What “easy analytics on mobile” actually means
Modern tools unify web and app data, switch to event-based tracking for flexibility, and ship mobile apps or responsive dashboards so you can check KPIs anywhere. Google’s GA4 collects both website and app data in an event model and adds predictive capabilities and privacy controls, which is why many teams standardize on it for a quick, broad view.
Quick picks by use case
- Need a simple pulse of site+app traffic on your phone: Google Analytics mobile app (GA4).
- Need deep product/event analytics with cohorts and funnels: Mixpanel or Amplitude.
- Enterprise digital analytics with executive scorecards: Adobe Analytics Dashboards.
- Company-wide BI on the go (self-serve dashboards): Power BI, Tableau Mobile, or Looker.
- Privacy-first, open-source web/app analytics with a mobile app: Matomo Mobile.
- Free, lightweight mobile app analytics for iOS/Android apps: Flurry.
The best mobile analytics apps in 2025
Google Analytics (GA4) — fast pulse checks, free starter
The GA mobile app lets you track key interactions and summaries on the go, while GA4 on the backend unifies web+app data using events and built-in predictive insights. Great for marketing or founders who need a quick read without setup overhead.
How to start quickly
Install Firebase/GA4 in your app using the official quickstart, then sign in via the mobile app to view reports.
Mixpanel — event analytics with session replay, now on mobile apps
Mixpanel is purpose-built for product analytics: events, cohorts, funnels and flows. In August 2025 it added Mobile Session Replay for iOS and Android, so teams can jump from a metric to a visual replay that explains the “why.” Ideal for product managers.
How to start quickly
Instrument core events (sign up, activation, key feature use) with the iOS/Android SDKs; use cohorts and funnels, then review replays for friction points.
Amplitude — deep behavioral analytics and ML alerts
Amplitude focuses on retention, cohorts, and paths; its mobile analytics guidance highlights turning behavior data into engagement wins, with machine-learning alerts and streams to catch shifts fast. Good for growth teams.
Adobe Analytics Dashboards — executive scorecards on iOS/Android
Adobe’s mobile app delivers real-time KPIs via “Scorecards,” optimized for execs and on-call decision makers. Build scorecards in Analysis Workspace and consume them in the app.
Microsoft Power BI — company BI with mobile features
Power BI’s mobile apps bring organizational dashboards to frontline staff; recent updates include NFC support to open the right dashboard by tapping a tag in the relevant location, and ongoing 2025 feature drops tied to Copilot. Great for operations.
Tableau Mobile — interactive dashboards, even offline
Tableau Mobile gives you interactive dashboards from Tableau Cloud/Server with offline access, so field teams can explore visuals without a laptop.
Looker (Google Cloud) — governed metrics to your phone
The Looker mobile app lets you view Looks, dashboards, and boards from a Looker instance, with Google OAuth sign-in and access to curated, governed metrics. There’s also support for Looker Studio content via the new consolidated app.
Matomo Mobile — privacy-first, open source analytics in your pocket
Matomo offers a free mobile app with the same reports as desktop, real-time visitor data, and SDKs for iOS/Android if you want app analytics while self-hosting and keeping data control.
Flurry — lightweight, free app analytics
Flurry provides quick app analytics for iOS and Android with audience breakdowns and retention—handy for indie apps that want a free, simple option.
Setup in 10 minutes: a universal checklist
- Define one north-star metric and 3–5 supporting events (e.g., signup → activation event → repeat use). Tools like Mixpanel/Amplitude call these “events” and “cohorts.”
- Pick your lane: GA4 for broad marketing and quick pulse; product analytics (Mixpanel/Amplitude) for behavior; BI apps (Power BI/Tableau/Looker) for company-wide dashboards.
- Ship the SDK or connect your data source (Firebase for GA4; native SDKs for others; BI apps connect to your existing models).
- Build a “mobile-first” view: Adobe Scorecards, Power BI dashboards with mobile layout, Tableau views designed for phones, or Looker boards.
- Turn on alerts or AI helpers: GA4 predictive, Amplitude ML alerts, Power BI/Co-pilot assists.
Feature highlights that save time
- Event-based data models reduce tagging complexity and make funnels, paths, and cohorts straightforward. GA4 moved to events for web+app by design.
- Mobile scorecards and dashboards let non-analysts self-serve (Adobe Scorecards; Power BI mobile, Tableau Mobile).
- Mobile-specific perks: Power BI’s NFC to open context-specific dashboards in stores/factories; Mixpanel’s Mobile Session Replay to see what happened without stitching logs.
Privacy, governance, and reliability basics
- Use official SDKs and respect platform privacy; Firebase/GA4 and Matomo provide documentation for app tracking specifics.
- Prefer governed metrics when many teams consume the same numbers (Looker/Power BI/Tableau). This avoids “dueling dashboards.”
- If compliance or data residency matters, consider self-hosted Matomo with its mobile app while keeping real-time visibility.
Comparison at a glance
- Google Analytics (GA4 mobile app): free, broad coverage of web+app, predictive insights; fastest to get a pulse.
- Mixpanel: event analytics, cohorts, funnels, plus mobile session replay; strong for growth/product.
- Amplitude: deep behavioral analysis and ML alerts; strong retention and pathing.
- Adobe Analytics Dashboards: executive-friendly scorecards on iOS/Android.
- Power BI: enterprise dashboards with mobile features like NFC; aligns to Microsoft stack.
- Tableau Mobile: interactive dashboards, offline; great for field teams.
- Looker: governed metrics on mobile with Google OAuth; consolidated app supports Looker and Looker Studio Pro.
- Matomo Mobile: open-source, privacy-first, same reports as desktop; self-host option.
- Flurry: free, lightweight mobile app analytics for iOS/Android.
FAQs
Do I need separate tools for web vs app?
Not necessarily. GA4 tracks both web and app with one event model; product tools like Mixpanel/Amplitude also offer cross-platform analytics.
Which app is best for executives who just want KPIs?
Adobe Analytics Dashboards with Scorecards or a curated Power BI/Tableau/Looker dashboard tailored for mobile.
What if I need privacy-friendly, self-hosted analytics?
Use Matomo; it ships a free mobile app mirroring desktop reports and supports iOS/Android SDKs.
Can I view dashboards offline?
Tableau Mobile supports offline access to content from Tableau Cloud/Server, useful for travel and fieldwork.
