Matomo vs Google Analytics: The Real GA4 Replacement?
Read time: 10 min | Updated: January 2026
TL;DR: Matomo is the only GA replacement that actually does everything GA4 does - heatmaps, funnels, e-commerce, session recordings. If you need GA4’s power but want privacy: Matomo. If you hate GA4’s complexity: pick something simpler like Plausible.
I was skeptical.
“Open source Google Analytics alternative with all features” - sounds like marketing BS. I’ve seen too many tools claim to be “just as good as X” only to deliver 20% of the features.
But Matomo… Matomo actually delivers.
What’s Matomo?
Matomo (formerly Piwik) has been around since 2007. Longer than GA4. The thing is battle-tested.
Over 1 million websites use it. Including:
- The European Commission
- United Nations
- NASA
- Amnesty International
These aren’t hobby projects.
The Comparison
| Matomo | Google Analytics 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (self-hosted) or from €19/mo | ”Free” |
| GDPR | ✅ Compliant (with config) | ⚠️ Legally questionable |
| Heatmaps | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (third-party needed) |
| Session Recording | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| E-Commerce | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
| Funnels | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| A/B Testing | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (Google Optimize discontinued) |
| Data Ownership | ✅ 100% yours | ❌ Google’s |
| Self-Hosting | ✅ Possible | ❌ Not possible |
Where Matomo Wins
Heatmaps & Session Recordings
GA4 has no built-in heatmaps. You need Hotjar, Clarity, or similar.
Matomo has it integrated. One tool, one dashboard, one price.
I used this for a client project. The session recordings showed users dropping off at a specific point - a confusing form field. With GA4 I’d only see “high bounce rate”. With Matomo I saw why.
100% Data Ownership
With GA4, Google owns the data. They use it for ads, training, whatever.
With Matomo: your data, your server (when self-hosted), your rules. You can delete it whenever you want. You’re not dependent.
Google Analytics Import
Have years of historical data in GA? Matomo can import it.
This is a killer feature. With Plausible, Fathom, Umami - you start at zero. Matomo lets you keep your history.
On-Premise Option
Some companies can’t use cloud services for certain data. Banks, healthcare, government.
Matomo runs on your own servers. Completely air-gapped if needed. Try that with GA4.
Where GA4 Wins
Machine Learning & Predictive Analytics
GA4 has “Predictive Audiences”. Users likely to buy soon, likely to churn, etc.
Matomo doesn’t have this. Their ML features are basic to non-existent.
But: Honestly - do you actually use these GA4 features? Most people I know: No.
Google Ads Integration
If you run Google Ads, GA4 integration is nice. Conversion tracking flows automatically, audiences sync.
Matomo can do this too in theory, but it’s more work.
Free Tier for Small Stuff
For a hobby project, GA4 is genuinely “free”. With Matomo Cloud you always pay, with self-hosted you pay with server costs and time.
GDPR: The Elephant in the Room
This is where it gets serious.
Google Analytics has a data transfer problem. Data goes to the US. After Schrems II, that’s… complicated.
Multiple EU data protection authorities have declared GA4 illegal:
- Austria (December 2021)
- France (February 2022)
- Italy (June 2022)
- Denmark (September 2022)
Google presented “solutions”. EU servers, IP anonymization, etc. But the legal situation remains unclear.
Matomo:
- Can be hosted entirely in the EU
- Can be completely self-hosted
- Can run without cookies
- Has a GDPR manager function for compliance
You have to configure Matomo correctly for full GDPR compliance. But it’s possible. With GA4, it’s unclear if it’s even possible.
The Learning Curve
Fair warning: Matomo isn’t simple.
The interface is powerful but overwhelming. Dozens of reports, menus, settings. If you’re coming from GA4, you’ll feel at home. If you’ve never used something like this: expect a learning curve.
My honest take: Matomo is for people who actively use GA4 and need those features. If you just occasionally check visitor counts, Matomo is overkill. Take Plausible instead.
Pricing
Self-Hosted Matomo
- Software: Free (Open Source)
- Server: From ~€5/month (VPS)
- Premium Plugins (optional): Various prices
Matomo Cloud
| Hits/Month | Price |
|---|---|
| 50K | €19 |
| 100K | €29 |
| 500K | €89 |
| 1M | €169 |
Google Analytics 4
- “Free” (you pay with data)
- GA360 for enterprises: From ~$150,000/year
Migrating from GA4 to Matomo
Step 1: Matomo Setup
Create a cloud account or self-host install. Both well documented.
Step 2: Tracking Code
One JavaScript snippet. Similar to GA4.
Step 3: Import GA Data
Matomo has a Google Analytics importer. You can migrate historical data.
Important: The import takes time with large datasets. Plan a few hours.
Step 4: GDPR Settings
- Enable IP anonymization
- Check cookie settings
- Add opt-out option
- Get consent if necessary
Step 5: Disable GA4
Once Matomo is running and you’re happy: remove GA4, adjust cookie banner.
My Recommendation
Choose Matomo if:
- You need e-commerce with full tracking
- You want heatmaps/session recordings without extra tools
- You have years of GA history you want to keep
- Your team already has analytics skills
- You need to host on-premise
Stay with GA4 if:
- You use Google Ads integration heavily
- You actively use machine learning features
- You have no GDPR concerns (US company, etc.)
Pick something simpler if:
What I Use
For complex client projects with e-commerce: Matomo.
For everything else: Plausible.
Matomo is powerful, but I usually don’t need that power. And when I don’t need it, the complexity just gets in the way.
FAQ
Is Matomo really GDPR-compliant?
With proper configuration, yes. You need to anonymize IPs, adjust cookie settings, and offer opt-out. Matomo has a GDPR manager to help.
Can I run GA4 and Matomo in parallel?
Yes, makes sense for a transition period. But double scripts = double performance impact.
How hard is self-hosting?
PHP + MySQL. Standard LAMP/LEMP stack. Easier than most modern tools. A few hours setup, then it runs.
Are the premium plugins necessary?
For basic analytics: No. Heatmaps, session recordings, A/B tests are premium. Decide if you need them.
What about the interface look?
Yeah, it doesn’t look as modern as GA4 or Plausible. Functional, but not sexy. For some that’s a dealbreaker.
Try It
- Matomo Cloud: 21 days free
- Matomo Self-Hosted: Download (free)
See also:
Last updated: January 2026
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