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Marketing · head to head

Fathom Analytics vs NordVPN

Fathom Analytics logo

Fathom Analytics

Marketing

Website analytics made simple

From
$14/month
Rated
-
NordVPN logo

NordVPN

Cybersecurity

Consumer and business VPN from Nord Security, registered in Panama, with repeated third-party no-logs audits.

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fathom Analytics there is no free tier, only a 7 day trial; NordVPN a server in a Finnish datacentre was accessed in March 2018 through a remote management interface left exposed by the hosting provider, and NordVPN did not disclose it until October 2019, so a buyer relying on the company's transparency is relying on a track record that includes a nineteen-month delay.
  • They diverge on capability: Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking, NordVPN covers NordLynx.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fathom Analytics and NordVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Fathom Analytics and NordVPN differ
AttributeFathom AnalyticsNordVPN
Starting price$14/month$3.99/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile, Api
CategoryMarketingCybersecurity
Founded20142012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fathom Analytics

  • Page view tracking
  • Goal tracking
  • Real-time analytics
  • Referrer tracking
  • Privacy-focused
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

Only in NordVPN

  • NordLynx
  • Audited no-logs policy
  • RAM-only servers
  • Threat Protection
  • Obfuscated servers
  • Double VPN
  • Kill switch
  • Dedicated IP

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fathom Analytics

  • Privacy-focused web analytics without cookie bannersnot NordVPN
  • A lightweight Google Analytics replacementnot NordVPN
  • Tracking many sites from one accountnot NordVPN
  • Long-term historical reporting while subscribednot NordVPN

NordVPN

  • A buyer choosing on evidence rather than claims, who wants a no-logs policy that has been audited more than once by a named firmnot Fathom Analytics
  • Households and individuals wanting one subscription across ten devices including a smart TVnot Fathom Analytics
  • Travellers and remote workers on hotel and airport networks who need obfuscation where plain VPN protocols are blockednot Fathom Analytics
  • Small teams needing basic remote access to a shared resource, via the NordLayer business product rather than the consumer appnot Fathom Analytics

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fathom Analytics

  • There is no free tier, only a 7 day trial
  • Priced on pageviews, from $45 a month at the 500,000 pageview level
  • Custom events count against the pageview allowance rather than being tracked separately
  • Site allowances come in packs, with additional 50-site packs at $10 a month
  • Data is retained forever only while the subscription is active

NordVPN

  • A server in a Finnish datacentre was accessed in March 2018 through a remote management interface left exposed by the hosting provider, and NordVPN did not disclose it until October 2019, so a buyer relying on the company's transparency is relying on a track record that includes a nineteen-month delay.
  • Pricing depends on a long initial term and reverts to the standard rate at renewal, so the monthly figure that justified the purchase is not what the subscriber pays in the third year, and the cheapest way to stay is usually to cancel and re-subscribe.
  • Panamanian registration is selected for the absence of a data retention law, but it also means a subscriber with a dispute has little practical recourse, and the protection rests on a corporate structure the customer cannot inspect or enforce against.
  • NordLynx is unavailable for manual and router configurations, so the one device that could cover an entire home network falls back to OpenVPN or IKEv2 with the associated throughput loss, and obfuscated servers likewise only run over OpenVPN.
  • Features such as Threat Protection are implemented in the client rather than in the network, so any device using a manual configuration, a router or an unsupported platform receives a bare tunnel without the protections the subscription is sold on.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fathom Analytics

$14/month
  • Starter$14/month
    • Unlimited page views
    • 1 site
    • Real-time analytics

NordVPN

$3.99/month
  • Standard$3.99/month
    • 6 devices
    • 5,500+ servers
    • Threat Protection Lite
  • Plus$4.99/month
    • All Standard features
    • Threat Protection Pro
    • NordPass password manager
  • Complete$5.99/month
    • All Plus features
    • NordLocker 1TB encrypted cloud
    • Identity theft protection

Which should you pick?

Choose Fathom Analytics if

  • You need page view tracking.
  • You also want goal tracking.

Choose NordVPN if

  • You need nordlynx.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want audited no-logs policy.

Questions people ask

Is Fathom Analytics or NordVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Fathom Analytics starts at $14/month and NordVPN at $3.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fathom Analytics or NordVPN?
Fathom Analytics starts at $14/month and NordVPN at $3.99/month.
Does Fathom Analytics or NordVPN run on more platforms?
Fathom Analytics runs on Web. NordVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
What is Fathom Analytics best used for?
Fathom Analytics is most often used for privacy-focused web analytics without cookie banners, a lightweight google analytics replacement, tracking many sites from one account, long-term historical reporting while subscribed. Of those, privacy-focused web analytics without cookie banners and a lightweight google analytics replacement are not what NordVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Fathom Analytics do that NordVPN cannot?
Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking, Goal tracking, Real-time analytics, Referrer tracking. NordVPN covers NordLynx, Audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, Threat Protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fathom Analytics: How much does Fathom Analytics cost?

Fathom's entry-level plan costs $45/month for up to 500,000 pageviews. Higher volume tiers exist (1M, 2M, 10M, 25M+ pageviews) with custom pricing. Yearly billing provides 2 months free.

Source
NordVPN: What jurisdiction is NordVPN under?

The VPN service company is registered in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention law for these services. The wider Nord Security group operates from Lithuania.

Fathom Analytics: Is there a free trial for Fathom Analytics?

Yes, Fathom offers a 7-day free trial. There is no free tier after the trial ends.

Source
NordVPN: Has the no-logs claim actually been audited?

Yes, more than once. PwC Switzerland examined it in 2018 and 2020 and Deloitte in later engagements. Each is a point-in-time assurance report over stated policy and server configuration, not ongoing monitoring.

Fathom Analytics: What happens if my pageviews exceed my plan limit?

Fathom handles usage overage graciously, only upgrading your plan after two consecutive months over your limit. There are no immediate overage charges.

Source
NordVPN: What happened in the 2018 breach?

An attacker reached one rented server in Finland via an insecure remote management tool left in place by the datacentre provider, and obtained a TLS key that had expired. NordVPN disclosed it in October 2019, nineteen months later, and afterwards moved the estate to RAM-only servers.

Fathom Analytics: Can I add extra sites to my Fathom plan?

Yes, extra sites cost $10/month per 50-site pack, or $100/year (which includes two months free). All plans include a minimum of 50 included sites.

Source
NordVPN: How many devices does one subscription cover?

Ten simultaneous connections. A router configured with the service counts as one connection regardless of how many devices sit behind it.

Fathom Analytics: Can I cancel Fathom without a long contract?

Yes, there are no contracts and cancellation is flexible. Fathom does not lock customers into agreements.

Source
NordVPN: Does it work on restrictive networks?

There are obfuscated servers intended for networks that block VPN protocols, but they run over OpenVPN only and no provider can guarantee access in a country that actively filters. Treat it as best effort.

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