happenstance vs Simple Analytics

Skip the setup.
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Simple Analytics lives up to its name — beautifully simple. But simple means page views only. Happenstance gives you product-level tracking, automatically.

Happenstance

Zero-config

  1. 1 Add one script tag to your site
  2. 2 Done. Every interaction tracked automatically.
~30 seconds

Simple Analytics

Traditional setup

  1. 1 Create a Simple Analytics account
  2. 2 Add the Simple Analytics script tag
  3. 3 Page views are tracked automatically
  4. 4 For custom events, add code to your site
  5. 5 Define each event manually with sa_event()
Hours to days

Simple Analytics is a privacy-first analytics tool based in the EU. It's clean, fast, and respects user privacy. But as the name implies, it focuses on simplicity — page views, referrers, and basic metrics. If you need to understand how users interact with your product beyond page navigation, you need more. Happenstance provides that depth while keeping the same privacy-first philosophy.

Feature Comparison

FeatureHappenstanceSimple Analytics
Zero-config setup
Automatic event discovery
Page view tracking
Click trackingAutomaticManual
Form tracking
Error tracking
Funnel analysis
Goal tracking
Privacy-friendly
No cookies
EU-based
Free tier10k events/moNone

Why teams switch

Teams love Simple Analytics for its commitment to privacy and its clean interface. But when product questions arise — Which buttons do users click? Where do they drop off in forms? What errors are they hitting? — Simple Analytics can't answer them. Happenstance tracks every interaction automatically, giving you product insights without sacrificing privacy.

How to migrate from Simple Analytics

  1. 1 Add the Happenstance script tag alongside Simple Analytics.
  2. 2 See the automatic event discovery in action — clicks and forms tracked without code.
  3. 3 Set up goals to replace any Simple Analytics goals you had configured.
  4. 4 Remove the Simple Analytics script when you're ready.
  5. 5 Keep the same privacy standards with deeper product insights.

Who should use what

Choose Happenstance if...

You want privacy-friendly product analytics that go beyond page views. Automatic click tracking, form submissions, and error capture without writing code.

Choose Simple Analytics if...

You only need page-level metrics for a content site or blog. Simple Analytics' minimal approach and EU hosting may be all you need.

Integration Code

Happenstance (complete setup)

<script src="https://happenstance.click/v1/track.js"></script>

Simple Analytics (just initialization)

<!-- Simple Analytics (page views) -->
<script src="https://scripts.simpleanalyticscdn.com/latest.js">
</script>

<!-- Custom events require code: -->
sa_event('signup_completed');

Simple Analytics is perfect for blogs, marketing sites, and teams who only need page-level metrics. Happenstance is for product teams who want to understand user behavior at every level — clicks, forms, errors, and journeys — with the same privacy-first approach.

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