Custom Metrics Dashboard Backend 2026: Compare 4 Cloud and Self-Hosted GDPR APIs

When building a Custom Metrics Dashboard Backend 2026 for a Node.js SaaS, attribution is more critical than pricing or visuals. Comparing CloudWatch, Grafana Cloud, PostHog, and self-hosted metrics APIs requires focusing on operational burden and label cardinality. While Plausible suits privacy-friendly analytics and PostHog tracks product behavior, a custom metrics API is ideal for mixing product KPIs with backend counters. Success depends on separating attempts from logical deliveries and keeping tenant identifiers out of labels.