Matomo vs Google Analytics: hosting, data and who suits
Google says Google Analytics is free of charge and runs on Google's servers. Matomo is free to download and host yourself, or paid and hosted by Matomo. The real difference is who runs it and who holds the data.
TL;DR
- Google says Google Analytics is free of charge; Matomo On-Premise is free to download and you host it.
- Matomo Cloud is paid and hosted for you.
If you want neither to run nor to host a server, Stickybeak is live analytics for every site you own, installed with one script tag. It is in early access.
Get early accessThe short answer
- Google Analytics: free of charge, per Google's Analytics page. Google hosts it, so there is nothing to install on a server. Explorations keep user-level data for 2 or 14 months.
- Matomo: two ways to run it. On-Premise is free to download and runs on your own server, so you keep the data where you put it. Cloud is hosted by Matomo and paid; plans and prices are on its pricing page.
- Choose by who you want to run it: if you would rather not manage a server and are happy with Google holding the data, Google Analytics is the lower-effort start. If keeping the data on a server you choose matters, or you want a hosted option that is not Google's, look at Matomo.
Side by side
Where a vendor page did not say, the cell says so. Vendors change these pages, so check the source before you plan around a number.
| Question | Google Analytics (standard) | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | "Free of charge", per Google's Analytics page. A paid enterprise version, Analytics 360, exists. | On-Premise: free to download ("forever will remain free to download"). Cloud: paid, with plans on Matomo's pricing page. |
| Who hosts it | Google. | Cloud: Matomo, with data stored in Frankfurt, Germany, per its pricing page. On-Premise: you, and you choose where the data lives. |
| Data ownership, in the vendor's words | Not stated in the Google pages we read. | "100% data ownership" on every hosting option, per Matomo. |
| Free trial | Not applicable: the standard product is free. | Cloud: "a free trial is available with access to all core features", no credit card needed, per Matomo. |
| Data retention | 2 or 14 months for user-level and event-level data. It affects explorations and funnel reports, not standard aggregated reports. | Cloud Business: raw data kept 24 months. Cloud Enterprise: custom. Reports are kept forever on both, per Matomo's pricing page. On-Premise: not stated in the pages we read, so we give no figure. |
| Sampling | Not covered in the Google pages we read. | Matomo says it has "no data sampling". |
| Cookies and consent | Not covered in the Google pages we read; see our GDPR guide. | Matomo says it can track without cookies and that it is "exempt from tracking consent" in France. That depends on how you set it up. |
| Moving over | Not applicable. | Matomo's importer brings over historical Google Analytics reports as aggregated data, not raw visits. Universal Analytics history can't be imported now: Google ended access to it from July 2024. |
| What you maintain | Nothing on a server. You maintain your tags and reports. | On-Premise: PHP and MySQL on your own server, plus updates. Cloud: nothing on a server. |
Google figures: Analytics overview and Data retention. Google's Universal Analytics shutdown covers the end of UA data. Matomo figures: pricing, On-Premise FAQ, Google Analytics import limits and Matomo's own comparison with Google Analytics. The comparison page is written by Matomo, so treat its claims as Matomo's. Where a cell says "not stated", the page we read did not say, which is not the same as the product lacking it.
Who each one suits
| If you are | Look first at |
|---|---|
| One person or a small team with one to a few sites | Google Analytics. It costs nothing to start, and our cost guide lists where "free" still takes time or money. |
| Someone who wants the data on a server they choose | Matomo On-Premise. You supply PHP and MySQL hosting and keep it updated, and you decide where the data sits. |
| Someone who wants a hosted tool that is not Google | Matomo Cloud, which Matomo hosts and prices by traffic. Its trial needs no credit card, so you can try it before you pay. |
| Someone who wants zero hosting and zero cost to start | Google Analytics. Google hosts the standard product and offers it free of charge. The trade is Google holding the data. |
If you already use one of them and it answers your questions, stay. Switching costs history and time. The case for moving is a bill, a skill gap or a question the tool will not answer.
What to ask before you choose
- What does it cost in total? Google's standard product is free. Matomo On-Premise is free to download but you pay for the server and your time. Matomo Cloud is priced by traffic.
- How far back do you need to look? Google's user-level retention is 2 or 14 months. Matomo Cloud Business keeps raw data 24 months and reports forever; for On-Premise, check the settings you would run.
- Who will build the reports? Both tools reward someone who knows them. Tidy UTM parameters help in either.
- Do you have history to bring? Matomo can import historical Google Analytics reports, but as aggregated data, so its visitor log and segments won't cover the imported period. Universal Analytics history is gone unless you exported it before Google ended access in July 2024.
- Do you need consent before measuring? That depends on where your visitors are and how you set the tool up, not on which tool it is.
If you want neither to host nor to run
Many owners weighing these two run a handful of sites and want to know who visited, where they came from and whether they bought. That is a smaller job. Our Google Analytics alternatives guide covers lighter tools in each vendor's own words, and how to check website traffic covers the basics.
Stickybeak is our own option. It is live analytics for people who run more than one site: every site on one wall, revenue tied to the channel it came from, one script tag per site. It is in early access; see our pricing page for plans. The FAQ answers the common questions, and analytics for multiple websites explains how several sites share a workspace.
Questions
Is Matomo better than Google Analytics?
Neither is better for everyone. Google says Google Analytics is free of charge and runs on Google's servers. Matomo says it gives 100% data ownership and can be self-hosted for free (On-Premise) or hosted by Matomo for a fee (Cloud). The better fit depends on whether you want to run software, who you want holding the data and what you will pay.
Is Matomo free?
Matomo On-Premise is free to download, per Matomo, but you provide the server and do the set-up and upkeep. Matomo Cloud, hosted by Matomo, is paid; see its pricing page for plans and prices.
Is Google Analytics free?
Google's Analytics page says it gives you the tools "free of charge". Google also sells a paid enterprise version, Analytics 360. Our Google Analytics pricing guide covers where the free version still costs time or money.
Does Matomo replace Google Analytics?
It can do the same job of counting visits and showing reports. Matomo has an importer for historical Google Analytics reports; it brings over aggregated reports, not raw visits. Universal Analytics history can no longer be imported, because Google ended access to it from July 2024. The two are separate products, so reports, names and set-up differ, and you should run both side by side for a while before you switch.
Does Matomo need a cookie banner?
Matomo says it can run without cookies and is exempt from tracking consent in France. That depends on how you configure it and where your visitors are, so check your own rules. Our Google Analytics and GDPR guide explains what Google Analytics sets.
What can I use if I want neither to host nor to run?
If you run a handful of sites and want visits, sources and sales in one place, a lighter hosted tool may be enough. Stickybeak is one option and is in early access. Our Google Analytics alternatives guide covers others.
Facts checked: 23 October 2026. Sources: Google, Analytics overview, Data retention and Universal Analytics shutdown. Matomo, Pricing, On-Premise FAQ, Google Analytics import limits and Matomo vs Google Analytics. Stickybeak facts come from this site's home page and docs. Matomo and Google change their pages; if one has moved on, tell us and we will fix it.