In the modern digital epoch, there are two prominent web analytics platforms: Matomo Analytics and Google Analytics. Both of these tools provide useful measures to analyze and optimize user behavior and the environmental development of your website.

Matomo is an open-source web analytics platform that offers complete reporting of website performance, user journey, conversion rate, e-commerce orders, and almost all the metrics that are required to analyze website status. It presents thorough data privacy and ownership. The users of Matomo can host the analytics data on their servers and have complete control over their data. It properly follows the DGPR rules. These features make it unique for sectors like healthcare, public domain, and legal offices.

While Google Analytics is a commonly employed free web analytics tool. This platform gives detailed insights into website traffic, goals achievements, funnel tracking, and many more features. Since this platform is presented by Google it also merges with other Google services like Google Ads. This metric lets the users analyze their advertising campaign properly.

This guide will elaborate on the strengths and limitations of each and will assist readers in choosing the one that best suits their specific needs and business requirements.

1. Salient features and Competencies:

There are some differences and similarities when regarding salient features and competencies of Matomo and Google Analytics. Have a glance at the following key features:

Matomo:

Data Collection Methods:

Matomo can collect data on a website by using JavaScript tracking code that automatically collects almost all the essential data requirements like page URLs, IP addresses, screen resolutions, time zones, downloads, etc.

Tracking Cookies: Matomo can track varied data types like user location, browser language, and custom dimensions.

Personal Data Tracking: Matomo also collects personal data like User ID, e-commerce ID, and IP addresses for better analysis and website optimization.

Session Recordings: Session Recordings are one of the most effective data collection methods offered by Matomo.

Server logs and SD Ks: It supports server logs and SD Ks for collecting data from the web, server, and mobile app.

Google Analytics:

Google Analytics tracks data by using JavaScript code and tracking cookies. It also collects data through server logs and SD Ks but it lacks personal data tracking which make it a bit less detailed for analysis.

Matomo:

Interface and Dashboard Customization:

The interface of Matomo platform is quite user-friendly and helps users easily navigate through displayed data. As far as the customization of the dashboard is concerned, Matomo provides more flexibility for customizing configurations and report settings. Besides it is customized as per the needs of users by remaining within privacy rules. It surpasses Google Analytics for its flexibility and privacy regulation due to which business often choose Matomo.

Google Analytics:

Google Analytics also provides standard dashboard but with limited customization options. It lacks in privacy-focused experience found in Matomo. The interface of Google Analytics is a bit complex for common users. They to learn before navigating Google Analytics dashboard.

Tracking in real-time:

Matomo:

You can analyze user activities in real-time with high accuracy and speed. This helps understand user behavior, conversion metrics, and other happenings on your website utilizing both Matomo. Matomo is better in a way that it ensures 100% secure data and it provides more advanced features.

Google Analytics:

Google Analytics displays real-time data tracking after 24 or 48 hours thus, it becomes difficult to analyze and monitor time-sensitive data. There are limited fields of real-time user data and the users have to utilize CRM software to know detailed user interactions and behavior.

2. Data Ownership and Privacy:

Matomo:

Matomo gives full control over data tracking and complies with GDPR privacy policies thus offering “Do Not Track” browser settings. It offers both self-hosted and cloud-hosted solutions. It does not share user behavior with advertising companies and other third parties.

Google Analytics:

Google Analytics has some limitations regarding data control and customization and it is governed by Google’s privacy policies and Google can use data for advertising purposes.

3. Report Generation potentials:

There are two methods for generating reports: Standard and Custom Reports. Both Matomo and Google Analytics offer standard and custom reporting. Standard reports are predefined methods that help analyze user interactions and other key metrics. While the user can also create custom reports by selecting specific fields and metrics that are essential for their reporting.

4. Cost and Licensing:

Matomo:

Matomo offer free as well as paid versions. The free version is based on basic functionalities whereas the paid version includes some newer features like heatmap, session recordings, and A/B testing. Users can have modern analysis by using paid plugins. There is no data usage restriction for users. They can access their data thoroughly.

Google Analytics:

Google Analytics is widely used as a free source of website analysis with advanced features. It too offers paid version 4 offering new instances through AI and machine learning. However, if the user exceeds advanced reports, they’ll be provided sample data. There is a data usage restriction and it may cause less accurate results.

5. Support and Community:

Matomo:

Official Documentation Quality:

Matomo provides full-fledged documentation for guiding users about the proper installation, maintenance, setup and configurations.

Community Forums and Support Channels:

Matomo contains active forums and strong community. It provides immediate solutions to users.

Service-level Agreements:

Matomo is an open-source analytics platform and it provides quicker solutions to user issues and actively cooperation for assistance.

Google Analytics:

Alternatively, Google analytics though provide detailed documentation but its community and forum support are less strong as is found in Matomo. It provides premium support and less speedy answers in case of free aid.

Now, it’s time to make some recommendations. Both Matomo and Google Analytics offer amazing analytics features for testing your website performance. Keeping in mind the competencies of both tools explained in this blog, Matomo stands out as a better option for users who want to have total ownership of their data with proper privacy promises. Users prioritize Matomo due to its flexible customization and community support.