Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights

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

Both listed as alternatives to: Fathom Analytics, Google Analytics, Hotjar, Matomo, Microsoft Clarity

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

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Sitesights

Germany· Web Analytics

Needs review

Shortlist Sitesights when you need German-operated cookieless web analytics with real-time dashboards, funnels, page flow, and a server-side API—especially agencies and SaaS teams that want Hetzner Germany hosting claims without running Matomo. Skip when you need public ISO/SOC audits, long-term visitor identity, session replay, or a fully published subprocessor pack; consider Plausible Analytics or self-hosted Matomo instead.

Cookieless trackingEU-operated (DE)Hetzner Germany (claimed)Server-side APIFunnels + page flowMulti-project / agencies

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Highlighted rows differ between the two products.

Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights: Snapshot
Feature	Pirsch Analytics	Sitesights
Country of origin	Germany	Germany
Category	Web Analytics	Web Analytics
Open source	Yes	No
Self-hosted	No	No
Headquarters	Germany	Germany
Legal entity	Emvi Software GmbH (Nickelstraße 1b, 33378 Rheda-Wiedenbrück; HRB 11575, AG Gütersloh)	Drude, Grossert GbR
Governing law	Germany / EU GDPR	Not listed
US parent / control	No known US parent	No known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Medium	Medium
Hosting / residency	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).	Product databases and app servers claimed in Germany on Hetzner. Marketing site uses Cloudflare (US) CDN. Payments via Paddle. Full product subprocessor/backup list not published on main site.
Summary	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.	German cookieless web analytics SaaS with real-time dashboards, events, funnels, and server-side APIs. Operated by Drude, Grossert GbR; product data claimed on Hetzner in Germany.
Tags	analytics privacy gdpr saas germany web-analytics cookie-free open-source server-side-tracking	analytics privacy gdpr saas germany cookieless api

At a glance: Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights
At a glance	Pirsch Analytics	Sitesights
HQ	Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany	Not listed
Legal entity	Emvi Software GmbH	Not listed
Category	Web analytics (SaaS)	Web analytics (SaaS)
Open source	Core library AGPL-3.0; full SaaS commercial	No (libs/plugins public; core SaaS proprietary)
Self-host	Enterprise on-prem option; not free CE	Not listed
Commercial model	Usage-based (monthly page views); trial available	Free start; pageviews + events subscriptions (Paddle)
Primary hosting (claimed)	Hetzner Germany (Nuremberg/Falkenstein)	Not listed
HQ / entity	Not listed	Drude, Grossert GbR, Germany
Hosting (product)	Not listed	Hetzner, Germany (vendor docs)
Tracking model	Not listed	Cookieless; 48h rotating server hash

Key capabilities: Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights
Key capabilities	Pirsch Analytics	Sitesights
Cookie-free hashing	Yes	Not listed
Open-source core (AGPL)	Yes	Not listed
Hetzner DE hosting (claimed)	Yes	Not listed
Server-side tracking	Yes	Not listed
Agency white-label	Yes	Not listed
Public DPA/AVV	Yes	Not listed
Cookieless tracking	Not listed	Yes
EU-operated (DE)	Not listed	Yes
Hetzner Germany (claimed)	Not listed	Yes
Server-side API	Not listed	Yes
Funnels + page flow	Not listed	Yes
Multi-project / agencies	Not listed	Yes

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.

Sitesights

Cookieless 48-hour rotating session hash
Standard tracking does not set cookies. Sitesights generates a server-side salted hash from IP, User-Agent, and site id with a salt that rotates every 48 hours, so long-term cross-day visitor re-identification is intentionally broken. Useful when teams want essential traffic metrics without a cookie-consent banner solely for analytics—confirm legal basis with counsel for your jurisdiction and data fields (including geo).
Sub-1 KB client script plus WordPress and Shopify plugins
Drop-in client snippet marketed as under 1 KB, with official WordPress and Shopify integration paths for non-engineers. Fits marketing sites and stores that need quick instrumentation without a heavy tag manager stack.
Server-side REST API with C# and Node libraries
Send page views and events from your backend with API-key auth so ad blockers cannot strip the beacon. MIT-licensed C# and Node.js libraries on GitHub speed integration; keep API keys off the client. Preferred path for accuracy-critical SaaS and app backends.
Real-time overview with campaign and device filters
Live dashboard for visitors, pageviews, and sessions with advanced filters, UTM/campaign views, geo, browser, OS, screen size, and daytime patterns. Aimed at operators who want essential marketing analytics in one place rather than a full product-analytics suite.
Custom funnels and page-flow journey maps
Build multi-step funnels and visual page-flow maps to see entry paths, routes, and exits. Helps conversion and UX work without session replay. Depth is journey-oriented, not identity-graph product analytics.
Multi-project workspaces with roles for agencies
Group sites and apps into projects, assign roles/permissions, and invite clients or teammates. Marketing materials reference high ceilings for team seats and properties on paid plans—verify current limits on the official pricing page.

Assurance & compliance: Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights
Assurance & compliance	Pirsch Analytics	Sitesights
Independent security / privacy audit	Not found Open-source core allows code review; no public third-party audit PDF located in this research pass.	Not found No public third-party security or no-logs audit PDF located on the official site or docs.
ISO 27001	Not found No ISO 27001 certificate or registry entry found on official trust pages reviewed.	Not found No public ISO 27001 certificate found on official pages.
SOC 2 / SOC 3	Not found No public SOC 2/3 report referenced on official pages reviewed.	Not found No public SOC 2/3 report found on official pages.
GDPR / EU data protection	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.	Vendor claimed German controller (Drude, Grossert GbR); cookieless hashing and EU hosting claims in docs/privacy. Confirm DPA and legal basis for IP/geo with counsel.
US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	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.	Partial EU entity / no known US parent; product hosting claimed on Hetzner Germany. Marketing site lists Cloudflare (US); payments via Paddle; full SaaS subprocessor list not public. Indicative only—not legal advice.
Data processing agreement (B2B)	Vendor claimed Downloadable English DPA and German AVV PDFs linked from docs.pirsch.io/privacy.	Not found No standalone public DPA download found during research; request under contract for B2B processing.
EU AI Act	Not applicable Classical web analytics product; not marketed as an AI system.	Not applicable Web analytics product; not marketed as an AI system under the EU AI Act.

Considerations & known limitations: Pirsch Analytics vs Sitesights
Considerations & known limitations	Pirsch Analytics	Sitesights
US-group account/ops subprocessors	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.	Not listed
No public ISO/SOC or third-party audit	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.	Not listed
Open-source core ≠ free full self-host	Low Teams assuming AGPL means free on-prem of the entire product may be surprised; full on-prem is positioned as Enterprise.	Not listed
Fingerprinting still needs legal fit review	Low Cookie-free hashing is not automatically lawful everywhere without information/consent analysis. Banner removal should be validated for your jurisdiction and tag stack.	Not listed
Page-view usage limits	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.	Not listed
No public independent security audit	Not listed	Medium ISO 27001, SOC 2, and third-party security audits were not found on public pages. Enterprises may need to commission questionnaires or wait for vendor artifacts under NDA.
Incomplete public subprocessor list	Not listed	Medium Hetzner (product) and Cloudflare (marketing site) are documented; backups, email, support, and monitoring vendors for the SaaS are not fully listed. Ask for a current subprocessor annex.
US-group CDN on marketing site	Not listed	Low Privacy policy lists Cloudflare Inc. (US) for the public website CDN. Separate from claimed Hetzner product data path, but relevant to overall vendor surface area.
48-hour hash limits long-term visitor analytics	Not listed	Low By design, the rotating salt prevents durable cross-day visitor recognition. Teams needing retention cohorts or multi-week funnels by person must model events differently or choose product-analytics tools.
On-premise availability is marketing-only detail	Not listed	Low About page claims on-prem hosting; docs do not provide a self-serve install guide. Treat as sales-assisted until scope is confirmed in writing.

Fit

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.

Sitesights

Best fit when

EU teams replacing GA4 with cookieless SaaS and wanting funnels/page-flow beyond a bare traffic counter
Agencies and freelancers managing many client sites with projects and role-based invites
Engineering-led installs that prefer server-side pageview/event ingestion against ad blockers
WordPress or Shopify properties that want official plugin paths plus a light client script
Orgs that value a German GbR legal entity and Hetzner Germany hosting claims over US multi-region analytics

Poor fit when

Product analytics requiring long-term user identity, cross-device stitching, or CDP-style profiles (48h hash by design)
Buyers who need public ISO 27001, SOC 2, or independent audit PDFs before shortlist
Teams that require self-serve open-source self-host as the primary deployment (on-prem only claimed, not documented as OSS)
UX research needs for heatmaps or session replay
Procurement that requires a complete public subprocessor list without an NDA conversation

Consider instead when

When: You want a minimal EU cookieless SaaS or a well-known self-host option
Consider: Plausible Analytics
Simpler metric set; strong self-host story. Sitesights markets deeper funnels/page-flow and multi-project agency features.
When: You need full self-host control, on-prem by default, or mature open-source governance
Consider: Matomo (self-hosted)
Heavier stack, deeper feature surface, and you operate the data plane yourself.
When: You need identity-rich product analytics, retention cohorts, or event warehouses
Consider: Mixpanel or similar product-analytics platforms
Different category—Sitesights is website/app growth analytics, not a full product analytics suite.
When: You need heatmaps, recordings, or UX feedback loops
Consider: Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity, or EU UX-analytics tools
Sitesights focuses on traffic, events, funnels, and flows—not session replay.

Open questions for due diligence

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?

Sitesights

Will the vendor sign a B2B DPA and provide a complete subprocessor list (backups, email, support, monitoring)?
Is the Hetzner Germany residency contractual for all analytics tenant data, including DR/backups?
What is the formal on-premise offering (SLA, update model, supported regions) versus SaaS-only?
Are any ISO 27001 / SOC 2 / penetration-test reports available under NDA?
How should geolocation fields and IP hashing be assessed under your counsel's GDPR legal-basis analysis?