AddonPulse vs. Plausible
Compare the key features of AddonPulse and Plausible.
Why choose AddonPulse over Plausible?
 AddonPulse | Plausible | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Focus | ||
| Dedicated Chrome Extension SDK | ||
| Cross-platform tracking (Web + Extension) | ||
| Manifest V3 compliant | ||
| Offline event queuing | ||
| Core Analytics Features | ||
| Simple dashboard | ||
| Real-time data | ||
| Source & UTM tracking | ||
| Custom events | With attributes | Basic (No properties in UI) |
| Conversion goals | ||
| Advanced Features | ||
| Cross-platform Funnels | ||
| User journeys (Sankey) | ||
| Unified User profiles | ||
| Sessions tracking | ||
| Real-time globe view | ||
| Privacy | ||
| Extension Store privacy compliant | ||
| Cookie-free tracking | ||
| GDPR compliant | ||
| No personal data collection | ||
| Daily rotating salt option | ||
| Performance & Technical | ||
| Background script size | < 10KB | N/A (Web script) |
| API access | ||
| Bot filtering | ||
| Bypasses ad blockers | ||
| Data & Infrastructure | ||
| Data retention | 3-5+ years | Unlimited |
| Team collaboration | ||
| Organization support | ||
| Pricing & Support | ||
| Free trial | 10,000 events | |
| Entry price | $9/mo | $9/mo |
| Pricing model | Events-based | Pageview-based |
| Customer support | ||
Understanding the Key Differences
Same Simplicity, Built for Extensions
Plausible pioneered the simple, privacy-friendly analytics dashboard, and we respect that. In fact, our main dashboard is remarkably similar because that clean, intuitive design just works. But here's where we diverge: Plausible is a web-only analytics tool. If you are building a Chrome extension, Plausible cannot handle the complexities of Manifest V3, offline states, or background scripts. AddonPulse gives you the beautiful simplicity of Plausible, powered by an infrastructure purpose-built for browser extensions.
The Offline Challenge
Browser extensions do not behave like standard websites. Users lose internet connection, and Chrome routinely puts background service workers to sleep. If you inject a standard web analytics script like Plausible into an extension, you will lose a significant amount of event data. AddonPulse solves this with a robust Extension SDK that features IndexedDB-powered offline queuing. We securely cache your user events locally and automatically flush them to our servers when connectivity is restored.
Connecting the Cross-Platform Funnel
Plausible excels at answering marketing questions: Where do visitors come from? What landing page performs best? But once a user clicks "Install Extension", Plausible loses them. AddonPulse unifies the entire journey. We link your marketing site traffic directly to your in-extension usage. With our cross-platform funnels and unified user profiles, you can finally see exactly which marketing campaigns (UTMs) are driving active, long-term extension users.
Beyond Basic Events
Tracking custom events inside an extension is crucial—you need to know when users open the popup, toggle a setting, or interact with a content script. Plausible allows custom events, but their UI notoriously lacks the ability to easily explore event properties and attributes. AddonPulse provides rich custom event tracking with attributes, allowing you to filter, segment, and build detailed funnels based on how users actually interact with your extension's interface.
A Free trial That Actually Helps
Plausible requires payment from day one, even for small personal projects. We believe analytics should be accessible to developers who are just starting out. AddonPulse offers a 30 day generous free trial with 10,000 events per month. It is perfect for testing your extension locally or launching your MVP. When your extension takes off and you're ready to upgrade, our pricing is competitive and transparent.
Extension Store Privacy Compliance
Chrome Web Store reviewers are incredibly strict about tracking. Standard web analytics scripts often send full URLs, pathnames, and DOM data that can trigger privacy flags and get your extension rejected. AddonPulse's Extension SDK is built with this in mind. It deliberately strips out sensitive data and pathnames, sending only the safe metrics you need to understand your growth, ensuring smooth sailing through store reviews.