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Web analytics and real-user performance

Cloudflare Web Analytics

A free Cloudflare service for lightweight page traffic and real-user performance metrics using a browser beacon or Cloudflare integration.

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Editorial verdict

Choose Cloudflare Web Analytics when free lightweight page and performance visibility is sufficient; do not choose it as a substitute for UTM campaign or custom-event analytics.1314

Best for

  • Sites needing basic page and referrer visibility
  • Cloudflare users wanting simple enablement
  • Teams valuing Core Web Vitals and lightweight RUM
1314

Not ideal for

  • UTM campaign reporting
  • Custom event and product behavior analysis
  • Teams requiring long unsampled raw history
1314
Main trade-off

The service minimizes cost and setup, but its current reporting, retention, sampling, campaign, and event surface is materially narrower than general web analytics platforms.1314

Product boundary

Whether Cloudflare's free, narrow page and performance analytics surface answers the site's measurement needs.

This Tool covers Cloudflare Web Analytics. It does not cover Cloudflare zone traffic analytics, Logs, CDN analytics, custom product events, or campaign attribution.1314

For: Sites needing lightweight page, referrer, device, country, and real-user performance visibility without custom event or UTM analysis

  • UTM campaign attribution is required
  • Custom events or identified product behavior are required
  • Unsampled long-term data or vendor-independent deployment is required

Why teams consider Cloudflare Web Analytics

  • Free serviceCloudflare documents Web Analytics as free.1314
  • Flexible enablementSites can use a JavaScript snippet without changing DNS or enable integration on Cloudflare-proxied sites.1314
  • Performance visibilityThe beacon collects real-user timing and Core Web Vitals context.1314

Pricing

Web Analytics itself is free. Site counts and injection rules have documented limits, while advanced edge traffic analytics and other Cloudflare products can require paid plans.16

Web Analytics

Free

Verified 2026-07-25: Cloudflare documents Web Analytics as a free service.16

Limits

Account and zone dependent

Non-proxied sites are limited to 10; rules vary by Free, Pro, Business, and Enterprise zone plan.16

Campaign boundary
UTM parameters are not supported16
Event boundary
Custom events are not supported16
Retention
Unsampled beacon data is retained seven days; dashboard access covers six months16
Pricing checked View official pricing

Cloudflare Web Analytics vs alternatives

Google Analytics

Choose when
Choose it when UTM campaigns, channels, and media integration are primary.
Avoid when
Avoid it when its consent and reporting complexity are disproportionate.
Compared with Cloudflare Web Analytics
Much broader acquisition analytics with greater governance work.23

Plausible

Choose when
Choose it when managed goals, custom events, funnels, and richer site analytics justify a subscription.
Avoid when
Avoid it when Cloudflare's free narrow surface already answers the question.
Compared with Cloudflare Web Analytics
More analytical depth with a paid hosted plan.68

Umami

Choose when
Choose it when open-source ownership or self-hosting is required.
Avoid when
Avoid it when the team does not want infrastructure work.
Compared with Cloudflare Web Analytics
More control and custom-event capability with operating responsibility.912

Resources and sources

Official product, privacy, retention, and pricing sources

  • Introducing Google Analytics
    Open
  • Google Analytics traffic-source dimensions
    Open
  • Google consent mode overview
    Open
  • Google Analytics data-deletion requests
    Open
  • Google Analytics product plans
    Open
  • Plausible documentation
    Open
  • Plausible privacy-focused analytics model
    Open
  • Plausible pricing and plans
    Open
  • Umami documentation
    Open
  • Umami Cloud
    Open
  • Umami Cloud FAQ
    Open
  • Umami license
    Open
  • Cloudflare Web Analytics
    Open
  • Cloudflare Web Analytics data collection
    Open
  • Cloudflare Web Analytics limits
    Open
  • Cloudflare Web Analytics FAQ
    Open

Related tasks

  1. 1
    Introducing Google Analytics

    Google Analytics · Accessed Official

  2. 2
    Google Analytics traffic-source dimensions

    Google Analytics · Accessed Official

  3. 3
    Google consent mode overview

    Google · Accessed Official

  4. 4
    Google Analytics data-deletion requests

    Google Analytics · Accessed Official

  5. 5
    Google Analytics product plans

    Google · Accessed Official

  6. 6
    Plausible documentation

    Plausible · Accessed Official

  7. 7
    Plausible privacy-focused analytics model

    Plausible · Accessed Official

  8. 8
    Plausible pricing and plans

    Plausible · Accessed Official

  9. 9
    Umami documentation

    Umami · Accessed Official

  10. 10
    Umami Cloud

    Umami · Accessed Official

  11. 11
    Umami Cloud FAQ

    Umami · Accessed Official

  12. 12
    Umami license

    Umami · Accessed Official

  13. 13
    Cloudflare Web Analytics

    Cloudflare · Accessed Official

  14. 14
    Cloudflare Web Analytics data collection

    Cloudflare · Accessed Official

  15. 15
    Cloudflare Web Analytics limits

    Cloudflare · Accessed Official

  16. 16
    Cloudflare Web Analytics FAQ

    Cloudflare · Accessed Official