Gauges review and a Better alternative

Image of Ankit Ghosh

Published on Aug 17, 2023 by Ankit Ghosh

Gauges is a real-time web analytics tool providing an easy-to-use dashboard everyone can understand.

This article will cover Gauges' features, strengths, and weaknesses. But there's more! We'll introduce you to an exciting alternative. This innovative solution offers a fresh perspective, empowering you to make informed decisions.

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  1. Gauges
  2. Gauges Reviews
  3. Simple Analytics: A better alternative
  4. Feature comparison between Gauges and Simple Analytics
  5. Conclusion
  6. FAQs: A Better Alternative to Gauges
    1. Is Gauges suitable for websites with high traffic?
    2. Does Gauges provide advanced analytics features?
    3. Can Gauges monitor analytics for mobile apps?
    4. What is the best alternative to Gauges?
Logo of the Government of the United KingdomThe UK Government chose Simple AnalyticsJoin them

Gauges

Gauges is a web analytics tool like Google Analytics with a simpler UI. At first glance, it looks like a viable solution, but upon more in-depth analysis, some major concerts get highlighted. The first one is non-compliance with GDPR. Gauges' parent company is based in the USA, which makes it non-compliant.

It also seems abandoned, as their blog and social have not seen any updates for quite some time now. Though we couldn't verify this info, looking for something well-maintained would be better.

Pros of Gauges

  • The UI is simple and has a minimalist design
  • Affordable pricing plans

Cons of Gauges

  • Non-compliant with GDPR
  • Hasn’t seen any update for years now

Gauges Reviews

"Efficient platform for monitoring website statistics"

What do you like best about Gauges?

We initially used it to just monitors views and traffic. However, we soon realized that besides monitoring the performance we are also able to understand the visitor interactions and develop our product further from these insights.

What do you dislike about Gauges?

I prefer the historical data presented by Chartbeat rather than that of Gauges. It is more intuitive and user-friendly when looking at historical engagements of visitors.

What problems is Gauges solving and how is that benefiting you?

It is providing us a tracker of how visitors are engaging with our website and what "ticks" them with respect to our product features and thus aid in new product development.

*Shreyas T. | Hardware Designer**,** Small Business*

Source: G2

"Marketing analysis data is very useful to use in the planning of content"

What do you like best about Gauges?

I still like the real-time update. And track back info. The real-time function makes the program very feasible for tracking the marketing data.

What do you dislike about Gauges?

Yes error system a bit too often. the documentation function might not be that useful in terms of interface users.

What problems is Gauges solving and how is that benefiting you?

the data combination and the future prediction of the program

*Natechanok Y. | Research Assistant, Small Business*

Source: G2

Simple Analytics: A better alternative

Simple Analytics is an easy-to-use analytics tool that gives you the insights you need while being 100% GDPR-compliant.

It was founded by Adriaan van Rossum shortly after the GDPR was approved. Since its inception, Simple Analytics has had customers of all sizes, notable ones being: Michelin, Havas Media, Nomadlist, and the UK Government.

Though Simple Analytics might sound like a simple minimal analytics tool, it does pack some powerful features that many marketers love, such as automated event collection, goal tracking, e-commerce analytics, bypassing ad blockers (as it’s privacy-friendly), and much more.

Let's explore why it's become a preferred choice for businesses seeking reliable and affordable analytics tools.

Pros of using Simple Analytics

  1. Simple UI: Simple Analytics is one of the easiest analytics tools. The dashboard is built in a way to easily understandable to non-marketers.
  2. Affordable: Tracking website and product metrics is pretty affordable with Simple Analytics. For just $9/month, you can track 100,000 data points (pageviews + events). Additionally, you get features that you would find in much more expensive tools.
  3. Privacy First: The world is moving in a direction where privacy is becoming increasingly important. Google Analytics has been declared illegal in multiple EU countries. You would rather avoid getting caught up in this mess. Take privacy or compliance with regulations into account.
  4. Mini Websites: Have you ever seen “t.co” as a referrer in your web analytics? If you have, you must have broken your head trying to find the source. Simple Analytics helps you find the exact tweet that referred/mentioned to your website.
  5. Lightweight: Your website is your storefront on the internet. Providing the best possible experience matters. Installing an analytics script has an impact on page speed. Choose an analytics tool that won’t slow your website down. Even Google recommends having a website that loads quickly.
  6. Integration: Installing and integrating Simple Analytics is also super easy. It has 20+ integrations to select from, so you can get it added quickly.

Cons of using Simple Analytics

Due to privacy laws, Simple Analytics doesn’t store IPs and user identifiers, which makes it lack a couple of metrics, such as bounce rate, but it does have time on page to give you an idea of user stickiness.

Pricing of Simple Analytics

Simple Analytics offers one of the most affordable pricing structures in its segment. The plans start at just $9/month, which lets you track 100,000 data points.

If you need more features, such as team access, the pricing goes up to $49/month, increasing the data points limit from 100,000 to 1,000,000.

Feature comparison between Gauges and Simple Analytics

Simple AnalyticsGauges
Account Management
Trackable ItemsUnlimitedUnlimited
User Seats1 to Unlimited usersUnlimited
User RolesAvailableN/A
Account SecurityPasswordless LoginN/A
Data Processing
Data RetentionUnlimitedUnlimited
Data Center LocationsEuropean Economic Area (EEA)European Economic Area (EEA)
Data ImportGA importer includedCSV, API
Data OwnershipYouYou
Software HostingPublic CloudPublic Cloud
ComplianceGDPR, PECR, CCPAGDPR
Data FreshnessRealtimeRealtime
Data ExportAs CSV or via APICSV, API, Sheets & more
CookielessSimple Analytics is cookielessGauges Analytics relies on first party and third party cookies
Reporting
Funnel ReportingAvailableAvailable
Device ReportingAvailable (based on OS and screen sizes)Available
SegmentationAvailableAvailable
Trend ReportingAvailableAvailable
Alerts & Automation
Integrations20+ Available and can send a request to the Simple Analytics team for moreOnly with segment
Email ReportsWeekly, monthlyAvailable
Customizability
AnnotationsAvailableAvailable
Custom EventsAvailableAvailable

Conclusion

Gauges provides a straightforward, user-friendly online analytics experience with real-time tracking and key data. Its simple design and ease of use make it an enticing alternative for firms looking for a simple analytics solution. However, it being non-compliant with GDPR can be a big issue.

Simple Analytics provides all the insights you need while being 100% GDPR compliant. They believe the internet should be an independent place that is friendly to website visitors. If this resonates with you, feel free to give it a try!

FAQs: A Better Alternative to Gauges

Is Gauges suitable for websites with high traffic?

Based on the number of page views, Gauges' pricing system may be prohibitively expensive for high-traffic websites. When evaluating Gauges for such scenarios, it is critical to examine the financial consequences.

Does Gauges provide advanced analytics features?

While Gauges provides core web analytics functionality, it may offer fewer advanced options than other analytics platforms. Gauges may fall short in areas such as advanced segmentation and A/B testing for businesses that require these services.

Can Gauges monitor analytics for mobile apps?

No, Gauges focuses primarily on website analytics and does not include functionality for tracking mobile app analytics.

What is the best alternative to Gauges?

Simple Analytics is the best alternative to Gauges as it is viewed as budget-friendly. It also places a high value on user privacy and data security.

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