How to Switch from Google Analytics to Fathom

Introduction

This guide will help you switch from Google Analytics to Fathom, a privacy-first analytics platform that respects visitor privacy while providing valuable insights. Fathom offers EU data residency and is fully GDPR compliant.

Why switch?

Google Analytics tracks users across websites
Creates detailed behavioral profiles
Legal issues in EU countries under GDPR
Requires intrusive cookie banners
Overwhelming complexity for most users

Why Fathom?

EU data isolation option available
No cookies required - GDPR compliant by design
Simple, beautiful dashboard
Fast and lightweight script
Accurate data without sampling
Excellent uptime and performance

Prerequisites

Access to your website’s code or CMS
Google Analytics account (for reference)
Fathom account (paid service with 7-day free trial)
About 20 minutes of time

Info: Fathom pricing starts at $14/month for up to 100k pageviews. Enterprise plans include EU data isolation.

Step 1: Create your Fathom account

Visit usefathom.com and click “Start your free trial”
Enter your email and create your account
Verify your email address
Add your first site
Get your unique site ID and tracking script

Tip: Choose EU data isolation in settings if your audience is primarily European.

Step 2: Install the Fathom tracking script

Basic installation (HTML)

Add this to your site’s <head>:

<script src="https://cdn.usefathom.com/script.js"
  data-site="YOURSITEID" defer></script>

WordPress installation

Use the official Fathom Analytics plugin
Or add the script via your theme’s header
Enter your site ID in plugin settings

React/Next.js installation

// Using next/script
import Script from 'next/script'

<Script
  src="https://cdn.usefathom.com/script.js"
  data-site="YOURSITEID"
  defer
/>

Other platforms

Fathom provides detailed guides for Gatsby, Hugo, Webflow, Ghost, and many more at usefathom.com/docs.

Step 3: Configure EU data isolation (recommended)

Log into your Fathom dashboard
Go to Site Settings
Enable “EU isolation” for GDPR compliance
Your data will be processed only in EU data centers

Tip: EU isolation is included in all Fathom plans and recommended for European businesses.

Step 4: Verify tracking is working

Deploy your website with the new script
Visit your site in an incognito window
Check your Fathom dashboard
Confirm the pageview appears
Test navigation to verify multiple pages track

Step 5: Set up events and goals

Track important actions beyond pageviews:

Go to Events in your Fathom dashboard
Create events like “Newsletter signup” or “Purchase”
Add event tracking code to relevant buttons:

// Track a custom event
fathom.trackEvent('Newsletter Signup');

For more complex tracking:

<button onclick="fathom.trackEvent('Download PDF')">
  Download Guide
</button>

Step 6: Transition from Google Analytics

Run both GA and Fathom in parallel for 2-4 weeks
Compare metrics to understand differences
Once satisfied, remove Google Analytics script
Update your privacy policy
Remove or simplify cookie consent if GA was the only reason

Tips & Gotchas

Warning: Fathom and Google Analytics count differently. Some variance is normal and expected.

No cookie banner needed: Fathom doesn’t use cookies, so you may not need consent for analytics
UTM parameters: Fathom tracks UTM parameters automatically
Referrer data: Some browsers block referrer data - this affects all analytics tools
Single-page apps: Use Fathom’s SPA mode for React, Vue, etc.
Excluded paths: Set up path exclusions for admin pages
API access: Export your data anytime via Fathom’s API

What’s Next?

After completing this guide:

Configure events: Track conversions and key actions
Set up email reports: Weekly or monthly summaries
Update privacy policy: Reflect your new privacy-friendly analytics
Add team members: Share dashboard access with colleagues
Explore integrations: Connect with other tools via Fathom’s API

Google Analytics to Plausible - Another excellent privacy alternative
Gmail to ProtonMail - Enhance your overall privacy