GoatCounter alternative

A GoatCounter alternative with a live visitor view, live chat and heatmaps

Looking for a GoatCounter alternative that goes beyond page counts? Hitsteps is hosted web analytics: add one snippet, see who is on your site now and talk to them from the same account. GoatCounter is a small open source analytics tool that aims to be easy and privacy-aware, and many site owners choose it for exactly that.

The split is simple. Hitsteps gives you a live visitor view on Free, live chat from Starter at $4.99 a month and click heatmaps from Growth at $9.99 a month. GoatCounter.com is offered free for reasonable public usage, and you can self-host the open source app (pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026).

See Hitsteps plans or start a free account.

Bảng điều khiển trực tiếp
Bằng chứng sản phẩm

Hitsteps là sản phẩm phân tích được duy trì nghiêm túc, không phải một đoạn mã tạm bợ.

Dùng công cụ này khi bạn cần ngữ cảnh khách truy cập trực tiếp, các cách cài đặt thực tế và công cụ hành động xung quanh lưu lượng bạn đang có.

Từ năm 2013

Được duy trì cho các trang web thật

Hitsteps liên tục phát triển cùng nền tảng trang web, thay đổi trình duyệt, thay đổi phân tích và quy trình cửa hàng.

Hơn 15 cách cài đặt

Hoạt động ngay nơi trang web của bạn đang chạy

Các cách cài đặt WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Google Tag Manager, HTML, CMS, thương mại, trình duyệt và ứng dụng máy tính đều được hướng dẫn từ một trung tâm.

Một không gian làm việc

Từ lượt theo dõi đến hành động tiếp theo

Bảng điều khiển trực tiếp, hồ sơ khách truy cập, bản đồ nhiệt, trò chuyện, điều kiện kích hoạt, giám sát thời gian hoạt động, báo cáo và cảnh báo vẫn kết nối với nhau sau khi cài theo dõi.

Bảng điều khiển trực tiếp Hitsteps với hoạt động khách truy cập và biểu đồ
Bảng điều khiển trực tiếp
Báo cáo bản đồ nhiệt và phân tích trang của Hitsteps
Ngữ cảnh bản đồ nhiệt
Giao diện trò chuyện trực tiếp Hitsteps được kết nối với ngữ cảnh khách truy cập
Quy trình trò chuyện

Which one fits your day?

Choose GoatCounter if you want a lightweight, open source counter with no cost on the hosted service for reasonable usage, or if you want to run it yourself on your own server (source, checked 26 Oct 2026).

Choose Hitsteps if you run a website or store and want to see visitors live and talk to them. Open the live visitor view on Free, add live chat on Starter, and get click heatmaps on Growth at $9.99 a month.

Hitsteps vs GoatCounter, checked 26 Oct 2026

What you needHitstepsGoatCounter
Hosted, nothing to install on a serverYes, hosted only. You add a snippet and nothing elseYes on goatcounter.com with a script tag, or self-host the open source app (source)
See visitors live, one by oneLive visitor view from FreeNot listed among its features; GoatCounter focuses on pageview statistics, referrers and campaigns
Chat with website visitorsFrom Starter, $4.99 a monthNot listed among its features
Click heatmapsFrom Growth, $9.99 a monthNot listed among its features
Session recordingNoNot listed among its features
Free planLive visitor view, up to 2,000 pageviews a month, 1 site, 14 days of historyHosted service free for reasonable public usage; self-hosting is free (terms)
Paid plansStarter $4.99, Growth $9.99, Pro $21.99, Business $49.99 a month; 7-day Pro trial, no cardNo paid plan on its home page; donations are accepted to cover server costs

GoatCounter details come from goatcounter.com, checked 26 Oct 2026. It is run as a service for reasonable usage, so read its terms before you rely on it for a business. Plans change, so check the vendor before you decide.

Where GoatCounter is strong

GoatCounter is open source and free to self-host, adds only a few kilobytes to your pages, can count visits with a no-JavaScript tracking pixel or from server logs, and puts accessibility first (source, checked 26 Oct 2026). If you want a small counter you control completely, that is a different job from a hosted dashboard with chat.

Try the live workflow

Create a free Hitsteps account and open the live visitor view. Your free account includes a 7-day Pro trial with no credit card. After the trial you can stay on Free, which includes the live visitor view, as long as your email is verified and your site fits Free's limits (up to 2,000 pageviews a month, 1 site), or choose a paid plan. To keep talking to visitors after the trial, choose Starter at $4.99 a month.

Hitsteps does not record or replay sessions. The live visitor view shows who is on your site now, and heatmaps show where people click.

Comparing other analytics tools? Read our Plausible comparison, Umami comparison and Fathom comparison.

FAQ

Is Hitsteps a good GoatCounter alternative?

Yes, if you want hosted analytics with a live visitor view and a way to chat with visitors. If you want an open source counter you can host yourself, GoatCounter may fit better.

Is GoatCounter free?

Its site says GoatCounter.com is offered free for reasonable public usage, and the open source app can be self-hosted at no cost (terms, checked 26 Oct 2026). Hitsteps Free covers up to 2,000 pageviews a month and 1 site, with a live visitor view.

Can I self-host GoatCounter?

Yes. It ships as a single binary with SQLite or PostgreSQL, and as a Docker image (source, checked 26 Oct 2026). Hitsteps is hosted only, so there is no server to run.

Does GoatCounter have live chat or heatmaps?

Neither is listed among its features, checked 26 Oct 2026. Hitsteps adds live chat from Starter at $4.99 a month and click heatmaps from Growth at $9.99 a month.

Can I try Hitsteps without a credit card?

Yes. A free account includes a 7-day Pro trial with no credit card, and you can stay on Free afterwards if your site fits its limits.