Northbeam vs ProfitMetrics

Is Northbeam or ProfitMetrics a better data solution for Shopify brands?

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Northbeam logo

What is Northbeam?

Northbeam is the marketing intelligence platform for profitable growth, including multi-touch attribution and media mix modeling, both powered by industry-leading machine learning.

ProfitMetrics logo

What is ProfitMetrics?

Get full transparency into your profitability. ProfitMetrics lets you track, report, and optimize marketing based on profit and POAS® — Profit on Ad Spend — instead of revenue.

Northbeam vs ProfitMetrics comparison

FeatureNorthbeamProfitMetricsLittledata
Founder owned and led✔️✔️✔️
Marketing reporting✔️✔️minus
Fully automatic, no code setup✔️minus✔️
Works with platforms other than Shopify✔️✔️minus
Customer data to marketing platformsminus✔️✔️
Direct from Shopify's serversminus✔️✔️
Proprietary attribution model✔️minusminus
30 day free trialminusminus✔️
Identity resolution to boost audiencesminusminus✔️
Natively supports Shopify Marketsminusminus✔️
Automatic tracking of checkout stepsminusminus✔️
Built For Shopifyminusminus✔️

Northbeam vs ProfitMetrics (for a Shopify Plus ecommerce manager):

Northbeam focuses on multi-touch attribution and media mix modeling with ML-powered marketing intelligence. Its no-code setup and proprietary attribution model suit brands wanting sophisticated cross-channel measurement. However, it lacks direct server-side Shopify data collection.

ProfitMetrics differentiates by centering reporting on profit/POAS rather than revenue — valuable for margin-conscious brands. It pulls data directly from Shopify's servers, enabling richer, more complete event tracking.

Where Littledata wins over both:

Neither is Littledata, so it's worth noting Littledata's advantages:

  • Direct from Shopify's servers (shared with ProfitMetrics, not Northbeam) — captures events browsers miss
  • 30-day free trial — lower commitment barrier
  • Identity resolution to enrich audiences
  • Native Shopify Markets support
  • Automatic checkout step tracking
  • No-code setup

Northbeam lacks server-side data collection, limiting event completeness. ProfitMetrics is profit-reporting focused, not a full tracking/audience enrichment solution like Littledata.

Reviews comparison

Northbeam vs ProfitMetrics's customer reviews

NorthbeamProfitMetricsLittledata
Example product review"Since this change I have struggled to get my clients on to Northbeam as integration can require support, which they refuse to offer any.""I waited another two weeks. Nothing. Only replies when I followed up myself. After about a month and a half of waiting in their support queue, I’d had enough. I uninstalled the app and removed all their scripts… but even now, I still see their script showing up in my orders.""We were having difficulties with accurate and consistent revenue attribution...With Littledata implemented, we now get consistent and accurate revenue attribution."
Example support review"Something has changed at Northbeam... they have stripped all support... I am looking for an alternative for all my clients.""Very complicated app, poor support – a frustrating experience... completely unprofessional, overly complicated, and really poor communication.""Customer support is absolutely amazing... you can never go wrong when an app does what it says and tacks on great service!"
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Cost comparison

Northbeam vs ProfitMetrics's monthly subscription cost

Store sizeNorthbeamProfitMetricsLittledata
50 orders / month$1000$39$39
500 orders / month$1000$103$175
5,000 orders / month$1500$741$540
20,000 orders / month$2500$1018$1390

Sources: Northbeam pricing, ProfitMetrics pricing, Littledata pricing. Prices last verified August 13, 2026.

Supported data destinations

DestinationNorthbeamProfitMetricsLittledata
Google Analyticsminus✔️✔️
Meta Adsminus✔️✔️
Google Adsminus✔️✔️
TikTokminusminus✔️
Pinterestminusminus✔️
Klaviyominusminus✔️
Segmentminusminus✔️
Attentiveminusminus✔️
Microsoft Adsminusminus✔️
Benefits of Littledata
Littledata has been trusted by leading Shopify brands since 2017 for reliable server-side tracking.
100% of revenue tracked
Enhanced identity resolution
Connectors for all popular marketing channels
Learn more
Benefits of Littledata
Comparing Northbeam against ProfitMetrics
Can I switch from Northbeam to Littledata?

Yes, join dozens of Shopify brands who made the switch to Littledata for simpler server-side tracking, faster setup, and transparent pricing. We’ll even help migrate your Northbeam setup.

Can I switch from ProfitMetrics to Littledata?

Yes, join dozens of Shopify brands who made the switch to Littledata for simpler server-side tracking, faster setup, and transparent pricing. We’ll even help migrate your ProfitMetrics setup.

Does Northbeam work with Shopify?

Yes, Northbeam is installed on 1,900 Shopify sites according to the latest stats from BuiltWith.

How does ProfitMetrics work?

ProfitMetrics computes gross profit per order (revenue less discounts, COGS, shipping, payment fees and packaging, ex-VAT) and pushes that figure to ad platforms as the conversion value, so smart bidding optimises on margin rather than revenue.

Does ProfitMetrics work with Shopify?

Yes, ProfitMetrics is installed on 400 Shopify sites according to the latest stats from BuiltWith.

Is Northbeam suitable for Enterprise brands?

Northbeam is used by an unknown number of sites in the top 100,000 globally - so this solution is unlikely to be appropriate for Enterprise brands.

Is ProfitMetrics suitable for Enterprise brands?

ProfitMetrics is used by 6 sites in the top 100,000 globally - so this solution is unlikely to be appropriate for Enterprise brands.

Which marketing tools does Northbeam support?

Northbeam does not send data into the marketing tools but instead pulls insight from them.

Which marketing tools does ProfitMetrics support?

ProfitMetrics supports Google Analytics, Meta Ads and Google Ads.

Who owns Northbeam?

Northbeam is an independent private company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Austin Harrison is Northbeam's CEO.

Who owns ProfitMetrics?

ProfitMetrics is an independent private company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Frederik Boysen is ProfitMetrics's CEO.

When is Northbeam a better choice than Littledata?

Northbeam is a better choice if you are a larger multi-channel advertiser wanting sophisticated attribution modelling across multi-touch, media-mix and incrementality. Littledata is the better fit for teams who want turnkey, fully managed server-side tracking without building or maintaining tag infrastructure.

When is ProfitMetrics a better choice than Littledata?

ProfitMetrics is a better choice if you want to bid on profit rather than revenue and have the COGS, shipping and payment-fee data to feed it — especially on Magento, Lightspeed or a custom cart rather than Shopify. Littledata is the better fit for teams who want turnkey, fully managed server-side tracking without building or maintaining tag infrastructure.

How is Littledata's tracking different from Google Tag Manager?

Littledata sends purchase and behavioural data server-to-server, directly from Shopify's servers, so it does not depend on browser tags or a Google Tag Manager container you have to maintain. Tracking keeps working when Shopify changes the checkout, and events can be enriched with customer and order data the browser never sees. Tools built on server-side Google Tag Manager still rely on browser tags to collect events, and someone has to build and maintain the container.

Do I need an implementation agency to set up Littledata?

No. Littledata is turnkey: install the Shopify app and server-side tracking is live, with no code and no Google Tag Manager required. Self-managed server-side setups typically need 10 to 40 hours of specialist configuration up front, plus a few hours a month of ongoing maintenance, which is why a low sticker price often hides a much higher true cost.

How does Littledata handle event editing?

Littledata's Event Editor lets you customise and enrich the events sent to each destination without code, so you control exactly what data reaches Google Analytics, Meta, Klaviyo and your other marketing tools.

What is Littledata's Profit signal?

Littledata's Profit signal sends true profit, not just revenue, to your ad platforms, so Meta and Google can optimise campaigns towards the orders that actually make you money.

Does Littledata protect against bot traffic?

Yes. Littledata's bot protection filters automated traffic out of your tracking, so your analytics and ad audiences are built on real customers.

Does Littledata support Shopify Markets and headless stores?

Yes. Littledata supports unlimited Shopify Markets for cross-border stores and headless and Hydrogen storefronts.

Keep comparing

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How we compiled this comparison: pricing and feature data comes from each vendor's public pricing page, Shopify App Store listings, and BuiltWith usage data, reviewed by the Littledata team. Last verified August 13, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.