8 Top Ecommerce Analytics Tools + Software [Free + Paid]

If you run an online store and you feel like you are driving blind, you probably are. Ecommerce analytics tools give you the lights, mirrors and dashboard you need so you stop guessing and start knowing. When you use the right ecommerce analytics software, every click, add to cart and checkout becomes a data point that can guide better decisions and real revenue growth.

I still remember the first time I saw a heatmap of a product page and realised people ignored my giant banner completely.

The challenge is simple to describe and annoying to solve. There are dozens of ecommerce analytics platforms, each promising magical insights, better conversion rates and perfect attribution. Some focus on web analytics for ecommerce, others double down on ecommerce customer analytics or crazy deep ecommerce performance analytics. You do not have the time to test every option, so a clear comparison of the best ecommerce analytics tools really helps.

What is ecommerce analytics and why does it matter

Ecommerce analytics means collecting, processing and interpreting data from your store, your marketing channels and your customers. Good ecommerce analytics software shows you where visitors come from, what they do on your site and where money actually appears. When you track events like product views, cart actions and refunds, you move from gut feeling to measurable ecommerce business analytics. I know gut feelings are fun until the ad bill arrives.

The right ecommerce analytics tools also reveal friction in your funnel. Maybe people abandon carts on mobile, maybe your search results are bad, or your pricing just confuses everyone. With advanced ecommerce analytics, you can see segments, compare cohorts and watch how changes impact revenue over time. Analytics for ecommerce becomes the control room where you monitor trends and react before problems explode. It is a lot more relaxing than refreshing your sales dashboard every five minutes.

How to choose the best analytics tools for ecommerce

Before we dive into specific tools for ecommerce, it helps to decide what you actually need. Some brands mainly want web analytics ecommerce tracking with strong attribution, others want ecommerce reporting tools with deep product level metrics and customer lifetime value. If you run several stores or channels, you might need an ecommerce data platform that stitches everything into a single view. That sounds glamorous until you start wrestling with random spreadsheets.

When you evaluate ecommerce analytics services, look at three things. First, tracking flexibility, meaning custom events, ecommerce tracking software for carts and checkout steps, and reliable analytics ecommerce tracking across devices. Second, reporting depth, which includes ecommerce reporting software, funnel views, retention, and ecommerce customer analytics that reveal who buys, when and why. Third, ease of use, because if the dashboard scares the team, nobody will open it after the first week.

Here are a few criteria I always keep in mind when picking an ecommerce analytics tool:

• Does it track standard and custom ecommerce events without painful coding

• Can it show revenue, profit and online sales analytics by product, category and campaign

• Does it integrate with my cart, email tool and ad platforms

• Is pricing realistic for my current traffic and planned growth

Now let us walk through eight of the best analytics tools for ecommerce right now, covering both free and paid options, starting with my favourite.

1. PrettyInsights

PrettyInsights is a modern ecommerce analytics platform and web analytics tool that mixes product analytics and ecommerce analysis in one clean interface. It tracks events like product views, add to cart, checkout steps and custom events, all using a lightweight tracking script. You can see funnels, paths, and cohort retention while also keeping an eye on classic ecommerce web analytics. I like that it works nicely as a privacy friendly Google Analytics alternative while still feeling very focused on revenue.

Where PrettyInsights shines is in ecommerce data analytics and behaviour tracking. You get session level timelines, scroll depth, page engagement and ecommerce analytics tracking for key steps in your store. The tool turns raw analytics ecommerce data into clear reports, like which landing pages actually lead to purchases and which campaigns bring high value customers. If you are serious about data analysis for ecommerce and want something purpose built, it feels like a very natural choice.

Pros

• Strong ecommerce data analytics software with funnels, cohorts and product views

• Great option when you want a Google Analytics alternative for ecommerce website analytics

• Clean interface that non technical teams actually enjoy using

• Event based tracking that supports advanced ecommerce analytics and ecommerce monitoring tools style dashboards

Cons

• Not as well known yet as some older ecommerce tools

• Requires proper implementation planning to fully use all ecommerce analytics features

2. Google Analytics with enhanced ecommerce

Google Analytics remains one of the most used ecommerce analytics tools, especially when you configure enhanced ecommerce tracking. It can capture product impressions, cart additions, checkout steps and refunds, then tie these events back to traffic sources and campaigns. For many stores, it becomes the default free ecommerce analytics software for web analytics ecommerce tracking. I still have mixed feelings about the interface, but the data can be very powerful.

When used correctly, Google Analytics offers ecommerce reporting tools that handle revenue by channel, funnel drop offs, and simple ecommerce analysis across multiple segments. You can answer questions like which campaign drives higher average order value or which region converts best on mobile. It also integrates with many ecommerce platforms through plugins, which simplifies the technical setup. As a free digital analytics tool, it still plays a big role in ecommerce and data analytics stacks.

Pros

• Completely free ecommerce tracking tools for most use cases

• Deep integration options with many ecommerce platforms and advertising tools

• Strong ecommerce web analytics reports for traffic, behaviour and conversions

• Huge community, documentation and ready made dashboards for analytics ecommerce

Cons

• Interface and reports can feel complex for beginners

• Sampling and data limits can impact larger stores that want precise ecommerce business analytics

3. Shopify Analytics

If your store runs on Shopify, Shopify Analytics is usually the first ecommerce analytics tool you see. It comes built into the platform and surfaces metrics like total sales, conversion rate, average order value and top products. You can view ecommerce performance analytics across time, see sales by traffic source and compare different channels. For many merchants, it becomes the central ecommerce reporting software they check every morning while sipping coffee.

The main strength of Shopify Analytics is convenience. You do not install extra ecommerce tracking tools, you just open the dashboard and the data is there. It pulls together online sales analytics, discounts, refunds and even some basic customer analytics. However, when you want advanced ecommerce analytics or really flexible ecommerce data analysis, you might hit limits and need an additional ecommerce analytics platform like PrettyInsights. I like using it for quick overviews and trend checks.

Pros

• Native part of Shopify, so setup is practically automatic

• Simple overview of ecommerce performance analytics and online sales analytics

• Useful for quick checks on revenue, conversion rate and product performance

• Works nicely together with other tools for ecommerce when you add deeper tracking

Cons

• Limited custom event tracking compared with dedicated ecommerce analytics software

• Reporting depth is not enough for complex ecommerce data analytics or cohort analysis

4. Matomo

Matomo is a self hosted or cloud hosted ecommerce analytics tool that emphasises data ownership and privacy. It provides web analytics for ecommerce, funnels, goals and custom event tracking similar to traditional tools but without sending data to giant advertising companies. Many stores pick Matomo when they need strict compliance or want more control over their ecommerce data platform. I personally enjoy the old school feeling of owning the server, even though maintenance is extra work.

For ecommerce, Matomo supports ecommerce analytics tracking such as product views, cart interactions and order tracking. You can build ecommerce reporting tools that show revenue per channel, conversion rates and customer journeys. Combined with plugins for heatmaps and session recordings, it can become a solid ecommerce monitoring tools stack. It is a strong option when you want best analytics software for ecommerce without sacrificing privacy.

Pros

• Strong privacy focus with self hosted options and full data control

• Flexible ecommerce analytics software with goals, funnels and events

• Integrations with many ecommerce platforms and content management systems

• Good choice for companies that need strict compliance while doing analytics for ecommerce

Cons

• Requires more technical work than some cloud only ecommerce tools

• Interface can feel less modern than some newer ecommerce analytics platforms

5. Adobe Analytics

Adobe Analytics is at the enterprise end of ecommerce analytics services, aimed at larger brands and complex digital ecosystems. It offers advanced ecommerce analytics, omni channel attribution, and extremely customisable reporting. When integrated with other Adobe Experience Cloud products, it becomes a very powerful ecommerce data analytics platform. It is also the kind of tool that makes you feel like you should wear a suit while opening it.

For ecommerce, Adobe supports detailed ecommerce tracking software, including product impressions, promotions, merchandising and multi touch attribution. You can design dashboards that show ecommerce and data analytics across web, apps and offline channels. It suits companies with dedicated analytics teams that can configure and maintain the solution. For small stores it is usually overkill, but for large retailers it can be one of the best analytics tools for ecommerce.

Pros

• Extremely flexible ecommerce data analytics software for complex organisations

• Deep segmentation, attribution and ecommerce analysis capabilities

• Integrates with other Adobe tools for personalisation and testing

• Strong ecommerce reporting software for enterprise teams

Cons

• Expensive compared with most other ecommerce tools

• Steep learning curve, usually needs specialised analysts to handle configuration

6. Mixpanel

Mixpanel started as a product analytics tool and has grown into a strong ecommerce analytics platform as well. It focuses on event based tracking, funnels, A B testing and cohort analysis. Many ecommerce brands use Mixpanel as a way to understand user behaviour beyond simple page views and sessions. I like how it forces you to think in terms of actions rather than vague metrics.

With Mixpanel you can set up ecommerce analytics tracking around events like product viewed, product added to cart, checkout started and order completed. The tool then lets you build funnels, retention reports and user journeys. It works well as ecommerce data analytics when you want to see how changes in your site or app affect conversion and repeat purchase behaviour. It is particularly useful for subscription based ecommerce businesses that care about recurring revenue.

Pros

• Powerful event based analytics ecommerce platform with strong funnels and cohorts

• Great for data analysis for ecommerce focused on behaviour and retention

• Flexible segmentation for custom properties like plan, region or device

• Clear visual reports that help you explore ecommerce analysis without heavy coding

Cons

• Pricing can increase as event volume grows

• Requires careful planning of events and properties to avoid messy ecommerce analytics data

7. Hotjar

Hotjar is best known as a behaviour analytics tool that complements classic ecommerce analytics tools. Instead of focusing mainly on numbers, it shows you heatmaps, session recordings and survey responses. This helps you understand why visitors behave in certain ways on your product pages and checkout. I still remember watching a recording where a user kept clicking a decorative image that looked like a button, then rage quit.

For ecommerce, Hotjar is not a complete ecommerce analytics software solution on its own, but it is a powerful partner. You can combine it with other ecommerce tracking software and use it as a qualitative ecommerce analysis layer. Heatmaps show where people scroll and click, while surveys reveal objections, doubts and missing details. When you pair this with ecommerce website analytics from tools like PrettyInsights or Google Analytics, you get both numbers and stories.

Pros

• Excellent behaviour insights through heatmaps and recordings

• Great for finding UX issues that hurt ecommerce performance analytics

• Simple survey and feedback tools for ecommerce customer analytics

• Works well alongside other ecommerce reporting tools and web analytics ecommerce stacks

Cons

• Not a full ecommerce data analytics software by itself

• Can generate a lot of recordings that require time to review

8. Looker Studio and dashboards

Looker Studio, previously known as Data Studio, is a free reporting tool that turns your ecommerce and data analytics sources into custom dashboards. It is not an ecommerce tracking software in itself, but it connects to many ecommerce analytics tools, ad platforms and databases. When you pull everything into one dashboard, you get a unified view of ecommerce business analytics. It feels like a control panel where you can see the whole machine.

For ecommerce brands, Looker Studio becomes a flexible ecommerce reporting software layer. You can combine data from your ecommerce analytics platform, advertising accounts and email service. Then you build ecommerce analysis dashboards that update automatically and share them with your team. It excels when you need ecommerce market research tools style views that combine traffic, costs and revenue. I love dashboards that finally retire random screenshot reports.

Pros

• Free digital analytics tool for building custom reports and dashboards

• Connects to many ecommerce analytics platforms, databases and ad accounts

• Great for ecommerce reporting tools that combine multiple sources

• Easy sharing for stakeholders without giving direct access to every ecommerce tool

Cons

• Depends on the quality of underlying ecommerce data analytics sources

• Complex dashboards can become slow or messy without careful design

Choosing the right ecommerce analytics platform for your store

There is no single best ecommerce analytics tools setup for every brand. A small direct to consumer shop might combine PrettyInsights with Shopify Analytics and Hotjar. A large retailer might use Adobe Analytics, Looker Studio and a separate ecommerce data platform. The right mix depends on your tech stack, budget and internal skills. My personal rule is simple, start with the minimum that answers your core questions, then layer on more complexity only when needed.

Think about your current pain points. If you struggle with attribution and campaign performance, focus on ecommerce website analytics and online sales analytics. If you worry about product funnel drop offs, invest in analytics tools for ecommerce that handle events and cohorts. When you care about user experience, add behaviour focused ecommerce monitoring tools like Hotjar to your stack. The idea is to build a clear and coherent analytics ecommerce system, not a museum of random dashboards.

Conclusion

Ecommerce analytics is not just a fancy phrase for reports, it is the nervous system of a modern online business. The right mix of ecommerce analytics tools and ecommerce analytics software will show you what works, what fails and where to improve. Platforms like PrettyInsights, Google Analytics, Shopify Analytics, Matomo, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Hotjar and Looker Studio cover a wide range of needs, from simple ecommerce web analytics to advanced ecommerce data analysis. You do not need all of them, you just need the ones that match your stage and strategy.

Start by clarifying what questions you want answered, then match those questions to the strengths of each ecommerce analytics tool. Maybe you want clear ecommerce tracking tools for funnels and events, or perhaps you need ecommerce reporting tools that highlight lifetime value and retention. Whatever you choose, make sure the data leads to actions, experiments and continuous improvement. If your analytics does not change anything you do, it becomes a very expensive decoration.

Pick just one or two tools

Pick one or two tools, implement them well, and get comfortable with the dashboards. Over time, you can add more ecommerce analytics services, build custom ecommerce market research tools and refine your whole ecommerce data platform. Just remember, even the most advanced ecommerce analytics will not fix a terrible product or a slow site. Data is powerful, but it cannot rescue a store that loads slower than my Monday brain.

And yes, one last thing, if a report ever tells you to stop testing and just trust your instincts, close that tab and maybe your laptop.