Friendly Analytics vs nilly

Compare Friendly Analytics and nilly on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Fathom Analytics, Google Analytics

Logo: Friendly Analytics

Friendly Analytics

Switzerland· Web Analytics

Needs review

Shortlist when you need full Matomo depth (heatmaps, funnels, ecommerce, API) with Swiss product hosting and managed privacy defaults—especially regulated CH/EU orgs leaving Google Analytics. Skip when you only want a minimal pageview counter, a free self-serve tier, or pure DIY Matomo ops—consider Plausible, etracker, or self-hosted Matomo instead.

Matomo-as-a-ServiceCookieless by defaultSwiss product hostingISO 27001 (claimed)DPA availableEU / on-prem option
Logo: nilly

nilly

Switzerland· Web Analytics

Needs review

Shortlist nilly when you want Swiss-entity, cookieless, ultra-light site analytics with realtime dashboards, city geo, custom events, unlimited sites, and an API—without GA4 consent weight. Skip when you need self-host/open source, enterprise audit packs, or deep marketing-suite analytics; consider Plausible Analytics, Simple Analytics, or etracker instead.

Cookieless trackingSwiss-hosted (claimed)Swiss entitySub-1 kB scriptREST APISaaS only
Friendly Analytics vs nilly: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: Friendly AnalyticsFriendly AnalyticsLogo: nillynilly
Country of originSwitzerlandSwitzerland
CategoryWeb AnalyticsWeb Analytics
Open sourceYesNo
Self-hostedYesNo
HeadquartersSwitzerlandSwitzerland
Legal entityFriendly LLC (Friendly GmbH on DPA), Werkhofstrasse 5, 6052 Hergiswil, SwitzerlandLyo GmbH, Europaallee 41, 8004 Zürich (CHE-417.675.763)
Governing lawSwiss law (per customer principal agreement / DPA framework)Switzerland (terms)
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)MediumMedium
Hosting / residencyAnalytics product: Infomaniak (CH) primary hosting; Netstream and Hosttech (CH) backups. AWS listed only for Friendly Automate email, not Analytics. Enterprise marketing also offers EU or on-premise hosting. Company ops: US SaaS including Google Workspace, HelpScout, Stripe, Notion, Calendly, Cloudflare (help docs).Vendor FAQ: analytics servers in Switzerland (multiple locations). Public site reverse-DNS: KreativMedia/METANET Zürich. Customer-account subprocessors named in privacy policy: Stripe (US payments), Mailerlite (email). Avatars via Gravatar. No full public subprocessor list for backups/monitoring/CDN.
Summary

Swiss Matomo-as-a-Service: cookieless-by-default web analytics with heatmaps, funnels, and ecommerce, product data hosted in Switzerland, plus enterprise DPA and on-prem options.

Swiss privacy-first web analytics (Lyo GmbH): cookieless, sub-1kB tracking with realtime dashboards, city-level geo, custom events, unlimited sites, and a REST API as a lightweight Google Analytics alternative.

Tags
At a glance: Friendly Analytics vs nilly
At a glanceLogo: Friendly AnalyticsFriendly AnalyticsLogo: nillynilly
HQHergiswil, SwitzerlandZürich, Switzerland (Lyo GmbH)
Legal entityFriendly LLC / Friendly GmbHLyo GmbH (CHE-417.675.763)
StackMatomo (unmodified + premium plugins)Not listed
Product hostsInfomaniak; backups Netstream & Hosttech (CH)Not listed
Commercial modelHit-based SaaS; enterprise custom; no free trialTraffic-based plans; trial; no permanent free tier
Open source baseMatomo; portable to other Matomo hostsNot listed
Product modelNot listedSaaS web analytics (not self-hosted)
TrackingNot listedCookieless; no IP/fingerprint claims
Hosting (claimed)Not listedSwitzerland (multi-site)
Live site noteNot listedkandur.one (nilly branding; nilly.io DNS failed at research)
Key capabilities: Friendly Analytics vs nilly
Key capabilitiesLogo: Friendly AnalyticsFriendly AnalyticsLogo: nillynilly
Matomo-as-a-ServiceYesNot listed
Cookieless by defaultYesNot listed
Swiss product hostingYesNot listed
ISO 27001 (claimed)YesNot listed
DPA availableYesNot listed
EU / on-prem optionYesNot listed
Cookieless trackingNot listedYes
Swiss-hosted (claimed)Not listedYes
Swiss entityNot listedYes
Sub-1 kB scriptNot listedYes
REST APINot listedYes
SaaS onlyNot listedYes

Friendly Analytics

  • Matomo-as-a-Service with privacy defaults

    Runs unmodified Matomo plus selected premium plugins, preconfigured for cookieless tracking, IP truncation, and nFADP/GDPR-oriented defaults so teams avoid operating Matomo themselves while keeping exit paths to another Matomo host.

  • Heatmaps, funnels, session recording, and ecommerce

    Beyond pageviews: heatmaps, privacy-oriented session replays, conversion funnels, form analytics, A/B tests, and ecommerce reporting for UX and revenue analysis without bolting on a separate US product suite.

  • Swiss product hosting with EU or on-prem options

    Visitor analytics hosted with Infomaniak in Switzerland; backups via Netstream and Hosttech (CH). Enterprise can contract Swiss, EU, or on-premise placement—confirm region in the order form rather than assuming SaaS-only CH.

  • Ads conversion export without third-party pixels

    Advertising Conversion Export sends conversions to Google or Bing via API so campaigns can be optimized without placing those vendors' tracking codes on your site—useful when privacy policy bans extra ad tags.

  • GA import, reporting API, and Matomo portability

    Historical Google Analytics data can be imported (manual, effort-billed). Reporting API and live export links feed BI tools; data can move to another Matomo instance, limiting classic SaaS lock-in.

  • Enterprise contracts, SSO, and dedicated instances

    Enterprise tier adds custom DPA/DORA/NDA/SLA paperwork, dedicated account management, SSO, custom domain, dedicated instance, and phone/video support for banks, insurers, and public bodies.

nilly

  • Sub-1 kB cookieless tracking script

    Vendor documents a client script under 1 kB with no cookies, no IP tracking, and no fingerprinting for site visitors. Suited to teams that want aggregate traffic metrics without analytics cookie banners; still get counsel for your jurisdiction and CMP setup.

  • Realtime dashboard with geo, tech, and campaigns

    Dashboards cover live visitors, overview metrics, top pages, referrers, UTM campaigns, geography from continent to city, and device/browser/OS breakdowns—enough for content and acquisition decisions without a full product-analytics suite.

  • Custom events, CSV export, and email reports

    Define custom events for conversion-style actions, export statistics as CSV, and receive email reports. Fits operators who need lightweight conversion signals and offline analysis rather than session replay or multi-step funnels.

  • REST API for stats, websites, and account

    Documented API endpoints (Bearer API key) manage stats queries (pageviews, visitors, referrers, events, geo, devices, and more), websites, and account objects—useful for internal dashboards or automations on traffic-based plans that include API access.

  • Unlimited websites on traffic-based plans

    Public pricing model is pageview-tier SaaS with unlimited websites per account and a short free trial—not a permanent free tier. Good for agencies or multi-brand operators who outgrow per-site free plans elsewhere; confirm current tiers on the vendor site.

Assurance & compliance: Friendly Analytics vs nilly
Assurance & complianceLogo: Friendly AnalyticsFriendly AnalyticsLogo: nillynilly
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not found

Vendor describes anonymization defaults and mentions external pen tests in ISO materials; no public independent no-logs audit report found.

Not found

No public third-party audit report found for tracking claims.

ISO 27001
Vendor claimed

Vendor publishes ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification covering the company/products with a certificate PDF; not independently re-verified against the cert body registry in this draft.

Not found

No vendor ISO 27001 certificate published on product site (underlying Swiss host DCs may be certified separately).

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

No SOC 2/3 claim found on security/about pages reviewed.

Not found
GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

Swiss entity; public materials assert nFADP and GDPR alignment; cookieless defaults and CH processing described in DPA.

Vendor claimed

Swiss entity; privacy policy includes GDPR rights language; cookieless visitor tracking claimed. Confirm DPA for B2B.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

Swiss entity, no known US parent; Analytics product hosts are Swiss (Infomaniak/Netstream/Hosttech). Medium/partial because company subprocessors include US SaaS (e.g. Google Workspace, HelpScout, Stripe, Cloudflare). AWS not used for Analytics per vendor list. Indicative only—not legal advice.

Partial

Swiss operator, no known US parent, Swiss-claimed analytics hosting; US SaaS subprocessors Stripe (payments) and Gravatar (avatars) on customer path. Not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Vendor claimed

Public DPA text for Friendly GmbH; customers asked to contact to sign. Enterprise also references DORA/NDA/SLA packs.

Not found

No public DPA download found; request from vendor.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

Web analytics SaaS; not positioned as an AI system product.

Not applicable

Web analytics product; not marketed as an AI system.

ISO 9001
Vendor claimed

Vendor publishes ISO 9001 certification materials alongside ISO 27001.

Not listed
Swiss Made Software / Swiss Web labelsNot listed
Vendor claimed

Cited on About and Swiss Union member page as recognition/labels—not a security audit.

Considerations & known limitations: Friendly Analytics vs nilly
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: Friendly AnalyticsFriendly AnalyticsLogo: nillynilly
US company-operation subprocessors
Medium

Support, email/calendar, payments, CRM/docs, and help-docs edge use US-headquartered SaaS even though Analytics visitor data hosts are Swiss. Material for DPIAs that demand zero US processors in any vendor process.

Not listed
Cookie features can reintroduce consent needs
Low

Default is cookieless, but enabling cookie-based Matomo capabilities may require banners for EU visitors—configuration discipline required.

Not listed
Small Swiss operator dependency
Low

Seven-person-scale Open Startup; mitigations include Matomo portability and open financial transparency, but capacity and roadmap still depend on a small firm.

Not listed
Certifications vendor-published
Low

ISO 27001/9001 are claimed with PDFs on the vendor site; procurement should verify certificate validity with the issuing body.

Not listed
Do not conflate with Friendly Automate
Medium

Automate uses AWS for email sending. Scope assessments to Analytics-only subprocessors unless you also buy Automate.

Not listed
Brand/domain transition (nilly.io vs kandur.one)Not listed
Medium

Product still branded nilly, but the live marketing/API host is kandur.one; nilly.io did not resolve in DNS during research. Verify tracking domains, docs, and status before production cutover.

US SaaS on customer account pathNot listed
Medium

Stripe (payments) and Gravatar (avatars) are US-group services. Visitor metrics are claimed Swiss-hosted and non-personal, but account/billing data is not Switzerland-only end-to-end.

Thin public assurance packNot listed
Medium

No public ISO 27001/SOC 2, independent security audit, or DPA page found. Fine for many SMB shortlists; friction for regulated enterprise questionnaires.

No self-host or open-source editionNot listed
Low

Cannot run on your own infra or audit server code from a public repo. Hard limit for sovereignty programs that require self-host.

Small independent operatorNot listed
Low

Founder-owned Swiss GmbH without VC narrative—positive for independence, but buyers should assess support SLAs, roadmap continuity, and single-vendor concentration.

Fit

Friendly Analytics

Best fit when

  • Teams that want Matomo's full feature set without self-hosting ops burden
  • Swiss and EU organizations prioritizing CH product residency (Infomaniak + CH backups)
  • Sites aiming for cookieless measurement under default privacy configuration
  • Marketing teams needing heatmaps, funnels, ecommerce, and ad conversion export without Google Analytics
  • Enterprises needing DPA/DORA/SLA paperwork, SSO, or dedicated instances

Poor fit when

  • Buyers who only need lightweight pageview analytics and prefer a free tier (see Plausible-class tools)
  • Teams that must self-operate every component with no SaaS operator in the path
  • Orgs that require zero US-headquartered tools anywhere in the vendor's company stack (support/billing SaaS is disclosed)
  • Use cases outside web/app analytics (Friendly Automate is a different product with different subprocessors)

Consider instead when

  • When: You want a minimal, open-source, cookieless counter with simpler SaaS UX

    Consider: Plausible Analytics

    Less Matomo plugin depth; different hosting/operator story (Estonia).

  • When: You need German enterprise analytics with long public-sector track record

    Consider: etracker

    Different stack (not Matomo); compare cookieless claims and contracts directly.

  • When: You prefer a modern EU analytics product with open-source core and lean UI

    Consider: Pirsch Analytics

    Germany-based; trade Matomo feature breadth for a different product surface.

  • When: You already run Matomo well and only need software, not a Swiss operator

    Consider: Self-hosted Matomo

    Maximum control; you own privacy config, updates, and hosting risk.

nilly

Best fit when

  • Privacy-conscious SMBs and indie sites replacing GA4 with aggregate metrics only
  • Teams that want Swiss legal entity and Swiss-located analytics servers
  • Operators running many sites who benefit from unlimited websites on traffic tiers
  • Builders who need a simple REST API for pageviews, referrers, geo, and events
  • Sites prioritizing minimal JS weight and fewer analytics consent prompts

Poor fit when

  • Organizations that must self-host or review open-source analytics code
  • Buyers needing published ISO 27001/SOC 2 or a full public DPA/subprocessor pack
  • Marketing teams requiring session replay, heatmaps, or advanced e-commerce/ad sync suites
  • Enterprises that need SSO/SCIM, formal SLAs, and large-vendor assurance paperwork as table stakes

Consider instead when

  • When: You want open-source and/or self-host privacy analytics with a larger community

    Consider: Plausible Analytics or Pirsch Analytics

    nilly is proprietary SaaS only.

  • When: You want another European cookieless SaaS with a simple product story

    Consider: Simple Analytics

    Dutch peer; compare geo depth, API, and residency claims side by side.

  • When: You need deeper marketing, shop, and tag/consent analytics for EU enterprises

    Consider: etracker

    German suite-oriented alternative; heavier than nilly's lightweight dashboard.

  • When: You depend on free unlimited scale and Google ads/ecosystem integration

    Consider: Google Analytics (GA4)

    Different privacy and residency tradeoffs; not a sovereignty shortlist.

Open questions for due diligence

Friendly Analytics

  • Will the signed DPA and order form pin hosting to Switzerland only, or allow EU/on-prem variants?
  • Which company subprocessors (HelpScout, Google Workspace, Stripe, etc.) receive which categories of customer personal data in practice?
  • Can the current ISO 27001 certificate be validated against the certification body's public register (scope, dates, sites)?
  • For enterprise: what is the RPO/RTO and whether backups remain exclusively in Switzerland?
  • If both Analytics and Automate are purchased, how are subprocessors and data paths segmented contractually?

nilly

  • Will Lyo GmbH sign a B2B DPA and provide a current full subprocessor list (including backups, monitoring, CDN)?
  • Is analytics data retained only on Swiss hosts, or are any DR/replicas outside Switzerland?
  • What is the durable public domain for tracking scripts and API (kandur.one vs nilly.io) for the next 12 months?
  • Are there enterprise features (SSO, roles, retention controls, MSA/SLA) beyond self-serve traffic plans?
  • Can the vendor provide any independent security assessment under NDA?