Been looking at different analytics tools but most seem to either give surface-level data or go full creepy mode with tracking.
Anyone found something that actually gives decent behavioral insights without making users feel like they’re being stalked?
GA4 with privacy controls is solid. You’ll get conversion tracking and user paths without grabbing personal data. Set up custom events that track what people do, not who they are. Screen drop rates, conversion time, feature usage - everything you need to optimize without being creepy. Most users expect tracking anyway. Just skip storing emails or device IDs and you’re good.
Mixpanel’s been solid for me across two apps. Great funnel data and event tracking, no invasive stuff. Users can opt out easily and it doesn’t collect personal identifiers by default.
Amplitude’s another good option I’ve tried. Their cohort analysis rocks for understanding user behavior patterns. Both tools let you anonymize data from the get-go.
Honestly, the privacy vs insight balance comes down to how you set up tracking, not the tool. I focus on tracking what users do, not who they are. Still get the behavioral data I need for optimization.
This covers the ethical side pretty well:
What specific insights are you after? That’ll determine which tool fits best.
Hotjar does heatmaps without being weird about it. Shows where people click and scroll but keeps things anonymous.
PostHog’s a good option - you can self-host and keep all user data on your servers.
I’ve used it for several clients and the session recordings work well without being creepy. Custom event tracking is straightforward and user flows are easy to follow.
Just be transparent in your privacy policy about what you’re tracking. Most people don’t mind anonymous behavioral data if you’re upfront about it.
Simple events tracking beats fancy dashboards every time.