How Sift compares.
Whether you're escaping Google Analytics' complexity, migrating from Plausible, or avoiding the self-hosting burden of Umami, here is an honest breakdown of the differences.
vs Google Analytics
GA4 slows down your pages with 45 KB of tracking scripts, buries data in dozens of complex menus, and legally requires cookie banners under GDPR.
vs Plausible
Plausible proved that simple analytics work for humans. Sift takes that same simplicity and builds it for the agent era with full autonomous parity and edge performance.
vs Umami
Umami is popular for self-hosters, but requires maintaining databases, servers, and updates. Sift offers edge-fast infrastructure with zero maintenance and native agent auth.
Comprehensive Feature Matrix
A side-by-side technical evaluation across all key metrics:
| Dimension | Sift | Plausible | Umami | Google Analytics 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script size (gzipped) | < 1.5 KB | < 2 KB | < 2 KB | > 45 KB |
| Cookie consent banner required | Never | Never | Never | Mandatory in EU |
| True Agent-Native (account & site provisioning) | Full parity via /auth.md | Read-only MCP | Standard REST API | Manual human console only |
| Dashboard complexity | 1 fast page | 1 page | Multi-tab | 50+ nested report menus |
| Infrastructure | Cloudflare Edge + Neon | Central cloud / self-host | Self-host / hosted | Google Cloud |
| Real-time updates | Instant (< 1s) | Instant | Instant | 24–48 hour delay |
| Raw IP storage | Never stored | Never stored | Never stored | Processed by Google |
| Pricing during Beta | 100% Free | Paid trial ($9/mo+) | Self-host free / $9/mo+ | Free (monetized via ads) |
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