AddonPulse vs. Fathom
Compare the key features of AddonPulse and Fathom.
Why choose AddonPulse over Fathom?
 AddonPulse | Fathom | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Analytics Features | ||
| Web & Extension dashboard | ||
| Dedicated Chrome Extension SDK | ||
| Simple dashboard | ||
| Real-time data | ||
| UTM/Campaign tracking | ||
| Custom events | With attributes | Basic (No attributes) |
| Conversion goals | ||
| Advanced Features | ||
| Cross-platform Funnels | ||
| User journeys (Sankey) | ||
| Unified User profiles | ||
| Sessions tracking | ||
| Real-time globe view | ||
| Extension Specifics & Tech | ||
| Manifest V3 compliant | ||
| Offline event queuing | ||
| Background script persistence | ||
| API access | ||
| Privacy & Compliance | ||
| Cookie-free tracking | ||
| Extension store privacy compliant | ||
| No consent banner needed | ||
| Daily rotating salt option | ||
| IP anonymization | ||
| Pricing & Support | ||
| Free trial | 10,000 events | |
| Entry price | $9/mo | $15/mo |
| Customer support | ||
Understanding the Key Differences
Beyond Web-Only Analytics
Fathom excels at simple web analytics, and they've built a solid product for bloggers and content sites. But if you are building a browser extension, Fathom only tells half the story. They can track who visits your landing page, but once a user installs your extension, they go completely dark. AddonPulse bridges this gap. We connect your marketing site traffic directly to your extension usage, allowing you to see the complete user journey from their first click to their daily in-app habits.
Built for Chrome Extension Developers
Fathom was created by content creators, for content creators. Their script expects a standard browser DOM to function. AddonPulse is built from the ground up for extension developers. We provide a dedicated, Manifest V3-compliant SDK that safely splits logic between your background Service Workers and your UI scripts. It strips out sensitive URLs to ensure you sail through Chrome Web Store privacy reviews without a hitch.
The Offline Reality
Browser extensions are ephemeral. Users disconnect from the internet, and Manifest V3 background scripts are aggressively put to sleep by the browser. If you try to use a standard web analytics script like Fathom in an extension, you will lose massive amounts of data whenever the network drops. AddonPulse's Extension SDK features a robust, IndexedDB-powered offline queue. We securely cache user events locally and automatically flush them to our servers the moment the user regains connectivity.
Accessible to Indie Developers
Fathom requires payment from day one, even if you are just testing a new extension locally. Their cheapest plan starts at $15/month with no free trial. AddonPulse believes analytics should be accessible to developers building their first side project. We offer 10,000 free events monthly. When your extension takes off and you do upgrade, you get cross-platform funnels, unified user profiles, and dedicated extension tracking for a comparable price.
Try Before You Buy
Fathom offers a 7-day trial, but you need to implement tracking before seeing their interface. AddonPulse provides a live demo with real data, letting you explore every feature immediately. Test our cross-platform funnel analysis. Explore unified user profiles. No credit card, no time limit, no pressure. We're confident that once you see what purpose-built extension analytics can do for your growth, you'll understand why AddonPulse is the clear choice for extension developers.