Burst Statistics vs Fathom Analytics for

At a glance

Plugin A

Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative)

Simple, lightweight WordPress analytics with privacy-friendly visitor tracking. Cookieless and GDPR-ready. Setup in seconds, no cookie banner required …

Rating

4.9/5

Active Installs 200K+

Author Burst Statistics B.V.

Version v3.6.0.1

Last Updated Jun 2026

Source WordPress.org ↗

Plugin B

Fathom Analytics for WP

Fathom is a simple, GDPR compliant Google Analytics alternative.

Rating

4.8/5

Active Installs 10K+

Author Conva Ventures

Version v3.3.1

Last Updated Nov 2025

Source WordPress.org ↗

Full Comparison

📊 Data-Driven Review

Technical Specs

Burst Statistics vs Fathom Analytics for WP: Key Statistics
Metric	Burst Statistics	Fathom Analytics for WP
Requires WP	6.6+	4.5+
Requires PHP	8.0+	5.4+
Tested up to WP	7.0	6.8.5
Plugin age	4 yrs	8 yrs

Quick Verdict

Burst Statistics wins. It has 200K+ active installs versus Fathom Analytics for WP's 10K+. For e-commerce teams who need GA4 event depth, consent mode v2 compatibility, and server-side tracking, Burst Statistics delivers a cookieless architecture that creates zero data gaps when consent is declined. Fathom Analytics for WP is a solid privacy analytics tool, but its WordPress plugin lacks the WooCommerce purchase tracking depth and admin dashboard integration that Burst Statistics provides out of the box.

Feature Comparison: Burst Statistics vs Fathom Analytics for WP

Functional feature comparison for e-commerce tracking and GDPR compliance
Feature	Burst Statistics	Fathom Analytics for WP
GA4 event tracking depth	Pageview, ecommerce events (purchase, add-to-cart), custom events via hooks	Pageview only; ecommerce events require external Fathom API calls
Google Tag Manager support	Built-in GTM container integration with dataLayer push	Manual GTM setup; no native dataLayer integration
GDPR consent mode v2 compatibility	Native consent mode v2 with cookieless fallback; no data loss on deny	Privacy-first by design; consent mode v2 requires custom implementation
WooCommerce purchase tracking accuracy	Automatic purchase and add-to-cart events with order value, currency, and item IDs	No native WooCommerce event tracking; requires Fathom site events API
Server-side tracking support	Server-side endpoint for first-party data collection; works without client-side JS	Client-side only; no WordPress-native server-side option
Admin reporting dashboard inside WordPress	Full dashboard with real-time visitors, top pages, and ecommerce conversion reports	External Fathom dashboard; plugin only inserts tracking script
Cookieless analytics	Native cookieless tracking; no cookie banner required	Cookieless by default; no cookie consent needed
Setup time	Activate and track; zero configuration for basic analytics	Requires Fathom account, site ID, and manual script placement

Who Should Use Burst Statistics

E-commerce teams running WooCommerce who need automatic purchase and add-to-cart tracking without configuring external APIs. 94% of reviewers give it 5 stars, reflecting reliable conversion attribution out of the box.
Agency owners managing multiple client sites who want a single dashboard inside WordPress. With 200K+ installs, it's the most adopted privacy-first analytics plugin for WordPress.
Developers who need GDPR consent mode v2 compliance without data gaps. Burst Statistics uses a cookieless architecture that continues tracking pageviews and ecommerce events even when consent is declined.

Who Should Use Fathom Analytics for WP

Teams already invested in the Fathom Analytics ecosystem who want a lightweight script injection plugin. 96% of its reviews are 5-star, indicating strong satisfaction among existing Fathom users.
Privacy-first sites that don't run ecommerce and only need basic pageview counts. Fathom Analytics for WP inserts the tracking script and nothing else, keeping the site lean.
Developers who prefer to handle event tracking via Fathom's external API rather than WordPress-native hooks. The plugin's minimal footprint (no admin dashboard, no custom post types) appeals to those who want zero database overhead.

Community & Support

Burst Statistics resolved 11 of 13 support threads in the last two months, an 85% resolution rate. Its 5-star rating sits at 94%, with only 2% of reviewers giving 1 star. Fathom Analytics for WP's support sample is too small to draw conclusions from, though its 5-star percentage is 96% and its 1-star percentage is 4%. For a plugin managing ecommerce conversion data, Burst Statistics' active support pipeline provides more confidence when debugging tracking issues.

Verdict: Burst Statistics or Fathom Analytics for WP for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking and conversion attribution?

Pick Burst Statistics if you need WooCommerce purchase tracking that works without external API calls, a native WordPress admin dashboard, and server-side tracking for consent mode v2. It has 200K+ installs and an 85% support resolution rate, backed by a cookieless architecture that doesn't create data gaps when consent is declined.

Pick Fathom Analytics for WP if you already use Fathom's external dashboard, don't need ecommerce event tracking, and want the smallest possible plugin footprint. Its 96% 5-star rating reflects satisfaction among that audience, but the plugin offers no native WooCommerce events, no GTM integration, and no server-side tracking, gaps that matter for conversion attribution.

For e-commerce clients who track add-to-cart events and purchases, Burst Statistics is the data-driven choice. Burst Statistics has 20x more installs than Fathom Analytics for WP

How this comparison was made

This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How many people use Burst Statistics compared to Fathom Analytics for WP?

Burst Statistics has 200K+ active installs while Fathom Analytics for WP has 10K+, meaning Burst Statistics is used on more sites.

Q Which has better user ratings — Burst Statistics or Fathom Analytics for WP?

Burst Statistics averages 4.9/5 from 182 reviews, while Fathom Analytics for WP averages 4.8/5 from 24 reviews — Burst Statistics has the higher average rating.

Q Which is more actively maintained — Burst Statistics or Fathom Analytics for WP?

Burst Statistics was last updated on Jun 3, 2026 and Fathom Analytics for WP on Nov 18, 2025, so Burst Statistics received the more recent update.

Q Are Burst Statistics and Fathom Analytics for WP both free?

Yes — both Burst Statistics and Fathom Analytics for WP are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.

Q Is Burst Statistics or Fathom Analytics for WP better for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking and conversion attribution?

Burst Statistics is better for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking because it is built specifically around cookieless analytics, which removes the need for cookie consent banners entirely. Fathom Analytics for WP is privacy-friendly but does not have the same native cookieless tracking focus, making Burst the simpler choice for conversion attribution without legal headaches.

Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Burst Statistics or Fathom Analytics for WP?

Burst Statistics is easier for a WordPress beginner because it works entirely inside your WordPress dashboard with no external account or third-party service to configure. Fathom Analytics for WP requires you to sign up for a separate Fathom account and paste a tracking code, which adds an extra step that Burst avoids.

Q What is the biggest feature difference between Burst Statistics and Fathom Analytics for WP?

The biggest difference is that Burst Statistics is a cookieless analytics plugin, meaning it tracks visitors without using any cookies at all, while Fathom Analytics for WP relies on a third-party service that uses its own privacy-focused tracking methods. This makes Burst the only one of the two that is fully self-contained within your WordPress site.

Q Can you switch from Burst Statistics to Fathom Analytics for WP (or the other way) without losing data?

No, you cannot switch between these two plugins without losing your historical data because they store analytics information in completely different systems. Burst keeps your data in your WordPress database, while Fathom stores it on its own external servers, so there is no import or export path between them.

Q Which type of site should choose Burst Statistics, and which should choose Fathom Analytics for WP?

Choose Burst Statistics if you want a lightweight, cookieless analytics solution that runs entirely on your own server with no external dependencies or accounts. Choose Fathom Analytics for WP if you prefer a privacy-focused third-party service that offloads data storage and processing from your site, especially for high-traffic sites where server load is a concern.