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Get Up and Running Fast

This guide will help you set up Plausible Analytics and start tracking your website traffic in just a few minutes. No complex configuration needed.
This quick start covers Plausible Cloud, our managed service. For self-hosting instructions, see the Installation guide.

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Prerequisites

All you need is:
  • A website where you can add code to the <head> section
  • 2 minutes of your time
No credit card required for the 30-day free trial.

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Step 1: Create Your Account

1

Sign Up

Visit plausible.io/register and create your account.Enter your email and create a password. You’ll receive a confirmation email to verify your account.
2

Add Your Website

After signing in, you’ll be prompted to add your first website.Enter your domain exactly as it appears in the browser (e.g., mywebsite.com or blog.mywebsite.com).
Use the domain without http:// or https://. Just the domain name like example.com.
3

Configure Timezone and Region

Select your timezone and reporting region. This determines how your daily/weekly/monthly reports are calculated.

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Step 2: Install the Tracking Script

Plausible offers multiple installation methods. Choose the one that works best for your setup. This is the simplest method for most websites.
1

Copy Your Snippet

After adding your site, you’ll see your unique tracking snippet that looks like this:
<!-- Privacy-friendly analytics by Plausible -->
<script async src="https://plausible.io/js/YOUR-SCRIPT-ID.js"></script>
<script>
  window.plausible=window.plausible||function(){(plausible.q=plausible.q||[]).push(arguments)},plausible.init=plausible.init||function(i){plausible.o=i||};
  plausible.init()
</script>
Your actual snippet will include a unique Script ID specific to your site. The script is lightweight (< 1KB) and won’t slow down your website.
2

Add to Your Website

Paste the snippet into the <head> section of your website, before the closing </head> tag.For static sites, add it to your HTML template:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Website</title>
    
    <!-- Privacy-friendly analytics by Plausible -->
    <script async src="https://plausible.io/js/YOUR-SCRIPT-ID.js"></script>
    <script>
      window.plausible=window.plausible||function(){(plausible.q=plausible.q||[]).push(arguments)},plausible.init=plausible.init||function(i){plausible.o=i||};
      plausible.init()
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <!-- Your content -->
  </body>
</html>
3

Deploy Your Changes

Save the file and deploy your updated website.

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Method 2: WordPress Plugin

If you’re using WordPress, we have an official plugin.
1

Install the Plugin

Go to your WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Add NewSearch for “Plausible Analytics” and click Install, then Activate.
2

Configure the Plugin

Go to Settings → Plausible AnalyticsEnter your domain and save the settings. The plugin will automatically add the tracking script to your site.

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Method 3: NPM Package

For modern JavaScript applications (React, Vue, Next.js, etc.):
1

Install the Package

npm install @plausible-analytics/tracker
2

Initialize in Your App

import { init } from '@plausible-analytics/tracker'

init({
  domain: 'mywebsite.com'
})
The init function must be called on the client side only. For SSR frameworks like Next.js, ensure initialization happens in a client component or useEffect hook.
3

Enable Auto-Capture (Optional)

By default, the NPM package automatically tracks pageviews. For SPA routing:
init({
  domain: 'mywebsite.com',
  autoCapturePageviews: true  // enabled by default
})

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Step 3: Verify Installation

1

Click Verify Installation

After adding the script, return to your Plausible dashboard and click the “Verify Installation” button.Plausible will automatically detect if the script is installed correctly on your site.
2

Visit Your Website

Open your website in a browser (in a regular window, not incognito mode).Navigate to a few pages to generate some test traffic.
3

Check Your Dashboard

Return to your Plausible dashboard. You should see your first pageview appear within a few seconds!
The dashboard updates in realtime. If you don’t see data immediately, wait 10-15 seconds and refresh.

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Step 4: Explore Your Dashboard

Congratulations! You’re now tracking privacy-friendly analytics. Here’s what you’ll see:

Current Visitors

See how many people are on your site right now in realtime

Pageviews

Total pageviews over your selected time period

Top Pages

Which pages on your site are getting the most traffic

Traffic Sources

Where your visitors are coming from (Google, social media, direct, etc.)

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Optional: Enhanced Tracking

Want to track more than pageviews? Enable these optional features: Automatically track when users click external links: 
// NPM package
init({
  domain: 'mywebsite.com',
  outboundLinks: true
})
For the script installation, enable this option in your site settings.

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Track File Downloads

Monitor when users download files: 
// NPM package
init({
  domain: 'mywebsite.com',
  fileDownloads: true
})

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Track Custom Events

Track button clicks, form submissions, and other user actions: 
import { track } from '@plausible-analytics/tracker'

// Track a signup
track('Signup', { props: { plan: 'Pro' } })

// Track a purchase with revenue
track('Purchase', { 
  revenue: { amount: 29.99, currency: 'USD' },
  props: { product: 'Premium Plan' }
})
Custom events and enhanced tracking features count towards your billable pageviews.

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Troubleshooting

  • Make sure you visited your site in a regular browser window (not incognito/private mode)
  • Check that the script snippet is in the <head> section, not the <body>
  • Verify your domain in the snippet matches exactly what you entered in settings
  • Disable any ad blockers and try again (note: Plausible is blocked by many ad blockers)
  • Check your browser console for any JavaScript errors
  • Clear your browser cache and hard reload the page (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Make sure the script loads before the closing </head> tag
  • Check that your Script ID is correct in the snippet
  • Some content security policies (CSP) may block the script - add plausible.io to your allowed domains
If you’re using a single-page application with client-side routing:
  • For NPM: ensure autoCapturePageviews: true is set (default)
  • For hash-based routing (/#/page), enable the hash routing option: 
    init({
  domain: 'mywebsite.com',
  hashBasedRouting: true
})
Set localStorage.plausible_ignore to "true" in your browser console:
localStorage.plausible_ignore = "true"
Or add this to your site for a permanent exclusion link for you and your team.

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Next Steps

Set Up Goals

Track conversions like signups, purchases, or downloads

Invite Team Members

Collaborate with your team and assign roles

Email Reports

Get weekly or monthly analytics reports sent to your inbox

Integrate Search Console

See which keywords bring traffic from Google
Need help? Join our community forum or check the full documentation for detailed guides.

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