You did not quit Google Analytics because you hate charts. You quit because you got tired of cookie banners, missing data, and reports that tell you what happened but not why. In Web3, it gets worse, because your users jump between wallets, chains, dapps, and devices, and then they vanish the second they smell friction.
This blog is a straight list of seven tools founders pick when they want cleaner data, simpler setup, and answers they can act on. Some are privacy-first website analytics, some are product analytics, and some help you stitch events together across your stack.
I will also point out the questions people keep asking, like “Can I track without cookies”, “How do I track wallet connects”, and “Will this slow my site down”, because those are the questions that decide what you buy.
Quick Answers – Jump to Section
- Why Web3 teams ditch Google Analytics
- What to pick first: website analytics or product analytics
- Tool 1 Plausible for simple privacy-first website analytics
- Tool 2 Fathom for clean reporting and fast setup
- Tool 3 Simple Analytics for teams that want less tracking drama
- Tool 4 PostHog for product analytics and session replay
- Tool 5 Mixpanel for event tracking and funnels
- Tool 6 Amplitude for product insights at scale
- Tool 7 Matomo for teams that want full control
- How founders track wallet activity without creeping people out
- Common setup mistakes that make your numbers useless
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final thoughts
Why Web3 teams ditch Google Analytics
The first reason is trust and privacy. Founders keep asking if they can run analytics without a cookie pop-up that scares users away, and they also ask if they can avoid sharing data with a giant ad business. If your product touches money, people notice these details, so “we track everything” is not a cute look.
The second reason is messy attribution. Web3 traffic comes from X, Telegram, Discord, Reddit, podcasts, and partner drops, and then it lands on a site that might not even be the main conversion point. So GA can feel like a camera pointed at the wrong door, because you see pageviews, yet you miss the real story.
What to pick first: website analytics or product analytics
Website analytics answers “What pages are people reading and where did they come from”. Product analytics answers “What did they do inside the app and where did they quit”. People often buy the wrong one first, then complain the tool is bad, when the real issue is the question they asked.
If you are early stage, start with a simple website tool, then add product analytics when you have real flows to measure. If you are already shipping a dapp with onboarding steps, you will want product analytics sooner, because that is where the leaks are.
Tool 1 – Plausible for simple privacy-first website analytics
Plausible is popular because it is simple and it does not feel creepy. Founders ask if it works without cookies, and the answer is yes in many cases, which is why it gets picked by teams that want fewer compliance headaches.
It is also fast to read. You get the basics, like top pages, referrers, and conversions, without ten menus. If you want a clean way to link analytics back to content work, you can pair it with a content plan, and the structure in How to Master Your Content Calendar for Lasting Results helps you keep tracking tied to what you publish.
Tool 2 – Fathom for clean reporting and fast setup
Fathom is another privacy-first option that founders pick when they want quick setup and simple dashboards. People ask if it slows down the site, because Web3 sites already load too many scripts, and this is one of the lighter options.
The main win is the same as Plausible: fewer moving parts. You track what matters, you ignore the rest, and you stop arguing about whether your bounce rate is “good”. For founders, that time saved is often the real ROI.
Tool 3 – Simple Analytics for teams that want less tracking drama
Simple Analytics is for the founder who wants to know “Is the site working” without turning the whole company into a reporting department. People ask if they can get useful numbers without user-level tracking, and this is built for that.
If your goal is to measure content and landing pages, it does the job. It also fits teams that want to be able to say, with a straight face, that they respect privacy, and then back it up.
Tool 4 – PostHog for product analytics and session replay
PostHog shows up a lot when founders ask “How do I see where users get stuck”. Session replay and event tracking help you spot friction fast, which matters when your onboarding includes wallets, signatures, and network switches.
It also helps answer the question “What did the user do right before they quit”. That is the kind of question GA rarely answers well for product flows. If you are building content to support onboarding, the copy principles in Proven Techniques for Better Copywriting can help you reduce drop-offs with clearer microcopy.
Tool 5 – Mixpanel for event tracking and funnels
Mixpanel is a classic for event-based tracking. Founders ask if it can track funnels like “landing page to wallet connect to first transaction”, and yes, that is the point of it.
The catch is that you need to define events properly. If you name events like “clicked button” and “did thing”, you will hate your own dashboard in a month. So the tool is only as good as your event plan.
Tool 6 – Amplitude for product insights at scale
Amplitude is often picked when teams want deeper product analysis and they have enough volume to justify it. People ask how to measure retention in Web3 when users come and go, and cohort analysis helps, because it shows who returns after week one, week four, and beyond.
It is also useful when you want to compare segments, like “users from this campaign” versus “users from that partner”. If you are trying to earn more visibility in AI-driven search, the angle in How to Dominate Google’s AI Overviews as a Web3 Business matters, because better content brings better traffic, and better traffic makes your product numbers less random.
Tool 7 – Matomo for teams that want full control
Matomo comes up when founders ask “Can I host analytics myself”. Some teams want full control for compliance, internal rules, or just peace of mind. Matomo can fit that, because you can run it in your own environment.
The trade-off is that you own the setup and upkeep. If you want something you can forget about, pick a hosted tool. If you want control, and you have someone who can manage it, Matomo can be a solid choice.
How founders track wallet activity without creeping people out
This is the question everyone asks, even if they do not say it out loud. “Can I track wallet connects and on-chain actions” is common, and the honest answer is yes, but you need to be careful with what you store and how you explain it.
A simple approach is to track product events like “wallet connected” and “transaction started” without storing more personal detail than you need. If you want to tie on-chain actions to growth, the idea in How to Use On-Chain Actions to Grow Your Website Authority fits, because on-chain proof can support marketing, yet you still need to respect user privacy.
Common setup mistakes that make your numbers useless
The biggest mistake is tracking everything and understanding nothing. Founders ask “What should I track”, and the answer is “track the steps that lead to value”. If your value is a swap, track the steps to the swap. If your value is a deposit, track the steps to the deposit.
The second mistake is ignoring performance. Too many scripts slow sites down, and slow sites kill signups. So keep your stack lean, and pick tools that match the questions you need answered, not the ones with the biggest feature list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run analytics without cookie banners
Often yes, if you use privacy-first tools and avoid user-level tracking. However, rules vary by region, so check what applies to your market.
How do I track wallet connects
Track it as a product event, and keep the data minimal. Focus on the flow steps, not on building a shadow profile of the user.
What is the best GA alternative for a Web3 marketing site
If you want simple website numbers, Plausible, Fathom, and Simple Analytics are common picks.
What is the best tool for Web3 product funnels
PostHog, Mixpanel, and Amplitude are common picks because they are built around events and funnels.
Will these tools work with dapps
Yes, but you need to plan events carefully, and you should test performance so you do not slow down the app.
Final thoughts
Founders abandon Google Analytics when it stops answering the questions that matter. In Web3, those questions are usually about friction, onboarding, and whether users come back.
Pick the tool based on the question you need answered this quarter, keep your tracking simple, and treat privacy like part of the product. Your users will notice, and your numbers will make more sense.
_________________________________________________________________
Download your free copy of the Growth Engine Blueprint here and start accelerating your leads today.
Want to know how we can guarantee a mighty boost to your traffic, rank, reputation and authority in you niche?
Tap here to chat to me and I’ll show you how we make it happen.
If you’ve enjoyed reading today’s blog, please share our blog link below.
Do you have a blog on business and marketing that you’d like to share on influxjuice.com/blog? Contact me at rob@influxjuice.com.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.