Replace Google Analytics for Firebase: self-hosted

▸Example Google Analytics for Firebase call (the "before")

kotlin Respectlytics

import com.google.firebase.analytics.ktx.analytics
import com.google.firebase.ktx.Firebase

// GA4 event with user_id and freeform parameters:
Firebase.analytics.logEvent("level_up") {
    param("level", 7L)
    param("character", "Aragorn")
    param("user_id", userId)
}

Regulated industries — telehealth, fintech, government, defence — frequently require that analytics data never leave operator-controlled infrastructure. Respectlytics's self-hosted option (AGPL-3.0 server + MIT-licensed SDKs) lets you run the entire analytics stack on your own hardware. The SDK is the same; only the API endpoint changes.

☑Remove Google Analytics for Firebase cleanly

1
Remove the Firebase Analytics dependency from your build (CocoaPods / SPM / Gradle / npm / pub)
2
Remove the GA4 property's data stream linkage from your Firebase console — the data stops flowing as soon as the SDK is removed, but the property remains until manually deleted
3
Replace Analytics.logEvent call sites with Respectlytics.track("event_name")
4
Re-audit your Info.plist and AndroidManifest.xml for IDFA / AD_ID surfaces that GA for Firebase contributed
5
Confirm play-services-ads-identifier is no longer in the Android runtime classpath

⇋Google Analytics for Firebase vs Respectlytics — self-hosted deployment

	Google Analytics for Firebase	Respectlytics
Self-hostable	— see tool note above (typically no)	Yes (AGPL-3.0 server)
Operator-managed database	— typically no	Yes (you choose Postgres deployment)
Air-gapped deployment possible	No	Yes
SDK license	— varies	MIT (permissive)
Server license	— typically closed	AGPL-3.0 (source-available)

❓Frequently asked questions

What's the AGPL-3.0 obligation in practice?

If you modify the server source AND offer the modified server as a service to third parties over a network, you must publish your modifications under the same license. Internal self-hosting for your own apps does NOT trigger publication obligations. Consult your legal team for specific applicability.

What infrastructure do we need?

A Linux host (or container) running Python 3.12 + Postgres 14+ + a reverse proxy (nginx / Caddy). The default configuration scales to ~10 million events/day on a 4-vCPU / 8 GB box; larger deployments scale horizontally. See the public README for hardware sizing guidance.

Do we get updates automatically?

No — self-hosted deploys pull the latest source and run migrations on a cadence you control. We publish release notes for each version. No auto-update; you decide when to upgrade.

Are the SDKs AGPL too?

No — SDKs are MIT-licensed. Fork and modify freely with no copyleft obligation. Only the server is AGPL.

⇢Related migration guides

Replace Google Analytics for Firebase with self-hosted analytics