Mirage Analytics vs Google Analytics
The debate is no longer "should we leave Google Analytics?" but "why haven't you yet?". An honest comparison, with numbers.
Contents
The 30-second verdict
Google Analytics 4
Free and feature-rich — attribution, native Google Ads integration — but your data travels through Google's servers in the United States, the consent banner is mandatory, and only 55–60% of French visitors opt in. The CNIL has also announced tighter audits through the first half of 2026.
Mirage Analytics
Cookieless, consent-exempt by design, hosted in France (Scaleway). Session replay, heatmaps and A/B testing built in. You measure 100% of your traffic, with no banner. From €19/month (excl. VAT).
Detailed comparison
| Mirage Analytics | Google Analytics 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Consent banner exemption (CNIL) | Yes, by design | No — banner required |
| Data hosting | France (Scaleway) | United States (Google Cloud) |
| Third-party cookies | ✕ | ✓ |
| 100% of traffic measured | ✓ | 55–60% (average French opt-in rate) |
| Session replay included | ✓ | ✕ |
| Heatmaps included | ✓ | ✕ |
| A/B testing included | ✓ | Removed (Google Optimize shut down) |
| Google Ads integration | ✕ | ✓ |
| Usable without training | ✓ | ✕ |
| Price | From €19/month (excl. VAT) | Free (paid in data) |
Mirage is not the only option: our round-up of Google Analytics alternatives reviews Matomo, Plausible, Fathom, Umami and Pirsch, with their prices and their limits.
GDPR: the fault line
The facts, in order. February 2022: the CNIL issued formal notices to French website operators — Google Analytics in its standard setup breaches the GDPR, because data is transferred to the US without adequate safeguards. July 2023: the European Commission adopted the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, restoring a legal basis for transfers — but the EDPB noted its similarity to Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield, both struck down by the Schrems I and II rulings. 2025: three French companies sanctioned, and the CNIL announced intensified audits for the first half of 2026.
Even with Consent Mode v2, mandatory since March 2024, the data still travels through Google's servers, under US extraterritorial law (FISA, the Cloud Act). And GA4 still needs a banner. Didomi, analysing 21.7 billion consent choices, puts the average French opt-in rate at 55–60%. The CNIL has watched refusals climb from 20% in 2021 to 39% by the end of 2024 — and close to a quarter of visitors simply ignore the banner, which counts as a refusal. You end up running your business on 40–45% less audience than you actually have.
Mirage removes the problem at the root: no personal data collected, no cookies set, data hosted in France. Measurement meets the CNIL's exemption criteria — there is nothing to consent to. Our full guide: the CNIL consent exemption for analytics tools.
The real price of "free"
GA4 is free because your traffic data feeds Google's advertising business. The hidden costs add up: a consent banner (a paid CMP, for most), 40–45% of your data gone, the hours spent learning the tool, and — once you get serious — separate subscriptions for replay and heatmaps, often €40 to €100 a month on top.
Mirage starts at €19/month (excl. VAT), everything included. It does not take long to work out what "free" GA4 really costs you.
Which one for you?
Stay on GA4 if…
- Your acquisition relies heavily on Google Ads and its audiences
- You have a data team working in BigQuery
- Your DPO accepts data transfers to the United States
Switch to Mirage if…
- You want to measure 100% of your traffic, without a banner
- GDPR/CNIL compliance must be structural, not defensive
- You want to understand journeys (replay, heatmaps) without stacking tools
- The whole team should read the numbers, not just the analyst
Migrate in 5 minutes
- Create your trial account (30 days, no card).
- Paste the Mirage script on your site — like GA, only shorter.
- Run it alongside GA4 for 2–4 weeks to compare.
- Export your historical GA4 reports, then switch GA4 off — and the analytics banner with it.
FAQ
Is Google Analytics illegal in France in 2026?
Not as such. The EU-US Data Privacy Framework (July 2023) provides a legal basis for transfers to the United States. But the CNIL issued formal notices to website operators as early as February 2022, sanctioned three companies in 2025, and announced intensified audits for the first half of 2026. A "Schrems III" ruling could strike down the DPF, as Schrems I and II struck down Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield.
Can I remove my cookie banner by switching to Mirage?
For the analytics part, yes: Mirage works without third-party cookies or persistent identifiers and meets the CNIL's consent-exemption criteria. If your site uses other trackers (advertising, social media), consent is still required for those.
Do I lose my Google Analytics history when migrating?
GA4 history cannot be transferred, no matter which tool you move to. Recommended practice: export your key reports, then run Mirage alongside GA4 for 2–4 weeks to validate consistency before switching off.
How does Mirage's cookieless measurement compare to GA4?
In practice it is more complete. GA4 only measures visitors who accept the banner — 55–60% in France, according to Didomi's analysis of 21.7 billion consent choices — while Mirage measures 100% of your traffic anonymously. What you gain back is precisely the 40–45% of your audience GA4 never sees.