The honest framing: Umami self-hosted is genuinely free and gives you full control over your data. Logly is managed SaaS — zero infrastructure to maintain. Which is better depends entirely on whether you have a server already and want to maintain it long-term.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Logly | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | ✓ Free plan up to 10,000 pv/mo | ✓ Self-hosted is free (server costs apply) |
| Self-hosted | ✗ SaaS only | ✓ Deploy on any Node.js host |
| Managed cloud option | ✓ | ✓ Umami Cloud (~$9/mo for 100k events) |
| Open source | ✗ | ✓ MIT licence |
| Script size | ✓ < 1 KB | ~2 KB |
| Active time-on-page | ✓ Pauses when tab is hidden | ✗ Counts total tab open time |
| Ad blocker bypass | ✓ Built-in, zero config | Depends on your hosting domain |
| Guaranteed EU hosting | ✓ Always EU | Depends on where you deploy |
| No cookies | ✓ | ✓ |
| GDPR compliant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-user / team access | Coming soon | ✓ |
| Server maintenance | ✓ None | Updates, backups, security patches on you |
| Setup time | ✓ ~2 min (script tag only) | 30–60 min (server + DB + deploy) |
Pricing as published on umami.is — verify with their current page. Last checked May 2026.
3 reasons people choose Logly over self-hosted Umami
Self-hosting is free in cash, not in time
Umami self-hosted needs a Node.js server, a PostgreSQL or MySQL database, SSL, and someone to apply updates when they come out. If you already have a VPS for other things, adding Umami is low friction. If you'd be spinning up infrastructure just for analytics, the "free" option costs more than $9/mo in time before the first month is over.
Ad blocker bypass requires planning with Umami
Whether Umami gets through Brave or uBlock depends entirely on your hosting domain and path. If your analytics endpoint is on a recognisable pattern or domain, it gets blocked. Logly routes through a first-party endpoint that isn't on any block list — it works out of the box without thinking about it.
GDPR compliance is guaranteed, not configurable
With self-hosted Umami, EU data residency depends on where you chose to deploy. If your VPS is in the US (DigitalOcean New York, AWS us-east-1), you have a GDPR problem. With Logly, all data is always in the EU on Cloudflare infrastructure — there's nothing to configure and no deployment decision that can accidentally break compliance.
Frequently asked questions
I already have a VPS — should I just self-host Umami?
Probably yes, if you're comfortable with Node.js deployments and want full data ownership at zero marginal cost. Umami is well-documented and runs reliably. The honest answer is that for technically capable users who already have infrastructure, self-hosted Umami is hard to beat on cost. Logly makes more sense if you'd rather spend that time on your product.
Umami Cloud costs about the same as Logly — why choose one over the other?
At the same price point, the differences are: Logly has a permanent free tier (Umami Cloud doesn't), Logly's script is lighter, and Logly's time-on-page is more accurate. Umami Cloud has more mature custom events and multi-user support. Both are solid choices — it comes down to which feature set matters more to you.
Can Umami track custom events better than Logly?
Yes. Umami's custom event tracking is more mature — you can track button clicks, form submissions, and conversions with a simple JavaScript API, and they show up cleanly in the dashboard. Logly supports basic event parameters but doesn't yet have a dedicated events dashboard. If custom event tracking is central to your use case, Umami is currently the stronger option.
Is Umami actually private if I deploy it on a US server?
No — or at least, not GDPR-compliant by EU standards. If visitor data flows through US infrastructure, you're subject to US surveillance laws (CLOUD Act, FISA Section 702), which EU data protection authorities have ruled incompatible with GDPR. EU deployment is required for full compliance. Logly's infrastructure is always EU-based, regardless of where you are.
Zero servers. Zero maintenance. Just the script tag.
Free up to 10,000 pageviews a month. EU hosted by default. Works with Brave and uBlock out of the box.
Get started free → No credit card · No server · No maintenance · Free forever on the Free plan