Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics

Compare Alceris Analytics and Pirsch Analytics on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Fathom Analytics, Google Analytics, Matomo

Logo: Alceris Analytics

Alceris Analytics

Germany· Web Analytics

Needs review

Shortlist when you need German-operated, cookieless pageview/event analytics with a free monthly allowance and one-line install. Skip when you need self-hosting, open-source core, enterprise cert packs, or deep product analytics—consider Plausible, Simple Analytics, Pirsch, or Matomo instead.

Cookieless by designEU-operated (Germany)Realtime dashboardFree tier (volume-capped)SaaS only (no self-host)
Logo: Pirsch Analytics

Pirsch Analytics

Germany· Web Analytics

Needs review

Shortlist Pirsch when you want German-operated, cookie-free web analytics with funnels/events, agency white-label, and a public DPA—hosted on Hetzner per vendor docs. Skip when you need free full-product self-host, session replay/heatmaps, or a stack with zero US-group subprocessors; consider Plausible or Simple Analytics instead.

Cookie-free hashingOpen-source core (AGPL)Hetzner DE hosting (claimed)Server-side trackingAgency white-labelPublic DPA/AVV
Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: Alceris AnalyticsAlceris AnalyticsLogo: Pirsch AnalyticsPirsch Analytics
Country of originGermanyGermany
CategoryWeb AnalyticsWeb Analytics
Open sourceNoYes
Self-hostedNoNo
HeadquartersGermanyGermany
Legal entityManuel Bauer, Innere Passauer Str. 45, 94315 Straubing, Germany (VAT DE353601960)Emvi Software GmbH (Nickelstraße 1b, 33378 Rheda-Wiedenbrück; HRB 11575, AG Gütersloh)
Governing lawGermanyGermany / EU GDPR
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)MediumMedium
Hosting / residencyVendor claims analytics data is stored and served only on European servers and aggregated on arrival. Named external paths: Paddle (paid billing MoR) and optional Google Search Console. No official named infrastructure/subprocessor inventory beyond those; public site IP/ASN currently associated with netcup GmbH (Germany). DNS nameservers observed on Hetzner.Analytics: Hetzner Online GmbH, Germany (vendor claims Nuremberg/Falkenstein). Account/ops subprocessors named in privacy policy include AWS SES (Amazon Web Services EMEA), Google Workspace (Google Cloud EMEA), Stripe, Inc. (US), Intuition Machines, Inc. (US CAPTCHA), and Datev eG (DE).
Summary

German cookieless website analytics SaaS: aggregate pageviews, events, and UTM campaigns without cookies or IP logs, operated from Straubing with EU-oriented hosting claims.

Cookie-free web analytics from Emvi Software GmbH in Germany: hash-based visitor IDs, open-source core, Hetzner-hosted SaaS with funnels, events, and agency white-label.

Tags
At a glance: Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics
At a glanceLogo: Alceris AnalyticsAlceris AnalyticsLogo: Pirsch AnalyticsPirsch Analytics
HQStraubing, GermanyRheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany
Legal entityManuel Bauer (sole operator)Emvi Software GmbH
DeploymentHosted SaaS onlyNot listed
Open sourceProduct SaaS closed; WP plugin on WordPress.orgCore library AGPL-3.0; full SaaS commercial
Commercial modelFree volume-capped tier; paid via PaddleUsage-based (monthly page views); trial available
Governing lawGermany (per terms)Not listed
CategoryNot listedWeb analytics (SaaS)
Self-hostNot listedEnterprise on-prem option; not free CE
Primary hosting (claimed)Not listedHetzner Germany (Nuremberg/Falkenstein)
Key capabilities: Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics
Key capabilitiesLogo: Alceris AnalyticsAlceris AnalyticsLogo: Pirsch AnalyticsPirsch Analytics
Cookieless by designYesNot listed
EU-operated (Germany)YesNot listed
Realtime dashboardYesNot listed
Free tier (volume-capped)YesNot listed
SaaS only (no self-host)YesNot listed
Cookie-free hashingNot listedYes
Open-source core (AGPL)Not listedYes
Hetzner DE hosting (claimed)Not listedYes
Server-side trackingNot listedYes
Agency white-labelNot listedYes
Public DPA/AVVNot listedYes

Alceris Analytics

  • Cookieless aggregation without IP storage

    Per the privacy policy, Alceris does not set cookies, session IDs, or similar client storage; IPs are not logged; the full User-Agent is not stored. Only aggregated fields such as page URL, referrer, parsed browser/OS, language, and timezone-based country are retained—aimed at sites that want stats without an analytics cookie banner.

  • One-line async script, deferred events, WordPress plugin

    Install via a single async script from alceris.com with your site data-id (docs include a deferred alceris() queue so early events are not lost). WordPress operators can use the official plugin and paste the dashboard site ID. SaaS-only—there is no self-hosted server package.

  • Realtime pageviews and custom events with metadata

    Pageviews and events are processed immediately into the dashboard. Custom events are sent with alceris('event', name, { ...metadata }), useful for button clicks, form steps, or content attributes without building a full product-analytics stack.

  • UTM campaigns, outbound links, and cross-domain flows

    UTM parameters are extracted for campaign reporting; outbound link clicks are tracked automatically; cross-domain tracking follows visitors across owned domains. Scope is web traffic measurement—not session replay or heatmaps.

  • Optional Google Search Console and first-party proxy

    Connect Search Console to import query impressions, clicks, and terms (data removed on unlink). Docs also describe reverse-proxying script.js and the img.alceris.com data endpoint through your own domain so ad-blockers are less likely to drop hits—at the cost of operating that proxy yourself.

Pirsch Analytics

  • Cookie-free 24-hour visitor hashing

    Recognizes visitors without cookies by hashing IP, User-Agent, date, and a per-site salt into a short ID. The vendor states IPs are not stored and cross-site linkage is blocked by the salt; sessions expire after 24 hours so long-term profiles are not built. Best for sites that want aggregate traffic metrics without a dedicated analytics cookie banner—confirm ePrivacy/TTDSG fit with counsel.

  • Server-side and script integrations

    Instrument via JS snippet, CMS plugins (e.g. WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Framer), or backend SDKs/API (Go library and other stacks). Server-side collection improves resilience when ad blockers strip client scripts. Tradeoff: backend integration costs more engineering time than a single script tag.

  • Funnels, events, goals, and tag segmentation

    Goes past pageviews with custom events, conversion goals, multi-step funnels, session path exploration, outbound/download/404 tracking, and tags for A/B tests or channel segmentation. Webhooks and email reports push insights into existing tools. Some advanced metrics (e.g. custom event metrics, e-commerce revenue tracking) sit on higher commercial tiers—verify the live feature matrix.

  • Agency white-label and shared dashboards

    Custom domains, themes, logos, and broader white-label options let agencies present analytics under their own brand. Public dashboards and unique access links support clients without full account sprawl; roles/teams scale collaboration. Strong fit for multi-client portfolios; less relevant for a single personal blog.

  • Migration imports, API, and unlimited retention (stated)

    Import historical data from Google Analytics, Plausible, or Fathom; export CSV; use the REST API and SDKs for custom pipelines. Pricing docs state unlimited data retention across Standard, Plus, and Enterprise. Limits are usage-based on monthly page views (events and a share of session extensions count)—plan for growth, not perpetual free volume.

Assurance & compliance: Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics
Assurance & complianceLogo: Alceris AnalyticsAlceris AnalyticsLogo: Pirsch AnalyticsPirsch Analytics
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not found

No public third-party audit of cookieless/no-IP claims found

Not found

Open-source core allows code review; no public third-party audit PDF located in this research pass.

ISO 27001
Not found

No ISO 27001 claim on public site/security pages (none published)

Not found

No ISO 27001 certificate or registry entry found on official trust pages reviewed.

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

No SOC 2/3 report referenced publicly

Not found

No public SOC 2/3 report referenced on official pages reviewed.

GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

German controller; cookieless/no-IP design claims on privacy policy (last updated 2022). Not legal advice—confirm with counsel and DPA.

Vendor claimed

German controller/processor Emvi Software GmbH; cookie-free hashing design; public DPA; German Hetzner hosting claims. Vendor also cites CCPA/PECR/Schrems II—treat as claims, confirm with counsel.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

EU sole proprietor, no known US parent; vendor EU-hosting claims and DE-associated hosting for the public site. Optional Google Search Console involves Google; Paddle handles payments; infrastructure subprocessors not fully named. Indicative only—not legal advice.

Partial

EU entity / no known US parent and Hetzner DE analytics hosting, but privacy policy names AWS SES, Google Workspace, Stripe, and Intuition Machines (US-group services) for email/CAPTCHA/payments. Not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Not found

No public DPA page or in-product DPA download found; ask vendor before production use

Vendor claimed

Downloadable English DPA and German AVV PDFs linked from docs.pirsch.io/privacy.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

Web analytics measurement product; not marketed as an AI system

Not applicable

Classical web analytics product; not marketed as an AI system.

Considerations & known limitations: Alceris Analytics vs Pirsch Analytics
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: Alceris AnalyticsAlceris AnalyticsLogo: Pirsch AnalyticsPirsch Analytics
Solo / small-operator continuity
Medium

Imprint shows an individual operator in Straubing. Terms provide service as-is with email support on reasonable effort and reserve the right to modify or discontinue the service. Practical impact: backup exports and an exit plan matter more than with a large SaaS vendor.

Not listed
Thin public compliance packaging
Medium

No ISO/SOC claims, no independent audit, no public DPA template, and no named infrastructure subprocessor list despite terms referring to third-party hardware/storage vendors. Practical impact: slower security review for regulated buyers.

Not listed
Optional Google Search Console path
Low

Connecting Search Console pulls query metrics from Google into Alceris. Leave it disconnected if US providers are out of policy for any analytics-adjacent data.

Not listed
Billing via Paddle MoR
Low

Paid plans are contracted with Paddle, not Alceris directly. Review Paddle's terms and data role for finance/procurement.

Not listed
WordPress plugin maintenance signal
Low

WordPress.org lists the plugin as not tested with the latest major WP releases and few active installs. Prefer manual script install or re-test thoroughly on your WP version.

Not listed
US-group account/ops subprocessorsNot listed
Medium

Even with German analytics hosting claims, customer email, CAPTCHA, and payments involve AWS, Google, Stripe, and Intuition Machines. Sovereign or “no US cloud” policies need explicit exception handling or Enterprise architecture review.

No public ISO/SOC or third-party auditNot listed
Medium

Procurement teams that require ISO 27001 or SOC 2 evidence will need vendor questionnaires or NDA materials; public pages did not show those certs.

Open-source core ≠ free full self-hostNot listed
Low

Teams assuming AGPL means free on-prem of the entire product may be surprised; full on-prem is positioned as Enterprise.

Fingerprinting still needs legal fit reviewNot listed
Low

Cookie-free hashing is not automatically lawful everywhere without information/consent analysis. Banner removal should be validated for your jurisdiction and tag stack.

Page-view usage limitsNot listed
Low

Plans are metered on monthly page views (with events and partial session extensions counting). Hitting the cap can restrict dashboard access until upgrade or cycle reset—model traffic before cutover.

Fit

Alceris Analytics

Best fit when

  • Small-to-medium websites that want aggregate traffic and event stats without analytics cookies
  • Teams replacing GA for basic reporting (pages, referrers, UTMs) under a German legal entity
  • Operators who value a free volume-capped tier and Paddle-billed paid upgrades
  • Sites that may reverse-proxy the script/data endpoints to reduce ad-blocker loss
  • WordPress sites willing to validate the plugin against their WP version

Poor fit when

  • Organisations that must self-host analytics or run an open-source core under their own ops
  • Buyers needing public ISO 27001/SOC 2, independent audits, or a ready DPA/subprocessor pack
  • Product teams requiring funnels, session replay, heatmaps, or multi-product analytics depth
  • Procurement processes that reject solo-operator vendors or optional US integrations (Google Search Console)

Consider instead when

  • When: You want a more established cookieless SaaS brand with stronger public compliance packaging

    Consider: Plausible Analytics or Simple Analytics

    Similar lightweight privacy analytics category; different ownership and documentation maturity

  • When: You need self-hosted or on-prem control of the analytics stack

    Consider: Matomo (self-hosted) or catalog Matomo hosting variants

    Alceris is cloud-only; proxying the script still sends data to Alceris

  • When: You need German-hosted open-source cookieless analytics with a different product surface

    Consider: Pirsch Analytics

    Peer German privacy-analytics option for side-by-side evaluation

  • When: You need full GA4-class product and marketing analytics depth

    Consider: Google Analytics (accept its data model) or a heavier EU suite

    Alceris intentionally stays narrow

Pirsch Analytics

Best fit when

  • EU sites replacing Google Analytics that need pageviews, campaigns, events, and funnels without analytics cookies
  • Agencies needing multi-site dashboards, client access links, and white-label branding
  • Teams that can instrument server-side or proxy scripts for better ad-blocker resilience
  • Buyers who want a German GmbH, downloadable DPA, and Hetzner-Germany residency claims for analytics data
  • Orgs evaluating Enterprise SAML, raw data access, or on-prem/managed private deployment

Poor fit when

  • Teams that require a free, full-product self-hosted community edition (core library ≠ full SaaS)
  • Product or UX research needing session replay, heatmaps, or persistent cross-site user identity
  • Procurement policies that forbid any US-group subprocessor (email CAPTCHA/billing still touch AWS/Google/Stripe/Intuition Machines)
  • Heavy product-analytics / multi-product identity graphs (closer to Amplitude/Mixpanel class tools)

Consider instead when

  • When: You need a free full-stack self-hosted analytics product with AGPL community edition

    Consider: Plausible Analytics (CE) or other open full products in your shortlist

    Pirsch open-sources the tracking core; on-prem of the full product is Enterprise-scoped.

  • When: You want the simplest possible privacy-first metrics with a Dutch vendor

    Consider: Simple Analytics

    Fewer advanced funnel/white-label features; different packaging tradeoffs.

  • When: You need heatmaps or session replay more than classical web analytics

    Consider: Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity, or EU UX-analytics peers

    Expect heavier consent and data-minimization review.

  • When: You must stay inside Google’s advertising and BigQuery measurement ecosystem

    Consider: Google Analytics / Google Tag Manager stack

    Opposite privacy and transfer posture—only if legal review accepts it.

Open questions for due diligence

Alceris Analytics

  • Will the vendor sign a B2B DPA and provide a current named subprocessor list (hosting, backups, email)?
  • Which exact EU data-centre operators and regions process customer analytics data today?
  • Is there any independent assessment of the no-cookie / no-IP-storage claims?
  • What is the support SLA or roadmap process for a solo-operated product?
  • Is the WordPress plugin still maintained for current WordPress majors?

Pirsch Analytics

  • Can Enterprise on-prem exclude AWS SES / Google Workspace / Stripe / CAPTCHA US-group dependencies for the customer’s deployment?
  • Is any ISO 27001, SOC 2, or independent penetration-test summary available under NDA?
  • Exact data centers, backup locations, and encryption-key custody for multi-tenant SaaS—beyond marketing Hetzner claims?
  • Which feature flags on Standard vs Plus vs Enterprise apply to funnels, A/B tags, e-commerce metrics, and white-label depth at contract time?