In short. Plausible requires ordered completion according to the funnel type, allowing skipped middle steps only in Flexible funnels.
Definition: A Plausible funnel measures completion of a configured sequence of website goals. As of October 2026, its counting rules depend on the selected funnel type: Sequential, Flexible or Strict.
Key facts
- Plausible's funnel analysis documentation requires every step in order for Sequential funnels; Flexible funnels require the first step followed by the last.
- Plausible's metrics definitions define a session as website actions ending after 30 minutes without activity.
- The pageview goals guide requires a goal's pathname to match the page path recorded in the dashboard.
How does the funnel type change completion?
The funnel analysis guide documents these rules:
- Sequential, the default, requires all steps in order and permits intervening pages or events.
- Flexible permits skipped middle steps and intervening activity.
- Strict requires every step consecutively; another page load or event between steps breaks the sequence.
For Flexible funnels, middle-step counts represent visitors following the defined sequence up to that point. The final step can have a larger count than a middle step because visitors can skip it and still complete the funnel.
What are the session and visitor limits?
Plausible's metrics definitions distinguish visitors from sessions. A person can have several sessions within a day while counting as one unique visitor. Visits on separate days or from separate devices count as separate visitors.
The data policy describes a daily visitor identifier specific to a website and device. Session identifiers group events into visits.
The funnel guide treats a brief departure to an external payment service, such as Stripe, and the return as the same session. It specifies no general conversion window for combining steps across separate sessions.
How can goal matching be checked?
The pageview goals documentation places configuration in website settings under Goals. Selecting Pageview as the trigger opens a pathname field; its value must match the recorded dashboard path.
An asterisk matches a pattern in a page path. The guide gives this goal pattern for dynamically created checkout pages:
/checkout/order-received/*
A pageview goal can also be narrowed with custom properties. The guide's example counts visits to /dashboard only when account_type equals trial.
Related terms
- How do I analyze an AI referral funnel in Plausible?
- How do I filter Plausible conversions by AI assistant source?
- How do I distinguish enquiry types in Plausible goals?
FAQ
Does a new funnel include earlier visitors?
Plausible's funnel guide says counting starts after creation. Trigger the configured steps after saving the funnel to check that data appears.
Does repeating a goal increase total conversions?
Plausible's metrics definitions count repeated completions of the same goal by a visitor in Total Conversions. Unique Conversions counts the visitor who converts for that goal.
Sources
- Plausible, "Funnel analysis", 24 September 2026
- Plausible, "Metrics definitions", 24 September 2026
- Plausible, "Plausible: GDPR, CCPA and cookie law compliant web analytics", September 2026
- Plausible, "Pageview goals", 10 June 2026
Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer