Northbeam vs Stape

Northbeam offers better reporting, but Littledata is superior for Shopify-native data completeness.

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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.

Stape logo

What is Stape?

Stape is your all-in-one solution for server-side data tracking. Users choose Stape to boost data quality and marketing ROI while maintaining security compliance.

Northbeam vs Stape comparison

FeatureNorthbeamStapeLittledata
Founder owned and led✔️✔️✔️
Fully automatic, no code setup✔️minus✔️
Works with platforms other than Shopify✔️✔️minus
Marketing reporting✔️minusminus
Proprietary attribution model✔️minusminus
Via server-side Google Tag Managerminus✔️minus
30 day free trialminusminus✔️
Identity resolution to boost audiencesminusminus✔️
Direct from Shopify's serversminusminus✔️
Customer data to marketing platformsminusminus✔️
Natively supports Shopify Marketsminusminus✔️
Automatic tracking of checkout stepsminusminus✔️
Built For Shopifyminusminus✔️

Neither Northbeam nor Stape is Littledata.

Where Littledata wins:

  • vs. Northbeam: Northbeam focuses on attribution/reporting but doesn't offer direct server-side Shopify data collection. Littledata pulls data directly from Shopify's servers, capturing events browsers miss and enriching them with customer identity — giving cleaner underlying data before attribution even begins. Littledata also offers a 30-day free trial and no-code setup.

  • vs. Stape: Stape uses server-side Google Tag Manager, which still depends on browser-initiated triggers — meaning it can't capture server-native Shopify events (e.g., post-purchase, subscription renewals) or enrich events with customer data the way Littledata can. Littledata's direct Shopify server connection, native Shopify Markets support, automatic checkout tracking, and identity resolution provide a more complete, Shopify-native data foundation without the complexity of GTM configuration.

Reviews comparison

Northbeam vs Stape's customer reviews

NorthbeamStapeLittledata
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.""Stape Server GTM is difficult to configure without technical expertise, and after multiple attempts, I was still unable to get it working.""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.""Although the app is free, I cannot recommend it based on my experience.""Customer support is absolutely amazing... you can never go wrong when an app does what it says and tacks on great service!"
LinkRead more reviewsRead more reviewsRead more reviews

Cost comparison

Northbeam vs Stape's monthly subscription cost

Store sizeNorthbeamStapeLittledata
50 orders / month$1000$40$39
500 orders / month$1000$40$175
5,000 orders / month$1500$150$540
20,000 orders / month$2500$400$1390

Sources: Northbeam pricing, Stape pricing, Littledata pricing. Prices last verified July 22, 2026.

Stape has a 14% higher Total Cost of Ownership

Compared at 5,000 orders a month. Assumes 20 hours of setup, spread over 12 months, plus 3 hours a month of maintenance, at $100/hour, for self-managed tools. Hosting or subscription is only a fraction of the true cost.

Northbeam

Monthly subscription

$1500

Setup labour (20h, spread over 12 months)

None, fully managed

Ongoing maintenance (3h/month)

None, fully managed

True monthly cost

$1500

Stape

Monthly subscription

$150

Setup labour (20h, spread over 12 months)

+ $167

Ongoing maintenance (3h/month)

+ $300

True monthly cost

$617

Littledata

Monthly subscription

$540

Setup labour (20h, spread over 12 months)

None, fully managed

Ongoing maintenance (3h/month)

None, fully managed

True monthly cost

$540

Supported data destinations

DestinationNorthbeamStapeLittledata
Google Analyticsminus✔️✔️
Meta Adsminus✔️✔️
TikTokminus✔️✔️
Klaviyominus✔️✔️
Attentiveminus✔️✔️
Google Adsminus✔️✔️
Pinterestminus✔️✔️
Microsoft Adsminus✔️✔️
Segmentminusminus✔️
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 Stape
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 Stape 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 Stape setup.

Does Northbeam work with Shopify?

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

How does Stape work?

Stape hosts server-side Google Tag Manager so you have the flexibility and customization of a sGTM setup without the hosting costs and hassle. The downside is the GTM container can only relay what is happening on the browser, and misses server-only events like some purchases and refunds.

Does Stape work with Shopify?

Yes, Stape is installed on an unknown number of 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 Stape suitable for Enterprise brands?

Stape is used by 32 sites in the top 100,000 globally - so this solution is likely suitable for Enterprise scale 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 Stape support?

Stape supports Google Analytics, Meta Ads, TikTok, Klaviyo, Attentive, Google Ads, Pinterest and Microsoft Ads.

Who owns Northbeam?

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

Who owns Stape?

Stape is an independent private company headquartered in Ukraine. Denis Golubovskyi is Stape'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 Stape a better choice than Littledata?

Stape is a better choice if you already run in-house or agency Google Tag Manager expertise and want full control over your own server-side container. 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.

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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 29, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.