Ad trackers are tools that collect data on the performance of online ads. They help businesses analyze traffic sources, user behavior, and conversions, providing insights to improve marketing strategies. Trackers also allow editing landing pages and blocking fraudulent clicks.
Businesses can choose between two main types of trackers: cloud-based and self-hosted.
Each option has its benefits, so it’s important to understand their differences. In this article, we’ll compare cloud-based and self-hosted trackers in terms of benefits, costs, security, and scalability.
Self-Hosted vs. Cloud Ad Trackers
As the names suggest, cloud-based trackers are hosted on remote servers managed by a third-party vendor, while self-hosted trackers require installation on your server or dedicated server space.
With cloud-based trackers, all the maintenance, server management, and updates are handled for you. With self-hosted trackers, you handle maintenance yourself but gain full control over your data, security, and storage capacity.
Each has its pros and cons, so understanding their differences is crucial to finding what fits your business best.
A Deeper Look at the Differences
1) Scalability
Cloud-based ad trackers are easy to use but can get expensive as traffic and data grow. When your campaigns expand, you might need to upgrade to more costly plans, which can strain your budget — especially if you’re running large or rapidly growing campaigns. These plans often have limits and extra features you might not need, forcing you to pay more or downgrade later.
Self-hosted trackers, like Keitaro Tracker, offer more flexibility. You buy the features you need and choose your server size. This means you can handle any amount of traffic — whether it’s 100 or 100 million hits per day — without worrying about increased subscription fees. While you will need to adjust your server’s resources (RAM and CPU) based on traffic, these adjustments generally lead to lower overall costs compared to the escalating fees of cloud-based solutions.
2) Convenience
Cloud-based solutions are designed for convenience. They are quick to set up and require no technical expertise or server management since the provider handles everything. For marketers who want a quick hassle-free solution, this is a plus.
Self-hosted trackers require more effort upfront — installation, server setup, and ongoing maintenance. However, this gives businesses full control over security, updates, and data management. Many self-hosted ad trackers, like Keitaro, also partner with VPS providers, making it easy to install the program with just a few clicks directly on the server.
3) Long-Term Costs
You might assume cloud-based ad solutions are cheaper because you don’t need a server. However, as your data and traffic increase, subscription fees can rise significantly, which may cost a lot for businesses in the long run.
With self-hosted trackers, there is an initial investment in server setup. While you may need to scale your server resources if your traffic grows significantly, the ongoing costs will still be lower than cloud-based solutions. This is because cloud services often factor in additional costs for personnel and infrastructure, making self-hosted solutions more cost-effective in the long run, especially for businesses with high traffic.
4) Security and Data Control
Data privacy is a major concern for any business. With cloud-based trackers, your data is stored on third-party servers, meaning you rely on the provider’s security protocols. While many cloud services invest heavily in security, you don’t have full control over how your data is stored or managed.
With a self-hosted solution, you control where and how your data is stored and protected since it’s on your servers. This level of control is crucial for businesses in industries with strict data regulations or those that simply prioritize high levels of data security.
So, Which Ad Tracker is Right for You?
The decision between a cloud-based or self-hosted ad tracker ultimately depends on your business’s specific needs and goals. For those looking for a simple, easy-to-manage solution with minimal technical involvement, a cloud-based tracker could be a better choice.
However, if you need greater flexibility, control, and scalability, a self-hosted tracker like Keitaro Tracker is a better fit. It offers full control, better data security, and the ability to grow alongside your business without the fear of usage caps or hidden fees.
Both options have their strengths, so the key is to weigh them against your long-term objectives and decide whether the freedom and control of a self-hosted solution outweigh the convenience of a cloud-based one.
