# Umami vs. Fathom: Privacy-first analytics that go beyond a single dashboard

> Umami and Fathom both respect visitor privacy. Umami adds funnels, cohorts, session replay, and heatmaps — with a free tier and truly open-source code.

Feature table last verified: August 2026  
Source: https://umami.is/compare/fathom

## Feature comparison

### Privacy & Compliance

| Feature | Umami | Fathom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cookie-free tracking | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | MIT license | Fathom Lite (abandoned) |
| Self-hosting option | Yes | Lite only (feature-frozen) |
| Self-hosting cost | Free | Free (outdated version) |

### Analytics Features

| Feature | Umami | Fathom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Real-time dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Custom events | Yes | Yes |
| Funnel analysis | Yes | No |
| User journeys | Yes | No |
| Cohorts & retention | Yes | No |
| Segments | Yes | Filters only |
| Session replay | Yes | No |
| Heatmaps | Yes | No |
| Custom dashboards | Yes | No |
| Revenue tracking | Yes | Yes |
| UTM tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Email reports | Yes | Yes |

### Setup & Usability

| Feature | Umami | Fathom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Setup complexity | Single script tag | Single script tag |
| API access | Yes | Yes (rate-limited) |
| Data export | Yes | CSV |
| Multi-site support | Yes | Yes |

### Hosting & Pricing

| Feature | Umami | Fathom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud free tier | Yes | No |
| Cloud starting price | Free / $20 mo | $15/mo |
| Funnels & cohorts on every plan | Yes | No |

## Privacy-first, without stopping at pageviews

Umami and Fathom share the same philosophy: cookie-free, privacy-first analytics that don't need a consent banner. The difference is depth. Fathom deliberately stays a single simple dashboard — no funnels, cohorts, segments, session replay, or heatmaps. Umami keeps the simplicity but adds the tools you reach for when a number needs explaining: watch a session, build a funnel, compare cohorts.

## Actively developed open source

Fathom's open-source version, Fathom Lite, has been feature-frozen for years — it receives only security fixes and lags far behind the paid product. Umami's MIT-licensed codebase is the product: the same software behind Umami Cloud, actively developed in the open with hundreds of contributors, and completely free to self-host.

## Free to start

Fathom has no free plan — pricing starts at $15/month after a short trial. Umami Cloud has a free tier so you can start without a credit card, and self-hosting is free forever. When you outgrow the free tier, plans start at $20/month.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Umami a good alternative to Fathom Analytics?

Yes. Both are cookie-free, privacy-first analytics tools, but Umami adds funnels, cohorts, segments, session replay, heatmaps, and custom dashboards that Fathom does not offer — while remaining just as simple to set up.

### Is Fathom open source like Umami?

Not really. Fathom Lite, the open-source version, has been feature-frozen since around 2020 and lags far behind the paid product. Umami is fully open source under the MIT license — the self-hosted version is the same actively developed software as Umami Cloud.

### Does Fathom have a free plan?

No. Fathom starts at $15/month after a trial. Umami Cloud has a free tier, and self-hosting Umami is completely free.

### Does Fathom have funnels or session replay?

No. Fathom focuses on a single simple dashboard and does not offer funnels, cohorts, segments, session replay, or heatmaps. Umami offers all of these — funnels, cohorts, and segments on every plan, with replay and heatmaps on Cloud Business plans and free when self-hosting.

## Further reading

- [A mega list of Google Analytics alternatives](https://umami.is/blog/a-mega-list-of-google-analytics-alternatives.md): How Umami, Fathom, and others compare across the landscape.
- [Website traffic analysis guide](https://umami.is/guides/website-traffic-analysis.md): Get more out of your analytics once you switch.