Build vs Google Analytics
Web analytics by Google — Should you build, vibe code, or buy?
Our Verdict
🛒 Buy
Free and good enough for most. GA4 learning curve is worth it.
Pricing
$0-$0/mo
Founded
2005
HQ
Mountain View, CA
Vibe Time
N/A
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a web analytics by google. The company is alphabet subsidiary. With Part of Google employees, Google Analytics serves teams looking for analytics solutions.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Free
- Powerful
- Industry standard
- Google integrations
Weaknesses
- GA4 learning curve
- Privacy concerns
- Sampled data
- Complex
Who Should Use Google Analytics?
Best For
- Websites
- Marketing Teams
- Budget Conscious
Not Ideal For
- Privacy Focused
- Product Analytics
Vibe Coding Google Analytics
Using AI tools like Cursor and Claude, you can build a google analytics-like solution in N/A for approximately N/A.
What You Can Build
What's Harder to Replicate
Getting Started
Use this prompt with Cursor or Claude to scaffold your alternative:
Build a web analytics by google with these core features: Tech stack: Next.js 14, TypeScript, Prisma, PostgreSQL, Tailwind, shadcn/ui Include authentication, API routes, database schema, and a clean UI.
Alternatives to Google Analytics
Plausible
Privacy-focused, simpler
Fathom
Privacy-focused, simple
Mixpanel
Product analytics
The Bottom Line
Google Analytics is the right choice for most teams. The engineering effort to build an alternative would cost more than years of subscription fees. Focus your development resources on what makes your product unique.
Calculate Your Build vs Buy Costs →