Let’s be real – the past year of Google updates has proved that you need to keep a close eye on your website’s performance. Fortunately, there are plenty of analytics tools to make that easier.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the top analytics services to help you fine-tune your strategy and keep things running smoothly.
What are web analytics tools?
Analytics tools are software solutions that help you collect, measure, and analyze data to understand visitor behavior on your website, track performance, and optimize your strategy. They can help you make informed decisions by providing insights into traffic sources, user interactions, and overall website performance.
Key functions of web analytics tools
There are various kinds of website analytics tools, and which one is best depends on what you want to measure.
- Traffic analytics tools give you insight into website visitor numbers, traffic sources, and user demographics. They’re ideal for tracking overall website health and seeing where visitors come from (social media, search engines, direct traffic, etc.).
- Behavior analytics tools tell you how users interact with elements on your site, such as where they click, how far they scroll, or which pages they view. Heatmaps fall under this category.
- Conversion analytics tools analyze users’ steps before completing a desired action, such as purchasing your travel guide. These are used to optimize conversion rates.
- SEO analytics tools monitor search engine rankings, keyword performance, and backlinks.
- A/B testing tools test different versions of a webpage or element to see which one performs better.
- Customer journey mapping tools visualize and analyze the customer journey, identifying pain points and things to improve from when users land on the site to when they convert.
The best web analytics tools
We studied the analytics landscape and identified the best tools available in 2024. Below the summary table you’ll find a deeper dive into each service and a FAQ on website analytics tools.
| Tool | Metrics | Cost |
| Adobe Analytics | Customer journey analysis, real-time traffic, conversion rates, content performance, A/B test results, device and browser usage | Custom pricing (contact sales) |
| Ahrefs | Organic keyword rankings, backlink profiles, competitor analysis, content performance, domain authority | $129 per month (two months free if you pay annually) |
| Amplitude | User engagement, retention rates, conversion funnels, behavioral cohorts, event tracking | • Free plan • Plus plan starts at $49 per month |
| Chartbeat | Real-time traffic, scroll depth, time spent on a page, top-performing content, audience engagement | Custom pricing (request a demo) |
| Crazy Egg | Heatmap data, scroll depth, click tracking, A/B test results, user behavior | $99 per month |
| GA4 (Google Analytics 4) | Cross-platform traffic, user engagement, conversion tracking, real-time insights, event tracking | Free |
| Google Search Console | Search traffic and keyword rankings, click-through rates, impressions, indexed pages, mobile usability issues | Free |
| Hotjar | Heatmap data, scroll depth, click patterns, session recordings, user feedback and surveys | • Free plan • Paid plans start at $39 per month |
| Jetpack | Website traffic, popular posts and pages, search engine terms, referring websites, visitor engagement | • Free plan • Paid plans start at $11 per month billed yearly |
| KeySearch | Keyword difficulty and search volume, competitor keyword analysis, backlink profiles, rank tracking for targeted keywords, YouTube keyword opportunities | $24 per month or $240 per year |
| Kissmetrics | Customer acquisition and retention, funnel and cohort analysis, A/B test results, revenue and churn rates, lifetime value (LTV) | $299 per month |
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | Email open and click-through rates, subscriber growth, automation performance, landing page conversions, revenue generated | • Free for up to 10,000 subscribers • Creator plan starts at $29 per month |
| Matomo (formerly Piwik) | Visitor traffic and engagement, goal conversions, heatmaps and session recordings, custom event tracking, SEO keyword tracking | • Free self-hosted version • The cloud-hosted version starts at $29 per month |
| Mixpanel | User engagement and retention, funnel analysis, event tracking, A/B test results, custom cohort analysis | • Free plan with limited features • Paid plans start at $28 per month |
| Open Web Analytics | Visitor traffic, click paths, heatmaps, conversion goals, custom event tracking | Free |
| Woopra | Real-time visitor tracking, funnel analysis, retention reports, customer segmentation, user journey mapping | • Free plan • Paid plans start at $999 per month |
1. Adobe Analytics
With its advanced data analysis and customization options, Adobe Analytics is a good choice for businesses seeking in-depth insights into traffic, user behavior, and conversion.
Data tracked:
- Customer journey analysis
- Real-time traffic
- Conversion rates
- Content performance
- A/B test outcomes
- Device and browser usage
Price:
Custom pricing, so you’ll need to contact their sales team for a quote. A free trial is available.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs, one of the most popular SEO and web analytics platforms, helps track website performance, keyword rankings, and backlinks. It’s great for bloggers already earning money and looking to level up their SEO efforts.
Metrics tracked:
- Organic keyword rankings
- Backlink profiles
- Competitor analysis
- Content performance
- Domain authority
Price:
Plans start at $129 monthly. If you pay annually, you’ll get two months free. They offer a one-week trial for $7.
3. Amplitude
Amplitude is a product analytics tool that tracks user behavior, engagement, and retention across websites and apps.
Data tracked:
- User engagement
- Retention rates
- Conversion funnels
- Behavioral cohorts
- Event tracking
Price:
Amplitude offers a free plan with limited features. Its Plus plan starts from $49 per month.
4. Chartbeat
Chartbeat is a real-time analytics platform publishers and content creators use to track how audiences interact with content. It’s known for providing insights on reader engagement and helping website owners optimize their articles.
Data tracked:
- Real-time traffic
- Scroll depth
- Time spent on page
- Top-performing content
- Audience engagement
Price:
Custom pricing, so you’ll need to contact their sales team for a quote. A free trial is available.
5. Crazy Egg
Crazy Egg is a website optimization tool featuring heatmaps, scroll maps, and A/B testing to help understand user behavior. It’s popular for its easy-to-understand visual reports.
Data tracked:
- Heatmap data
- Scroll depth
- Click tracking
- A/B test results
- User behavior
Price:
Plans start at $99 monthly, with a 30-day free trial.
6. GA4 (Google Analytics 4)
The latest version of Google Analytics features advanced data tracking, cross-platform insights, and AI-driven predictions. It’s designed to give a comprehensive view of the customer journey and allows you to track website and app data in one place.
Data tracked:
- Cross-platform traffic
- User engagement
- Conversion tracking
- Event tracking
Price:
Free!
7. Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free website analytics tool that helps monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your ranking in search results. It’s widely used for tracking keyword performance, understanding how your website appears in search results, and identifying indexing issues.
Data tracked:
- Search traffic and keyword rankings
- Click-through rates (CTR)
- Impressions
- Indexed pages
- Mobile usability issues
Price:
Free!
8. Hotjar
Hotjar is a behavior analytics tool that provides heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback polls, making it easier to understand how users interact with your website.
Data tracked:
- Heatmap data
- Scroll depth
- Click patterns
- Session recordings
- User feedback and surveys
Price:
Hotjar offers a free version with limited features. Paid plans start at $39 monthly, with 20% off if you pay yearly.
9. Jetpack
Jetpack is an all-in-one WordPress plugin that offers website analytics, security, performance optimization, and marketing tools.
Data tracked:
- Website traffic
- Popular posts and pages
- Search engine terms
- Referring websites
- Visitor engagement
Price:
Jetpack has a free version with basic analytics features. Premium plans start at $11 per month, billed yearly.
10. KeySearch
This is an all-in-one SEO tool that provides keyword research, competitor analysis, rank tracking, and backlink monitoring.
It’s also great for finding YouTube keywords if you’re planning to branch out into video content.
Data tracked:
- Keyword difficulty and search volume
- Competitor keyword analysis
- Backlink profiles
- Rank tracking for targeted keywords
- YouTube keyword opportunities
Price:
KeySearch offers a 30-day free trial, and its paid plans start at $24 per month or $240 per year.
11. Kissmetrics
Kissmetrics is behavioral analytics software aimed at SaaS and e-commerce platforms, but travel content creators with established businesses may also find it worthwhile.
Data tracked:
- Customer acquisition and retention
- Funnel and cohort analysis
- A/B test results
- Revenue and churn rates
- Lifetime value (LTV)
Price:
Kissmetrics offers a 14-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $125.99 per month.
12. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
One of the best tools for travel bloggers, as far as yours truly is concerned. Kit is an all-in-one platform for creators trying to grow, engage, and monetize their audience. Known for its powerful email marketing automation, it offers landing pages, automation sequences, a learning section, and much more.
Data tracked:
- Email open and click-through rates
- Subscriber growth
- Automation performance
- Landing page conversions
- Revenue generated
Price:
ConvertKit offers a free, limited Newsletter plan, which lets you manage up to 10,000 subscribers. The Creator and Creator Pro plans offer more advanced options, like unlimited visual automations. Pricing is based on how many email subscribers you have.
13. Matomo (formerly Piwik)
Matomo is open-source web analytics software offering full data ownership. It’s great for creators who want more control over their analytics data without relying on third-party services.
Data tracked:
- Visitor traffic and engagement
- Goal conversions
- Heatmaps and session recordings
- Custom event tracking
- SEO keyword tracking
Price:
Free when self-hosted. The cloud-hosted version starts at $29 per month.
14. Mixpanel
Mixpanel was, designed primarily for SaaS companies, but it also offers valuable tools for travel content creators looking to understand how audiences interact with their sites.
Data tracked:
- User engagement and retention
- Funnel analysis
- Event tracking
- A/B test results
- Custom cohort analysis
Price:
Mixpanel has a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $28 per month.
15. Open Web Analytics
Open Web Analytics (OWA) is similar to Google Analytics but has the advantage of being self-hosted, giving you complete control over your business data and insights.
Data tracked:
- Visitor traffic
- Click paths
- Heatmaps
- Conversion goals
- Custom event tracking
Price:
Free!
16. Woopra
Woopra is real-time analytics software that provides insights into customer behavior and engagement across many digital platforms.
Data tracked:
- Real-time visitor tracking
- Funnel analysis
- Retention reports
- Customer segmentation
- User journey mapping
Price:
Woopra offers a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $999 per month.
FAQ
How do website analytics tools work?
Web analytics platforms vary depending on what exactly you’re measuring. Traffic analysis tools (for example, Google Analytics) use tracking codes to collect visitor data, including page views, traffic sources, and user demographics.
Behavior analytics tools, like Hotjar and Crazy Egg, use heatmaps, scroll maps, and session recordings to track how users interact with your website elements (clicks, scrolling behavior, etc.).
How often should I check my web analytics?
You should check your web analytic tool at least once a week to monitor your website’s performance and identify any patterns or issues. Regularly reviewing your analytics ensures you can make timely adjustments, track progress toward your goals, and identify areas that require improvement, such as high bounce or low conversion rates.
Why does the data from different analytics tools differ?
Different analytics tools handle data in their own ways, which can lead to different results. Things like cookies or scripts might also work differently on various platforms. Use multiple tools to better understand how your website is performing.
How can you see the number of clicks on links in an article using web analytics tools?
To track the number of clicks on links within an article, use tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or Crazy Egg. Start by setting up “event tracking” or “goals” for the specific links you want to monitor.
For example, the “Events” feature in Google Analytics tracks link clicks, displaying the number of clicks in your analytics dashboard. This allows you to measure the link’s effectiveness.
Which tools are most suitable for beginners?
Google Analytics, Jetpack, KeySearch, and Hotjar are user-friendly, offer free plans, and have plenty of tutorials to help you get started.
Choosing the best web analytics tool
When choosing any tool, first consider your website’s needs and goals. Do you need advanced tracking or basic insights?
A good tool will help you better understand your users, and the right analytics and reporting features can significantly impact your decision-making. Explore different tools and their functions, and, of course, stick to free ones if they meet all your needs. The money you save can go to a worthy cause, like ice cream! 🍨
