Ackee Alternative
Love Ackee's privacy-first approach and self-hosting simplicity? OpenPanel adds product analytics capabilities - funnels, cohorts, retention, and user identification - with a modern architecture built for scale.
- Open-source
- Privacy-first
- Product Analytics
- Self-hostable
OpenPanel vs Ackee: Which is right for you?
Both are privacy-focused open source analytics tools. Ackee focuses on simple web metrics with anonymous tracking. OpenPanel adds product analytics capabilities with user identification.
Choose OpenPanel if...
Teams needing product analytics (funnels, retention, cohorts)
Apps requiring user identification and tracking
Projects that need to scale with ClickHouse architecture
Choose Ackee if...
Personal blogs and small sites wanting simple stats
Privacy maximalists who want zero user identification
Developers comfortable with GraphQL API customization
Key differences at a glance
Here's how OpenPanel and Ackee compare on the factors that matter most.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Ackee |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics Depth | Web + Product Analytics | Web Analytics Only |
| User Identification | Yes - Track individual users | No - Anonymous aggregate only |
| Database Architecture | ClickHouse (optimized for analytics) | MongoDB (general purpose) |
| Deployment Options | Cloud + Self-hosted | Self-hosted only |
| Open Source | Yes (MIT License) | Yes (MIT License) |
| Page Views | ||
| Referrers | ||
| Visit Duration | Ackee tracks duration by updating records constantly | |
| Device & Browser | Ackee requires 'detailed' mode for full device info | |
| Screen Sizes | Ackee requires 'detailed' mode enabled | |
| Real-Time Dashboard | Ackee shows active visitors in real-time | |
| Custom Event Tracking | Ackee supports custom events with key-value data | |
| Funnel Analysis | Ackee has no funnel visualization or analysis | |
| Retention Analysis | Ackee cannot track returning users by design | |
| User Profiles | Ackee intentionally anonymizes all user data | |
| Cohort Analysis | Ackee's anonymous model doesn't support cohorts | |
| User Path Analysis | Ackee cannot reconstruct user browsing history | |
| A/B Testing | Ackee is analytics-only, no experimentation | |
| GraphQL API | Ackee's entire UI is powered by its GraphQL API | |
| REST API | OpenPanel uses REST; Ackee uses GraphQL only | |
| Email Reports | Ackee has no built-in reporting - requires custom tools | |
| Multiple Domains | Both support unlimited domains from one instance | |
| Ignore Own Visits | Ackee can ignore logged-in dashboard visits | |
| Cookie-Free by Default | Both are cookieless by default | |
| No Consent Banner Required | Both claim no consent needed for basic analytics | |
| GDPR Compliant | Ackee uses daily-rotating salt hashes for anonymization | |
| Data Anonymization | Ackee uses multi-step anonymization with daily salt rotation | |
| Self-Hosted Option | Ackee is self-hosted ONLY; OpenPanel offers both | |
| EU Data Residency | Both can be hosted anywhere; Ackee requires self-hosting | |
| JavaScript SDK | ackee-tracker available via npm or self-served | |
| React Integration | use-ackee React hook available | |
| Vue/Nuxt Integration | nuxt-ackee module available | |
| Gatsby Plugin | gatsby-plugin-ackee-tracker available | |
| Native iOS SDK | Ackee is web-focused only | |
| Native Android SDK | Ackee has no official mobile SDKs | |
| WordPress Plugin | Soapberry plugin available for WordPress | |
| Flutter/Dart SDK | ackee_dart community package available |
Feature comparison
Both are open source and privacy-focused, but with different capabilities and depth.
Page Views
Referrers
Visit Duration
Device & Browser
Screen Sizes
Real-Time Dashboard
Custom Event Tracking
Funnel Analysis
Technical comparison
For developers evaluating analytics tools, here's how the implementations compare.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Ackee |
|---|---|---|
| SDK Size | 2.3 KB (gzipped) | ~6 KB (gzipped), served from your Ackee instance |
| Platforms |
|
|
| Open Source | Yes - MIT License | Yes - MIT LicenseBoth are MIT licensed and fully open source |
| Self Hosting | Docker (simple single-container setup) | Docker with MongoDB required, or deploy to Vercel/Netlify/Heroku with MongoDB Atlas |
| Database | ClickHouse (columnar, analytics-optimized) | MongoDB (document database) |
| Data Retention | Unlimited (self-hosted), configurable (cloud) | Unlimited (depends on your MongoDB storage) |
| Language | TypeScript/Node.js | Node.js |
| API | REST API | GraphQL API |
Pricing comparison
Both offer free self-hosting. OpenPanel also offers managed cloud options.
OpenPanel
Event-based, transparent
Simple pricing with 10,000 free events per month.
Self-host for free with unlimited events.
All features included at every tier.
Ackee
100% Free (self-hosted only)
Completely free - no paid tiers exist.
You pay only for your own infrastructure (MongoDB and server hosting).
MongoDB Atlas free tier (512MB) works for small sites.
Migrating from Ackee to OpenPanel
Switching from Ackee to OpenPanel is straightforward. Both are lightweight with similar integration approaches.
Install OpenPanel SDK
Add the OpenPanel SDK to your application. Replace the ackee-tracker script with OpenPanel's lightweight tracking code.
Map Events to OpenPanel
Ackee events translate to OpenPanel events. Replace instance.action() calls with op.track() - the structure is similar.
Add User Identification (New)
Unlike Ackee, OpenPanel can identify users. Add op.identify() calls to unlock retention, cohorts, and user profiles - a major upgrade from Ackee's anonymous-only model.
Configure Dashboards
Set up your OpenPanel dashboards. You'll now have access to funnels, retention charts, and cohort analysis that weren't possible in Ackee.
Remove Ackee
Once verified, remove the Ackee tracker script and optionally decommission your Ackee server and MongoDB instance.
SDK Compatibility
Both use simple event tracking APIs. Ackee's instance.action() becomes OpenPanel's op.track().
Historical Data Import
Ackee intentionally anonymizes data, making historical import challenging. Most teams start fresh with OpenPanel.
Where OpenPanel is a better fit than Ackee
Choose OpenPanel when you need more than simple web stats - funnels, retention, user identification, and scalability.
Scaling Beyond MongoDB
Ackee uses MongoDB which works for small sites but isn't optimized for analytical queries at scale. OpenPanel's ClickHouse backend is purpose-built for analytics workloads.
Teams Needing Product Analytics
Ackee provides basic web metrics. If you need funnels, retention analysis, cohort breakdowns, or user journey mapping, OpenPanel adds these capabilities while maintaining privacy.
Wanting a Cloud Option
Ackee is self-hosted only with no managed cloud option. If you want analytics without managing servers, MongoDB, and backups, OpenPanel offers a free cloud tier.
Apps Requiring User Identification
Ackee intentionally cannot identify users or track returning visitors. If you need to understand individual user behavior or measure retention, OpenPanel provides these features.
Mobile App Analytics
Ackee is designed for websites with no official mobile SDKs. OpenPanel offers native SDKs for iOS, Android, and React Native with full product analytics capabilities.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about switching from Ackee to OpenPanel.
Related resources
Explore more comparisons and guides to help you choose the right analytics tool
Ready to make the switch?
Test OpenPanel free for 30 days, you'll not be charged anything unless you upgrade to a paid plan.
Start with OpenPanel