So, your creatives are looking sharp, your offer is strong, and your targeting is spot-on.
But you could never tell it from the ad campaign results, because they are… underwhelming.
Before you tear everything down, pause to ask: Is my data even making it back to the ad platform?
With iOS updates, cookie loss, and blockers in the mix, it's not uncommon that up to 60% of the conversions go missing and, in this case, algorithms can't optimize what they can't see.
This is exactly where server-side tracking plays a leading role. This guide compares the best tools for 2025: what they do, how they differ, and how to pick the one that actually improves performance (not just tracking) and fits your specific situation.
Quick note:
Not all tools below are built to improve conversion data accuracy. Some are attribution platforms or CDPs focused on reporting, not on helping ad platforms receive and act on high-quality data.
Want clean tracking without hiring a dev team? Start using Tracklution
If you:
Then that would be a resolute "Yes!". Server-side tracking will give you a better setup, but more importantly- it will radically improve how your ad platforms receive and act on your conversion data.
What it is: A server-side tracking platform made for performance marketers. You don't need your own server or a developer on speed dial.
Who it's for: Teams who want affordable and clean data without waiting on developers or external consultants.
How it works:
Tracklution sits between your website and ad platforms, capturing every conversion event server-side and sending clean, complete data directly to your ad platforms' APIs. This bypasses browser limitations, ad blockers, and iOS tracking restrictions that cause data loss.
What makes it special:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at €31/month. No setup fees or usage-based penalties.
Verdict: Purpose-built for marketers who want better ad performance without the technical headaches. If you're running ads (for yourself or customers) and suspect you're losing conversions, this is the fastest way to fix it.
Built for marketers and it just works.
What it is: Google's server-side container. Fully customizable, but only if you know what you're doing.
Who it's for: Dev teams with ample time, budget, and deep technical knowledge.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Free container. Real-world costs vary wildly.
Verdict: Great for devs. Not so great for speed or simplicity or for non-techies.
What it is: Hosting + helper tools built on top of sGTM.
Who it's for: Teams that want to run sGTM without managing their own infrastructure.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at $17/month+tech's time for setup and maintenance. Free tier for smaller sites
Verdict: Good middle ground if you're comfortable with technical setup.
What it is: A privacy-first server-side tool built for EU enterprises.
Who is it for: Companies with heavy compliance needs and large internal teams.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at €1000/month.
Verdict: A fit for enterprise privacy needs, usually not for lighter use cases.
What it is: Server-side tracking with ecommerce analytics layered in.
Who it's for: Established ecommerce brands with high order volume and in-house tech.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at $200/month. Onboarding and support add extra costs.
Verdict: Solid ecommerce stack, but a rather high barrier for smaller stores.
What it is: Hosting for sGTM with some UI polish and Shopify plugins.
Who it's for: Developers who want to simplify the sGTM experience but still maintain control.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Free tier available. Paid plans from $22/month + might need some budget for setup and maintenance.
Verdict: For technical users who want a cheaper way to host sGTM.
What it is: A full-funnel ad tracker with attribution, dashboards, and automation features.
Who it's for: Agencies and marketers running multi-channel ad campaigns who want detailed reporting.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at $149/month.
Verdict: Great if you want reporting. Less useful if you need to fix data quality.
What it is: Simple tracking for Shopify and other ecommerce stores.
Who it's for: Small DTC brands that want basic server-side setup with no code.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts at $49/month.
Verdict: Good starter tool for direct-to-consumer teams, but not so much for scaling complexity.
What it is: A multi-channel attribution platform with detailed reporting and ad matching features. It supports some server-side tracking but isn't primarily built for fixing data loss.
Who it's for: Marketers who want to analyze performance across channels and customer journeys, especially if attribution clarity is more important than raw tracking accuracy.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Custom (typically based on ad spend or business size)
Verdict: Good for reporting and attribution, but not the best choice if your goal is to feed cleaner data back to your ad platforms for better optimization.
What it is: An eCommerce-focused tracking and analytics platform for Shopify stores, offering visual dashboards that blend profit, attribution, and business KPIs.
Who it's for: Shopify brands looking for an all-in-one reporting and tracking layer with built-in profit metrics, LTV dashboards, and identity-based tracking.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Starts around $300/month, varies by features and store volume
Verdict: A strong option for Shopify brands focused on deep reporting, but less suited for marketers who want to ensure accurate, complete conversion data is captured and delivered to their ad platforms.
What it is: A Shopify-focused server-side tracking platform with built-in ecommerce KPIs.
Who it's for: Merchants who want conversion tracking plus profit dashboards, without dev time.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Shopify-tiered; varies by order volume.
Verdict: Solid Shopify-native solution for ecommerce marketers who want plug-and-play dashboards and ad integration.
What they are: Enterprise-grade Customer Data Platforms CDPs with optional server-side tracking components.
Who they're for: Large enterprises seeking data orchestration, user-level stitching, and audience syncing.
What to keep in mind:
Verdict: Robust, powerful, but it reflects in the price and complexity. Mostly best suited for enterprise data teams, not fast-moving marketing operations.
What it is: A focused profit-tracking tool, not a full server-side tracking solution.
Who it's for: Marketers who want to focus purely on profit tracking rather than comprehensive conversion data.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Free trial, then usage-based pricing.
Verdict: Good for profit-only tracking; lacks comprehensive data capabilities.
What it is: Fully managed hosting for Google Tag Manager Server-Side.
Who it's for: Teams wanting simplified GTM-SS management with UI tools.
What makes it different:
What to keep in mind:
Pricing: Usage-based; free trial available.
Verdict: Strong for simpler managed GTM-SS hosting, but still technical.
Having all this information might be both a blessing and a curse. So, to make this easier for you, here's a quick framework to help narrow down your decision:
Do you want to own and manage infrastructure (or not)? If not, tools like Tracklution, Wetracked, or Reaktion are likely a better fit than DIY setups like sGTM or Stape.
Do you want to optimize ad performance or just collect data? If your goal is better ROAS and cleaner conversions, go for tools designed to actively improve tracking accuracy, not just attribution dashboards. Think Tracklution over Hyros or TripleWhale.
Can you realistically maintain a complex setup? If not, skip tools that require ongoing tech support and maintenance. Your best bet will be plug-and-play platforms with minimal upkeep.
If you're spending money on ads and sending broken data to your ad platforms, you're not just missing conversions, but also training your algorithms on junk. You know how they say- garbage in, garbage out.
Tracklution says "I'm not having any of that". Clean data in, smarter performance out. And you don't need developers, live-in consultants, or a 5-week implementation window that sucks out your heart and soul.
Just ask 24 Center, a Nordic home maintenance service that was losing track of phone orders from their online campaigns. After switching to Tracklution, they cut their customer acquisition cost by 30% and started scaling ad spend profitably. The setup took them less than 15 minutes across multiple markets.
Compared to other tools:
This is what server-side tracking should be. Fast, accurate, and built to give you the bang for your buck. And let's face it, it's 2025, you shouldn't have to jump through circus hoops to make your conversions count and your campaigns perform like they should.
Tired of messy data holding back your ad performance? Tracklution's got you