“Why Matomo and not just Google Analytics?” — I hear this question in nearly every training session that touches on web analytics. The short answer: because with Matomo you truly own your visitor data and stay on the legally safe side in Austria. The long answer is right here. If you want to compare both tools feature by feature, read my direct comparison Google Analytics vs. Matomo — that article explains why Matomo is the better fundamental choice for many Austrian websites.
What exactly is Matomo?
Matomo (formerly “Piwik”) is an open-source web analytics platform — the leading privacy-friendly alternative to Google Analytics. It shows you the same things you know from Analytics: visitor numbers, sources, most popular pages, conversions, devices. The crucial difference lies not in the reports, but in who owns the data and where it is stored.
Matomo comes in two variants: self-hosted (you install it on your own server — full data sovereignty, free of charge) or as Matomo Cloud (hosted in the EU, for a fee, with no maintenance effort on your part).
Why Matomo? The 5 most important reasons
1. GDPR compliance without the headaches
This is the main reason. Matomo can be configured to run without cookie consent (anonymised tracking) — which means: no annoying consent hurdle that fails to capture part of your data in the first place. With Google Analytics, data is transferred to the USA, which remains a permanent legal risk for many operators following the CJEU rulings (Schrems II). Matomo processes everything within the EU or on your own server.
2. You own your data — 100 %
With Google Analytics, your visitor data is a raw material for Google’s advertising business. With Matomo (self-hosted), the data sits in your database, is not shared with third parties and is not aggregated for outside purposes. Data sovereignty is not a buzzword — it simply means: no one but you sees your figures.
3. No data sampling
With larger volumes of data, Google Analytics works with samples — your reports are then estimates. Matomo shows 100 % of your data, regardless of traffic volume. For sound decisions, that is a real advantage.
4. What can Matomo do that Analytics cannot?
- Heatmaps & session recordings — see where visitors really click (in GA only via add-on tools).
- A/B tests integrated directly.
- Raw-data access via API — for example to export Matomo data into Google Sheets and build your own reports.
- Log-file analysis — evaluation entirely without JavaScript tracking.
5. Familiar interface, easy switch
Anyone who has moved from Universal Analytics to GA4 knows the frustration with the new interface. Matomo’s dashboard is closer to the classic, intuitive Analytics feel — many find the switch a relief rather than a hurdle.
Matomo Tag Manager vs. Google Tag Manager
Matomo comes with its own Tag Manager — functionally comparable to Google Tag Manager (tags, triggers, variables), but with the same privacy advantage: no data flow to Google. If you are relying on Matomo anyway, the Matomo Tag Manager is the consistent, privacy-friendly choice. You then don’t need Google Tag Manager on top.
When does Google Analytics still make sense?
Let’s be honest: if you are deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem (Google Ads, intensive conversion tracking across several Google products), GA4 can score points through its seamless integration. The cloud variant of GA4 is also free, whereas Matomo Cloud costs money or self-hosting requires a bit of technical setup. For most small and medium-sized websites in Austria, however, the Matomo advantages clearly outweigh — above all because of the legal risk involved in US data transfers.
Setting up Matomo properly — together, location-independent
Matomo only reveals its value once it is set up cleanly: cookie-less configuration, correct IP anonymisation, goals and conversions defined, and the reports you really need. I show you this in a remote training session via video directly in your own Matomo instance — location-independent, whether you are based in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg or anywhere else in Austria. Get in touch with me, and together we’ll make your web analytics legally sound and meaningful.