It sets no cookies, collects no personal data, and produces only aggregate metrics. It can run freely under GDPR and ePrivacy regulations.

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Consent Categories

Analytics

Also Known As

plausibleplausible analyticscookie-free analyticsno cookie analyticsGDPR compliant analyticsprivacy analyticsgoogle analytics alternative

Industries

Computers Electronics and Technology

Tracked Domains (1)

plausible.ioAnalytics

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Plausible Analytics need a cookie consent banner?

Generally no. Plausible is designed for GDPR compliance without consent banners. It sets no cookies, collects no personal data, and shares nothing with third parties. Unique visitors are estimated via a daily-rotating privacy-preserving hash preventing cross-session tracking. Most regulators consider this compliant without consent.

What does the Plausible analytics script track?

Plausible uses a sub-1KB script to track page views, referral sources, UTM parameters, and entry pages. It estimates unique visitors through a daily-rotating hash rather than cookies. Anonymized device type and browser metadata are collected for aggregate reporting only. No IP addresses, fingerprints, or personal data are collected.

How does ConsentStack categorize Plausible Analytics?

ConsentStack identifies the Plausible script and assigns it to analytics. Because Plausible sets no cookies and collects no personal data, ConsentStack can be configured to allow it without consent. This lets site owners run privacy-friendly analytics while still blocking other analytics vendors that require consent.

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Manage consent for Plausible

ConsentStack automatically detects and manages Plausible trackers so your site stays compliant with global privacy regulations.