Funnel.io Alternative
Funnel.io aggregates marketing data from ad platforms. OpenPanel tracks user behavior in your product. Different tools for different needs - discover which is right for you.
- Open-source
- Product Analytics
- User Behavior Tracking
- Self-hostable
OpenPanel vs Funnel.io: Which is right for you?
Funnel.io and OpenPanel serve fundamentally different purposes. Funnel.io aggregates marketing spend and campaign data from external platforms (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.). OpenPanel tracks user behavior within your product.
Choose OpenPanel if...
Product teams who need to track user behavior in their website or app
Startups needing affordable analytics with a generous free tier
Teams requiring self-hosting for data privacy or compliance
Choose Funnel.io if...
Marketing teams aggregating data from multiple ad platforms
Agencies managing hundreds of marketing data sources for clients
Organizations needing cross-platform marketing spend reporting
Key differences at a glance
Funnel.io and OpenPanel solve different problems. Here's how they compare:
| Feature | OpenPanel | Funnel.io |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use Case | Product analytics - track user behavior | Marketing data aggregation - collect ad data |
| User Behavior Tracking | Yes - events, funnels, retention | No - aggregates external platform data |
| Self-Hosting & Open Source | Yes - MIT License, Docker deployment | No - Cloud-only SaaS |
| Marketing Platform Connectors | Limited - focused on product data | 500+ connectors to ad platforms |
| Pricing Transparency | Public pricing, free tier | Starts at $399/month, no free tier |
| Event Tracking SDK | Funnel.io does not track user behavior - it imports data from external platforms | |
| Session Tracking | Funnel.io aggregates session data from Google Analytics, not direct tracking | |
| User Identification | OpenPanel identifies users in your product; Funnel.io works with aggregate marketing data | |
| Custom Event Properties | OpenPanel tracks custom events; Funnel.io imports predefined metrics from ad platforms | |
| Real-Time Event Tracking | Funnel.io syncs external data on schedules, not real-time user tracking | |
| Funnel Analysis (User Behavior) | OpenPanel tracks conversion funnels in your product; Funnel.io reports on marketing funnels from ad platforms | |
| Retention Analysis | OpenPanel tracks user retention over time | |
| Cohort Analysis | OpenPanel analyzes user cohorts based on behavior | |
| User Profiles | OpenPanel creates profiles of individual users | |
| User Path/Journey Analysis | OpenPanel tracks user journeys through your product | |
| A/B Testing | Funnel.io does not provide experimentation features | |
| Ad Platform Connectors | Funnel.io connects to 500+ marketing platforms (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.) | |
| Marketing Spend Tracking | Funnel.io aggregates ad spend across all platforms | |
| Cross-Platform Marketing Reports | Funnel.io creates unified reports from multiple ad platforms | |
| Marketing ROI/ROAS Calculation | Funnel.io calculates marketing ROI across channels | |
| Marketing Mix Modeling | Funnel.io offers advanced MMM for enterprise customers | |
| Data Transformation Rules | Funnel.io provides data normalization and transformation | |
| API Access | ||
| Webhooks | ||
| Data Warehouse Export | Both export to BigQuery, Snowflake, etc. | |
| Looker Studio Integration | Funnel.io has native Looker Studio connector | |
| Power BI Integration | Funnel.io has native Power BI connector | |
| Tableau Integration | Funnel.io is a Tableau partner | |
| JavaScript SDK | Funnel.io does not provide tracking SDKs | |
| iOS SDK | Funnel.io does not track mobile apps directly | |
| Android SDK | Funnel.io does not track mobile apps directly | |
| React Native SDK | Funnel.io does not provide mobile SDKs | |
| Server-Side SDKs | OpenPanel supports backend tracking | |
| Cloud Hosted | ||
| Self-Hosted Option | Funnel.io is cloud-only with no self-hosting | |
| Open Source | Funnel.io is proprietary closed-source | |
| EU Data Residency | Both offer EU hosting options |
Feature comparison
These platforms serve different purposes and have different feature sets optimized for their respective use cases.
Event Tracking SDK
Session Tracking
User Identification
Custom Event Properties
Real-Time Event Tracking
Funnel Analysis (User Behavior)
Retention Analysis
Cohort Analysis
Technical comparison
These platforms use fundamentally different technical approaches because they solve different problems.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Funnel.io |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Docker (self-hosted) or managed cloud | Cloud SaaS only - no self-hosting |
| Open Source | Yes - MIT License | No - Proprietary closed-source |
| Database | ClickHouse | Proprietary (Parquet-based storage) |
| Data Retention | Unlimited (self-hosted), configurable (cloud) | Up to 2-3 years historical data import |
| Integrations | Segment, webhooks, API, data warehouse export | 500+ marketing connectors, Looker Studio, Power BI, Tableau, BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift |
| Primary Data Source | Your website/app (via SDK tracking) | External marketing platforms (via API connectors) |
Pricing comparison
OpenPanel and Funnel.io have very different pricing models reflecting their different use cases.
OpenPanel
Event-based, transparent
Simple pricing with 10,000 free events per month. $0.00005 per event after free tier.
All features included at every tier.
No limits on users, dashboards, or data retention.
Funnel.io
Flexpoint-based, no free tier
Free plan with limited connectors (100+ Starter connectors).
Paid plans: Essentials ($399/month), Plus ($999/month), Enterprise ($1,999+/month).
Pricing based on 'flexpoints' which depend on accounts connected and report types.
Enterprise customers report spending $12,000-100,000+/year.
Agency plans also available.
Migrating from Funnel.io to OpenPanel
Funnel.io and OpenPanel serve different purposes. You may need both tools rather than replacing one with the other.
Understand the Difference
Funnel.io and OpenPanel serve different purposes. Funnel.io aggregates marketing data from ad platforms. OpenPanel tracks user behavior in your product. You may need both tools rather than replacing one with the other.
Install OpenPanel SDK
If you need product analytics (user behavior tracking), add the OpenPanel SDK to your website or app. This gives you event tracking, funnels, retention analysis.
Keep Funnel.io for Marketing Data
If you need cross-platform marketing reporting (aggregating Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.), you may want to keep Funnel.io. OpenPanel doesn't replace marketing data aggregation.
Connect Data Sources
OpenPanel tracks your own product data. If you were using Funnel.io to import Google Analytics data, OpenPanel can replace that tracking directly with better product analytics features.
Set Up Product Analytics
Configure funnels, retention analysis, and user identification in OpenPanel. These are product analytics features that Funnel.io does not provide.
SDK Compatibility
These tools serve completely different purposes. Funnel.io imports data from external platforms via API connectors. OpenPanel tracks user behavior with client-side SDKs.
Historical Data Import
Funnel.io and OpenPanel track different types of data. Funnel.io stores marketing platform data (ad spend, impressions, clicks from external sources). OpenPanel tracks user behavior within your product.
Where OpenPanel is a better fit than Funnel.io
Choose OpenPanel when you need to understand user behavior within your product. Funnel.io is for aggregating marketing data from external ad platforms.
Product Teams Needing User Behavior Analytics
Funnel.io does not track user behavior - it imports data from external platforms. If you need to understand how users interact with your product (clicks, conversions, retention), OpenPanel provides the tracking SDKs and analytics Funnel.io lacks.
Startups Wanting Affordable Analytics
Funnel.io starts at $399/month with no free tier. OpenPanel offers a generous free tier (10,000 events/month) and transparent pricing, making it accessible for startups and small teams.
Teams Requiring Self-Hosting
Funnel.io is cloud-only with no self-hosting option. If you need to host analytics on your own infrastructure for data privacy, compliance, or cost reasons, OpenPanel can be self-hosted via Docker.
Open Source Requirements
Funnel.io is proprietary closed-source software. If your organization requires open source tools for security audits or compliance, OpenPanel is fully open source under the MIT license.
Mobile App Analytics
Funnel.io does not provide mobile SDKs or track mobile app behavior. OpenPanel offers native iOS, Android, and React Native SDKs for tracking user behavior in mobile apps.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the differences between Funnel.io and OpenPanel.
Related resources
Explore more comparisons and guides to help you choose the right analytics tool
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